ã€ŠWinning Her Heart Backã€‹


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1

    Chapter 1 New Affection

    Emelie hadn¡¯t fully recovered from the shock of her unexpected pregnancy and the subsequent miscarriage as she was wheeled out of

    the operating room after the D&C surgery.

    nurse asked,

    The nurse pushed her back to a ward and proceeded with her Inpatient registration.

    ¡°Bed 1703, Ms. Emelie Hoven. Are there any family members with you?¡± the

    Emelie was lost in her thoughts. She stared nkly at the sterile ceiling, not hearing the nurse¡¯s question.

    The nurse repeated, ¡°Ms. Emelie Hoven, do you have any family here?¡±

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    Another nurse who was adjusting the IV drip turned around and said, ¡°Let me handle it. When she was brought in by the ambnce, she gave me her ID

    Emelie¡¯s lips moved slightly, finishing the nurse¡¯s sentence. ¡°I have no family members.¡±

    The smell of disinfectant filled her nostrils.

    She curled up. The reality of losing her child sunk in deeper.

    She breathed in deeply, and tears unexpectedly flooded her eyes.

    She had lost her child.

    The aftermath of the D&C surgery took a toll on her body, leaving Emelie alone in the hospital for three

    days.

    By the fourth day, she received a call from William Middleton. ¡°Ms. Hoven, tired of missing work yet? If you are, make your way to the ¡®Westward Club¡®.¡±

    The background noise of his call was filled with the sounds of clinking sses and a faint, youthful

    female voice.

    Emelie moved her lips, wanting to say she was in the hospital.

    ¡°Ms. Hoven, reply to me,¡± William repeated with evident irritation.

    Emelie swallowed her words and rushed out of the hospital without evenpleting the discharge

    procedures.

    She quickly hailed a taxi to the exclusive Westward Club, only having time to apply her makeup during the

    ride.

    Upon her arrival, she had walked in while still applying lipstick.

    She asked the receptionist, ¡°Which private room is Mr. Middleton from Cloudex Corporation in?¡±

    Chapter 1 New Affection

    The receptionist was momentarily captivated by her presence.

    However, the receptionist quickly recovered and informed her, ¡°Mr. Middleton is in private room A001. This way, please.¡±

    Emelie nodded and followed the receptionist to room 001.

    Out of courtesy, she knocked twice. Then, she pushed the door open and entered.

    The thick scent of alcohol immediately assailed her senses, triggering a wave of nausea.

    Before she could take in her surroundings, a man said, ¡°Ms. Hoven is here. Let her join in the drinking. No

    need to trouble the neer.¡±

    A customer¡¯sughter followed as he remarked, ¡°Ms. Hoven, you¡¯re remarkablypliant, aren¡¯t you? Showing up simply because you were summoned

    Emelie quickly took stock of the situation, her attention drawn to a young woman seated next to William.

    Though Emelie didn¡¯t recognize the woman, the woman seemed to know her.

    ¡°Ms. Hoven, I¡¯m sorry, I-¡± the woman stammered as she apologized.

    However, she was cut off by William. ¡°No apologies needed. Had it not been for her unexined absence,

    she¡¯d be the one here.¡±

    His tone was clearlyced with care and favoritism.

    But William was known for his cold and detachment demeanor, when had he ever stood up for anyone?

    Emelie gave the young woman a closer look.

    She was dressed modestly. Her youthful ponytail contrasted with the rowdy atmosphere, giving her an innocent look that tugged at people¡¯s heartstrings

    Emelie suppressed her emotions as she approached the woman with a practiced smile. She said, ¡°Mr. Garrett, are you enjoying the drinks here? Remem

    As Cloudex Corporation¡¯s head secretary, Emelie skillfully navigated the evening¡¯s social intricacies.

    She managed to alleviate much of the insistence on heavy drinking and, while she did partake in a few sses of wine, the night turned out to be much

    Yet, William offered her no response throughout the night.

    Amid the noise, Emelie caught a snippet

    of William speaking to the young woman with a softness and warmth tone. ¡°Feeling tired? I¡¯ll take you home shortly.¡±

    His voice carried a warmth and gentleness Emelie had never encountered in their three years together.

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2

    Chapter 2 Enstbay

    After the gathering. Emelie saw each quest off to their vehicle before leaning against a streemp, shivering as a cold sweat enveloped her.

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    She couldn¡¯t identify the source of the intermittent pain spreading through her body.

    Her lipstick had faded, revealing her lips that were devoid of any color.

    William¡¯s driver noticed her condition. He was aware of Emelie and William¡¯s rtionship

    He said hurriedly, ¡°Ms. Hoven, would you like to get in the car first?¡±

    Emelie nodded, gratefully sinking into the backsent.

    Two minutester, the car door was opened again.

    William approached the car with a young woman by his side.

    He was ready to get it but skidded to a halt at the sight of Emelie waiting by the vehicle. He frowned, annoyed she was taking up space.

    The woman quickly opened the passenger side door, saying softly, ¡°Mr. Middleton, I¡¯ll sit in the front.¡±

    William mmed the car door shut and said, ¡°Take Daphne Bowen home first.¡±

    Emelie closed her eyes, feeling very weak. Drinking had taken its toll, especially on the fourth day after a

    miscarriage.

    As the car pulled up to an old apartmentplex, William nudged Emelie awake.

    ¡°This alley looks awfully dark and unsafe. Go escort Daphne upstairs.¡±

    Daphne¡¯s eyes were big and round, shining even in the dim light of the car. ¡°No need, Mr. Middleton. Ms. Hoven is quite tired, and it is just a short walk. I

    She stepped out of the car as she smiled at William in the back seat with a twinkle in her

    eyes. ¡°Mr. Middleton, please take Ms. Hoven back. Goodnight.¡±

    William stopped frowning as he nodded. ¡°Sure, goodnight.¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t say a word throughout.

    However, the driver didn¡¯t take Emelie home. He was William¡¯s confidant, a nce from William was all it took for him to understand what he wanted,

    He drove directly to the Eastbay, where William lived.

    They entered the house together.

    Before Emelie could turn on the light, she was pressed against the door by William, who kissed her lips.

    Emelie was stunned for a moment, then immediately grabbed his hands, turning her head away. ¡°Wait¡­¡± I¡¯m not feeling well today.¡±

    Chapter 2 Fasthay

    Disappointment shed across William¡¯s striking face without any attempt to hide it.

    ¡°Fine, then make your own way back,¡± he said as he walked towards the dining room.

    Emelie turned on the light and saw him take a bottle of mineral water from the fridge, tilting his head back

    to swallow.

    His Adam¡¯s apple bobbing, sensual, and mature.

    William, the esteemed heir of the Middleton family of Capebatt City, was impable in every aspect.

    He only brought her to the Eastbay when he needed to satisfy his physical needs, a tacit agreement since he ¡°redeemed¡± her three years ago.

    Emelie didn¡¯t leave but walked toward him instead, saying, ¡°If you¡¯re in such need, why didn¡¯t you keep Daphne just now? You¡¯re interested in her, aren¡¯t

    William didn¡¯t deny it, his smile ambiguous. ¡°Have you noticed?¡±

    How could it have escaped her notice?

    Emelie quietly asked, ¡°When did this¡­ arrangement begin? And what role have you assigned her?¡±

    William¡¯s voice softened slightly at the mention of Daphne. ¡°I encountered her at Capebatt University a few days back. She¡¯s an

    art student, quite naive. For now, she¡¯ll work as a secretary for me.¡±

    Emelie couldn¡¯t help butugh¡­

    While she was in the hospital recovering from her miscarriage a few days ago, he had already brought a university student into his circle.

    She softly touched William¡¯s shirt cor with her finger, her eyes twinkling yfully. ¡°University students. are fun, right? So fresh and easy to train.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s fine as she is.¡± William caught her chin, his thumb brushing over her lips.

    He continued with a hoarse voice, ¡°But not everyone can be molded as you were¡­¡±

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3

    Chapter 3 Dismissal

    They moved toward the bathroom, where the shower ran like a burst of rain.

    Suddenly, Emelie¡¯s mind drifted to their first meeting three years ago, on a simr rainy day

    Her family once ran a modest supermarket.

    They weren¡¯t wealthy, but they lived a stable andfortable life as a family of five.

    Unexpectedly, her father fell into a trap that plunged them into a debt of 5 million dors.

    He was forced to sell the supermarket, their home, and any seble items. Yet, they were still 3 million

    dors short.

    At their wit¡¯s end, the person who set the trap showed his true intentions, demanding she use her own

    body to repay the debt.

    Her parents tacitly consented.

    On a rainy night, she fled in panic. The roaring engines of motorcycles sounded behind her, like predators toying with their prey.

    She lost her shoes and her hair was disheveled. Ahead of her was endless darkness, void of any light.

    She then fell to the ground, surrounded by motorcycles. She believed her life was over.

    It was at that moment a business car arrived, blocking her view.

    She looked up and saw the car door open. A pair of polished leather shoes stepped into a puddle.

    His trousers were impably tailored, and he covered Emelle with arge ck umbre, exuding an air of detached nobility as he offered her protectio

    He dered, ¡°She¡¯s with me. Who would dare toy a hand on her?¡±

    The initial meeting was so stunning that

    she revisited and embellished the scene in her dreams countless times, ingraining it deeply, and making it unforgettable.

    After the shower, Emelie left the bathroom, her body still damp.

    She popped a candy in her mouth before looking for clean clothes to change, while William continued his

    shower.

    She pondered whether to tell William about her pregnancy and subsequent miscarriage.

    However, she decided against it after a brief few minutes of contemtion.

    When he saved her three years ago and kept her safe, he made it clear that she shouldn¡¯t cause him any

    trouble.

    She was a tool to him, useful in both his personal and work life and a tool must know its ce.

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    Moreover, his interest in another woman meant he would care even less, making her revtion pointless.

    The next day. Emelie went to work as usual.

    The CEO¡¯s secretarial team consisted of three secretaries, each responsible for various facets of William¡¯s workload.

    Emelie hadn¡¯t actually abandoned her duties as she had submitted her leave form to HR right before being rushed away by the ambnce.

    Despite her leave, she addressed the critical documents while in the hospital. Yet some daily tasks had piled up, keeping her upied all morning witho

    By 2 pm, she was visited by the finance department¡¯s manager, who reported a problem with one of the documents¨C

    an incorrect decimal point cement.

    Emelie frowned and quickly reviewed the document. ¡°This doesn¡¯t seem like something I did.¡±

    ¡°It waspleted by the new assistant, Daphne,¡± said the finance manager.

    After a brief pause, Emelie assured the finance manager, saying, ¡°I have a good rapport with Mr. Garrett.

    I¡¯ll take care of this mistake.¡±

    The manager said in a low voice, ¡°Someone needs to be held ountable for such a grave mistake, regardless of any fix.¡±

    Emelie expressionlessly replied, ¡°Whoever made the

    error should be responsible for it.¡±

    Thepany¡¯s policy was straightforward a significant mistake within the first month of employment.

    could lead to immediate termination.

    Consequently, the HR department quickly issued a notification to Daphne.

    Emelie caught a brief break from her packed/schedule and observed Daphne slowly packing her things. tearful and moving with hesitation.

    The secretariat office was always busy with activities, hardly anyone spared a moment to consider the situation of an unexpectedly ousted assistant.

    Daphne left the secretariat with a box in her hand and stumbled upon William.

    Ten minutester, Emelie was summoned to the CEO¡¯s office.

    She entered the CEO¡¯s office with the documents in her hands and immediately saw Daphne standing to

    the side.

    William was sitting in his chair with a pen and a cold gaze, simplymanded, ¡°Exin.¡±

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4

    Chapter 4 Ex¨Clover

    Emelie questioned, ¡°What exactly does Mr. Middleton wish me to exin?¡±

    ¡°Why fire her?¡± asked William

    Emelie inly exined, ¡°She was responsible for the mistake in the Waypoint Corporation contract as a decimal was incorrectly ced.

    ¡°Fortunately, our strong rtionship with the client softened the impact. ording to our policy, a new employee whose significant error endangers the fi

    Hearing this, Daphne¡¯s face drained of color, a mix of fear and anxiety seizing her. ¡°I was too careless, my apologies¡­¡±

    William gave her a look, one that was meant to be reassuring, then said to Emelie, ¡°Show me the

    document.¡±

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    Emelie put down the document.

    William flipped through the document to its end, only taking a brief look before tossing it back onto the

    desk.

    He said, ¡°This date marks your

    unexined absence. Had it not been for your absence, the responsibility of this contract would not have fallen to Daphne, a neer.¡±

    Emelie was incredulous. ¡°Is Mr. Middleton implying the fault lies with me?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the head of the secretarial department. You should ept the me.¡± William¡¯s response was direct, showcasing an unmistakable bias in favor o

    Daphne.

    Emelie suppressed her frustration

    and argued, ¡°Setting aside that I was on leave when she joined, even if she didn¡¯t know how to handle it, she could have asked someone else or simply

    ¡°Moreover, one must either be a top graduate from a professional institution or have an outstanding work record to enter the secretarial department. An a

    William asked, ¡°What if I insist on keeping her?¡±

    Emelie replied through clenched teeth, ¡°The secretarial department is fully staffed, we don¡¯t need an assistant. If Mr. Middleton insists on keeping her, the

    William looked at Emelie. Her lips pressed tightly together, showing a stubbornness reminiscent of how

    she was three years ago.

    He smirked slightly. ¡°Since the secretarial department is fully staffed, she will rece your position.¡±

    Emelie was utterly taken aback at his words.

    A cold realization dawned on her upon grasping his intention.

    Chapter 4 Ex-lover

    She understood that dismissing Daphine would displease William, yet she had not anticipated such

    intense repercussions.

    It seemed that she had misjudged William¡¯s fondness for Daphne and overvalued her own significance to

    him.

    Daphne hastily approached. ¡°Mr. Middleton, I¡­¡±

    William raised his hand to stop her from speaking, then tossed a document to Emelle. ¡°You¡¯re now assigned to the Vown project. Don¡¯t return to the h

    Emelie left the CEO¡¯s office and began to pack her things in the secretarial department.

    The other two secretaries asked in surprise, ¡°Emelle, where are you going?

    Emelie responded, her voice devoid of emotion, ¡°Mr. Middleton assigned me to the Vown project.¡±

    Assigning her to an extemal project was a way of implying that she should leave the headquarters.

    Both secretaries were astonished.

    There had never been a precedent for a CEO¡¯s secretary being assigned out, especially since Emelie was the head of the secretarial department.

    Moreover, the treatment at a subsidiary could neverpare to that at the headquarters.

    Once she leaves, could she evere back?

    Daphne entered, carrying her items to Emelie¡¯s desk, her voice shaky. ¡°Ms. Hoven, let me assist with. packing..¡±

    Emelie looked at her and asked, ¡°Has Mr. Middleton assigned this desk to you now?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Middleton indicated that this seat allows him to monitor me in case of unforeseen circumstances,¡±

    Daphne relied.

    Emelie¡¯s lips slightly curled.

    The desk was directly opposite the CEO¡¯s office, one could easily observe William at work as long as the

    door wasn¡¯t closed.

    Previously, she would often lift her head from her work and sneak nces at him.

    Now, it appeared William intended to monitor Daphne openly, perhaps to safeguard her from potential

    mishaps like today¡¯s.

    Emelie let out a sigh, feeling as if the pain of her miscarriage was washing over her all over again.

    As Daphne neatly packed the calendar into a box, she whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll dedicate myself to learning and performing my duties wlessly. You won¡¯t have to

    Emelie harbored no concerns.

    Chapter Ever

    After all, no one lingered on thoughts of an ex lover in the light of new affections

    Especially when she was never truly considered an ex lover, but merely a tool that William had grown

    Tired of

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5

    Chapter 5 Rumors

    Emelie returned to the house she was renting to pack her bags.

    ¡°Emelie, you¡¯re finally back? I was about to search every hospital in town for you tomorrow if you hadn¡¯t shown up today.¡±

    ¡°Well, everything¡¯s fine now,¡± Emelie replied.

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    Emelie¡¯s roommate, Mona Hardy, who was also her college dorm mate, had lived together with Emelie for six or seven years. Their rtionship had alwa

    Throughout her hospitalization, Mona had been the only one genuinely concerned for her.

    Yet, Emelie had not disclosed the full truth to her, merely mentioning

    id fallen ill and refusing visits.

    Mona slipped into her slippers and approached Emelie¡¯s room, only to find her squatting on the floor, folding clothes.

    ¡°Preparing for another business trip? You¡¯ve just recovered from your illness, and now a

    business trip? Is your health up for it? William, that jerk, why does he always have to push you so hard?¡±

    Mona was aware of the strain in Emelie¡¯s rtionship with William and had never approved of him.

    d to a

    Emelie didn¡¯t know how long she would be away, so she told Mona the truth. ¡°I¡¯ve been assigned to a project in Vown. Mona, I¡¯ll extend the lease for

    ¡°If I can¡¯t return in three months, you might need to find someone else to share the rent with, just let me know, and I¡¯lle back to take the rest of my st

    Mona was startled. ¡°What? Why so sudden?¡±

    Emelie¨Creplied, ¡°It¡¯s just a shift in position, happens all the tim

    It would be normal for anyone else, but with Emelie¡¯s rtionship with William, how could she be sent.

    away?

    Mona wasn¡¯t fooled as she asked, ¡°Did you have a fight with William?¡±

    However, Emelie didn¡¯t really want to discuss it.

    As she stood up to get something, a piece of paper identally fell from her pocket.

    She was about to pick it up when Mona snatched it up first and unfolded it.

    It was a report from her D&C surgery.

    Mona was stunned and paused.

    Silently, she lifted her gaze from the report to Emelie. She noted that the dates matched the days of Emelie¡¯s unexined absence.

    Mona quickly connected the dots. ¡°Were you hospitalized because of an abortion? The child must have

    Chapter 5 Ruinart

    been William¡¯s. Did he make you abort the child and then drove you away? Damn him, how could he treat you like this? I¡¯m going to find him and settle t

    Despite Mona¡¯s soft and sweet name, she possessed a core of steely determination. Unlike others, she wouldn¡¯t hesitate to directly confront William

    Emelie quickly held her back. ¡°Mona! He doesn¡¯t know about this! It was an ident, an unintentional.

    miscarriage.¡±

    Mona frowned. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell him?¡±

    Emelie pursed her lips and replied, ¡°There¡¯s no need for him to know.¡±

    ¡°What. What are you thinking?¡± Mona said.

    Emelie took back the abortion report, tore it up, and threw it in the trash bin. ¡°I didn¡¯t think much, just felt that he didn¡¯t need to know.¡±

    Mona struggled to understand Emelie¡¯s decision, feeling a deep sense of injustice on her behalf.

    Emelie went to the bathroom to pack her belongings.

    Mona gritted her her teeth as she picked up pieces of the torn report from the

    in case.

    trash bin, saving them just

    That evening, Emelie took a flight to Vown.

    In the following month, aside from routine updates to the headquarters, Emelie remained disconnected

    from William.

    However, she did receive asional office gossip from the two secretaries, who were friendly toward

    her.

    For instance, William went beyond merely mentoring Daphne at work as he also took a personal interest in her well¨Cbeing.

    On one asion, he returned to the office to drive Daphne back home when it heavily rained, despite having already left..

    This act of kindness fueled spections among their colleagues, with rumors suggesting that Daphne

    might be Mr. Middleton¡¯s mistress.

    Upon learning of the rumor, William took swift action, resulting in the termination of the individual

    responsible for its spread.

    Thus, a new rumor emerged at the headquarters, asserting Mr. Middleton favored Daphne above others.

    Emelle vaguely remembered when she first started dating William, he also taught her how to work hands- on, and simr rumors circted within the co

    Back then, his indifference to the rumors had been palpable.

    Over the years, Emelle secured her position at Cloudex Corporation through her own work capability, dispelling those scandals.

    She thought William was heartless and unloving towards everyone. But apparently, he does stand up for people¨Cjust not her.

    Emelie instinctively touched her abdomen.

    More than a month had passed, but no one knew what had been lost, aside from her.

    Two monthster, as the Vown project nearedpletion, her colleagues hinted that Mr. Middleton would pass through Vown to inspect the

    branch office.

    They advised her to seize the opportunity to seek a transfer back to the headquarters.

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6

    Chapter 6 The Presentation

    Emelie¡¯s colleague sincerely suggested to her, ¡°Emelie, have you thought about it? Your employment

    contract is up in a month. If you don¡¯te back, Mr. Middleton might not renew it.

    ¡°Once it expires, it¡¯ll automatically be terminated. Even if the contract were to end, you should return to the headquarters to wrap things up. It would look

    Though Emelie¡¯s concernsy elsewhere, she couldn¡¯t shake the need to witness the situation firsthand.

    On the day of William¡¯s branch office visitation, she meticulously applied her makeup and chose

    a white dress for him and waited at thepany¡¯s entrance.

    Ten minutester, three cars drove over and smoothly parked at thepany¡¯s steps.

    William was the first to step out of the car.

    Before Emelie¡¯s smile could fully bloom, another figure appeared from the other door¨Cphne.

    It appeared that William and Daphne were as inseparable as the rumors said.

    Emelie momentarily hesitated but proceeded to greet him respectfully, ¡°Wee, Mr. Middleton.¡±

    William briefly acknowledged her with a fleeting nce, offering no response before he confidently

    ascended the steps into thepany alongside the branch manager.

    Emelie admired his retreating figure, noting his preference for impably tailored ck suits thatplemented his physique, enhancing his height, bro

    shouldered, and strikingly handsome silhouette.

    Daphne scurried to Emelie, greeting her softly, ¡°Hi Ms. Hoven, it¡¯s been a while.¡±

    Her eyes shone with an innocent charm.

    Emelie responded with a slight nod.

    As the lead on the project, Emelie was tasked with delivering the key presentation to the CEO.

    With the presence of international clients, Emelie conducted her entire presentation in Asteshese.

    Her delivery was both fluent and confident, peppered with gentle humor that elicited smiles of agreement.

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    from the audience.

    The 40¨Cminute presentation captivated everyone, culminating in enthusiastic apuse.

    William joined in the apuse, though his expression remained neutral, leaving Emelie uncertain whether his approval was genuine or merely polite.

    She smiled modestly, bowed gracefully, and descended the podium.

    As she passed by William, who was seated at the head of the conference

    table, Emelie pretended to identally kick the tableer, softly eximing as she bent down.

    Her tea¨Cbrown curled hair, fragrant with gardenias, lightly brushed over his hand resting on the table.

    The Presentation

    Emelie raised her head and her gaze met William. His pupils were dark and bottomless, irresistibly

    Emelie pursed her lips, straightened up, and continued on her way.

    Her seat was past Daphne, who was diligently taking notes. Her hair was obscuring her face and hiding. any expression she had.

    After the meeting, William was the first to exit, with others gradually following.

    Emelie lingered, methodically organizing her materials until the room was empty, before preparing to

    leave with her documents.

    However, a man entered at that moment.

    The man was about six feet three and blocked her way effortlessly.

    Emelie gave aposed smile and asked, ¡°Mr. Middleton, have you returned for something you¡¯ve forgotten?¡±

    ¡°I have indeed forgotten something¡­¡± William swiftly took her hand and lifted her onto the conference

    table.

    He positioned himself between her legs, his hands on the table edge, enclosing her in his embrace.

    Their closeness was electric with intimacy, as their subtle fragrances intertwined, narrating a tale of longing and reunion.

    ¡°What have you learned for these two months? The art of seduction?¡± William¡¯s voice was low and

    suggestive.

    Emelie caught his tie, whispering, ¡°Are you unjustly using me, Mr. Middleton?¡±

    He looked down and said, ¡°You wore no perfume at the entrance. Yet by the meeting¡¯s start, you were scented. Dare you say it wasn¡¯t intentional?¡±

    Emelie smiled and replied, ¡°So, Mr. Middleton, you¡¯ve been observant, huh?¡± William silenced her with a kiss, leaving her no chance to speak further.

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 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7

    Chapter 7 Untouched

    The conference room door was locked for nearly an hour.

    Afterward, Emelie took several alcohol wipes and thoroughly cleaned the conference table.

    With the room back in order, she nced over to William, who had already reverted to his usual dignified

    and authoritative demeanor.

    A closer look revealed a minor crease on his shirt, indicating he was the first to lose restraint just now

    Emelie picked up William¡¯s tie and walked over to help him put it on.

    William was ustomed to her attentiveness, slightly lifting his chin to expose his prominent Adam¡¯s

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    apple while Emelie¡¯s fingers skillfully tied the knot.

    She softly said, ¡°I want to go back to headquarters.¡±

    William¡¯s eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

    He observed her submissive demeanor and calmly stated, ¡°As I¡¯ve mentioned before, there was no necessity to return to headquarters beforepletin

    back if you wish.¡±

    Thus, when William concluded his project inspection and headed back to Capebatt City, Emelie returned

    with them.

    Daphne tilted her head, inquiring, ¡°Mr. Middleton, can Ms. Hovene back with us?¡±

    William nodded while reading some documents.

    Daphne immediately beamed with joy. ¡°That¡¯s great! Ms. Hoven, I¡¯ve missed you around here these past

    two months.¡±

    Emelie observed Daphne, Her makeup was done in vibrant shades of orange and eyeliner that stopped

    short of extending beyond her eyes, exuding a youthful and charming appearance.

    ¡°You¡¯ve put a lot of thought into your makeup,¡± Emelieplimented.

    Each stroke seemed to entuate the innocence that men find most appealing, akin to the pure and

    spirited essence of a young girl.

    Daphne blinked, offering a slight smile.

    When they reached Capebatt City, it was already night time. A driver was already waiting for them.

    ¡°Take Daphne home first,¡± William instructed.

    The driver, well¨Cversed in unspokenmands, immediately knew the destination.

    After being two months away, Emelie was deep in thought as she reacquainted herself with the city.

    When they stopped, Emelie realized they were not at Daphne¡¯s previous modest neighborhood but at a

    Choper? Untouched

    luxuriousplex near the city center, close to their office.

    2/2

    As Daphne exited, she waved. ¡°Thank you both for the ride, Mr. Middleton, and Ms. Hoven! Have a restful night, and I¡¯ll see you both see you at the offic

    William simply nodded, watching her enter theplex.

    As the car engine started again, Emelle asked, ¡°Did you buy her a ce here?¡±

    William¡¯s focus returned to his documents.

    Busy as ever, he offhandedly mentioned, ¡°It¡¯s another apartment of mine. Her old neighborhood safe, and I didn¡¯t want her to feel burdened, so I told her

    wasn¡¯t

    ¡°The naive girl even pays me a thousand dors for rent every month.¡± He chuckled to himself, finding it amusing to him.

    Emelie pointed out, ¡°With Capebatt City¡¯s rates, you couldn¡¯t rent a ce in this area for less than 5000 dors a month. Anyone withmon sense wo

    William looked up. ¡°So?¡±

    This implied Daphne was portraying a character of self¨Creliance and independence, ying a long game. with a subtle strategy.

    But he chose to believe Daphne was ¡°naive¡°. What could she say?

    Emelie¡¯s lips twitched slightly, ¡°Nothing, Mr.Middleton is truly considerate and thoughtful.¡±

    Upon their return to Eastbay, Emelle barely bad time to shower before being overwhelmed by William¡¯s

    advances on the bed.

    He had been far from satisfied in the conference room. And tonight he was determined not to let Emelie rest easily

    His intense desire made Emelle question whether he had been abstinent these past two months.

    ¡°Have you¡­ never touched her? I thought you were quite interested in her,¡± Emelie said.

    William replied, ¡°She doesn¡¯t understand any of it.¡±

    ¡°You believe a person in their twenties today doesn¡¯t understand such things?¡± she asked.

    Even if someone hadn¡¯t directly experienced it, they were certainly aware of it.

    *Shees from a traditional family, and she has

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8

    hapter 8 Left Her Behind

    All of Emelie¡¯s enthusiasm vanished into thin air.

    No matter how many times William tried or what he did afterward, she felt nothing.

    Good proper upbringing, traditional, disapproves of premarital rtions.

    What did that mean? Was he nning to marry Daphne?

    Returning to Cloudex Corporation, Emelie found herself demoted from the role of head secretary to general secretary, albeit without any official announc

    Daphne now upied her former desk, relegating Emelie to the spot Daphne previously held as an

    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    assistant.

    Her new seat was situated by the door in a corner. It was both unremarkable and piled with clutter from being unused for an extended period.

    The administrative department had not yet organized its cleaning as they were caught off guard by

    Emelie¡¯s abrupt return.

    It was somewhat embarrassing.

    However, Emelie decided not to bother the administrative department and cleaned it up herself with a

    detached expression.

    Upon Daphne¡¯s arrival and noticing the situation, she quickly approached Emelie.¡°Ms. Hoven, I¡¯m sorry, I had intended toe early to tidy up, but I was

    space and return the seat for you now.¡±

    Emelie was wiping off the dust with a cloth as she responded, ¡°The office supplies arepany property, not mine. There¡¯s no ¡®returning them to me¡®. M

    Daphne bit her lip, looking guilty. ¡°Then¡­ I¡¯ll help you clean up.¡±

    Emelie ignored her, and Daphne took it upon herself to move the unnecessary items to the storage.

    When Daphne returned, she made a detour to

    the restroom to wash her hands and overheard two colleagues gossiping while doing their makeup early in the morning.

    ¡°Ms. Hoven has been brought back, did you know?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I heard she came back with Mr. Middleton from Vown yesterday. She¡¯s probably here today.¡±

    ¡°I told you, Mr. Middleton can¡¯t bear to part with Ms. Hoven.¡±

    Daphne paused her step.

    ¡°In terms of workability, of course, Ms. Hoven is beyond rep

    ed and said, ¡°Emelie, pick up some ointment for Daphne We¡¯ll continue the client

    Deshoe said Thank you Ms Hoven.¡±

    As they drove off, Emelie was left alone by herself. The car was speeding away without her.

    roach, but as for the rest¡­ Doesn¡¯t Mr. Middleton already have Daphne?¡±

    The colleague quickly said, ¡°Shh! Have you forgotten about what happened to that person from the marketing department? Don¡¯t speak so directly!¡±

    The other retorted. ¡°It¡¯s just the two of us here. If neither of us spills the beans, who¡¯s going to find out?¡±

    It made sense to the colleague. She then continued to share her opinion, saying, ¡°I believe Mr. Middleton has a preference for Ms. Hoven too.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, Ms. Hoven has been with Mr. Middleton for three years. They been with each other through thick and thin. I

    think there was a saying that goes, ¡°You can¡¯t move up until there¡¯s room at the top!¡±

    After they were done, both of them left the restroom and got startled when they saw Daphne.

    She pretended to have just walked up and missed their exchange. She greeted them, ¡°Good morning.¡±

    They responded with forced smiles, ¡°Good morning, you¡¯re quite early.¡±

    They then hastily made their exit.

    At noon, both Emelie and Daphne were set to apany William to a client meeting.

    William seemed eager for Daphne to umte experience, hinting that he wanted to groom her for the head secretary position.

    Emelie was updating William on the details for the uing luncheon. Daphne, unable to find an opportunity to contribute, hurried forward to open the c

    However, she winced before managing to open it.

    William noticed the change in her expression and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing.¡± she said, though clearly in pain as she opened the door.

    William¡¯s concern grew. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your hand?¡±

    Daphne gently massaged her elbow as she replied, ¡°I just twisted it a bit when I was moving something

    heavy.¡±

    William annoyedly inquired, ¡°What exactly were you moving?¡±

    I

    Daphne quietly mentioned, ¡°Ms. Hoven¡¯s desk was not cleaned up, so I was moving some items to the storage and ended up twisting it.

    I didn¡¯t think it was serious, but now it hurts when I pull anything.¡±

    ¡°With those slender arms and legs, what heavy lifting could you possibly do? Don¡¯t try to overdo it next

    time; we have people for that,¡± William said.

    He then turned to Emelie. ¡°You go ahead to the client meeting, I¡¯ll take her to the hospital for a check¨Cup.¡±

    Daphne immediately protested, ¡°There¡¯s no need, Mr. Middleton. I can just get some ointment after we

    meet the client.¡±

    Emelie watched the interaction with detached interest and chimed in. ¡°The client has traveled a long way,

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9

    Chapter 9 Good Fortune

    Emille sighed heavily as she crossed the street to a pharmacy to pick up some ointments.

    It was there that she received a call from William¡¯s mother, Vanessa Rowe.

    ¡°Emelle, how have you beentely? Why haven¡¯t youe to visit us at home?¡±

    Emelie smiled and replied, ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m doing well. I¡¯ve been a bit busy with work recently. Now that it¡¯s less hectic, I¡¯lle over this weekend to visit yo

    ¡°Why wait for the weekend if you¡¯re free now? Come have dinner with Willian and us tonight. I¡¯ll cook up some of your favorite dishes.¡±

    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll let Mr. Middleton know,¡± Emelie said.

    Vanessa yfully scolded, ¡°Stop with the formalities of calling him Mr. Middleton. It feels so impersonal after all these years. We were even discussing y

    Emelie nearly tripped over the pharmacy¡¯s doorstep.

    Their wedding?

    She blinked in surprise, not anticipating Vanessa would suddenly bring up such a matter.

    Vanessa was not William¡¯s biological mother but his stepmother.

    Emelie was aware of the family secrets that had caused a rift between William and his family, resulting in his infrequent contact with them.

    Vanessa and William¡¯s father often learned of his well¨Cbeing through Emelie, developing a fondness for

    her as time went on.

    Emelie believed their affection was purely due to her professional capabilities, unaware that it epassed thoughts of her marrying William

    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie felt a mix of anxiety and confusion. She replied, ¡°Auntie, I¡¯ve got a client meeting soon, but Mrs. Middleton¡­. William and I wille by for dinne

    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Vanessa said.

    After ending the call, Emelie stood dazed for a moment before hailing a taxi to her appointment.

    Unbeknownst to her, a car had been parked by the roadside, watching her for some time.

    The man inside even took a photo of her with his camera.

    The appointment with the client was set in the most famous hotel in Capebatt City, serving authentic local cuisine

    Emelie passed the ointment to Daphne from under the table and then sat next to William.

    This client was previously handled by Emelie during their first coboration with Cloudex Corporation, so he warmly greeted Emelie in Asteshese, ¡°Ms.

    searching for you and thought perhaps you¡¯d left thepany.¡±

    Emelle replied in Asteshese, ¡°Good to see you, Mr. Smith. I had to return to the car for a moment to retrieve Mr. Middleton¡¯s gift for you. My apologies for

    She then presented him with a gift.

    Mr. Smith eximed

    upon seeing it, ¡°Ah, a cultural heritage boat model! I¡¯ve seen videos of such boat races online. It¡¯s a shame we¡¯re not in the festival season to see the rea

    William said, ¡°That¡¯s not a problem. If Mr. Smith is interested, we can arrange a visit tomorrow.¡±

    Mr. Smith was puzzled and asked, ¡°Tomorrow?¡±

    Emelie exined, ¡°Mr. Middleton had recently invested in an exceptional factory known for manufacturing boats of cultural heritage.

    ¡°This model is just one of their creations, and the factory houses genuine historical boats as well. If this catches your interest, we could arrange a visit by

    Mr. Smith agreed enthusiastically, praising Emelie for her thoughtfulness, ¡°Mr. Middleton is fortunate to have such a secretary.¡±

    William cast a nce at Emelie, acknowledging her versatility in any setting.

    Looking at her now, who would guess that just three years prior, she was the so¨Ccalled ¡°country bumpkin¡® struggling with Asteshese?

    Upon returning from the restroom after lunch, Emelie caught the sound of Daphne¡¯s tearful, faltering voice

    outside the dining room.

    Shemented, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m such a fool, unable to assist you or do anything right. How I wish I were aspetent as Ms. Hoven.¡±

    William teased, ¡°Whypare yourself to her?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just that everyone seems to admire Ms. Hoven¨Cthe colleagues, the clients. I really wish I could be as helpful to you, Mr. Middleton,¡± Daphne said.

    ¡°Just being by my side is helpful enough. Isn¡¯t keeping the boss in a good mood a talent?¡± William replied.

    Daphne¡¯s tears turned intoughter.

    Emelie felt a lump in her throat and decided against going inside. Instead, she took a taxi back to the office by herself.

    An hourter, William and a visibly joyful Daphne made their way back

    Upon seeing Emelie, Daphne paused momentarily before inquiring. ¡°Ms. Hoven, did you return by yourself?

    It was evident they hadpletely forgotten that she had also attended the client meeting with them.

    Choph

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10

    Chapter 10 I Won¡¯t Be Marrying Her

    Before getting off from work, Emelie entered the CEO¡¯s office to drop off some documents.

    She then mentioned. ¡°Your mother called me at noon, inviting us for dinner tonight. Mr. Middleton, it¡¯s been half year since youst visited.¡±

    a

    William furrowed his brows. He was visibly annoyed. ¡°Do you often contact my family?¡±

    N?velDrama.Org owns this.

    ¡°Not really. It¡¯s always your mother who calls me,¡± Emelie responded.

    William nced at his watch and tossed the car keys to her. ¡°You drive. I¡¯ll have the driver take Daphne

    home.¡±

    ut couldn¡¯t

    As she followed him, Emelie found herself at the edge of asking something significant but

    muster the courage to voice it.

    She feared hearing the answer she already knew woulde

    During the Middleton family dinner, Vanessa kept adding more food to Emelie¡¯s te, expressing concern, ¡°Why have you lost so much weight? You look

    William, naturally reserved and taciturn, was even more so with the Middleton family, He barely spoke after greeting his father, Henry Middleton, upon th

    He

    watched Emelie manage the conversation with his parents while Emelie touched her face, smiling as she replied, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s probably just today¡¯s lipstick n

    As Cloudex Corporation¡¯s CEO¡¯s head secretary, Emelie was adept at saying the right things, delighting

    Vanessa.

    Suddenly, William remembered Daphne¡¯s words from earlier.

    Indeed, everyone liked Emelie. Not just colleagues and clients, but the elders too.

    She had seamlessly integrated into both his professional and personal lives over the past

    three years, dealing with matters both within and beyond her scope..

    Thus, his parents and friends had silently thought she would be his wife, even discussing their

    marriage more than once.

    William couldn¡¯t help but smirk at the thought.

    As he expected, the topic of marriage came up again at dinner.

    After bracing herself all afternoon, Emelie still found herself lost for words, looking toward William for

    some guidance.

    William casually sipped his water. His voice was devoid of any warmth or vor as he stated, ¡°I won¡¯t be marrying her.¡±

    The piece of rib Emalle had just picked up fell back into her bowl with a soft clink. But what William saidnded heavily in her heart, fracturing it like ss

    For a moment, she couldn¡¯t hear her own heartbeat.

    Henry questioned in n low voice, ¡°If you¡¯re not marrying Emelle, then who? That young secretary from thepany? Don¡¯t think I¡¯m unaware of the foolis

    ¡°Mr. Middleton¡­¡± Emelie instinctively wanted to diffuse the sudden tension, a role she often yed in their father¨Cson disagreements,

    William¡¯s face showed nothing but frosty aloofness, like feeling his boundaries had been breached. ¡°Dad, you¡¯re intruding too much. And regarding foolis

    Vanessa¡¯s face stiffened.

    Henry mmed the table, standing up as he roared, ¡°Asshole!¡±

    William grabbed a napkin and stood up as he said, ¡°I¡¯ve finished, I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡±

    As Henry¡¯splexion turned a stormy shade, Vanessa quickly offered him some water, trying to calm. him down. ¡°Rx, dear. Remember

    your blood pressure problem. Try to stay calm.¡±

    Emelie instinctively tried to create an excuse for William, saying, ¡°Mr. Middleton had a tough time with the clients today, and that¡¯s why he¡¯s upset.¡±

    Henry was rubbing his temples and countered, ¡°I¡¯m well aware of his temperament, there¡¯s no need to

    defend him.¡±

    Vanessa tried to smooth things over and said, ¡°Will is now the CEO of such a major corporation. You can¡¯t still talk to him like he¡¯s a child. Let it be.¡±

    She then turned to Emelie and added, ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to witness that, Emelie. Please, go check on William. Feel free to use any

    of the cars in the yard.¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t really want to check on William.

    Once, the memory of their first meeting provided Emelie withfort, giving her strength to endure any

    challenge.

    However, she now hesitated to follow him.

    The mere sight of William, especially after her miscarriage, left her feeling drained and apprehensive about any confrontation.

    Yet, unable to refuse the Middletons¡® request, she could only nod in response.

    She then took the car keys from the butler and drove off after William.

    It wasn¡¯t long before Emelie spotted William¡¯s car on a serene streetside, where he stood deep in thought and smoking.

 Chapter 11

    ?Chapter 11 Disloyalty

    Emelie parked and walked up to him. "Mr. Middleton."

    The dim streetlight on the path faintly outlined William''s stern expression. He didn''t look at Emelie, the tip of his cigarette flickering in the dark.

    Emelie sighed inwardly, nced around, and noticed a 24-hour convenience store nearby.

    She headed to the store, picked up a chicken sandwich, and made her way back

    "You barely ate anything tonight. Have something to feed your stomach, so you don''t get a stomachache again."

    William nced at her and took the sandwich.

    Emelie spoke in a low voice, "Even if you''re dissatisfied with what Mr. Middleton Senior said, you shouldn''t have talked back to him in such a manner. He''s prone to high blood pressure and was even hospitalized at the end ofst year..."

    Suddenly, William let out a coldugh and threw away the sandwich.

    He swiftly grabbed Emelie, opened the car door, and pressed her into the back seat!

    His movements were seamless, leaving Emelie feeling like the world is spinning around her.

    Her nerves exploded, and she blocked William. "Mr. Middleton! Not here, please!"

    He restrained her hands above her head, his tone devoid of any warmth. He chillingly said, "Even Ms. Hoven has learned to say no? I thought you were everyone''s favorite."

    Trapped in the cramped space of the back seat, his presence was overwhelming.

    Emelie paused before asking the question burning inside her, "Who ims I''m everyone''s favorite? Clearly, Mr. Middleton, you aren''t fond of me... But what about Daphne? Do your feelings for her run deep, or are they merely passing fancy?"

    She initially believed William''s interest in Daphne to be nothing more than a fleeting curiosity or a mild attraction.

    Yet, his tolerance of Daphne''s stance on premarital rtions took her by surprise, indicating she may have misunderstood the nature of their rtionship.

    Her previous misjudgment had led to a two-month exile. Now, any misjudgments seemed to spell the end of whatever was between her and William.

    She could have chosen not to ask.

    There was virtue in obliviousness, in not seeking too deep, pretending nothing happened so everyone could live in peace.

    Since she was saved by him three years ago, she had fallen hopelessly in love with him.

    She thought that she was content to be by his side, even if it meant losing her dignity to be nothing more than a tool.

    After all, if not for him, she would have ended up in a far worse state at the hands of those people three years ago.

    But that wasn''t the case.

    Human nature craved more with every inch given. And from the moment she had fallen for him, she had greedily wanted everything she could not have.

    As she watched the affection, bias, and even the marriage she longed for being extended to someone else, her patience had worn thin, leading her to finally voice her thoughts.

    Had he truly Fallen For Daphne? Was it the kind of affection that led to marriage?

    William remained silent, his gaze fixed on her in the dim light.

    However, his quiet almost served as an admission.

    Emelie softlyughed. "You wish to marry her yet you''re here with me. Doesn''t that seem somewhat disloyal?"Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    "You''re merely a tool, how does loyaltye into it?" Before he could finish speaking, a pnded swiftly and urately on William''s face.

    It wasn''t forceful, but Emelie hadn''t expected herself to make such a move.

    Their eyes locked.

    William felt the sting of being hit for the first time, particrly by the woman he least respected, chilling him to the core.

    Emelie might have referred to herself as a tool, but hearing it from William inflicted a different kind of pain.

    She pped him, but she had no regrets. She even felt herself trembling.

    For the first time, she understood the sensation of trembling with rage.

    William''s gaze turned cold as he spotted the tears in her eyes, irritation surging within him.

    He abruptly stood up and tugged at his cor.

    He then irritably said, "Get out."

    Emelie pursed her lips and quickly tidied up before stepping out of the car.

    Just as she was about to shut the door, William drove away hastily.

    As she gazed at the diminishing lights of the car, a profound weariness enveloped her, bing more oppressive by the moment. She felt as if she had reached her limit.

    An invisible force seemed to bepelling her to leave.

    This opportunity to leave happened surprisingly quickly, virtually by the next day.

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12

    Chapter 12 A Sneaky Snapshot

    The next morning, Emelle joined William in weing Mr. Smith from yesterday to the boat factory.

    Cloudex Corporation focused on venture capital and emerged as one of the nation¡¯s top investment firms with extensive projects and influence both dom

    It yed a key role in backing government¨C

    supported projects, notably this cultural heritage boat factory. Emelle had managed topose herself fromst night¡¯s emotional upheaval.

    Now, she¡¯s perfectly embodying the role of a CEO¡¯s secretary by William¡¯s side. She spoke when needed and remained silently observant when not.

    There was a diverse collection of cultural heritage boats disyed inside the expansive factory, each boat was vibrant and unique.

    An elderly factory manager led them through the exhibits,-earning repeated expressions of admiration from Mr. Smith.

    ¡°These boats are only 60 feet. We¡¯re in the process of constructing the longest cultural heritage boat in the world, targeting to be 330 feet. Once it¡¯s

    *330 feet? That¡¯s taller than some buildings. It must be a spectacr sight on water! Could I have the honor of seeing it?¡± Mr. Smith was visibly amazed.

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s actually right above us. Have a look,¡± the manager replied with a smile.

    As everyone looked up, they saw an enormous boat suspended from the ceiling, its full length extending beyond their view.

    ¡°It upies too much space on the ground, so hanging it was the best solution to conserve space. We¡¯ve only finished the basic structure. A lengthy pro

    While all eyes were on the boat, Emelie sensed as if someone was targeting her with their gaze.

    She scanned the area and spotted a tall man in a corner.

    The man¡¯s face was concealed by a hat and mask. He was aiming a long¨Cfocus camera in their direction.

    Emelie frowned as she asked, ¡°Factory manager, who is that person?¡±

    The manager nced over. ¡°He ims to be a blogger, someone who posts stuff online. Hearing about. our cultural heritage and the 330¨C

    foot boat, he wanted to capture it. I thought it¡¯d be good publicity, so I

    allowed it.¡±

    Emelie considered the man¡¯s focus could logically be on the uniquely lengthy cultural heritage boat, especially as they stood right beneath it.

    She thought she might be overthinking it.

    Emelle shifted her focus back, just as William extended his hand to her, catching her off guard.

    She hesitated as she was uncertain of his Intentions.

    William¡¯s hand hovered mid¨Cair for a good 20 to 30 seconds until he frowned at Emelie.

    It took her a second to realize he was asking for a wet wipe for his hands. A man with his cleanliness habits would naturally want to clean his hands

    after touching anything.

    Previously, Emelie would keenly observe his every action, memorizing all his habits and understanding his

    needs from a mere nce or gesture.

    Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    But today, her attention was elsewhere.

    Emelie handed him a wet wipe from her

    bag when she felt a pang of surprise at her ownpse in attention. Her thoughts were not as centered on him as they used to be.

    This moment of neglect caught William¡¯s eye, prompting him to observe her more closely than usual. The previous night¡¯s p didn¡¯t leave any mark, it w

    Daphne was also present.

    She noticed William¡¯s prolonged gaze on Emelie and a sentence crossed her mind, ¡°You can¡¯t move up until there¡¯s room at the top.¡±

    Daphine suddenly called out, ¡°Ms. Hoven.¡±

    As Emelie turned, she caught the man taking photos in her direction again. She was certain it wasn¡¯t al

    misperception this time as he was focusing directly on her.

    She thought about confronting the man but decided against it with Mr. Smith around, to avoid creating a

    scene.

    She figured there would be time to address itter as the tour was almost over.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Emelie asked, turning to Daphne.

    Daphne said softly, ¡°Does thepany profit from such projects?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not about financial gain,¡± Emelie exined.

    ¡°So it¡¯s about reputation? I understand now,¡± Daphne responded with a sweet smile.

    After a quick look at a wall signbeled ¡°4,¡± Emelie proceeded to follow

    William.

    As their visit wrapped up and William was about to invite the clients for lunch, a sudden warning came

    from the second floor.

    ¡°Danger! Move away!¡±

    The instinctive reaction to the warning was to gaze upwards.

    As they did, they saw the 330¨Cfoot cultural heritage boat start to tip rmingly as its ropes gave way, sending it crashing toward the ground.

    Without a moment to spare, Emelie renched out for William but only caught air.

    ¡®Boom!

    The boat crashed down, chaotically scattering the crowd beneath.

    Emelie was dyed by her attempt to reach William and couldn¡¯t evade in time. Her lower leg was struck, and she elicited a sharp cry of pain.

    Yet, it was the emotional pain that cut deeper.

    She nced up and realized William had instinctively chosen to shield Daphne instead of her in that critical moment.

    Could his affection for Daphne have grown so deep?

    Looking down at her injured leg, a bitter chuckle escaped Emelie.

    Three years of unwavering devotion, all seemingly in vain.

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13

    Chapter 13 Outright usation

    The ident happened suddenly, and it was entirely unexpected.

    Chaos ensued at the scene as people scrambled to clear the debris and rush the Injured to the hospital

    Fortunciely, the cultural heritage boat was merely a framework and not particrly heavy.

    Emelie¡¯s lower leg was struck but an X¨Cray showed no fracture.

    Had the boat beenplete, its considerable weight in the tons would have resulted in a much more

    severe injury.

    However, the incident had left Mr. Smith unconscious, necessitating an e

    exnation.

    While the injured were being attended to, the factory manager quickly investigated what had happened

    It turned out one of the hemp ropes holding the cultural heritage boat aloft had loosened, causing the

    boat to lose bnce and triggered the ident.

    The critical question was why that particr rope hade undone.

    In the hospital room, the factory managermented. ¡°The loosened rope was marked number 4, but we

    Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    have no surveince in the factory, so it¡¯s unclear how it happened. ording to witnesses, only one

    person had been near that spot before the ident urred, and it was¡­¡±

    William¡¯s expressionless face was recognized by those who knew him well as his expression of anger.

    Who?¡±

    The manager hesitantly nced in a direction. ¡°It was¡­¡±

    Emelie was propped up in her hospital bed as she suddenly spoke up, ¡°It was me.¡±

    William looked at her.

    She presented a sorrowful image with her hair in disarray, clothes stained, and a thick bandage around

    her slender leg.

    It brought back memories of the previous night when she had gazed at him with tears in her eyes, equally

    pitiable.

    He inhaled deeply, his voice cool as he asked, ¡°What were you doing there?¡±

    ¡°I was answering Daphne¡¯s question about the profitability of investing in the cultural heritage boat factory, ¡°Emelie replied truthfully.

    The factory manager appeared even more distraught. ¡°Profit? The cedar wood we use for the cultural heritage boats took us

    five years to source. Without the right wood, a 330¨Cfoot boat is impossible to build.

    Now that it¡¯s damaged, I don¡¯t even know if it can be repaired. The loss is significant¡­¡±

    William asked, ¡°Did you touch the rope?¡±

    Emelie responded clearly, ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡±

    But just after Emelle spoke, Daphne Interjected in a low voice, ¡°It seemed like there was¡­¡±

    Emelie and William both looked her way.

    Despite Daphne being the least hurt with only a scraped palm, she still received medical care because

    William insisted.

    Her watery eyes met theirs from her seat on the edge of the bed.

    Emelie straightened up. ¡°It seemed like there was? What does that mean?¡±

    Daphne was intimidated by her cold tone and stammered, ¡°Ms. Hoven, I remembered you seemed to pull

    on the rope, so I thought¡­¡±

    ¡°Go on,¡± William urged.

    ¡°So I thought¡­ Perhaps that idental tug loosened the rope¡­ Mr. Middleton, I¡¯m sorry, I had no ideal such a small action could lead to

    serious consequences. Had I known, I would have stopped Ms. Hoven, possibly preventing this from happening.¡±

    Emelie stared in disbelief.

    She had tolerated Daphne¡¯s maniptions, understanding that the reason fell short of bias, but Daphne¡¯s outright usation was beyond her expectatio

    Emelie¡¯s expression grew significantly colder. ¡°Repeat what you just said, what did I touch?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Middleton,¡± Daphne whimpered, retreating behind William and adopting a pitiful guise.

    ¡°I¡¯m asking her the question,¡± William said, looking at Emelie.

    Emelie was aware that William intended to refrain her from speaking,

    Daphne¡¯s tactics seemed ludicrous to Emelie.

    Yet, William¡¯s rebuke brought her frustration and resentment to a peak.

    ¡°So, you believe everything she says?¡± Emelie challenged.

    ¡°Which of her statements isn¡¯t the truth?¡± William countered.

    Daphne timidly added, ¡°Mr. Middleton, I¡¯m not lying. We can check the surveince¡­ Everything I¡¯ve said

    is true¡­¡±

    Emelie exploded. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear the manager? There¡¯s no surveince in the factory!¡±

    What was Daphne acting at?

    Her voice rose with each word until William sharply rebuked her, ¡°Shut up! Have you yelled enough?¡±

    Emelie was taken aback.

    She felt as though her entire body had been encased in ice, growing stiff and rigid until she couldn¡¯t move

    at all.

    While William¡¯s temperament was for from perfect, he had never lost his temper with her in all three years.

    This was the first time he had ever told her to shut up.

    Daphne¡¯s eyes welled with tears, her voice barely a whisper as she spoke, ¡°Mr. Middleton, I didn¡¯t lie¡­¡±

    ¡°I believe you,¡± William said, his simple words causing Emelle to feel her resolve crumbling.

    He then turned to Emelie and asked, ¡°You¡¯ve been distracted today. Are you sure you didn¡¯t touch

    anything?¡±

    Emelie was stunned and leaned back against the headboard as William began to seem like a stranger to

    her.

    She had been by his side for three years, handpicked by him as his head secretary. She had never made even the slightest mistake in both his work and

    Why would he believe she¡¯dmit such a fundamental error, solely based on Daphne¡¯s usation?

    She spoke, each word deliberate, ¡°If I had identally touched it, I would admit it, I¡®

    Before she could finish, William interrupted, taking her words out of context. ¡°So what are you denying now? Daphne saw you with her

    own eyes. Would she falsely use you?¡±

    Emelie found the situation absurd and couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    Would she falsely use her? Of course, she would!

    But a clear disdain could be heard through herughter.

    It wasn¡¯t Daphne¡¯s usations that stung the most, but William¡¯s blind trust in her.

    What did her three years of loyalty mean to him? What was she in his eyes?

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14

    Chapter 14 The Bet of a p

    ¡°Ouch!¡± Daphne let out a soft scream as the nurse was disinfecting her wound.

    William immediately approached and asked, ¡°How was it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just a scratch, I¡¯m fine,¡± Daphne replied.

    She then showed concern for him. ¡°Mr. Middleton, how about your shoulder? Does it hurt? You should really get it checked by a doctor.¡±

    William had injured his shoulder while shielding Daphne from being hit by the boat¡¯s edge.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± William said indifferently.

    Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    He carefully instructed upon seeing Daphne¡¯s palm, ¡°Avoid getting the wound wet before it heals to

    prevent infection. I¡¯ll arrange for a caretaker to look after you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m capable of taking care of myself. You shouldn¡¯t always treat me like a child who knows nothing.¡± Daphne said.

    As Emelie watched their intimate interaction, her growing exhaustion and disillusionment finally crashed

    over her like a wave, leaving her submerged in resignation.

    Everything she had done was pointless.

    Emelie silently shifted her injured leg off the bed and attempted to stand, the sharp pain shooting from

    her foot to her heart.

    She had nearly been crippled, yet William hadn¡¯t shown her any concern. Meanwhile, Daphne received his

    constant attention over a mere scrape, even getting assigned someone to take care of her.

    She gave an expressionless smile and decided she couldn¡¯t bear it any longer. It was time for a

    confrontation.

    ¡°Do you really want to stick to your story, Daphne?¡± she questioned.

    ¡°Ms. Hoven, I¡¯ve always respected you and want to support you. However, given the gravity of today¡¯s

    events¡­ Lying isn¡¯t in my nature.¡±

    Her im of ¡°lying isn¡¯t in my nature implied she stood by her words, suggesting she wouldn¡¯t outright lie

    to frame Emelie.

    Emelie understood the meaning beneath her words.

    However, she sought a direct answer, so she pressed further, ¡°Did you really see me touch the rope with

    your own eyes?¡±

    William was the first to grow impatient. ¡°How many times do you need to ask?¡±

    Daphne calmed him softly. ¡°Please, Mr. Middleton, calm down. Ms. Hoven is merely seeking confirmation from me, and that¡¯s alright.

    Chapter 14 The Bet of Stan

    ¡°We both yed a part in this incident. I failed to alert her, and she Interacted with the rope, so I should, also bear responsibility. Once Mr. Smith is consc

    ¡°You¡¯re not at fault here,¡± William said, furrowing his brow.

    Emelie ignored William¡¯s interjection and focused on Daphne¡¯s confirmation.

    ¡°If I uncover evidence proving you lied, Daphne, how will you apologize?¡± Emelie challenged.

    Daphne hesitated, not fully grasping Emelie¡¯s Intent until she proposed, ¡°How about a p bet?¡±

    After all, it was her words that were causing trouble!

    William¡¯s anger was palpable. ¡°Have you had enough? Do you want to escte the situation further?¡±

    Emelie fixed her gaze at Daphne. ¡°Afraid to bet? Weren¡¯t you confident in what you saw? Or are you admitting to lying?¡±

    Daphne blinked. The tension was rising in the room while it was filled with the factory manager, colleagues, and medical staff. All eyes on her.

    Emelie cornered her expertly. If Daphne refused the bet, it would cast doubt on the reliability of her ims.

    Backing down wasn¡¯t an option, especially in William¡¯s presence..

    What kind of evidence could Emelie possibly uncover without surveince in the factory? Perhaps she was merely attempting to intimidate her.

    Daphne understood Emelie was bluffing, aiming to unsettle her with fear.

    Both were aware of the truth regarding the incident.

    Emelie¡¯s strategy seemed to be applying pressure to provoke a retreat from Daphne, which would give. Emelie a tactical advantage.

    Recognizing the tactic, Daphne saw it as her moment to decisively expel Emelie!

    She met Emelie¡¯s gaze firmly, affirming, ¡°I am ountable for everything I¡¯ve said and am ready to

    ept that bet with you, Ms. Hoven. I¡¯m just wondering, how long will your investigation take? Doctor, is Mr.

    Smith awake?¡±

    The doctor got caught up in the unfolding drama and immediately replied, ¡°Yes, he¡¯s already awake.¡±

    Daphne feigned concern. ¡°Mr. Middleton is about to

    exin the ident to our client, and we might not have the time to wait for your thorough investigation.¡±

    She suspected that Emelie aimed to dy, betting on William¡¯s anger cooling down to escape any repercussions.

    Daphne was determined not to let Emelie¡¯s n work!

 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15

    Chapter 15 No Holding Back

    To everyone¡¯s surprise, Emelie simply stated, ¡°Ten minutes is all I need.¡±

    Daphne was caught off guard, and William¡¯s brows knitted.

    Emelie bore the pain in her leg as she leaned on the bed ralling for support and approached the factory manager. ¡°Manager, I need to speak with you in

    ¡°Of course, go ahead,¡± the factory manager quickly responded.

    Emelie said in a low voice, ¡°Could you please call over the blogger who was taking photos in the factory? I saw him helping with bringing the injured to th

    The factory manager paused, then whispered, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go get him now,¡±

    Emelie nooded. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Their whispered conversation went unheard by the rest.

    William¡¯s gaze on Emelie was cold and detached, while Daphne appeared visibly anxious.

    Was Emelie just bluffing, or did she genuinely have something up her sleeve?

    The factory manager wasn¡¯t gone for long before he returned with a ck bag, piquing everyone¡¯s

    curiosity about its contents.

    He informed Emelie. ¡°The young man said he knew why you were looking for him. Since he was unable toe, he gave this to me instead ofing h

    Emelie took the bag, opened it, and found a camera inside¨Cthe exact reason she sought him out.

    N?velDrama.Org owns this.

    Surprisingly, the man had anticipated her request.

    Emelie began to search through the photos without wasting time on further thought.

    She had been right to suspect she was the focus of the photos in the camera, with the most recent ones predominantly of her.

    Daphne couldn¡¯t help but inquire, ¡°What¡¯s that camera for?¡±

    ¡°It belonged to a young man who photographed the boat today. It¡¯s his camera. I¡¯m unsure why the secretary needed it. Maybe he captured something s

    Daphne clenched her fingers tightly out of sight, a flicker of unease in her eyes.

    Emelie scrolled through the albums until she stumbled upon a video.

    After watching it briefly, she paused it..

    She faced the camera toward Daphne, and confronted her, ¡°You im to have seen me tampering with the rope, yet how do you exin this?¡±

    The foo

    The footage was captured perfectly, showing Emelie and Daphne near rope number 4, and Emelie¡¯s hands

    never once reaching for it!

    As everyone gathered to watch, the video¡¯s 4K rity and unobstructed view left no doubt about what happened, nullifying any chance of fabrication.

    How would Daphne exin her firm assertion that she saw Emelie tampering with the rope?

    The room¡¯s focus shifted to Daphne, including William¡¯s.

    Daphne began to pale, realizing the evidence was against her. ¡°I.¡­..¡±

    Emelie advanced with the camera in hand, pressing, ¡°How do you exin now?¡±

    Daphne instinctively retreated, stammering. ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t expect¡­¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t expect that I¡¯d actually find proof, or that I¡¯d find it so swiftly?¡±

    Daphne was at a loss and bit her lip in reluctance.

    How could it be such a coincidence? If not for that opportune video, Emelie would have had no escape

    ¡°So, you thought I had no way to exin myself unless by some fluke chance that someone took a picture. Is that your line of thinking?¡± Emelie continue

    Daphne fell silent, outmaneuvered by Emelie¡¯s sharp deduction.

    After all, Emelie was the head secretary at Cloudex Corporation, seasoned in navigating the corporate world far before Daphne even finished her studies

    Avoiding a fight with Daphne didn¡¯t mean she was incapable of winning. She had seen through far too many naive schemes like Daphne¡¯s.

    ¡°Even without the video, I could have gone to the police. Would my fingerprints be on the rope? A simple test would tell,¡± Emelie said.

    Daphne was rendered speechless.

    Emelie continued, ¡°You thought you could frame me with a wed and naive plot. Why did

    you believe it would work? Because you thought you had support, you assumed I¡¯d just swallow the defeat as before?¡±

    Daphne was lost for words and desperate.

    She turned to William for support. ¡°Mr. Middleton¡­¡±

    As she looked his way, Emelie¡¯s hand moved swiftly, delivering a sharp p to Daphne¡¯s face without holding back!

    Daphne was caught entirely off guard, tumbling onto the bed as the room fell into stunned silence.

    William reacted by seizing Emelie¡¯s wrist, his voiceden with authority as he roared, ¡°Emelie Hoven!¡±

 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16

    Chapter 16 Emelle Resigns

    It was only at this moment that Emelle looked directly at William, saying, ¡°This was just fulfilling our bet Everyone here, Including yourself, Mr. Middleto

    I¡¯m simply executing the oue of that wager. Do you find fault with my actions, Mr. Middleton? Where did I go wrong?¡±

    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie¡¯s usually calm demeanor vanished. Now, bristling with defensiveness, she resembled a hedgehog with its spines all prickled up.

    This sudden transformation left William feeling like he was looking at a stranger.

    ¡°She used and tried to frame me. It¡¯s conceivable she was the one who tampered with the rope to set me up. Without solid proof, based

    solely on her usations and your biased defense, Mr. Middleton, I would¡¯ve been vilified, perhaps even used ofmitting suicide out of guilt. Why

    Emelie¡¯s retort was forceful, her gaze locked with William¡¯s, unwavering and dignified.

    ¡°What if Mr. Smith had suffered severe injuries, demanding ountability without leniency? Would I then be expected to apologize,pensate, or even

    This was a side of Emelie that William had never witnessed. He remembered her as someone who always.

    endured, never asserting herself.

    Daphne was

    sobbing on the bed. She lifted her head upon hearing that. She defiantly dered, ¡°Yes, I confess to ndering you, and I deserved that p! However,

    ¡°I never interfered with the rope, and the videocks any evidence of me doing so. Isn¡¯t your usation against me now based on spection? How is w

    Emelie looked at her. Daphne wasn¡¯t as na?ve as she had assumed, managing a counterattack worthy of someone who could influence William.

    With tears streaming down her face, Daphne pleaded, ¡°I was just jealous of you being so close to Mr. Middleton, which led me to impulsively say those t

    ¡°I realize my mistake. I shouldn¡¯t have been so petty, thinking if you weren¡¯t so perfect, maybe he wouldn¡¯t like you as much, and he might notice me. I k

    the intruder-¡±

    William interjected, ¡°You¡¯re not.¡±

    Emelie couldn¡¯t even muster the desire to smile.

    William wasn¡¯t just epting Daphne¡¯s exnation; he believed herpletely, treasuring her honesty.

    Indeed, she wasn¡¯t the intruder. The true intruders were those unloved, and that position belonged to

    Emelie

    William turned his attention back to Emelle However, his expression was hard to read athers anduol

    You¡¯ve done enough.

    Emelle mustered all her strength to break free from his grip as if breaking away from the constraints he had ced on her for three years.

    She had had enough of it all.

    Emelie took a deep breath and lifted her head as she announced, ¡°Mr. Middleton, my employment contract with Cloudex Corporation is up in a month. I

    resignation to the HR department and your email, I¡¯ll leave when the contract ends.¡±

    Indeed, it was time for her to resign.

    The decision caught everyone off guard, silencing even Daphne, who had been crying.

    She was the victim, and she shouldn¡¯t have been the one to leave!

    ¡°This injury urred on the job. I will obtain documentation¨Cfrom the hospital to

    apply for leave and workers¡®pensation. I won¡¯t be able to work for the rest of the month.¡±

    Overwhelmed by betrayal, neglect, favoritism, dismissal, skepticism, and mistrust, Emelie reached her limit, finding no justification to continue enduring.

    She desired to avoid seeing him, even in this final month!

    Chapter 17 Pissing Off

 Chapter 17

    Chapter 17

    Chapter 17 Pissing Off William

    ¡®Fuck me¡­ I sure hope that bitch and that asshole never get tired of each other!¡± Mona eximed.

    Emelle had cleared out her desk at the office that very day and headed straight home. Mona couldn¡¯t help but be intrigued by such a bold move. E

    After Mona questioned Emelie about what happened, Emelie finally told Mona all that had happened all this while. Mona then proceeded to cuss out

    William and Daphne for half an hour, only getting angrier the

    more she did.

    Mona then went to get a cold beer from the fridge and took arge gulp of it. She asked Emelie, ¡°Did you quit your job just like that?¡±

    Emelie was in the middle of applying

    medicine to her injured leg. She answered tly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you always hope I¡¯d leave William? Are you going to tell me I acted too rashly by quitting just

    like that?¡±

    ¡°Of course not! I¡¯m ecstatic that you¡¯re finally leaving

    him. Tjust think you¡¯ve gone too easy on those two assholes!¡± Mona scowled. She then pursed her lips and asked, ¡°How did William react when you told

    you were resigning?¡±

    ¡°I left before I could see his reaction.¡±

    Mona asked, ¡°He didn¡¯t go after you?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Emelie had limped slowly to the hospital

    after injuring her leg. When she was about to get a taxi, she spotted William¡¯s car driving by with Daphne in the front passenger seat.

    Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    Mona said sadly, ¡°I did hope you¡¯d leave William. But now I¡¯m dissatisfied that he didn¡¯t try to stop you.

    Emelie smiled, understanding

    that Mona thought things shouldn¡¯t turn out like this. Emelle had been with William for three years only to be so aggrieved. Now that she was leaving him

    Emelie longed to see William regretting his decision and trying to make her stay with all his might. Most people would¡¯ve done that, but William wasn¡¯t m

    Emelie was nothing to William at all.

    She consoled Mona, ¡°Look on the bright side. Not only have I quit my job, I¡¯m still getting paid when I¡¯m not even going to work for a whole month before

    Mona livened up in an instant. ¡°You can demandpensation fees from him for your leg injury! This is

    amazing!¡±

    Emelie smiled. ¡°What do you mean

    demand? It¡¯s not like I got injured on purpose. Plus, Social Security Services are the onespensating me. Cloudex only needs to pay me my sry.¡±

    *The details aren¡¯t important. What matters is that you pped back wonderfully today! Take the rest of

    the month to nurse your leg before you find a new job.

    Mona had wanted to add that Emelle should find employment at apany that was a hundred times better than Cloudex, but that suggestion seemed

    Emelie said, ¡°I was actually contacted by severalpanies through their headhunters when I was at the

    branch in Vown.¡±

    ¡®See?¡± Mona¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°Headhunters have already set their eyes on a genius like you! Did you find any of thepanies suitable?¡±

    ¡°There were a couple, but I want to do more research about them before I decide.¡±

    Mona felt gleeful. ¡°You¡¯re going to seamlessly join anotherpany right after your break! That will definitely piss off William¨Cthat jackass!¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t really care about whether William would be pissed off anymore. She wanted

    to leave him the instant Daphne showed up. She¡¯d only returned from Vown to confirm things onest time. It was time to let go now that things had c

 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18

    Chapter 18 Ms. Hoven Is In Hot Demand

    The news of Emelie contacting severalpanies in a short time quickly spread throughout the circle. This was brought up during William¡¯s weekend ou

    riding trails.

    Troy Spencei asked bluntly, ¡°For real? Can Will really bear to part with Ms. Hoven?¡±

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s real. My human resources department manager even contacted her. I¡¯m just not sure why she declined our work offer¨C

    whether it was because we didn¡¯t meet her career expectations or because I

    know Will.¡± Elias Undvike said.

    He then shot William a look as if ming thetter for preventing him from gaining a valuable employee.

    William was dressed in a ck riding habit while sitting atop a white horse. He appeared significantly more aloof and absorbed in his own thoughts than

    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    But William¡¯s friends concluded that William seemed to have always felt this way about Emelie. Thought

    she¡¯d been the only woman by his side all these years, William never treated her as anything special.

    In the past, William¡¯s friends had discussed behind his back what Emelie was to William. They were not involved romantically, as William never referred t

    Besides,beling Emelie his lover or mistress wasn¡¯t it, given he¡¯d never spent much money on her.

    Those in their circle were prone to givingvish gifts

    to the women they slept with, such as houses, cars, or, at the very least, designer bags. William had been the one who gave Daphne the Herm¨¨s bag sh

    carried around.

    In the end, it was Elias, who¡¯d grown up with William, who defined William¡¯s rtionship with Emelie.

    William was a man with needs, so he naturally needed women to fulfill said needs. He didn¡¯t want to waste his time with a rtionship, so he went with E

    In other words, while Emelie was constantly in turmoil over this rtionship with William, thetter didn¡¯t

    really think too much of it.

    As for Daphne, not even William¡¯s friends understood what was so special about her, not to mention Emelie herself. The truth about what happened at th

    William¡¯s friends really didn¡¯t understand why he was so biased toward Daphne.

    Jayden Gleamfield smiled. ¡°It¡¯s definitely not because you know William. Ms. Hoven knew I was friends

    with William, but she didn¡¯t refuse my HR manager and instead chatted with them for a long time over the

    phone.¡±

    Troy immediately said, ¡°I¡¯ll have my HR manager contact her too. Whoever gets to employ Ms. Hoven will benefit a lot. I¡¯ve long set my eyes on her!¡±

    Jayden nced at William before saying. ¡°You¡¯re toote.¡°.

    12 Ms. Hoven is in Hot Demand

    Elias cocked an eyebrow. ¡°What do you mean? Have you employed her?¡±

    ¡°Do you know Feyd Ryder?¡± Jayden asked.

    ¡°The son of the Ryder fantily who owns Ryde¨CLike¨Cthe¨CWind Inc.?¡± Troy asked.

    ¡°Yeah. I saw Feyd eating out with Ms. Hoven yesterday.¡±

    Troy was stumped. ¡°Who knew Ms. Hoven was in high demand?¡±

    ¡°Not only that,¡± Jayden continued. ¡°But Ms. Hoven seemed to have injured her leg. She didn¡¯t refuse when Feyd helped her out of the car. They seemed

    media that he was about to have sess in both his career and love life.¡±

    Troy and Elias exchanged a silent nce before both casting a quick nce at William¨Cno words were

    necessary for them to grasp the implied meaning.

    The horse trails were long and far. The men rode their horses several rounds before leaving near midday.

    William tailed behind his friends, seeming unhappy. Jayden pulled his horse¡¯s reins so that it matched William¡¯s pace.

    ¡°Will,¡± Jayden called, making William turn to look at him.

    Like his surname, Jayden was a glowing picture of grace and elegance. In fact, everyone in his family was

    known for such characteristics.

    The Gleamfield family¡¯s gemstone mines had undergone an ident a couple of years back, causing their cash flow toe to a stop. It was Cloudex C

    one another.

    Jayden said, ¡°Ms. Hoven has worked for you for three years. She¡¯s never made any mistakes and has always been loyal to you. Are you really going

    to part ways with her now? I honestly think it¡¯s a real pity.

 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19

    Chapter 19 You Can Try

    William said coldly, ¡°You don¡¯t just think it¡¯s a pity. You even think I¡¯ve wronged her. Haven¡¯t you always thought we¡¯d end up married?¡±

    Aside from William¡¯s parents, Jayden had asked him when he nned to marry Emelie before.

    Jayden said pointedly. ¡°Ms. Hoven is an exceptionally attractive young woman. Now that you¡¯ve set her free, countless people have set their eyes on he

    William said lightly, ¡°She won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°She won¡¯t be with someone else? Are you that certain?¡±

    William scrutinized Jayden briefly before saying. ¡°You can try your luck if you¡¯re interested.¡±

    ¡°You fucker,¡± Jayden scoffed before making his horse trot ahead. But he did understand why William was so confident. After all, Emelie had been too obe

    past three years.

    William was all that mattered to Emelie. She even spent her free time around him, rarely having any personal space to herself. No wonder William was s

    William probably only thought Emelie was throwing a tantrum out of jealousy due to the presence of Daphne.

    But that possibility wasn¡¯t impossible. Maybe that was what Emelie was trying to do. After all, the lover

    Emelie had for William was so apparent that only a blind man would be oblivious to it.

    Regardless of what William might think, there really were a lot of people

    setting their sights on Amelie. After they disbanded, Troy sought Jayden to get Emelie¡¯s phone number.

    Troy was a yboy and naturally flocked to beautiful women. He had long set his

    es on Emelie but

    never made a move because of William. Now that their rtionship had ended, Troy was eager to try and

    seduce her.

    Troy wasn¡¯t fussy about not pursuing women who¡¯d been with his friends. It wasn¡¯t like Emelie actually dated William anyway. Heck, gangbangs were a t

    Jayden didn¡¯t give Troy Emelie¡¯s number, but Troy still found a way to obtain it. He immediately dialed the

    number.

    Emelie answered softly, ¡°Who is this?¡±

    Troy shivered from the wave of delight at the sound of her voice. ¡°Ms. Hoven!¡±

    Emelie¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Troy Spencer. Do you remember me?¡±

    Emelie recalled who he was. Troy was William¡¯s friend. ¡°Hi there, Mr. Spencer.¡±

    Those 19 YOGNA TYY

    ¡°I heard you¡¯re changing jobs, and I happen to require a secretary, so why don¡¯t youe and work for me? I¡¯ll pay you double!¡±

    ¡°What do you work as?¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m about to take over my father¡¯spany. Argh! It¡¯s difficult to exin over the call. Troy swiftly Invited her out, ¡°Why don¡¯t we have dinner tonigh

    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie didn¡¯t want to. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Spencer, but I¡¯m still busy and won¡¯t be able to join you.¡±

    ¡°Where are you exactly? I can pick you up, and we can head right to dinner. It¡¯s not inconvenient for me at all. You need to eat regardless of how busy yo

    Emelie didn¡¯t want to offend Troy, so she said, ¡°I¡¯m near Bohr Tower.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯lle over right away!¡±

    Emelie had gotten a checkup at a hospital near Bohr Tower. Troy soon drove over in his especially extravagant¨Clooking Ferrari.

    Troy retracted the Ferrari¡¯s roof and took his shades off while whistling at Emelie. He was the spitting image of a wealthy millennial heir.

    They went to a restaurant for dinner. When the server handed them their menus, Troy handed his to Emelie and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you order for us?¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t shy away from the offer and took the menu. ¡°Is there anything you¡¯re not fond of eating. Mr. Spencer?¡±

    ¡°Nah. Order away.¡± Troy¡¯s eyes were glinting as he looked at Emelie. Only God knew how captivated he was by her when he first met her, not only was E

    body!.

    But because William had been by Emelie¡¯s side before, Troy hadn¡¯t dared approach her and instead spent the whole night sneaking looks at her.

    Now Troy was going to use his chance to win Emelie over!

    So after Emelie finished ordering, Troy said eagerly, ¡°Why don¡¯t you join me, Emelie? I¡¯ll pay you however

    much you want!¡±

    Emelie was taken aback for a moment before her expression grew cold. She was about to ask Troy what he meant when a man and woman stopped

    by their table.

    The man called out, ¡°What a coincidence, Ms. Hoven.¡±

    Emelie looked up and got to her feet. ¡°I could say the same, Mr. Feyd.¡±

    It was Feyd Ryder.

    Troy stayed seated and said in a peculiar tone, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Mr. Feyd. Are you out on a date with your girlfriend?¡±

    Foyd could hear how provocative Troy¡¯s tone was. They were of the same social status. Hence, they were familiar with one another¡¯s thoughts and expe

    ¡°We¡¯re just colleagues. Don¡¯t go around thinking just any man and woman are together all because you have tons of lovers yourself, Mr. Spencer,¡± Feyd

    Troy rose to his feet, hand mming on the table.

 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20

    Chapter 20 Fighting Over You

    Emelle

    immediately yed mediator. ¡°Are you here for dinner too, Mr. Feyd? Their mushroom soup is pretty good. You should try it outter. As for what we talk

    Feyd was considerate of Emelie¡¯s pride. He nced at Troy before saying to Emelle, ¡°I¡¯ll try the soup then. Tawait your response.¡±

    Feyd then led his female colleague to another table to dine.

    Emelie turned to Troy, who hurriedly said, ¡°Don¡¯t think about him, Emelle. Think about me. I¡¯m being genuine here.¡±

    ¡°Genuine about what?¡± Emelie asked.

    ¡°Genuine about hiring you as my secretary! I don¡¯t know anything, so how could I manage my father¡¯spany well? I need you more than anyone else

    and never micromanages. You¡¯ll be in charge of everything if you work for me!¡±

    Emelie was originally angry over what Troy said earlier, but now his personality just seemed funny to her. She then told him she¡¯d consider his offer.

    That made Troy immensely happy. He insisted on taking a picture with

    Emelie before posting it on his social media. The caption he used was like Feyd¡¯s¨Cstating that he was about to find luck in his career and romance.

    Emelie only had Troy¡¯s phone number and not his social media handle, so she naturally didn¡¯t know he¡¯d posted such a thing.

    Jayden saw the post while scrolling through his phone before showing it to William. William only looked at it expressionlessly.

    After dinner, Troy insisted on sending Emelie home. Emelie had no time to refuse before Troy ran over excitedly to his car in the parking lot.

    So Emelie had no choice but to wait for him outside the restaurant.

    But Troy never showed

    up even after 15 minutes had passed. Emelie was about to call his number when a police car drove to the parking lot. Emelie looked on, confused, befor

    She then saw Feyd and Troy, both covered in cuts and bruises, being dragged by the police to the police car. They had been charged

    with assaulting one another.

    Emelie was at a loss for words/

    ¡°Ms. Hoven! Get Will toe bail me out!¡± Troy yelled when he saw Emelie.

    ¡°What bail? Stay put!¡± the police officer snapped.

    Emelie watched on silently.

    Feyd called out as well, ¡°Ms. Hoven! Please ball me out! I can¡¯t let my father know about this

    Emelle remained silent. As much as she didn¡¯t want to step foot in this matter, she didn¡¯t want to be held ountable as the source of Feyd and Troy¡¯s fi

    If their parents found out that their sons had gotten into a fight with another man all because of a woman and got detained at the police station for

    it, they would hunt her down right away. They¡¯d probably make her leave Capebatt City or something.

    Emelie had witnessed countless rich and powerful people in her three years of working with William. They always did as they pleased. That was why Em

    In the end, Emelie gave Jayden a call.

    She had all the numbers of William¡¯s friends. After all, she used to be responsible for managing activities and ns in his daily life. Emelie opted to call J

    Emelie deduced this fact based on how Jayden had been dating his girlfriend since high school until now.

    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie didn¡¯t expect William to show up with Jayden at the police station, however. She hesitated before approaching Jayden for a greeting, all because

    Both men were casually dressed. William¡¯s gaze was typically neutral and unreadable when he saw

    Emelie.

    Emelie didn¡¯t care to figure him out. She greeted Jayden and only Jayden. ¡°Mr. Gleamfield.¡±

    Jayden hurried over. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just stay out here, Ms. Hoven? Your leg is still injured, after all. I¡¯ll handle things with the police.¡±

    The station entrance had many stairs, so it would be difficult for Emelie to climb them.

    Emelie nodded gratefully before hesitantly saying, ¡°Mr. Spencer got into a fight with Feyd Ryder. He should be bable as well.¡±

    She took out her bank card and said, ¡°You can use this to pay for the bail. My password is all the number

    8.¡±

    Jayden cocked an eyebrow and pushed Emelie¡¯s card back to her. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±

    He then went up the stairs and into the police station.

    William didn¡¯t appear to want to follow Jayden. He coldly told Emelie, ¡°First, you help Troy get Jayden

    over here, then you help bail Feyd

 Chapter 21

    Chapter 21

    Chapter 21 Wrapped Around His Finger

    If Emelie responded to William, the conversation would spiral out weirdly. It wasn¡¯t like Emelie had to answer him in the first ce.

    As such, she switched the topic. ¡°Mr. Spencer and Mr. Feyd should be fine now that Mr. Glearnfield. stepped in. I¡¯ll be off now.¡±

    Her tone was so t it felt like she was talking to a stranger.

    William watched her take a couple of steps forward before saying, ¡°Haven¡¯t you forgotten what happened? It¡¯s only been a week.¡±

    Emelie stopped, understanding William¡¯s perspective in an instant. He must¡¯ve thought that Emelie had only thrown a tantrum the other day because she

    In a

    all honesty, Emelie did find that she¡¯d overreacted

    the other day. Her act of recklessly venting out all her grievances to William must¡¯ve made her look like a clown to him.

    But Emelie had nothing to say to William. She¡¯d already resigned, so there was nothing more between them. She didn¡¯t need to appease him like she us

    Emelie continued walking away without another word.

    William watched her limping away, expression growing colder.

    Jayden soon exited the police station with Feyd in one arm and Troy in the other, snapping at them.

    ¡°Are you two still kids? How could you both get arrested by the police because of a fight? Do you two need your parents to teach you a lesson?¡±

    Feyd pleaded, ¡°I¡¯m really grateful for your help, Mr. Gleamfield. Please don¡¯t tell my dad what happened. here, or he¡¯ll hit me!¡±

    ¡°Oh, I can keep quiet. But you best think twice before taking action in the future. The both of you grew up knowing one another, so did things really have

    The Gleamfield family had a proper and well¨Cmannered background, so they were best qualified to use

    such a tone.

    ¡°I know, I know.¡± Feyd looked around, but Emelie was nowhere to be found. However, he didn¡¯t dare question why. Instead, Feyd scratched his head and

    Troy ran down the steps and asked William, ¡°Where¡¯s Emelie, Will? Has she left? I wanted to thank her in person for helping me get you guys toe h

    When William stayed silent, Troy continued bbering, ¡°Goddamn it! It¡¯s my first time getting dragged to the police station. Who knows who reported me

    He then excitedly said, ¡°Why don¡¯t we go party at Lyle¡¯s bar and get rid of all these bad vibes?¡±

    Jayden smacked Troy¡¯s head. ¡°You¡¯re already thinking of partying right after being balled? Go home and reflect on your actions!¡±

    Troy obediently did as Jayden told and left the scene.

    Jayden then went up to William and asked, ¡°Did you ask Ms. Hoven to continue working for you?¡±

    William walked to their car. ¡°She

    can rest for a few more days until her injury has healed.¡±

    Jayden realized that William wasn¡¯t upset about Emelie¡¯s Injury preventing her from working. Instead, William assumed that Emelie would return to work

    William always had Emelie wrapped around his finger. Jayden really didn¡¯t know what to say on the

    matter.

    Troy wasn¡¯t someone who could stay serious for more than a few days. He reflected on his actions for three days before calling all his friends to the Wes

    called ¡°turning over a new leaf¡± was just an excuse to gather everyone and have fun. He didn¡¯t even know what that phrase actually meant

    While they were partying. Troy gave Emelie a call.

    ¡°We¡¯re at Westward Club, Emelie. Why don¡¯t youe over? We¡¯re clearing the air from what happened

    the other day at the police station. If it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to be bailed out! You

    deserve the credit, so you must join us!¡± Troy said.

    Emelie didn¡¯t need to guess who might be at the party with Troy. William might not

    be there, but all his other friends must be. Emelie didn¡¯t want to mingle in a circle that was not hers, so she refused Troy¡¯s

    offer.

    ¡°Apologies, Mr. Spencer, but my rtives are paying me a visit. I need to tend to them instead and can¡¯t leave home. Plus, all I did the other day was giv

    you want to thank

    someone, thank him.¡±

    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°No, wait a minute.¡± Troy walked outside the club while covering his other ear. ¡°Are you actually at home? Why does the noise from where you are sound

    Emelie didn¡¯t waste any more time. ¡°I¡¯ll be hanging up now if there¡¯s nothing else, Mr. Spencer.¡±

    ¡°W¨CWait a minute!¡± Troy ran over to the Westward

    Club¡¯s entrance and looked around. His eyes brightened when he spotted a familiar figure standing by the road. Troy then ran over and grabbed her arm

 Chapter 22

    Chapter 22

    Chapter 22 Have A Drink

    Emelie flinched as Troy grabbed her and spun her around to face him. His eyes sparkled with happiness.

    Troy said, ¡°I was wondering why the music from your end sounded so familiar. You lied to me!¡±

    Emelle stayed silent.

    Mona was

    meeting some clients here and had texted Emelle that she was getting drunk. Mona then requested Emelie toe and get her.

    Mona rarely asked Emelie for help, so Emelie rushed over instantly, worried something might¡¯ve happened to Mona.

    But Mona hadn¡¯t informed Emelie of the room she was in, so Emelie remained unaware. She¡¯d been waiting for Mona¡¯s response when Troy gave her a

    at home. Who knew,

    Emelie pursed her lips and said truthfully, ¡°I¡¯m waiting for a friend, Mr. Spencer.¡±

    But because she¡¯d lied about tending to rtives earlier, Troy no longer believed her. He insistently dragged her into the Westward Club. Emelie couldn¡¯t

    ¡°Aw, we¡¯re all friends here tonight. There are no outsiders. Why are you so shy? We¡¯re not going to mess

    with you. Will is here too!¡± Troy said.

    Emelie remained silent. Troy really was inconsiderate.

    No normal person would forcefully make her join a party where William was present. Though they didn¡¯t

    take Emelie¡¯s rtionship with William seriously, they still knew they had something together and were

    now separated.

    Not to mention, William even brought Daphne along tonight.

    Daphne sat obediently beside William in a white dress, a stark contrast to the depraved

    scene around her. It made her seem more dependent on William.

    Daphne¡¯s eyes met Emelie¡¯s, and the former quickly held William¡¯s hand tighter.

    Emelle was ready to let go of William and Daphne, yet disentangling herself from their rtionships proved difficult. She still had to go through the motio

    now reminded Emelie of her first time meeting William¡¯s friends.

    At that time, Emelie had been with William for

    three months and was incredibly in love with him. It was Troy who¡¯d opened the door for them when William brought her to the club.

    Troy had been taken aback for a moment before he yelled to all his other friends, ¡°Guys, Will brought his

    girlfriend over!¡±

    Emelie had stopped in her tracks while William entered the room without waiting for her. Emelie remembered feeling incredibly happy, thinking William h

    Chapter 22 Have A Drink

    N?velDrama.Org owns this.

    Yet after William entered the room and sat down, he responded to Troy, ¡°She¡¯s not my girlfriend.¡±

    At the same time, William had patted the spot beside him. ¡°Come sit.¡±

    Emelle¡¯s joy disappeared in an instant.

    Troy had said ¡°Oh¡± and, ¡°Not your girlfriend? That¡¯s no fun then.¡±

    None of William¡¯s other friends had turned to Emelie then. Emelie had felt embarrassed at the time.

    William had denied that Emelie was his girlfriend yet behaved so intimately with her. It clearly conveyed that their rtionship was purely transactional, w

    sses with wine.

    So now that William had brought Daphne over, Emelie was curious how William Introduced her to his friends. Of course, this curiosity quickly died down

    ¡°I really am waiting for my friend, Mr. Spencer. I haven¡¯t found her yet, so I¡¯ll be off now,¡± Emelie said.

    Troy was starting to look unhappy from being refused so many times. He didn¡¯t usually meet people who didn¡¯t feed his ego as he liked.

    Troy took his wine ss. ¡°Have a drink before you leave then. I¡¯m sure that would be the least you could

    do for my big day, right?¡±

    His friends eyed William. When they saw how motionless he was, they ignored how Troy was pressuring Emelie and said with a smile, ¡°One drink isn¡¯t e

    rid of his bad luck.¡±

    They then poured three shots of alcohol, all different colors. ¡°You must drink since you¡¯re here. Everyone

    here besides Daphne has already downed all their drinks.¡±

    They said Daphne¡¯s name so naturally. It became clear to Emelie that this wasn¡¯t the first time Daphne had joined their gatherings. William must¡¯ve introd

    Troy must¡¯ve already gotten hyped up while partying. ¡°Exactly! Only Daphne isn¡¯t drinking

    because Will is keeping her from it. Will, don¡¯t you think Ms. Hoven should drink these three shots?¡±

    William lit a cigarette and took a drag. ¡°Yes.¡±

 Chapter 23

    Chapter 23

    Chapter 23 Inscrutable Expression

    Emelle downed all three shots in one go. She then said with a smile, ¡°There. May luck lead your way, Mr. Spencer. I really am upied tonight, so I won

    Emelie then turned and left while William watched on darkly.

    Emelle¡¯s swift reaction

    and departure left Troy¡¯s friends with insufficient time to react and prevent her from leaving. They grumbled to themselves after Emelie left, saying she w

    However, that was just as Emelle had intended.

    Emelie was already trapped in a situation where her only means of leaving the room was by drinking the alcohol, just three shots. It seemed like a simpl

    However, Emelie knew that while rebellion was an option, relying too heavily on it would only entertain Troy¡¯s friends without truly advancing her cause.

    Emelie didn¡¯t want to think about how William had intended for her to drink those shots.

    Meanwhile, William had extinguished his cigarette after Emelie left. He nced at the people who were drinking, which made thetter few ask, ¡°What is

    Jayden piped up, ¡°One can get drunk very easily once one drinks different kinds of liquor. Why don¡¯t you

    check up on Emelie? After all, this is a pretty shady ce.¡±

    Daphne tightened her grip around William¡¯s hand and forced out a smile. ¡°Emelie has really good alcohol

    tolerance, so she should be fine. But she did appear to be in a hurry to find whoever she was looking for. Why don¡¯t you see if she needs help, Mr. Midd

    ¡°Are you sleepy yet? Need me to drive you home?¡± William responded instead.

    Daphne leaned against his shoulder, saying, ¡°Not at all. I¡¯ll keep youpany.¡±

    Troy was more clear¨Cminded and now thought

    ¡°I¡¯ll check on her then.¡±

    den had a point. He was concerned for Emelie¡¯s safety.

    Emelie called Mona¡¯s number when Mona didn¡¯t write her a response over text. There was a dial tone, but

    no one picked up.

    The light in the hallway was dim, and the scent of tobo and perfumes smelled awful

    together. Emelie¡¯s stomach churned ufortably with the heavy smells in addition to the drinks she¡¯d downed earlier. As

    she grew anxious, she began dry heaving.

    As the door to the private room beside her opened and a few people walked out, Emelie stumbled into them. The man who she bumped into held her ste

    didn¡¯t mean to,¡±

    The man was silent for a moment before saying, ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±

    Emelie was about to look up when her phone call suddenly went through. Mona could be heard saying.¡±

    Chapter Inscrutable Expression

    Emelie, I¡¯m on the third floor¡­¡±

    ??

    However, Emelie couldn¡¯t hear what was being said after that. But there seemed to be more than one man speaking in the background. Emelle immedia

    The man whom she had bumped into watched her as she ran off, his emotions unreadable.

    But soon, two figures ran past the man¡¯s vision. One of them made the man¡¯s eyes narrow.

    ¡°Mona, which room are you in?¡± Emelie asked over the phone. But Mona didn¡¯t respond anymore, which made Emelie feel very uneasy.

    N?velDrama.Org owns this.

    Emelie reached a point where she no longer cared. She boldly opened every door to the private rooms on the third floor until she finally found where Mo

    Mona looked to be in terrible agony. Emelie instantly went over to shove the two men away, making them

    cuss, ¡°Who the fuck are you?¡±

    Emelie stood defensively in front of

    Mona and nced at the table as well as the men in the room. She said calmly, ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s very appropriate to force a woman to drink so much, no?

    The men saw how gorgeous she was and said teasingly, ¡°We¡¯re just having a business meeting. Who doesn¡¯t drink during one of these?¡±

    Emelie had grown very experienced and wise in such matters after so many years of being William¡¯s secretary in Cloudex Corporation, so she knew she

    with fire.

    ¡°Some drinks are needed when talking about business.¡± Emelie took Mona¡¯s wine ss and continued, ¡± But drinking too much is terrible for the body. I¡¯m

    tomorrow as well. Why don¡¯t I toast to each of you on behalf of Mona here and call it a night?¡±

    The men chuckled unpleasantly.

 Chapter 24

    Chapter 24

    Chapter 24 Refusing to Use His Name

    Emelie said, ¡°It¡¯s not worth a lot, really. I just think this logic to simple enough, so none of you should have any trouble understanding it. A partnership be

    Emelle was right. Companies could only coborate when both parties had something to gain from it. There was no such thing as one gaining more than

    Still, there was no such thing as not signing the agreement if they couldn¡¯t take advantage.

    One of the men sitting around the table observed Emelle before saying, ¡°I think I¡¯ve seen you before. You are Mr. Middleton¡¯s secretary, right?¡±

    Another man¡¯s expression fell. ¡°Which Middleton?¡±

    ¡°The CEO of Cloudex Corporation, of course.

    Everyone else¡¯s gazes changed in an instant as they looked at Emelle. They weren¡¯t as hostile as they were earlier.

    The man in the lead was no longer set on tormenting Emelie and Mona anymore, but letting them go just like that would be a hit to his pride. Since Emel

    There were eight men in the private room. That meant eight shots to drink,

    Mona stood up shakily, looking quite ill. She wasn¡¯t in the best state anymore. ¡°Okay¡­ I¨CI¡¯ll drink¡­¡±

    Emelie grabbed Mona to stop thetter. Then, she held up Mona¡¯s wine ss. ¡°I¡¯ll drink for Mona. Once I finish drinking, yourpany¡¯s partnership with

    Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Sure. If you toast to each of us, we¡¯ll sign the contract!¡±

    So Emelie toasted to all the men, one by one, before downing each shot of alcohol. Mona felt upset witnessing her friend¡¯s actions, but she understood t

    By the time Emelie made it to the

    fifth person, she was already stumbling. Her alcohol tolerance was usually pretty good. But if it weren¡¯t for those three drinks she had in Troy¡¯s room, she

    Emelie held onto the table and walked over to the sixth man. She forced a smile and said, ¡°May you earn lots, and your partnership be merry!¡±

    She then downed the shot of liquor before coughing.

    Outside the door, Troy asked William, ¡°Will, why is Ms. Hoven such a woman of her word? Wouldn¡¯t she pass out by the time she finished the eighth sho

    William said coldly. ¡°She did this to herself.¡±

    Emelle could¡¯ve entiroly admitted to that man that she was William¡¯s secretary earlier or even pointed out that William and his friends were in the room n

    Since Emelle chose not to use William¡¯s name to help herself, she was responsible for the consequences

    of her actions.

    Meanwhile, Troy suddenly found William Incredibly harsh. Why did Williame over in the first ce if he felt this way about Emelle?

    The client said in a peculiar tone, ¡°You have two more shots.¡±

    The Instant Emelie began drinking the seventh shot, she began coughing violently.

    Troy scoffed and barged into the room, determined to put an end to those clients¡® antics once and for all.

    ¡°Fuck me!¡± The men in the room were shocked by Troy¡¯s sudden intrusion. Some of them recognized him. ¡°Mr. Spencer?¡±

    Emelie spotted a familiar figure standing outside the door.

    When Troy stabilized himself, he cleared his throat and went over to snatch the shot ss in Emelie¡¯s hand away from her.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough from all of you. What kind of men

    are you to be pushing two women around, huh? How many more shots do you want her to drink? If you like drinking so much,e to our room and drin

    Troy was famous in his circle and known for having good rtions with people like William and Jayden. So, since Troy hade to Emelie¡¯s defense, w

    Troy was about to leave with Emelie when Emelie said to Mona¡¯s clients, ¡°What about the agreement?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll sign it right away!¡±

 Chapter 25

    Chapter 25

    Chapter 25 Getting Onto the Wrong Car

    After the agreement was signed, Emelte grabbed the papere with one hand white helping Mona walk out of the room with the other. Thetter was nearly

    Troy looked around in the hallway but didn¡¯t spot William anywhere. He scratched his head and asked Emelie, ¡°Are you two alright?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Thank

    you, Mr. Spencer,¡± Emelle said earnestly. Though she could¡¯ve still drunk thosest two shots, they would certainly have made her stomach feel incredib

    This was the first time Troy had been looked at so camnently by Emelia, no he felt somewhat

    shy. He grinned and said, ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. Just make sure you seriously consider working for me, yeah?¡±

    Emelie assured him that she would.

    After refusing Troy¡¯s offer to drop her and Mona home, Emelle led Mona outside.

    Troy returned to his room after feeling the satisfaction of being appreciated. When he spotted William

    sitting back in his seat, Troy grumbled, ¡°Why did you shove me just now?¡±

    William shot him a t look.

    Troy then chuckled, ¡°But it¡¯s all good. I got to be the knight in shining armor. Ms. Hoven even thanked me

    and said she¡¯d seriously consider working for me.¡±

    Jayden nced at William, already guessing what had happened.

    A server walked over to William and said, ¡°Mr. Middleton, your driver has arrived.¡±

    Emelie,and Mona were leaning against one another outside the Westward Club, waiting for their taxi. Suddenly, Mona burst into tears. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Eme

    ¡°Yes, it is your fault, so you better buy me dinner once you get yourmission for this contract,¡± Emelie

    said with a smile.

    Mona obviously agreed to this.

    Both of them felt terrible after having drunk so much. They were eager to go back home and rest. Mona asked with a pale face, ¡°What¡¯s the car te of

    you booked, Emelie?¡±

    Emelie checked her phone. ¡°429.¡±

    She then paused. Those numbers¡­

    Mona¡¯s eyes widened suddenly, and she stumbled over. ¡°Here it is!¡±

    But Emelie¡¯s phone said their taxi was still two miles away. She looked up just in time to see Mona opening the backseat door of a ck Cayenne nearb

    Emelie¡¯s eyes widened before she ran over in a hurry. ¡°That¡¯s not our ride!¡±

    But it was toote. They came face to face with the woman sitting in the backseat of the car¨CDaphne

    This was William¡¯s car

    Emelie had realized their booked taxi¡¯s car te number was the same as William¡¯s, only its alphabets were different. Who knew such a mix¨C

    up would happen?

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± William walked over, his cold voice ringing out from behind them.

    Emelie immediately grabbed Mona and coughed awkwardly. ¡°Sorry, we mistook your car for another.¡±

    William gazed at her, noting how flushed her cheeks were now that she was drunk, especially without

    Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    makeup.

    Daphne¡¯s eyes twinkled, and she suddenly suggested, ¡°I didn¡¯t have a chance to talk to Emelie earlier. Since they¡¯re leaving, why don¡¯t we drop them ho

    Emelie looked at Daphne, not trusting that thetter was doing this out of kindness. The way Daphne spoke sounded too firm. It was as if Daphne was tr

    Emelie said lightly. ¡°No, thank you. Our taxi is about to arrive.¡±

    Through her blurry vision, Mona recognized William and immediately deduced that the woman beside him must be Daphne and that she was the one wh

    Emelie. Already angry with them, the influence of alcohol only strengthened her resolve.

    She sat right into the backseat of the car, saying, ¡°Sure. Thanks for the offer!¡±

    Emelie quickly grabbed Mona. ¡°Our ride is about to arrive.¡±

    But Mona tugged at Emelie. ¡°Get in! How could we forsake Mr. Middleton and Ms. Bowen¡¯s kind gesture?¡±

    William grew impatient with Mona and Emelie¡¯s little argument. He snapped, ¡°Either get in the car or get out. Don¡¯t waste my time.¡±

    The instant Emelie stopped resisting, Mona dragged her into th

 Chapter 26

    Chapter 26

    Chapter 26 William Cares About Emelle

    The three women sat in the backseat while William ant in the front passenger seat.

    Emelie had no choice but to cancel her taxi booking.

    They had reluctantly epted Daphne¡¯s offer to drop them off, yet they couldn¡¯t shake off the difort during the car ride.

    Daphne had intended to unt her status to Emelie, assuming she would never agree to join their ride.

    But who knew Daphne¡¯s n would fail?

    Daphne couldn¡¯t shake the satisfaction of knowing that Emelle only ended up in their car because she

    had asked William to offer them a ride.

    As the car drove on, Daphne snuck a peek at the rearview mirror when she recalled William and Emelie¡¯s rtionship. She heaved a small sigh of relief

    his eyes closed, intending to shut everyone out

    Mona was the first to break the silence in the car. She hated William, but the hatred she had for Daphne was a different level altogether. To Mona, Daphn

    William¡¯s rtionship. So Mona was adamant about showing Daphne who was boss.

    When Mona noticed the crochet charm hanging from the rearview mirror, she said, ¡°That charm looks familiar, Emelie. Was it the one you made yourself

    Emelie had indeed made the charm, but she wasn¡¯t going to admit it. ¡°I bought it.¡±

    Mona immediately exposed her friend. ¡°You made it yourself! I remember you looking through tutorial videos and learning how to make it. Here I was, wo

    out to be in this car.¡±

    William¡¯s brows furrowed. He opened his eyes and nced at the charm.

    Mona

    wasn¡¯t finished. She patted her seat and said, ¡°I recall that you were the one who bought these seat covers, too. You even asked for my opinion on the c

    Daphne was looking a little tense.

    Cars could be said to be one¡¯s second home, so since Emelle had decorated everything in the interior of

    William¡¯s car, it was equivalent to decorating his ¡°home¡°. Daphne found the existence of such intimacy.

    hard to swallow.

    Mona felt loads better after seeing Daphne ufortable.

    Emelie naturally

    knew what M¨®na was thinking. She shot Mona an exasperated nce but said nothing. There wasn¡¯t much to say. Cold sweat was breaking out all over

    Emelie¡¯s

    leg injury wasn¡¯t hurting as much anymore. But right now, it was, and it was likely due to her fast- paced movements throughout the club earlier. Her stom

    over.

    Just then, Daphne noticed that the car was bending for her neighborhood. Daphne immediately said, ¡°Why don¡¯t we drop Emelle home first, Mr. Middleto

    N?velDrama.Org owns this.

    Daphine feared that if she were the first to exit the car, something might happen between Emelie and William Though this was unlikely, given Monn and

    The driver turned to look at William just after arriving at Daphne¡¯s neighborhood. William nodded, which made the driver tum and drive back out.

    Emelie was marveling at how obedient William was. It was a rare sight. She could feel how uneasy Daphne was, too.

    Emelie snickered internally, finding Daphne silly.

    But maybe that was just a trait of women in love. As Daphne got to know William better, she realized how amodating he was to her requests.

    Emelie¡¯s brows furrowed as her stomach churned violently. Unable to hold back anymore, she patted on the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Please pull over.¡±

    The driver needed William¡¯s permission. When William stayed motionless, Emelie shouted, ¡°Stop the car! I¡¯m going to vomit!¡±

    Only then did William speak for the first time throughout this whole car ride. ¡°Pull over.¡±

    The driver pulled over to the side of the road. Emelie then ran out of the car and hurled the contents of her stomach out into a nearby trash can. She imm

    Someone handed her a bottle of water. Emelie thought it was Mona and so reached out to take the

    bottle. But when she identally brushed her hand against that person. It dawned on her that the person¡¯s hand was big and more solid. It wasn¡¯t Mona

    Emelie turned around to find William standing there.

    Her eyes shifted before she took the water and rinsed out her mouth.

    William felt the mminess of Emelie¡¯s palm when she touched his hand. Under the streetlight, he noticed

    Emelie¡¯s back was soaked in sweat. Reaching out to grab her arm, he confirmed her clothes were

    cold to the touch.

    William said, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say you were feeling unwell?¡±

    Mona and Daphne saw this exchange from where they were in the car. Daphne looked upset. Meanwhile, Mona looked like the cat that ate the canary.

    ¡°Mr. Middleton cares about Emelie so much!¡±

 Chapter 27

    Chapter 27

    Chapter 27 Emelle¡¯s Miscarriage

    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    The driver knew William¡¯s principles, so the driver silently

    pressed a button to close the car windows, preventing Mona and Daphne from eavesdropping further.

    Emelle retracted her hand and said, ¡°I couldn¡¯t trouble you, Mr. Middleton.¡±

    William replied just as coldly. ¡°And how much trouble have you caused for me in the past?¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t think she had at all, but right now, she had no energy to argue with William. ¡°Regardless, this is inappropriate for our current rtionship.¡±

    William scoffed lightly. ¡°What rtionship?¡±

    Emelie felt exhausted. Daphne didn¡¯t want her to be in William¡¯s presence? Well, so did Emelie herself. Being in the same ce as him felt suffocating to

    Emelie said, ¡°I still feel like throwing up, Mr. Middleton. I don¡¯t want to ride in your car anymore. This ce isn¡¯t far from where we live, so I can just walk

    William didn¡¯t know how to sweet talk, and his patience had run thin. ¡°So, are you getting in the car or not?

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡±

    William then returned to his car and told the driver to continue driving.

    Mona was taken aback. ¡°But Emelie hasn¡¯t gotten in yet!¡±

    ¡°She insisted on walking back by herself.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re just going to let her?¡± Mona retorted.

    William nced at Mona through the rearview mirror, making thetter bite her lip and open the car door.

    ¡°Then I¡¯m getting off as well.¡±

    The moment Mona found her footing on the ground outside, the car

    drove off immediately. Mona cursed William for abandoning Emelie as soon as he met Daphne. She began calling him a heartless jackass and

    wished for his bankruptcy.

    Emelie stayed silent throughout. She could no longer figure out whether the pain she felt was from her stomach or abdomen. The pain was so great that

    hunched into a ball on the ground.

    ¡°Emelie!¡± Mona ran over to support Emelie. When she saw how deathly pale Emelie was, she instantly knew something was wrong.

    Mona thought of getting a taxi to drop them off at the hospital, but would there even be taxis

    at this hour at night? Mona then opened up her taxi booking app, but there were no localndmarks to pinpoint their location. She was growing more an

    Just then, William¡¯s car suddenly turned back.

    Mona couldn¡¯t waste any more time even though she had just cussed William out. She cried out, ¡°Mr. Middleton! Please save Emelie! She can¡¯t take it an

    William sv

    swiftly got out of the car and lifted Emelie in his arms, cing her in the backseat.

    Mona got into the front passenger seat, eximing, ¡°Hurry up and drive to the hospital!¡±

    The car immediately sped up.

    Emelie was sweating and shivering, nearly unconscious at this point. She leaned weakly against William¡¯s shoulder, hand hooked on his cor.

    Daphne looked incredibly uneasy. She mumbled, ¡°How much did Emelie drink exactly? Why didn¡¯t she

    take better care of herself?¡±

    William gazed at Emelie, expression inscrutable. All of a sudden, he felt a sticky sensation on his hand. It seemed to have been from carrying Emelie in h

    William¡¯s brows furrowed, and he switched on the light in the car.

    There was blood staining his hand!

    William was stunned, and so was Mona, Mona quickly thought of something and blurted out, ¡°Did you miscarry, Emelie?¡±

    William froze and quickly looked at Emelie. Emelie had already passed out at this point.

    The driver immediately pushed his feet further on the pedal, speeding the car to its max. They arrived at

    the hospital 15 minutester.

    William carried Emelle out of the car, swiftly walking into the emergency wing. A nurse pushed a hospital bed over for him to ce Emelie in while asking

    ¡°She¡¯s had too much to drink and has an injury on her leg.¡± William reported.

    The nurse made note of this. ¡°Anything else?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s had a miscarriage, too.¡±

    William finally recalled when this pregnancy might¡¯ve started

    They¡¯d done it in the conference room in the branch in Vown. William hadn¡¯t brought nor worn protection given how impromptu the whole thing was, a

    n B just in case.

 Chapter 28

    Chapter 28

    Chapter 28 What If You Were Pregnant

    It was morning when Emelle next awoke. She moaned in pain, a hangover headache pounding in her head. Just then, a cold voice rang out from beside

    Emelie wondered if that was William¡¯s voice.

    Emelie opened her eyes right away. William was sitting in a chair beside her, ankle crossed over a knee as he watched her.

    ¡°What are you doing here, Mr. Middleton?¡± Emelle asked. She then realized she was in the hospital. There was even an IV drip attached to her. ¡°What ha

    William asked calmly, ¡°Don¡¯t you remember what happenedst night?¡±

    ¡°I remember getting drunk after having too much to drink and my stomach feeling terrible. But I could¡¯ve just gotten the rest I needed at home. Why did I

    William said with an inscrutable expression, ¡°You had a miscarriage.¡±

    Emelie¡¯s heart plunged into icy cold depths. Her face grew even paler as a dull ringing echoed in her ears. She felt empty.

    Miscarriage..

    Emelle had had a miscarriage once. She¡¯d lost it before she even knew what was going on. That was already the most painful thing

    she endured in her life. How could it happen twice?

    Emelle looked incredibly ill and frail after hearing what William said. William had never noticed this about her. He shifted his other ankle onto his other le

    Emelle took a moment to respond. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°The doctor said you were having menstrual cramps and were losing a lot of blood. The addition of alcohol made things worse. That friend of yours bluff

    So Emelie was only in so much pain yesterday because she was having menstrual cramps?

    Her breathing slowly grew calm.

    you

    Emelie hadn¡¯t had her period ever since herst miscarriage, which was two months ago. Her online research told her that the miscarriage might¡¯ve affe

    Who knew it¡¯d suddenly returnst night and cause her so much pain, too? Emelie hadn¡¯t realized itst night as she was drunk.

    Good thing it hadn¡¯t been a miscarriage.

    1 were Pregnant

    William observed her expression. ¡°Feeling d?¡±

    Emelie met his eyes and retorted, ¡°What about you, Mr. Middleton? How did you feel when you thought I

    had miscarried?¡±

    William¡¯s silence made Emelie¡¯s lips quirk up. Her guess was he didn¡¯t feel much.

    Emelie was once again d that he didn¡¯t know about her previous miscarriage. The thought of meeting William¡¯s cold, heartless eyes while grieving for

    Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I should be able to leave the hospital once the IV drip is finished. You can leave first if you¡¯re busy, Mr.

    Middleton,¡± Emelie said politely.

    William had already nned to leave anyway. He got up and went to the exit, but not before suddenly turning back. ¡°What would you do if you were actu

    Was there a point in asking Emelie this?

    If Emelie was pregnant with William¡¯s child, she wasn¡¯t exactly the person who could decide whether she

    could keep it. William would probably want her to abort the child.

    Emelie¡¯s smile did not reach her eyes. ¡°Abort it.¡±

    William said with a sarcastic tone, ¡°Smart girl.¡±

    He then left.

    Emelie leaned back in the hospital bed, pain spreading throughout her heart. Even breathing was difficult

    for her right now.

    William left the hospital, looking cold and emotionless. The driver stopped the car at the entrance and

    opened the backseat door for William.

    William looked down, noticing a faint bloodstain on one of the car seats.

    The driver quickly said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Middleton. I forgot to check the car seats and didn¡¯t notice it was dirty. I¡¯ll get it cleaned once we¡¯re back!¡±

    Emelie had bought these car seats. William had already been incredibly annoyed after Mona had used them to agitate Daphne.

    William said expressionlessly, ¡°Well, how do I sit now?¡±

    Those who worked for him knew he was a clean freak.

    ¡°W¨CWould you like to sit in the front passenger seat?¡± the driver suggested.

    *Do I still need to instruct you to throw away soiled items?¡±

    The driver paused for a moment before swiftly taking action.

    The car drove off five minutester, leaving behind an entire set of decorative car seats in a trash can

 Chapter 29

    Chapter 29

    Chapter 29 Troy Called Daphne Mrs. Middleton

    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    When Emelie finished taking her IV drip, the nurse pulled the needle out of her hand. Emelle then texted

    Mona a reply.

    Mona had gone back to work right afterst night. It was difficult for an employee like her to get leave.

    Emelie informed Mona that she was alright and that she would be heading home now. But in truth, Emelie still wanted to take a nap. Since the nurse did

    Emelie slept until midday when a call woke her up. ¡°Who is this?¡±

    The caller sounded grumpy. ¡°It¡¯s me, Emelie. Why do you always ask me who I am whenever I call? Didn¡¯t you save my number?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Spencer?¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡±

    ¡°Apologies, Mr. Spencer. I didn¡¯t save your number in time,¡± Emelie replied.

    ¡°Oh well. It¡¯s no big deal to me. Just remember to next time. Troy was very interested in Emelie. He

    continued, ¡°By the way, you can add me on social media with the same phone number. We can text

    whenever you¡¯re free.¡±

    ¡°Alright. May I know why you are calling, Mr. Spencer?¡± Emelie asked.

    ¡°Nothing much. I just wanted to check up on you afterst night. You drank so much. Are you feeling

    better now?¡±

    ¡°Yes, thank you. I¡¯m okay now.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we grab lunch together? I¡¯lle and pick you up right now,¡± Troy offered.

    After Troy had helped Emeliest night, she found herself unable to refuse. ¡°Let this be my treat, Mr.

    Spencer.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Emelie left the hospital after hanging up. She went to buy a new set of clothes from a local department store and changed

    into it. She even washed up in the public restroom.

    With Emelie¡¯s good looks and fair skin, all she needed was some lipstick to look good.

    However, she never expected to see William and Daphne at the same restaurant she and Troy went to for

    lunch.

    William had already changed, into a different suit. He¡¯d likely gone to the office for work right after leaving the hospital beforeing out for lunch with D

    Emelie and Troy were sitting in the corner of the restaurant. Emelie wanted to ignore William and Daphne,

    but Troy was already waving at them. ¡°Will!¡±

    Chapter 20 Troy Called Daphne Mr. Middleton

    William nced at Troy and Emelle for a moment. His expression grow cold as he walked over.

    Troy said with a smile, ¡°What a coincidence to run into you guys here! Are you two having lunch? So are Emelle and I. Why don¡¯t we sit together?¡±

    And so, William sat down right across from Emelle.

    Emelie greeted, ¡°Mr. Middleton.¡±

    William responded tly. ¡°What a busy schedule you have, going on a date the moment you got discharged from the hospital.¡±

    Emelle retorted, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I have no idea what you mean.¡±

    Daphne sat down beside Emelie and nced at both her and Troy. She then said with a smile, ¡°I thought I¡¯d mistaken Mr. Spencer when he¡¯d made that

    Emelie immediately realized that Troy must¡¯ve posted something online about her without her knowledge.

    Troy said right away, ¡°Of course it is. I never fool around, Mrs. Middleton.¡±

    Daphne

    was taken aback by how Troy had addressed her. She bit her lip and nced shyly at William before saying, ¡°I envy you, Emelie. Mr. Spencer is so devo

    William passed Daphne the menu. ¡°Do you have a reason to be envious of others?¡±

    Daphne blushed. ¡°Of course I don¡¯t. I know how kind you are to me, Mr. Middleton. I¡¯m just happy Emelie

    was able to find someone, too.¡±

    Emelie looked down, avoiding eye contact with everyone else. ¡°Ms. Bowen, if you¡¯re unable to differentiate between bluffs and serious matters, I¡¯m afraid

    Daphne was struggling to respond when William cut in, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll protect Daphne if she ever gets into trouble. Aren¡¯t you about to resign, M

    need to trouble yourself with work. affairs anymore.¡±

    Of course William would protect Daphne. Troy wouldn¡¯t have called her Mrs. Middleton otherwise.

    Emelie had been curious how William had introduced Daphne to his friends, and now she knew. He¡¯d likely introduced Daphne as his girlfriend.

 Chapter 30

    Chapter 30

    Chapter 30 ying Hard to Get

    Emelle silently finished her lunch and decided to stay away from Troy, moving forward. Otherwise, she would just end up running into William.

    When Troy sitered to drive her back after lunch, Emelie did not refuse.

    She added Troy¡¯s social media ount and scrolled through his posts until she found the one Daphne

    had mentioned earlier.

    How could Troy have posted their picture on there with those captions? It was so misleading!

    When Troy arrived at Emelle¡¯s neighborhood, she asked, ¡°Can you delete that post in your social media profile, Mr. Spencer?¡±

    Troy asked, ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s inappropriate. People might misunderstand.¡±

    ¡°Really? I think it¡¯s no big deal.¡±

    Emelie insisted, ¡°I still think it¡¯s better if you delete it.¡±

    Troy clicked his tongue and pulled out his phone. ¡°Fine, fine. I¡¯ll delete it if you want me to.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Spencer.¡±

    Troy then set his phone down and asked excitedly, ¡°Why don¡¯t we have dinner tomorrow night?¡±

    Emelie unbuckled her seat belt and said, ¡°I¡¯ve given your job offer some thought, Mr. Spencer, and I¡¯ve

    decided not to ept it. It¡¯s notpatible with me.¡±

    ¡°How is it notpatible? I think it very much is! Plus, you promised me you¡¯d consider itst night. Why are you changing your tune now?¡± Troy exim

    ¡°I didn¡¯t

    change my tune. I did seriously think about your offer, and have concluded that I¡¯m not fit for the job. I hope you find someone else who is better suited fo

    you again for the offer.¡±

    Troy drove off right away, clearly displeased.

    Emelie hadn¡¯t actually considered working for Troy. She¡¯d only agreed to have lunch with him to avoid offending him.

    Emelie had waveredst night when Troy helped her, yet the moment she saw his social media post,

    she¡¯d immediately reaffirmed her stance.

    Emelie was worried she mightnd herself in trouble by working for Troy.

    Now that Emelie had stopped working with William, all she wanted was a stable job with no more unnecessary drama.

    Chapter 30 Haying Hard to Get

    After dropping Daphne back at the office, William brought another secretary along with him to meet a crucial client. Given the significance of the meeting

    Jayden, who was also involved in the coboration, received a call from Troy before the meeting. Troy asked if he wanted to go out for a drink together.

    Jayden refused right away. ¡°I can¡¯t. I¡¯m busy. What¡¯s gotten into you to be drinking at this hour, by the way?

    Troy wailed, ¡°Why do all of you have work? I¡¯ve tried searching for so many people already!¡±

    Since the client had yet to arrive, Jayden asked curiously, ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Ms. Hoven rejected me!¡±

    N?velDrama.Org owns this.

    ¡°What¡¯s so rming about that? Didn¡¯t you see iting already? Alright. I must go now. Bye.¡± Jayden put his phone away and entered the conference r

    William asked lightly, ¡°Who rejected who?¡±

    ¡°Troy got rejected by Ms. Hoven. She¡¯s not going to work for him either.¡±

    William chuckled before flipping open his documents.

    Jayden understood his expression. After all, William had believed from the start that Emelie wouldn¡¯t quit her job and was just throwing a tantrum to get h

    Not only was Emelie not keeping her act up, but she had even rejected Troy outright.

    Emelie believed she had made herself clear, thinking Troy must have understood her after he left angrily.

    Who knew Troy would contact her two dayster to invite her to his birthday party?

    Without hesitation, Emilie said, ¡°Apologies, Mr. Spencer, but you know my leg is still injured, and I can¡¯t move around freely. I can send you a birthday pre

    ¡°Juste! I don¡¯t need you to do anything other than stay by my side. I¡¯ll get you whatever you need throughout the evening!¡± Troy insisted.

    That would only exacerbate the misunderstanding regarding their rtionship.

    Emelie didn¡¯t understand why Troy was so persistent about her. They¡¯d never cross paths before.

    Troy added, ¡°Do you think a thank you and lunch were enough to repay me for helping you the other night? I¡¯ll call it even if youe to my birthday par

    That was why Emelie was apprehensive about owing people favors; they were always difficult to repay.

    Emelie sighed quietly. ¡°What kind of party is it? A gathering between friends or¡­¡±

    ¡°Of course not. I¡¯ll be hosting it at my ce, and there will be a lot of guests. I won¡¯t lie to you. I¡¯m only

    Chapter 30 ying Hard to Get

    seeking you out because I needed extra confidence.¡±

 Chapter 31

    Chapter 31

    Chapter 31 A Dress

    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Troy was now CEO of his family¡¯spany, and his father saw his birthday party as an opportunity to introduce him to his business partners.

    Troy had his share of women he could choose from to apany him to the party, most of whom were models or influencers. But given how different th

    won, he needed Emelle by his side In order to not make a fool of himself.

    Everyone knew Emelie was Cloudex Corporation¡¯s head secretary, after all. She was the most

    professional person Troy knew.

    Emelie gave it some thought before saying helplessly, ¡°Okny. Once I join your birthday party, we¡¯re even,

    right?¡±

    ¡°Yup!¡±

    The instant Emelie agreed to attend Troy¡¯s party, he immediately shared it with all his friends who were drinking with him.

    ¡°Ms. Hoven has agreed toe tomorrow night!¡±

    Jayden was surprised. ¡°Didn¡¯t she reject you already?¡±

    ¡°Women always love ying hard to get. I¡¯ll have someone send her a gown tomorrow and make sure she¡¯s dressed up pretty before joining my party!¡± T

    Jayden observed his friend. ¡°You¡¯re going the extra mile for her, huh?¡±

    ¡°Of course I am!¡± Troy then looked at William, who was sitting in the corner. ¡°Why are you so quiet there,

    Will?¡°.

    William looked up coldly and wordlessly took a sip of his wine.

    Elias gestured for Troy not to bother William. ¡°He¡¯s been asked to go back home for dinner. Why else do you think he¡¯d be here?¡±

    Even Troy understood what was going on then.

    William tended to be in a bad mood whenever he needed to return home to face his parents. That was

    why he¡¯de and join them for drinks. He wouldn¡¯t have spent the effort to do so otherwise.

    William had always had a tense ftionship with his family. It¡¯d gotten slightly better in the past due to Emelie ying mediator. But now that she wasn¡¯t

    William got up after having a drink, not nning to linger longer. He patted Elias¡® shoulder and waved at Jayden before leaving.

    Jayden raised his ss. I heard Will¡¯s family has been urging him to marry and have children.¡±

    Chapte 31 A Dress

    Elias grinned. ¡°Is his father trying to nt his hopes on a grandson, given he¡¯s lost it in Will?¡±

    Jayden shrugged. He didn¡¯t know what William¡¯s father had in mind, but he was certain William would

    never agree.

    Troy, on the other hand, said, ¡°Marry? I¡¯d go right ahead if it were mer

    Emelie received the dress Troy sent her the next day.

    It was a velvet purple spaghetti¨Cstrap dress with a deep neckline, exuding a sensual allure. It wasn¡¯t the kind of dress Emelie would usually wear.

    Though Emelie was attractive, she wasn¡¯t the kind to show off herself too much. She often preferred dressing modestly.

    But Emelie still put it on in the end. She didn¡¯t want to go against Troy¡¯s wish, given she would be hispanion for the night. If Troy¡¯s outfit matched he

    Troy was the

    star that night, and he would be busy. So, when he offered to pick Emelie up, she refused. Emelie said she¡¯d go over herself, to which Troy didn¡¯t rebut.

    Emelie changed into the dress and put on some makeup. After putting on a coat around her shoulders, she got a taxi to the Spencer residence.

    She took off her coat upon arriving and handed it to the server. She would retrieve it before she leftter.

    Emelie texted Troy, telling him she¡¯d arrived at the door. Troy then said he wasing right out.

    So Emelie waited.

    Just then, a car drove over. Emelie took a step back to not block its way.

    The moment the car window rolled down, Daphne¡¯s demure¨Clooking face came into view.

    ¡°Hi, Ms. Hoven!¡± Daphne cooed.

    She was naturally here with William. He was seated beside her when he nced out the window and

    spotted Emelie.

    William¡¯s eyes swept along her body before finallynding on the pale skin of her breasts.

    Emelie was voluptuous and slender at the same time. She was truly a marvel to look at, just like Troy said.

    William¡¯s gaze darkened.

    After being with him for three years, Emelie had learned to identify what his gazes meant.

    For example, William was dying to take her right now.

 Chapter 32

    Chapter 32

    Chapter 32 Preferences

    Emelie silently walked away from William¡¯s view. Troy happened toe out to the doorway, so Emelle swiftly left with him. Her

    back was exposed in the dress, showing off her sensual figure and waist.

    Daphne had clearly noticed the way William looked at Emelle. She then looked down at herself.

    Daphne was pretty skinny but not curvy in any way. William had gifted her an off¨C

    shoulder chiffon dress studded with diamonds and faux flowers, which made her look quite ethereal and youthful.

    Daphne had

    thought it was beautiful, but the moment shepared herself to Emelie, she found herself dull¡°. Daphne couldn¡¯t help but grimace when she thought ab

    Daphne murmured, ¡°Ms. Hoven said she and Mr. Spencer were just friends the other day, but their outfits

    were matching just now, right?¡±

    ¡°I think so,¡± William responded tly.

    Daphne continued, ¡°She¡¯s so pretty.¡±

    William knew what Daphne was thinking and nonchntly said, ¡°Too tacky. Women should dress more

    modestly.¡±

    Daphne grinned sweetly at him. She knew William had liked her in the first ce because of how modest

    she was.

    While Williambeled Emelie tacky, everyone else was astounded by how beautiful and striking she was. Emelie instantlymanded everyone¡¯s attent

    Troy felt all the more proud as the men gazed at him in sheer jealousy. He said to Emelie, ¡°You¡¯re truly the

    most beautiful woman I¡¯ve ever met, Emelie!¡±

    Emelie¨Csmiled. ¡°Oh, stop it, Mr. Spencer.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m being serious. Do you see how everyone has been looking at you since you walked into the room?¡±

    Troy believed Emeliecked confidence because

    she had been dumped by William, prompting him tounch into a tirade. ¡°Don¡¯t think you¡¯re any less beautiful just because Will dumped you for Daphne

    ¡°Well, Will¡¯s preferences have never really changed. He¡¯s always been drawn to the type of

    woman who¡¯s fragile and clueless, constantly relying on him. That¡¯s prettyme, right?¡±

    Emelle recalled the years spent with William. He¡¯d often bring her to parties and events, both private and public.

    She couldn¡¯t remember when he slowly stopped bringing her out, though. At some point, William would only bring her along if it was necessary. Howeve

    So, did William dump Emelie all because she was no longer ¡°fragile¡± and wasn¡¯t dependent on him anymore?

    Emelie smiled, finding the whole thing quite hrious

    She wasn¡¯tcking in confidence. She simply wasn¡¯t as mindful of her looks as Troy assumed, so she didn¡¯t react much to everyone else¡¯s astonishme

    Emelie silently changed the topic. ¡°Why don¡¯t I join you in meeting your guests?¡±

    ¡°Yes, please do. You¡¯re far more experienced in these sorts of things, unlike me. I have lots to learn from

    you tonight.

    Of course, Emelie knew how to socialize like this. She offered Troy tips as to what to say and how to behave She even introduced a lot

    of people she knew from working at Cloudex Corporation for three

    years to Troy

    Troy¡¯s parents were pleased by this as they observed their son from afar.

    The quests were curious as to why Emelie was apanying Troy, however.

    ¡°Have you switched to working at Spencer Group, Ms. Hoven?¡±

    Emelie responded courteously, ¡°No, Mr. Spencer and I are just friends. I¡¯m here to celebrate his birthday

    with him, that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s how it is.¡±

    Troy was all the more fond of Emelie now. He made sure she was well¨Cfed and even drank toast in her stead for fear she would grow ill from drinking.

    This was the first time in ages someone had done that for Emelie. She thanked him sincerely. ¡°Thank you,

    Mr. Spencer.

    Halfway through the party, Emelie needed to go to the restroom. Troy eagerly showed her the way and even said he¡¯d wait for her toe out

    before returning to the main hall.

    But Troy was nowhere to be found by the time Emelie walked

    d out.

    Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie felt that Troy wasn¡¯t the kind of man who¡¯d leave her behind right after promising he¡¯d wait for her, so she looked around in search of him as she

    All of sudden, someone grabbed Emelie¡¯s arm.

    Before she could react, they had dragged her into a nea

 Chapter 33

    Chapter 33

    Chapter 33 Self¨CRestraint

    Emelie Immediately felt the dominating presence of the man.

    ¡°Who are you looking for? Troy? Why didn¡¯t I know you were on such good terms with him? How long have you two been seeing each other behind my

    *

    ¡°Mr. Middleton? Emelie was stunned.

    William gazed at her darkly, humming an affirmative.

    Emelie sighed softly in relief but swiftly tensed up. ¡°Let me go.¡±

    ¡°Are you interested in Troy now?¡± William could read her too well. He knew she was a little interested in

    Troy the moment she smiled a certain way at him.

    Emelie silently continued struggling against his grip. She really just thought Troy was adorable in a na?ve

    way.

    William scoffed and dragged her over to peer through the window in the closet. ¡°See for yourself.¡±

    Emelie looked out.

    Troy was getting it on with a woman in the courtyard behind the house, hips thrusting relentlessly forward.

    Emelie had only been in the restroom for a couple of minutes, and Troy had already found someone to

    fuck?

    Adorable? Na?ve? No, this was Troy¡¯s true colors.

    Emelie looked away in disgust, using the opportunity to shove William away. ¡°You overthink, Mr. Middleton. I¡¯m not interested in Mr. Spencer whatsoever

    nothing to do with me.¡±

    Emelie then made to leave. But before she¡¯d even touched the doorknob, William had pinned her against

    the wall.

    Emelie was getting angry now. Before she could snap at him, he¡¯d kissed her and pressed his body up against hers.

    William was relentlessly domineering, running a hand from her shoulders and down to her waist. His hands were tender and cool to the touch.

    Emelie was shocked at first before rage overtook her. She shoved at William¡¯s chest, but he still remained pinned against her. So Emelie used her nails

    and the back of his neck.

    ¡°William¡­¡± Emelie hissed, finally pushing him away with a burst of strength. ¡°Let me go!¡±

    William was shoved away and hit the shelf behind him, creating a noise.

    Someone who was passing by just then leaned near the door and asked, ¡°Is someone in there?¡±

    Emelie went from angry to nervous in an instant. Who knew what kind of scandal would erupt if someone

    spotted her in the closet with William? She didnt want to be gued with rumors regarding William even efter leaving Cloudex Corporation!

    Emelle froze to the spot, keeping her breathing soft.

    Silence filled the narrow space.

    William touched the back of his neck. How did Emelle muster the courage to scratch him?

    The person outside the

    storeroom tried opening the door, but it¡¯d been locked from the inside. Since they didn¡¯t hear a sound anymore, they grumbled to themselves and left.

    The moment they left, Emelie rxed.

    William was no longer in the mood. He began straightening his clothes.

    Emelie took a deep breath to calm herself before saying, ¡°What are you doing, Mr. Middleton? Didn¡¯t you not like women like me? Isn¡¯t it degrading for yo

    ¡°Are you insulting me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just reminding you to keep yourself in line, Mr. Middleton.¡±

    Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    William wiped away the lipstick at the corner of his mouth and said, ¡°You¡¯d best leave it to myself to

    decide what I like and don¡¯t like, Ms. Hoven.¡±

    ¡°Then kindly restrain

    yourself and make sure what happened just now never does again, Mr. Middleton. We¡¯re no longer in that kind of rtionship. I will call the police if there

    She went to the restroom to wash all traces of William off her lips.

    ¡°Jackass!¡± Emelie cursed.

    She then heaved a sigh and tidied herself up before reapplying her lipstick. After several minutes of rposing herself and ensuring she lookedpl

    Troy was nowhere to be seen, nor was William.

    Emelie looked around the ce and didn¡¯t bother searching further after a moment. She went to a corner. and stayed there silently, waiting for Troy to sh

    she could tell him she was leaving.

    While waiting, Emelie overheard a conversation between two guests who walked by.

    ¡°I rarely see Mr. Middleton Senior so upset. I wonder what Mr. Middleton said to him¡­¡± Emelie instinctively asked, ¡°What happened to Mr. Middleton Sen

 Chapter 34

    Chapter 34

    Chapter 34 Marry Her

    The guests stopped when they recognized Emelie. ¡°Oh, didn¡¯t you hear, Ms. Hoven? Mr. Middleton Senior nearly got into a fight with Mr. Middleton earlie

    Emelie was stunned. How could this be? William was such a calm andposed man, How could he have gotten into an argument with his father at suc

    ¡°Is that true?¡± she asked.

    The other guest added hurriedly, ¡°No, no. He¡¯s just exaggerating things. It was more like Mr. Middleton Senior took on a very displeased expression. The

    ¡°See, right there. That was where Mr. Middleton Senior spoke to the secretary Mr. Middleton brought along tonight. Mr. Middleton soon came and defend

    ¡°Good thing Mr. Mikhail came over just in time and asked them to take things upstairs. We don¡¯t know what happened afterward.¡±

    Emelie¡¯s brows furrowed.

    The guest asked curiously, ¡°You know Mr. Middleton best, Ms. Hoven. Could

    you tell us whether that secretary of his is actually his girlfriend? They didn¡¯t get into a fight

    because Mr. Middleton Senior disapproved of her, did they?¡±

    That was most likely the case. Why else would William get

    so upset with his father? Henry clearly did not like Daphne based on how he behaved during dinnerst time.

    Emelie¡¯s lips twitched.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you hurry upstairs, Ms. Hoven? Mr. Middleton Senior looked really angry earlier,¡±

    continued.

    the ques

    Emelie was hesitant. Frankly, she didn¡¯t want anything to do with William anymore. But the Middletons had always been kind to

    her. They even sent Emelie a box of local sweets from Beauville when they¡¯d gone on vacationst year. Not even her parents doted on her so much.

    Henry Middleton, William¡¯s father, had hypertension, too.

    In the end, Emelie decided to go upstairs.

    Only then did she realize that William, Daphne, Troy, and Troy¡¯s parents were present in the room as well. None of them looked particrly d to be th

    Emelie wasn¡¯t too sure what they were discussing right now, so she wondered whether she should ask.

    In the next instant, William pulled

    Daphne to his side with a cold sneer. ¡°Sure, I can marry. Daphne will be my bride. We can have the wedding as soon as possible, as long as you allow i

    Everyone present was shocked by William¡¯s words.

    Emelie¡¯s ears began ringing.

    Henry mmed his ss down on the table beside him. ¡°You bastard!¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you been doing all your best to urge me to marry and give you an heir? Aren¡¯t you pleased with my choice of bride?¡± William retorted.

    Henry roared, ¡°Yes, I want you to marry, but not to someone as

    indecent as her! I won¡¯t force you to mingle with all the other family¡¯s heiresses. If you want to marry someone, then at least marry Emelie!¡±

    Emelie was shocked by Henry¡¯s words.

    N?velDrama.Org owns this.

    William nced at her before replying tly, ¡°Her? She¡¯s beneath me.¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t react at all.

    ¡°I disagree with you, Will. Emelie is amazing! She¡¯s not beneath me at all!¡± Troy grumbled, then turned to his parents. ¡°Mom, Dad, haven¡¯t you been aski

    It¡¯s Emelie!¡±

    Emelie was stunned.

    Troy wrapped an arm around Emelie¡¯s shoulder. ¡°See, even Uncle Henry likes Emelie, so she must truly be wonderful. Why don¡¯t we tie two knots today?

    can marry Daphne while I marry Emelie!¡±

 Chapter 35

    Chapter 35

    Chapter 35 Lover

    Everyone immediately looked at Emelie.

    Emelie stood there with a nk expression, like some frozen statue.

    Mikhail Spencer and his wife, Linda Grabel, were actually quite fond of Emelie, especially after seeing how capable and sociable she¡¯d been tonight. The

    Emelie¡¯sck of wealth of influence was actually advantageous to them, as it meant they could easily manipte and control her. They were concerned t

    company¡¯s profits to her own family.

    Linda sped Emelie¡¯s hand and smiled kindly at her. ¡°Yes. I think Emelie is a fine young woman, too.¡±

    Emelie immediately pulled her hand away, shocking Linda.

    Emelie then said calmly, ¡°Mrs. Spencer, please don¡¯t misunderstand. Mr. Troy was just fooling around. We¡¯re no more than friends, so there¡¯s no way ma

    Troy eximed in a panic, ¡°Emelie!¡±

    as a

    Emelie continued swiftly, ¡°You¡¯ve misunderstood my feelings, Mr. Troy. I¡¯ve only ever treated you a normal friend, nothing more.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter! What matters is that you can treat me as more than a friend now, right?¡± Troy said adamantly. ¡°I don¡¯t care! It¡¯s you I want! You nee

    Emelie said, ¡°Are you forcing me now, Mr. Troy?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± Troy grumbled.

    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    Mikhail was clearly the wiser onepared to his son.

    The Middleton family was clearly fond of Emelie. Even if William didn¡¯t marry her, she¡¯d still be his implied ¡°lover¡°. It wasn¡¯t umon for influential fami

    The Spencers couldn¡¯t afford to take Emelie away from the Middletons. So Mikhail said sternly, ¡°Be quiet, Troy. Stop fooling around. You can¡¯t force Ms. H

    Henry nced at William before sneering. ¡°You have such poor taste, unlike some people.¡±

    William remained expressionless, though his jaw was pulled taut.

    Henry gave it some thought before steadying his ss on the table again. He said suddenly, ¡°I¡¯ll give you a dowry if you marry Troy, Emelie!¡±

    ¡°Sir!¡± Emelie eximed in shock.

    Linda immediately piped up, ¡°Ahem, Troy is just childish at times, but I¡¯m sure you can see how kind he is, right? He¡¯s a fine young man and reputable in

    There was no way that Troy was a good choice for her. Emelle wanted to counter, ¡°Mra. Spencer, I.

    ¡°Emelle.¡± Henry cut in. He began ying matchmaker for Emelle and Troy¡¯s marriage. ¡°I can vouch for Troy¡¯s character. I¡¯ve watched him grow from a ch

    Linda hurriedly added, ¡°And you can always develop

    your love for one anotherter on. Why don¡¯t you two get engaged first? Then you can strengthen your rtionship and arrange for n wedding.¡±

    Troy grew excited. ¡°That¡¯s a great ideal Why don¡¯t we just announce the engagement right now to all the guests out there? It will be a wonderful surprise

    Without so much as waiting for Emelie to respond, Troy dragged her outside to announce this news. None of them had given her any chance to voice he

    Emelie stumbled behind Troy.

    She hadn¡¯t been too concerned when it was just Linda and Troy talking about marriage. But when Henry. began supporting it, fear and panic immediately

    Emelie was certain they were very much capable of making a marriage between her and Troye true.

    C

 Chapter 36

    Chapter 36

    Chapter 36 I Agree

    Troy marched out of the room and began telling the guests downstairs, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I have an important announcement to make! Eme-¡±

    Emelie clung onto the door frame with all her might before flinging Troy¡¯s hand away.

    Troy instantly fell on his ass out in the hallway. The guests downstairs quickly peered up to see what was

    going on.

    Emelie swiftly retreated further behind the door so none of the guests could see her. Afterposing herself, she snapped quickly, ¡°That¡¯s enough, Mr.

    She continued, ¡°Neither of us knows one another very well, so marriage is out of the question! I don¡¯t want to marry you, nor am I interested in you. If yo

    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie¡¯s words were undermining the Spencer family¡¯s pride.

    Troy scrambled up from the floor, reaching out to grab her. But Emelie swiftly dodged him, only to end up bumping into someone behind her. She turned

    William quickly stood in front of Emelie and said to Troy, ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve embarrassed yourself

    enough?¡±

    Henry sneered. ¡°Wasn¡¯t Emelie beneath you? Why does her marriage concern you then?¡±

    Troy grumbled, ¡°Exactly! Didn¡¯t you say you want to marry Daphne? Let me marry Emelie, then! With one

    for each of us, we¡¯d be even!¡±

    At the mention of ¡°One for each of us,¡± Emelie swallowed and asked ufortably, ¡°What do you take me for, Mr. Troy? A piece of meat?¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Troy was about to argue with her when William cut in.

    ¡°Go on then. Let everyone hear about how you¡¯ve been rejected by a woman.¡±

    Troy was still upset. William shot Emelie a look before ncing at his father. ¡°I may not want her as a

    wife, but she¡¯s still mine. I get a say over who or when she marries for the rest of her life.¡±

    William¡¯s words felt like a threat of imprisonment to Emelle, which was a worse fate than having her marriage decided for her. She quipped, ¡°If I rememb

    Emelie couldn¡¯t stay there anymore.

    She made sure to save her pride by saying, ¡°Thank you for inviting me to your birthday party, Mr. Troy. I haven¡¯t properly wished you a happy birthday ye

    ¡°You¡­¡± Troy began saying.

    Emelie quickly rified herself. ¡°We made it clear that things would be even between us if I attended your

    party tonight, which I did. Now that we¡¯re even, I¡¯ll be leaving Goodbye.¡±

    She then sidestepped William and walked downstairs, ignoring Troy¡¯s outstretched hand.

    Emelle ignored the other guests¡® curious looks and left the Spencer residence right away. She then put on. her coat and got into the nearest taxi by the r

    The driver soon left the area once Emelie told him her apartment¡¯s location. The Spencer residence quickly disappeared from view

    Only then was Emelie able to heave a long sigh. She closed her eyes and calmed herself down.

    William¡¯s words echoed in her mind-¡°Her? She¡¯s beneath me.¡±

    Even though she¡¯d long

    lost faith in him, she¡¯d still felt pain when she heard him say that. All of a sudden, Emelie realized why William had behaved the w

 Chapter 37

    Chapter 37

    Chapter 37 Have A Child

    William wasn¡¯t a promiscuous man. At the very least, Emelie had been the only woman he¡¯d ever been with during the three years she worked for him.

    So right now, William could only seek her out when he couldn¡¯t get released from Daphne out of respect for Daphne¡¯s traditional values.

    Emelie recalled how William had praised Daphne for being well¨Craised when he was talking about her

    values the other day.

    Emelie wasn¡¯t as ¡°well¨C

    raised¡± as Daphne was. Emelie wouldn¡¯t have slept with and stayed by William¡¯s side for three years in an ambiguous rtionship with him otherwise, an

    It was a good thing Emelie left him earlier so she didn¡¯t get in the way of him having a family of his own.

    At the thought of family, Emelie ced a hand on her abdomen, tears welling in her eyes as sadness

    overwhelmed her.

    ¡°Be careful on the way home. Get some rest,¡± William said to Daphne after dropping her off in her neighborhood like usual.

    Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    Daphne nodded and unbuckled her seatbelt before opening the door. The moment she took a step

    outside, she turned back to William, biting her lip. ¡°Can you walk me home, Mr. Middleton? One of the streetlights outside my house is spoiled, so it¡¯s da

    William was somewhat distracted. ¡°Is that all you want me to do?¡±

    l

    Daphne blushed. ¡°It¡¯s sote already. You¡¯ll be exhausted by the time you reach home. Why don¡¯t you stay

    the night.

    Daphne couldn¡¯t be more obvious about her intention.

    William gazed at her. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say your mother raised you not to be so intimate with men?¡±

    Daphne replied quietly, ¡°But didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d marry me, Mr. Middleton? There¡¯s no reason not to be intimate if that¡¯s the case, right?¡±

    William continued gazing quietly at Daphne until she began growing uneasy.

    She had only made it known to William that she wasn¡¯t the kind to sleep around because she wanted to

    create an impression. Men loved it when women yed hard to get, after all.

    Yet right now, Daphne had a strange feeling that if she didn¡¯t take the next step with William tonight, she¡¯d no longer be able to be close to him, even tho

    ¡°Mr. Middleton, I¡­¡±

    ¡°Go back inside. Use your phone¡¯s torchlight if it¡¯s too dark. I¡¯ll have someonee and fix the light

    tomorrow,¡± William said tly.

    Daphne nodded and said nothing more. She got out of the car, shutting the door behind her.

    William didn¡¯t leave night away. He opened the car window and smoked a cigarette to destress. When it wasn¡¯t enough, he decided to have a drink

    Jayden was outstation, so he hadn¡¯t attended Troy¡¯s party earlier. William gave Elias a call instead.

    Elias hadn¡¯t been to the party because he genuinely disliked events like those.

    ¡°Wanna have a drink?¡± William asked.

    ¡°Sure. Westward?¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    William and his friends were regrs of Westward Club, founded by some of his friends.

    Elias arrived first and got some hostesses to join him. William sat down alone on a couch when he arrived. All the hostesses

    knew William¡¯s ground rule, so none dared to flirt with him as they did with

    Elias. They just topped up his ss once it was empty.

    Elias munched on some grapes. ¡°Lyle ising back soon, right? He¡¯s been gone for more than a month.¡±

    ¡°Probably,¡± William replied dryly.

    Elias chuckled. ¡°I know all about what happened at the party earlier. Who are you upset at right now? Your

    Dad, Troy, or Emelie?¡±

    William shot Elias a look. ¡°Did Troy tell you?¡±

    Itallion me how you tale

    ¡°Yeah. Troy was sobbing his girl.¡±

    William chuckled. ¡°Who stole whose girl now? Troy is lucky I didn¡¯t hurt him for trying to pursue Emelie in the first ce.¡±

    Elias smiled and nodded. Troy was indeed lucky.

    Elias pressed a cigarette between his lips while the hostess beside him lit it up.

    *Light up a cigarette for Mr. Middleton, too, so he can ease up a little. There¡¯s no

    need to bother yourself with Troy. He¡¯s just an idiot. His parents wouldn¡¯t be in such a hurry to find him a wife otherwise.¡±

    The hostess cautiously went to William¡¯s side and took out a cigarette from the box she was holding.

    Elias continued, ¡°I just never expected Uncle Henry to be so fond of Ms. Hoven and even offered to pay her dowry for her. You don¡¯t need to rebel agains

    he likes her so much. It doesn¡¯t stop you from being with Daphne, does it? You can take pointers from my father¨Chis wives get along pretty well.

    William furrowed his brow and avoided the hostess. He scowled. ¡°Go away.¡±

    The hostess paled in fright and quickly scrambled off the floor, dropping some cigarettes.

    Chapter 37 Have A Child

    Elias said, ¡°If you don¡¯t want Daphne to be your second wife, negotiate with your father. Just tell him you¡¯ll have a baby with Ms. Hoven just like he dream

 Chapter 38

    Chapter 38

    Chapter 38 Sent Her Away

    In the end, William didn¡¯t respond to Es¡® suggestion. Instead, he continued drinking until way past

    midnight

    Elias spent the night at Westward Club while William had one of the servers drive him back to Eastbay. being the clean freak he was

    William was nearly drunk at this point. He stumbled even as the server carefully helped him upstairs. William theny on the couch, resting his aching he

    The server was afraid William might fall ill if he left just like that. He didn¡¯t want to bear such a burden, so he asked William hesitantly, ¡°Mr. Middleton? Do

    help you.¡±

    William grew irritated by the server and tossed him his phone. ¡°Call Emelie Hoven and tell her toe

    over.¡±

    The server flipped through William¡¯s call history and called Emelie¡¯s number.

    The first call went unanswered. The server surmised Emilie had fallen asleep by now, given it was nearly 2:

    00 am.

    The server called again. This time, someone answered the call just before it ended. The speaker was a woman. She sounded

    like she had just been roused from her sleep. ¡°Who is this?¡±

    ¡°Hello, is this Ms. Emelie Hoven? Mr. Middleton is drunk and requested your presence over here in Eastbay,¡± the server hurriedly said.

    Emelie paused briefly and looked at her phone screen.

    It really was William.

    She didn¡¯t check who it was as she had answered the call on instinct.

    She

    The server continued, ¡°Are you still there, Ms. Hoven?¡±

    Emelie then hung up the call.

    The server was taken aback. He quickly called Emilie¡¯s number again, only for the operator to inform him that the call didn¡¯t go through.

    The server turned awkwardly to William and swallowed nervously before saying, ¡°Mr. Middleton, Ms. H-

    Hoven doesn¡¯t appear to being over.¡±

    William slowly looked up, his gaze cold and dangerous.

    The server tensed up. He was about to say something else when William uttered, ¡°Leave.¡±

    The server did so immedjately.

    Meanwhile, Emelie found herself unable to fall asleep after hanging up the call. She felt frustrated.

    Chante de Sent 1ler Avede

    Why did William still think he could instruct her to take care of him now that things hade to this? Was it because he was used to it?

    Whenever William got a hangover or a

    headache back then, Emelie would always find a way to deal with¡­ it for him as long as he gave her a call. It didn¡¯t matter if she was outstation. She wo

    In retrospect, Emelie felt like she¡¯d been blinded back then. Her behavior had been both foolish and lowly.

    The next morning. Emelie continued job¨Chunting.

    She¡¯d already surveyed the avable jobs, but this time, she was considering the non¨Clocal ones first.

    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie had never considered leaving Capebatt City because she was a local here. She lived her entire

    life in Capebatt City, save for studying at a college in another city. People often found it hard to part with their hometowns, after all.

    Capebatt City was also one of the major metropolises in the world where one could make big progress. Emelie shouldn¡¯t

    downgrade herself by leaving town just because she¡¯d ended a job and a ¡°rtionship¡°.

    But what William said at the Spencer residencest night began changing Emelie¡¯s mind. She truly felt that it was better to leave and to stay the hell awa

    Several non¨Clocalpanies had contacted her already. Emelie considered all her options before deciding on two simr ones.

    A couple of dayster, Mona suddenly leaned into Emelie while she was putting makeup on for an interview and asked, ¡°By the way, do you know what h

    Emelie replied tly, ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Middleton Senior sent Daphne away.¡±

    Emelie¡¯s hand trembled slightly in the middle of drawing her eyeliner.

 Chapter 39

    Chapter 39

    Chapter 39 The New Secretary

    Troy had tried all manner of ways after his birthday party to ask Emelie out or Invite her to dinner, only for her to refuse every single time.

    In the end. Troy knew Emelie was set on her decision and gave up on her. He was a yboy, after all, and it was no fun being given the cold shoulder s

    When Emelie went shopping for groceries the other day, she happened to see Troy out with an influencer. Troy pretended not to see Emelie and got into

    Without Troy, Emelie grew more distant from William¡¯s circle and naturally did not know what transpired.

    Mona sat on Emelie¡¯s dressing table and said, ¡°One of my colleagues hang out with those people often and heard someone talking about how Mr. Middle

    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t even tell William where she was. Consequently, William¡¯s been really grumpy.¡±

    Emelie had no idea this had happened. After a long while, she replied, ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Honestly, it wasn¡¯t too surprising.

    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Henry was still influential and powerful enough. William must¡¯ve crossed his line the other day when he said he¡¯d marry Daphne, so Henry took drastic m

    ¡°There¡¯s more! Guess what? William hired a new secretary afterward. She¡¯s a fresh graduate and is even a ballet dancer. They go everywhere together,

    shook her head.

    She continued, ¡°I think William¡¯s doing

    this just to piss off his father. A sort of ¡°You can try sending Daphne away all you like, but I can always find someone like her to stay by my side. You know

    Emelie was silent for several seconds before saying, ¡°What William does has nothing to do with me.¡±

    She wiped away the messed¨Cup eyeliner and redrew it. She then put on some lipstick and took her

    handbag. ¡°I¡¯ll be off now. I probably won¡¯t be back for dinner tonight.¡±

    Mona made an encouraging gesture and said, ¡°Best of luck!¡±

    Emelie grinned and left the house.

    She was meeting one of the twopanies¡® human resources representatives today to discuss her potential employment.

    Emelie and the representative spent hours talking. It was a very pleasant conversation overall. Around dinnertime, the representative invited

    Emelie for dinner, and she epted. So they went to a restaurant.

    They¡¯d just sat at a table near the window when they saw the restaurant manager rushing downstairs to greet a group of customers at the door. nked

    The group of customers seemed especially important.

    Emelie looked outside just in time to see William.

    He was clearly there to have a business meeting over dinner. All the people around him were dressed in suits and business wear. They were swiftly led u

    Emelie even noticed a stranger by William¡¯s side¨Ca young girl who looked to be in her early 20s.

    She looked incredibly na?ve even though she was wearing a proper work outfit. Her figure was nice, and she had an innocent, clueless expression as sh

    She must be the ballet dancer¨Ccum¨Csecretary that Mona was talking about earlier.

    William hadn¡¯t noticed Emelie and the HR representative. He went upstairs with his clients.

    Emelle then looked away.

    The representative said with a smile, ¡°Ah, so it was Mr. Middleton. By the way, there¡¯s still a week before.

    your contract with Cloudex Corporation ends, isn¡¯t that right, Ms. Hoven?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The representative then lowered his voice, ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind my being direct, Ms. Hoven.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Though it¡¯smon to look for new employment while still being employed, doing so is still illegal. After all, your contract with Cloudex has yet to end¡±

    Emelie furrowed her brows.

    ¡°Since you¡¯re still Cloudex Corporation¡¯s employee, you might face legal troubles if you don¡¯t¡­ handle¡± things well. Ourpany does wish to work with

    happens in your final week,¡± the representative said.

 Chapter 40

    Chapter 40

    Chapter 40 Climbing the Ranks.

    The HR representative¡¯s words weren¡¯t a threat but facts

    Previously, there had been news about how a project manager had contacted anotherpany near the end of his employment with his currentpan

    The manager

    faced awsuit for dereliction of duty, which had led to significant financial harm to thepany. Thepany had done this on purpose to screw over t

    years

    Even though the manager was deemed not guilty of his charges, all his efforts were wasted, and

    ultimately, his reputation was ruined for good.

    Emelie responded, ¡°I know what I need to do.¡±

    She parted ways with the representative after dinner. When she went to the washroom, she happened to overhear the conversation between two servers

    ¡°Did you see the woman who was beside Mr. Middleton? She seemed quite cunning

    ¡°Yeah, I did, I think she¡¯s Mr. Middleton¡¯s secretary. She keeps on topping his ss up as if she can¡¯t wait

    to get him drunk.

    The other server said, ¡°Of course, she can¡¯t wait. How else could she sleep with him? Women nowadays

    are something..

    ¡°Shh! Come on, we still need to get the wines out.¡±

    Emelie left the cubicle after the servers were gone. She washed her hands before drying them.

    Considering what the HR representative had mentioned earlier, along with the information revealed by the

    servers, she decided to head to William¡¯s private room.

    The door had been left open. Emelie pretended to walk by and peered in.

    coves

    The secretary was sitting beside William, thetter who was somewhat drunk now. His eyes

    were hazy, and a faint smile surfaced on his lips when he spoke to the clients.

    The moment he set down his wine ss, his secretary filled it to the brim for him again. William immediately picked it up and drank some more.

    William never usually drank so much

    when he was working. He was probably doing so because he was in a bad mood today. He drank shot after shot of alcohol every single time the clients t

    When the clients took out their agreement for William to sign, they handed him a pen, which the secretary helped tighten his grip around.

    Emelie was taken aback,

    Were they scheming against William all at once?

    Luckily, William set the pen down in the next second. He said tly, ¡°I¡¯ve already made my terms clear, Mr. Ramsey. Why don¡¯t you take more time to con

    Emelie heaved a sigh and left the hallway.

    She went outside the restaurant and strolled around by the road. William¡¯s clients soon exited and left in

    their respective cars.

    Meanwhile, William and his secretary exitedst, thetter holding the former up.

    Though William¡¯s footsteps were still sturdy, his eyes were slightly bloodshot. He still looked fine whenever he drank. But if his cheeks were flushed, cha

    The secretary helped William get into his car before joining him.

    Supposedly, Emelie should¡¯ve left by now. But she felt

    uneasy when she recalled how the secretary had actively assisted the client in making William sign the contract.

    If William discovered that Emelie was standing outside their room earlier without stepping in to save him

    from being schemed against, would he take legal action against her?

    Emelie stiffened.

    She suddenly realized she didn¡¯t trust William that much.

    Emelie had witnessed how William tackled his enemies in the past three years of working for him. She subconsciously knew that if she pissed William of

    William hadn¡¯t the least bit of feelings for Emelie even though they¡¯d been together for three years. On the

    other hand, Emilie hadn¡¯t fallen irrevocably in love with him yet. She was still cautious of William.

    Emelie took a deep breath, feeling uneasy.

    In the end, she still got into a taxi and said to the driver, ¡°Follow the car ahead, sir.¡±

    The driver asked knowingly, ¡°What happened? Is your husband cheating on you?¡±

    Emelie was taken aback. ¡°No.¡±

    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Your boyfriend, then.¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡±

    The driver grew cautious. Then why are you following them? Are you a stalker?¡±

    Emelie paused before saying truthfully, ¡°My boss is inside that car.

    The driver then started the car and said, ¡°He sure looks like he owns apany. Young women like you could never hope to win over someone like them

    Emelie said in exasperation, ¡°Please just watch the road, sir.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve driven on this road a thousand times. There¡¯s a hotel just after the turn in front. Your boss is likely

 Chapter 41

    Chapter 41

    Chapter 41 Take Her ce

    The driver was right. William¡¯s car came to a stop right in front of the hotel.

    Eastbay was near the city center, so William had no reason to go there instead of heading home. There was only one usible exnation¨C

    his secretary had taken advantage of the situation and decided for: them toe to this hotel.

    Emelie paid the taxi driver before leaving the car. She spotted William¡¯s secretary supporting him as they made their way into the hotel.

    Emelie wasn¡¯t sure if the secretary was taking advantage of the situation to climb further up the ranks or for some other purpose, so she followed along.

    Emelie pretended to be a hotel guest and trailed William and his secretary to their room.

    William waspletely inebriated by now. He stumbled constantly and had to rely on the secretary for support.

    William was six feet tall, so it was very difficult for his secretary to help him walk. The secretary barely shut the room door, only able to manage a slight p

    Emelie quickly used her foot to stop the door from shutting entirely. The secretary had failed to notice. that. Emelie then silently crept into the room.

    The secretaryid William down on the bed and said sweetly, ¡°You¡¯re so heavy, Mr. Middleton. I nearly

    couldn¡¯t breathe!¡±

    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    William rested his arm over his eyes, finding the

    light too bright. He said nothing, though, from the looks of how tight his jaw was, he was feeling significant difort.

    The secretary then asked, ¡°Are you feeling unwell? Is your suit too tight? I¡¯ll take it off for you.¡±

    Yet it was her own clothes the secretary took off first. She removed her coat before unbuttoning her shirt, revealing her ck brassi¨¨re. She then undid W

    Emelie spoke up. ¡°If your intention is to sleep with him tonight and turn around tomorrow to say that he

    forced you

    and that he shouldpensate you¨Call I can say is that this is a very stupid idea.¡±

    The secretary jolted in fright and turned around. ¡°You¡­¡±

    ¡°I can promise you, you¡¯ll lose way more than what you get if you try and scheme against someone like William Middleton. If you don¡¯t believe me, go ah

    The secretary was shocked. ¡°W¨CWho are you?¡±

    ¡°Emelie Hoven.¡±

    Though the secretary did not recognize Emelie, she¡¯d still heard her name before. ¡°Y¨CYou¡¯re the head

    secretary.¡±

    Emelie replied calmly, ¡°I¡¯d advise you to leave right now. William does not tolerate hindrances.¡±

    MIMHE.

    The secretary had been feeling guilty for doing this since

    the start, so now that she was found out, the Immediately got her coat and left the room. The door soon closed.

    Emelie turned to William, who was lying motionlessly on the bed. She then called his housekeeper, wanting thetter toe and watch after William ins

    he choked on his vomit in the middle of the night alone.

    Emelie went to switch the bedsidemp on while waiting for the call to connect.

    William grabbed her wrist the moment she reached out, shocking her.

    He then pulled her right into bed.

    Emelie¡¯s vision swam. Before she knew it, she was lying t on the bed already.

    Her eyes widened.

    William, who was just dead drunk moments ago, was now sping her jaw. He rasped, ¡°Since you know me so well, Ms. Hoven, I¡¯m sure you can guess

    ¡°You¡¯re drunk, Mr. Middleton,¡± Emelie said calmly.

    William replied, ¡°Don¡¯t you think I¡¯d know better than anyone else if I was drunk?¡±

    ¡°So you aren¡¯t?¡± Emelie immediately understood what was going on. ¡°You let your secretary try and sleep with you?¡±

    She found him pathetic.

    ¡°Apologies for interrupting your fun then, Mr. Middleton,¡± Emelie responded.

    ¡°Apologies indeed. Now that you¡¯v

 Chapter 42

    ?Chapter 42 To the Police Station

    Emelie hurriedly turned her face away. However, William persisted, putting his lips to her skin.

    Emelie then grabbed something from her bag. She pulled it out and sprayed it in William''s face, releasing an overwhelming pungent mist.

    William immediately closed his eyes and leaped off of Emelie, stumbling backward. An rmingly painful sensation burned in his eyes and throat, making him cough uncontrobly.

    "E-Emelie!" he growled in the middle of hacking his lungs out.

    Emelie was in no better condition. She''d been too close to William when she used the spray. So she''d instantly shut her eyes and held her breath afterward.

    Emelie scrambled off the bed while coughing. She ran straight for the bathroom and washed her eyes and mouth.

    That was pepper spray that she''d used on William.

    Emelie would always bring it with her whenever she went out in case she got into danger. Who knew the first person she used it on would be William?

    Emelie didn''t inhale much of the pepper spray, so she eased up after a moment.

    William, on the other hand, was not so lucky. He was coughing even after Emelie left the bathroom. She saw him sitting on the rug with several empty bottles of water around him.

    William had been chugging water to ease the burning sensation in his throat.

    When he heard Emeliee out, he red at her with bloodshot eyes, looking as murderous as ever. It was as if William was dying to snap her neck.

    Emelie paused before saying, "If you''re not drunk, then please use your phone to do whatever is needed. I''ll be off now."

    She took her handbag and prepared to leave.

    "If you step out that door tonight, I''m going to send you to the police station myself," William snapped coldly.

    Emelie''s hands balled into fists. She took a deep breath before turning around to face him.

    "I''ve already rifiedst time that we''re no longer in that sort of rtionship, Mr. Middleton. Please show some self-restraint. You''re not drunk, which means you have full control of your actions. I was only doing an act of self-defense in response to your assault," Emelie stated.

    There it was again-her cold, calm reasoning. It irritated William to no end.

    "Get over here right now!" he snapped.

    Emelie stayed where she was, which made William have another coughing fit. As he coughed, he barked, " I can''t see anymore! Come and check my eyes!"

    Emelie was taken aback for a moment before hesitantly walking over.

    William''s cor was soaked from having washed his eyes with water earlier. Still, the whites of his eyes remained blood-red.

    Emelie didn''t feel the least bit guilty. There was nothing toxic in pepper spray, so William should be able to recover in about half an hour after washing with clean water.

    "Why don''t you wash them with more water?" Emelie passed him a bottle.

    William shoved her away and began coughing more. It got so bad he started dry heaving.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie worried the pepper spray might''ve reacted with the alcohol William drank. She didn''t want the Middletons'' only son to die in her hands, so she got him a taxi to the ER.

    The doctor concluded that William was allergic to chili, and since capsaicin was the primarypound in pepper spray, William was now having an allergic reaction. His entire respiratory system was now inmed.

    "Is it serious?" Emelie asked the doctor.

    The doctor nodded. "Quite, yes. I''ll give him an IV drip first and see if his condition improves tomorrow."

    William red coldly at Emelie as hey on the hospital bed.

    His vision had returned, but he couldn''t talk as his throat lining had swelled up.

 Chapter 43

    Chapter 43

    Chapter 43 The Final Week

    Emelie went to Willians bedside, saying. Tl stay the right if you¡¯d like me to keep an eye on the IV drip.¡± William typed some words on his phone and sho

    Whethe: she was doing this out of guilt or fear of retribution, Emelie would treat it as returning the favor. After all, William did stay at the hospital the nigh

    Emelie brought a chair over and sat down. ¡°It¡¯ste. You should get some rest, Mr. Middleton¡±

    William¡¯s throat was burning, and it hurt just to swallow his saliva. How on Earth could he possibly fall asleep?

    He typed, ¡°Were you meeting someone from Vertex Capital Holdings earlier tonight?¡±

    Emelie¡¯s heart lurched. Had William spotted her earlier?

    William leaned back in the bed.

    The hospital was very quiet at this hour of the night. Due to their abrupt arrival at the hospital, William had to spend the night in a ward with several othe

    All the lights had been switched off save for a dim nightlight. William¡¯s face was cast in shadow as he gazed silently at Emelie.

    ¡°Are you leaving Capebatt City?¡± William typed out.

    Emelie stayed silent.

    Even though William wasn¡¯t speaking, Emelie still seemed to be able

    to hear the cold tone of his voice saying those words out loud. Goosebumps erupted on her skin.

    Her eye twitched as she responded, ¡°I was meeting a friend.¡±

    William grinned. He swiftly typed out, ¡°You¡¯re on leave because of your injured leg, yet you¡¯re able to go to the club, the birthday party, and even meet yo

    Emelie looked away silently.

    Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    William nced at her onest time before setting his phone down.

    He shut his eyes, wincing now and then due to the difort in his throat.

    Emelie dimmed her phone screen and searched for some employmentws. She eased up after getting a brief picture of what would happen.

    Emelie didn¡¯t know what William was feeling right now.

    He had neither approved nor disapproved of Emelie¡¯s resignation. ording to thew, Emelie only needed to forward a 30¨C

    day notice to HR in order to resign. Her employment contract with Cloudex Corporation would terminate in a month, too.

    Chapter 43 The Final Week

    Emelie went to William¡¯s bedside, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll stay the night if you¡¯d like me to keep an eye on the IV drip.¡±

    William typed some words on his phone and showed them to Emolle, ¡°Feeling guilty?¡±

    Whether she was doing this out of guilt or fear of retribution, Emelle would treat it as returning the favor. After all, William did stay at the hospital the nigh

    Emelie brought a chair over and sat down. ¡°It¡¯ste. You should get some rest, Mr. Middleton.¡±

    William¡¯s throat was burning, and it hurt just to swallow his saliva. How on Earth could he possibly fall asleep?

    He typed, ¡°Were you meeting someone from Vertex Capital Holdings earlier tonight?¡±

    Emelie¡¯s heart lurched. Had William spotted her earlier?

    William leaned back in the be

    bed.

    The hospital was very quiet at this hour of the night. Due to their abrupt arrival at the hospital, William had to spend the night in a ward with several other

    All the lights had been switched off save for a dim nightlight. William¡¯s face was cast in shadow as he gazed silently at Emelie.

    ¡°Are you leaving Capebatt City? William typed out.

    Emelie stayed silent.

    Even though William wasn¡¯t speaking, Emelie still seemed to be able to hear the cold tone of his voice saying those words out

    loud. Goosebumps erupted on her skin.

    Her eye twitched as she responded, ¡°I was meeting a friend.¡±

    William grinned. He swiftly typed out, ¡°You¡¯re on leave because of your injured leg, yet you¡¯re able to go to the club, the birthday party, and even meet yo

    Emelie looked away silently.

    William nced at her onest time before setting his phone down.

    He shut his eyes, wincing now and then due to the difort in his throat.

    Emelie dimmed her phone screen and searched for some employmentws. She eased up after getting at brief picture of what would happen.

    Emelie didn¡¯t know what William was feeling right now.

    He had neither approved nor disapproved of Emelie¡¯s resignation. ording to thew, Emelie only needed to forward a 30¨C

    day notice to HR in order to resign. Her employment contract with Cloudex Corporation would terminate in a month, too.

    On all ounts, there was no reason Emelle couldn¡¯t resign.

    But William¡¯s ¡°I get a say over who or when she marries for the rest of her life still haunted her deeply.

    Emelle had just a week more to go. She couldn¡¯t mess up now.

    She tucked her phone away and silently watched the IV drip, zoning out over time.

    William¡¯s throat was much better the next morning. He was swiftly discharged.

    Emelie dropped him off at

    home at Eastbay, where he immediately went into the bathroom to wash up. He couldn¡¯t bear not showering. Furthermore, he had even stayed at the ho

    Meanwhile, Emelie arranged the medicine the doctor had prescribed William on the coffee table before leaving.

    She hadn¡¯t even made it back home when she received a call from him.

    ¡°Where are you?¡± William asked hoarsely.

    ¡°I¡¯m heading home.¡±

    ¡°Did I say you could go yet?¡±

    Emelie said coldly, ¡°I¡¯ve already sorted out your medications, Just consume them as per the written dosage on the containers.¡±

    William snorted before hanging up the call.

    Five minutester, Cloudex Corporation¡¯s legal team dialed Emelie¡¯s number.

    They asked her about her leg injury, and when Emelie told them it still hadn¡¯t fully healed, they asked her to submit thetest medical report for her leg a

    Emelie was paid graciously at Cloudex. She¡¯d be liable for fraud if she was found to have been lying.

    After the call, Emelie dialed William¡¯s number right away. ¡°What is the meaning of this, Mr. Middleton ?¡±

 Chapter 44

    Chapter 44

    Chapter 44 Back to Work

    William had finished showering and was slowly buttoning up his shirt in front of the mirror.

    He¡¯d set his phone on the nearby dresser. Emelie could only hear the rustling of William¡¯s shirt as he tidied up.

    The bad thing about being too familiar with someone was that you could picture what was going on just by listening to the sounds they made.

    William preferred ck shirts and pants as they helped him give off a cold, distant air. He would crease his cor and tie a Tindsor knot around his neck

    as heir to his family. Next, he would then get out a watch from the¡­

    Emelie squeezed her eyes shut, her brow furrowed, as she forced herself to stop imagining.

    William took up too much of her memories, often interfering with her thoughts when she least expected it.

    Emelie took a deep breath before saying again, ¡°Mr. Middleton.¡±

    William opened his wardrobe and chose a suit amongst his others. ¡°Come back to Eastbay and get a car from the garage. You¡¯re going to meet a client w

    He put on his coat and went downstairs after getting his phone as he fixed his cuffs.

    ¡°Stand strong in yourst week, Ms. Hoven.¡±

    Emelie¡¯s eyes shed.

    Was William saying that he¡¯d let her off once she finished working this week? She decided to check with him. ¡°Are you saying I could resign in a week, M

    ¡°You¡¯d better show up in 15 minutes,¡± responded William.

    Setting most things aside, William wasn¡¯t that unruly in action.

    Emelie felt more at ease. It was just one week. She just needed to hold on a little longer and not cause any trouble.

    William chuckled. ¡°Are you that eager to leave? Given your mother¡¯s condition, I thought you¡¯d want a high- paying job.¡±

    Emelie was stunned.

    Her mother¡¯s condition? What happened to her mother?

    Emelie had stopped contacting her family ever since they tried using her to pay off their debt three years

    ago. She tried calling home two months ago, but her calls didn¡¯t go through. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was because they¡¯d changed their numbers or if they¡¯d

    Emelie hadn¡¯t truly wanted to reconnect with them anyway, so she didn¡¯t pursue the matter.

    William¡¯s sudden mention of her family threw her off, making her feel uneasy.

    Emelie tapped the driver¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Sorry, but could you drive back to Eastbay, please?¡±

    Chapter 44 Back to Work

    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    William had a private garage that housed his luxury cars. For convenience, he¡¯d kept all the keys in a safe in the garage.

    Emelie entered the password on the safe and retrieved a set of keys before starting William¡¯s

    Continental. GT. When she drove to his house, he walked out and got into the car.

    Emelie nced at him through the rearview mirror. ¡°Are you still in contact with my family, Mr. Middleton?

    ¡°Don¡¯t mix personal and business affairs during working hours, Ms. Hoven. Where are your professional ethics?¡± William

    retorted, tossing her a bundle of documents.

    Emelie stayed silent, forcing herself to hold on a little longer. One more week!

    She skimmed through the documents, quickly understanding what was going on.

    Jeremy

    Ramsey didn¡¯t have a bigpany. However, what he had was the connections Cloudex Corporation desperately needed. Since Jeremy¡¯spany was

    in return.

    William naturally wouldn¡¯t allow himself to be manipted like that, so he was now in a stalemate with Jeremy.

    Emelie returned to being meticulous, given this was a work matter. She asked, ¡°What¡¯s your lowest offered price, Mr. Middleton?¡±

    William massaged his temples, voice ras

 Chapter 45

    Chapter 45

    Chapter 45 Betrayal

    What did William mean by that?

    Emelie nced in the rearview mirror while she drove. ¡°Is Cindy Mitchell a spy for Mr. Ramsey?¡±

    William¡¯s eyes were half¨Cshut out of exhaustion as he hadn¡¯t slept wellst night. It made him look cold and distant.

    ¡°Sending someone to spy on us isn¡¯t the most ssy move. Still, Cindy is a really good honeypot,¡± William mused.

    Cindy did check all his boxes.

    Emelie guessed that Jeremy must¡¯ve found out that William had gotten into an argument with his father because of Daphne, hence why Jeremy sent Cin

    William had taken a liking to Cindy and was willing to concede to things for her, showing how infatuated with her he was.

    Emelie¡¯s lips quirked up. She¡¯d do as her employer said, regardless.

    She then responded, ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡±

    William nced at her and closed his eyes without another word,

    When they arrived at the

    meeting location, another secretary from the secretariat had led another team of employees there. Cindy was amongst them, head low and silent.

    She seemed anxious. She must¡¯ve realized she¡¯d been found out as a spy.

    Since they¡¯d need to get straight to the point during a negotiation, Emelie slowed down to walk beside Cindy..

    Emelie asked directly, ¡°What did Mr. Ramsey offer you?¡±

    Cindy nced at her, panicked, before quickly looking down.

    Emelie continued, ¡°Mr. Middleton knows you had been sent to spy on him by Mr. Ramsey. But Mr. Middleton is interested in keeping you, so he¡¯s happy t

    you to switch sides.¡±

    Cindy gazed incredulously at Emelje.

    William was interested in her?

    How could that be?

    Though Cindy had only been around William for a couple of days, she¡¯d done all she could to seduce him, yet he never reacted to her. Cindy wouldn¡¯t ha

    Nheless, Emelie was saying William was interested in her. Did his method of bing interested

    Chapie 45 Betrayal

    differ from that of typical Individuals?

    William was naturally leagues better than Jeremy was, status¨Cwise. Just being by William¡¯s side could guarantee

    Cindy far more benefits than working for Jeremy, regardless of whether William was interested

    in her.

    In all cases, even if Cindy couldn¡¯t get paid, It¡¯d be a win for her if she could sleep with a man as hot as

    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    William

    Cindy had been at a really close distance to Williamst night when she helped him walk. She had sensed the strong masculine airing off of him. Sl

    Cindy might be small in stature, but her appetites were voracious. Excited, her face flushed as she told Emelie what Jeremy had promised to pay her.

    Emelie nodded and quickly reached an understanding with Cindy before returning to William¡¯s side.

    The negotiation was still about the contractual terms. Both parties remained at a stalemate even after dishing out their arguments.

    Emelie then shot Cindy a look.

    Cindy understood and went to sit by Jeremy¡¯s side.

    She topped up his drink for him as she said, ¡°One needs to be understanding when doing business, Mr. Ramsey. True sess can only be achieved wh

    parties are in a win¨Cwin situation. Aren¡¯t you concerned, given that the contract hasn¡¯t been signed even after so long?¡±

    Jeremy said confidently, ¡°I¡¯m in no hurry. I¡¯m happy to bide my time with Mr. Middleton as long as he pleases.¡±

    William sipped his drink in silence.

    Cindy smiled. ¡°Even if you¡¯re in no hurry, I¡¯m sure your investors are, right? How long more could you possibly drag this out?¡±

    Jeremy¡¯s expression shifted in an instant. ¡°You¡­ What nonsense is this?¡±

    ¡°You know exactly what I¡¯m talking about, Mr. Ramsey. But Mr. Middleton isn¡¯t a patient man. He might decide to

    work with someone else should you continue dragging this out. For example, with your brother¡­ ¡°Cindy continued.

    Jeremy stood up suddenly and pped Cindy right on the cheek. ¡°How dare you betray me, you bitch!¡±

 Chapter 46

    ?Chapter 46 Should I Keep Her

    Emelie stood defensively in front of Cindy.

    "Don''t you know it''s illegal to assault someone, Mr. Ramsey? You should be lucky she chose to side with us. Otherwise, you''d be convicted for setting up spies in someone else''spany. It wouldn''t matter how rich you are then. You wouldn''t be able to spend a single cent once you''re behind bars!"

    Jeremy was left at a loss for words.

    In the end, he angrily signed the contract. He even threatened Cindy before he left, clearly going to get his revenge against her someday.

    Cindy sobbed as she went over to William. "Mr. Middleton..."

    The credit for winning this negotiation went to Cindy, not to mention the p she''d suffered. On some level, Cindy had taken that p in William''s stead.

    Emelie figured William would want to "console" Cindy now. As such, she gestured for the other staff to leave the private room, giving the two privacy.

    As they waited outside the restaurant, Emelie''s colleagues shot her a look as if asking her whether William was sleeping with Cindy.

    Emelie merely made a shushing gesture.

    Her colleagues shook their heads, not understanding how William could have liked Cindy.

    "So, are you not quitting anymore, Emelie?"

    "Of course I am. If I were to linger around after submitting my resignation, I would be a target for my boss. It''s office rules, after all," Emelie said half-jokingly. "I''ll be leaving for good next week after passing on the torch."

    The expected 30 to 40-minute wait turned out to be a mere five minutes. Cindy and William came out of the room together.

    They didn''t appear to have done anything. Emelie didn''t pry and opened the car door instead.

    William''s expression was cold. When he walked past Emelie, he shot her a look. "Not bad."

    He was likely praising her for turning the tables on Cindy.

    Emelie remained silent.

    William got into the backseat, and Cindy quickly followed, calling out sweetly, "Mr. Middleton!"

    Emelie shut the car door and got into another car.

    Cindy was far more skilled than Daphne was. Daphne was modest. Cindy, on the contrary, appeared innocent but was secretly quite wild.

    William summoned Emelie to his office once they were back at the building.

    "What would you like me to do, Mr. Middleton?"

    William''s gaze was t. "What do you think of Cindy?"

    Emelie wasn''t sure what it was that he wanted to hear, so she said vaguely, "Apologies, Mr. Middleton, but I''ve just returned to work after my leave, so I''m not too familiar with the new secretary''s work performance."

    Emelie''s emphasis was on work performance. William ought to know just how well Cindy could "perform" in other ways.

    William scoffed and leaned back in his chair. "Do you think I should keep her around then?"

    "I think you can make the decision yourself, Mr. Middleton..."

    "Answer the question," William snapped.

    Emelie paused briefly before saying, "I don''t think doing so would be a good idea."

    William looked curious. His smile didn''t reach his eyes. "Oh?"This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie exined, "Cindy isn''t as simple as she seems. Though she hasn''t worked for Mr. Ramsey long, she was still able to learn so many of his secrets. Mr. Ramsey may have been careless in keeping them secret, but Cindy''s ability to learn so much about him still says something about her capabilities. She may very well do the same to you if you keep her around.

    "Frankly, the price I offered to Cindy for her to switch sides wasn''t that high. Anyone who wants to glean information about you in order to target you or Cloudex would be able to offer her a much better price. If she could betray Mr. Ramsey today because of better benefits, she can easily do the same to you if the opportunity surfaces.

    "Sellswords are the most unreliable, after all."

    After hearing Emelie''s reasoning, William responded slowly, "I didn''t know you were someone to burn bridges so quickly, Ms. Hoven."

    Emelie could tell he was mocking her, so she tly retorted, "You taught me well, Mr. Middleton."

    William''s gaze grew cold in an instant, something which Emelie ignored.

    One of the duties of a secretary was to watch out for their employer''s loose ends. Since William wanted to hear Emelie''s opinion on the matter, she''d give him a professional and objective analysis.

    What did he have to be displeased about?

    After some thought, Emelie added, "If you only want to keep Cindy around because she''s simr to Daphne Bowen, Mr. Middleton, then why don''t you hire someone else with such a simr air? Someone with a clean te who can give you an ease of mind."

    William stared at Emelie for several seconds before he replied, "You make a good point, Ms. Hoven. Since you know me so well, I''ll leave the secretary recruitment matter to you."

    Emelie looked surprised.

 Chapter 47

    Chapter 47

    Chapter 47 Did You Forget Who I Am

    A momentter, Emelie walked out of the CEO¡¯s office. Two other secretaries saw the expression on her face and

    asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Emolio? Did Mr. Middleton get upset at you?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Then why does your face look so sour?¡±

    Emelie grumbled, ¡°I¡¯m just wondering where I can find fresh graduates now when it¡¯s not even graduation

    season¡­.

    Finding fresh graduates wasn¡¯t the challenge. The issue was that William sought innocent, youthful women who would be emotionally attached to h

    The most important thing was that William wanted women who would be willing to have a ¡°rtionship¡±

    with him.

    This wasn¡¯t something merely recruiting a secretary could solve.

    Emelie found this task difficult. She gave it some thought before heading to Capebatt University.

    Coincidentally, the university was having an open day. Emelie just needed to register at the guardhouse before entering.

    Emelie walked around the sses, finding the ce strange. It was as if many years had passed since she¡¯d been in college. Yet, she was only 25 years

    But too many things had happened in the past three years, thoroughly exhausting Emelie. She had no time to reminisce about her past whatsoever. Now

    long ago.

    Emelie stood beneath a sweet olive tree. As she raised her gaze, sunlight trickled through the foliage, dappling her face with specks of light. She lingered

    She didn¡¯t notice someone was secretly taking a picture of her.

    ¡°Hey, you there, duck!¡± someone yelled at Emelie from afar.

    Emelie opened her eyes just in time to see a basketball soaring in the air right at her.

    She grinned, took a step back, and kicked the ball away as if it were ser.

    The basketball yers ran over. One of them caught the ball while another ran toward her. Thetter was pretty handsome. He scratched his

    head awkwardly and asked, ¡°Are you okay? Sorry for nearly hitting you.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. It didn¡¯t hit me in the end.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not from our college, are you? Are you here to look around?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Emelie replied.

    ¡°Do you have any siblings who are looking to apply here? Do you need someone to guide you?¡±

    Emelie considered it and found that she did. She was about to ept the offer when another man¡¯s voice

    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    rang out, ¡°Tyler.¡±

    The student turned around and straightened up instantly. ¡°Mr. Swansont¡°

    ¡°Mr. Lautner is looking for you. Why don¡¯t you go see what he wants? the man said.

    Mr. Lautner was likely one of the professors in Tyler Hilton¡¯s major. He quickly ran off, but not before turning back apologetically to Emelie.

    Emelie nodded in understanding. ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯ll walk around myself.¡±

    ¡°W¨CWhy don¡¯t we exchange contacts? You can text me if you have any questions.¡± Tyler took out his

    phone.

    Emelie refused. ¡°I didn¡¯t bring my phone.¡±

    Tyler seemed disappointed. Regardless, he soon left to meet with Mr. Lautner.

    Meanwhile, Samuel Swanson walked over to Emelie and said, ¡°If you need a guide, I think a lecturer would be far more suited for the job than a student.

    Emelie was only looking around on a whim. Now that she was over it, she refused the offer, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t like to trouble you. I¡¯m about to leave anyway.¡±

    She then nodded and turned to leave.

    But Samuel said from behind her, ¡°Why do you always shut people out, Ms. Hoven?¡±

    Ms. Hoven?

    Emelie turned around in surprise. ¡°How do you know me?¡±

    ¡°I think you should be able to recall me,¡± Samuel said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a hint¨CCloudex¡¯s annual dinner¨Cspilled red wine.¡°.

    Emelie was taken aback briefly before she quickly recalled what happened.

 Chapter 48

    Chapter 48

    Chapter 48 Samuel Swanson of Weston

    When Emelie attended Cloudex Corporation¡¯s annual dinnerst year, she identally bumped into a man. Though she¡¯d reacted instantly, she still i

    Emelie offered to pay the man for staining his shirt, but he refused. Still, after Emelie¡¯s insistence, he

    finally agreed to take the money.

    Because of that, Emelie thought she owed nothing to the man anymore. But now that Samuel brought it up, she¡¯d immediately remembered.

    Emelie carefully observed Samuel. He was a handsome young man with gold¨C

    rimmed spectacles and clear eyes. His gaze was cool but not ufortable. Overall, he gave off a harmless but wise air.

    Emelie even noticed something glinting by his ears. She squinted and realized they were spectacle

    chains. They added a seductive air to him, making him look both demure and attractive.

    Emelie took all but five seconds to make all such observations. She extended a hand. ¡°Hi there, Mr.

    Swanson.¡±

    He didn¡¯t shake her hand but cocked an eyebrow instead. ¡°You call me Mr. Swanson just like my students do, but I¡¯m sure you have no idea who I am. L

    Emelie was surprised. She didn¡¯t expect him to be from the Swanson family from Weston.

    The Swanson family was just as powerful in Weston as the Middleton family in Capebatt City.

    Emelieposed herself. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect one of the Swansons to be a college professor. My apologies.¡±

    Only then did Samuel shake her hand. ¡°One benefit of having so many siblings is that my brothers can handle the business while those who aren¡¯t skille

    ¡°If college professors ¡®aren¡¯t skilled,¡® then I¡¯m sure there are no other professional careers in existence anymore, Mr. Swanson.¡± Emelie thought Samuel w

    Samuel smiled and asked again, ¡°So, do you not need me to show you around, Ms. Hoven?¡±

    Emelie said frankly, ¡°I¡¯m honestly not here for much besides taking a look around. I¡¯ve had my fill already.¡±

    Samuel cocked an eyebrow and nced at his watch. ¡°It¡¯s midday now. The best way to get to know a college is to see what its cafeteria offers. Let me t

    quite serendipitous for us to be able to meet, after all!

    Emelie didn¡¯t want to refuse such an offer. She figured that since Samuel was a professor here, he probably didn¡¯t need to spend that much when paying

    The cafeteria at Capebatt University served their dishes in bowls, which the patrons would ce on their trays before paying for everything at the counte

    Emelie got food from each food group. She nced at how much Samuel paid at the counter and saw

    Chordar nimncon of Whefd

    that it was only about 17 dors. Sho instantly felt relieved

    Samuel would be able to afford that little amount of money.

    ¡°The cafeteria sorven really good fish pie. Try some Samuel pinced his slice of fish pie in front of Emelie. which Emelie gratefully epted.

    Emelle had expected someone born from an upper¨C

    ss family like Samual to be more peculier when it came to dining etiquette. For example, to not talk while outing.

    But he did the opposite.

    ¡°Are you a local, Ms. Hoven? Which college did you study of?¡± Samuel naked.

    Emelie ate her food and answered, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m a local, but I graduated from Glenfield College.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve taught there before as well. They have rown of magnolia trees that go in full bloom in spring. It always makes the campus smell amazing.¡±

    Emelie nodded. ¡°Yeah, I just so happened to graduate when the magnolias went into full bloom. It felt like the trees were sending us off. It¡¯s also because

    ¡°Capebatt University has sweet olive trees,¡±

    ¡°I like them. They smell nice, too.¡±

    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Samuel then got out his phone. ¡°Why don¡¯t we exchange contacts? I¡¯ll tell you when the flowers bloom here so that you cane and see them.¡±

    Emelie exchanged contacts with him without hesitation. She shot Samuel a quizzical nce when he

    chuckled.

 Chapter 49

    Chapter 49

    Chapter 49 Let Me Help You Massage

    Samuel was fair and had handsome features.

    When he smiled, he resembled the kind of hot senior who excelled in everything and would always patiently answer questions from his ssmates.

    He was probably that kind of person during his student days, which was why he became a teacher.

    ¡°Do

    you find my WhatsApp username funny?¡± Emelie wondered, seeing him suddenly burst intoughter.

    But Emelie¡¯s WhatsApp username was quite normal.

    ¡°Re.¡® was the mostmon prefix. It could mean ¡®restart¡® and ¡®again¡®. She changed it after separating from William to signify a fresh start.

    Samuel covered his mouth with a clenched fist, cleared his throat, and shook his head.

    ¡°No, I just remembered that you mentioned you didn¡¯t bring your phone and couldn¡¯t add the person¡¯s number.¡±

    Emelie was speechless. ¡°Mr. Swanson, don¡¯t you know that I said that to politely decline that kid?¡±

    ¡°Kid? But you¡¯re not much older than him,¡± Samuel said.

    ¡°A generation gap appears with every three¨Cyear difference,¡± Emelie simply replied.

    Samuel raised an eyebrow. ¡°Then we have several generation gaps between us.¡±

    Emelie was stunned for a moment, then she chuckled.

    After finishing their meal, Samuel naturally invited her for a walk, and Emelie had no reason to refuse.

    As they walked, he nced down at her legs. ¡°Ms. Hoven, have your legs been injured recently?¡±

    ¡°Can you tell?¡± Emelie asked, surprised.

    Samuel replied, ¡°My second brother practices traditional medicine. I¡¯ve learned from him for a while, so I

    know a little. Your walking posture doesn¡¯t seem natural.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I was hit by a heavy object over half a month ago. Although it didn¡¯t injure my bones or tendons, I

    had to rest for over a week before I could walk again.

    ¡°Now I don¡¯t feel much pain, but there¡¯s still something strange about it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m semi¨Cprofessional. Do you mind if I take a look?¡± Samuel asked.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be too much trouble for you?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. Whether you¡¯re a doctor or a professor, it¡¯s all about helping others.¡± Samuel said as he gestured for Emelie to sit on the edge of a flower

    He crouched in front of her and took out a pair of disposable gloves from his pocket.

    (Chapter 199 Let Me Help You Massane

    ¡°Some people are ufortable with physical contact. To avoid any potential doctor¨Cpatient disputes, I¡¯ve developed the habit of wearing gloves.

    ¡°Please bear with me, Ms. Hoven.¡±

    Emelie blinked, then realized that his words were very well put.

    It neither made people think he had mysophobia nor did it make her feel like he disdained her leg.

    Moreover, he naturally defused any unease a woman might have about being touched by a man.

    Most importantly, he took all the responsibility upon himself without making the other party feel

    ufortable.

    He was a professor indeed,

    Samuel felt around her calves.

    ¡°There¡¯s no serious injury. It just needs time to recover. I¡¯ll teach you some massage techniques. If you do

    it regrly at home, it should help you recover faster.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Swanson.¡± Emelie nodded.

    Samuel taught her the techniques while applying them to her through ayer of gloves so neither of them

    truly felt the other¡¯s skin.

    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelle couldn¡¯t help but nce at him a few more times.

    After some time, Samuel stood up. ¡°Take a few steps and see if it feels any better.¡±

    Emelie walked around and did feel much better. She praised him.

    ¡°Mr. Swanson, if you ever decide not to be a professor, you could be a traditional medicine. practitioner. You can surely be famous.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for nning my career for me. I¡¯ll also inform my brother since it¡¯s a recognition of his teaching achievements.¡± Samuel smiled.

    ¡°Mr. Swanson, your girlfriend?¡± a colleague passing by asked.

    Samuel took off his gloves and adjusted his sses. ¡°Don¡¯t joke about that. She¡¯s my ¡®patient.¡±

    ¡°Patient? Are you promoting your traditional massage technique again?¡±

    The colleague chuckled and said to Emelie, ¡°Which ss are you in? Don¡¯t let Mr. Swanson¡¯s face deceive

    you. His next step is to sell courses to you.¡±

    Samuel rolled his eyes. ¡°Shoo.¡±

    After the colleague left, Emelie said. ¡°It¡¯s actually very useful. If you really start selling courses, I¡¯ll buy them.¡±

    Samuel raised an eyebrow. ¡°What a pity. I missed out on a business opportunity that came knocking on my door.¡±

    At this moment, a girl ran up from behind and hugged Samuel¡¯s waist. ¡°I got your

    pa: ha Hard to hatuse Hom

 Chapter 50

    Chapter 50

    Chapter 50 Hard to Rofune Him

    Emolle was slightly taken aback.

    Samuel took the girl¡¯s hand, pulled her in front of him, and gently unid, ¡°Hey, can¡¯t you see I have a friend here? Don¡¯t embarrass me,

    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    The girl pouted andined, ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you.¡±

    Judging from their intimacy, they seemed to be more than just friends. Were they¡­ dating?

    Just as Emelle was guessing in her mind, Samuel spoke up.

    ¡°We¡¯ll talkter. Don¡¯t be rude. Say hello to Ms. Hoven first. Ms. Hoven, this is my fifth sister, Mnie

    Swanson,¡±

    So she was his sister.

    Emelie looked over, and Mnie also nced at her. Both of them were stunned at the same time.

    Mnie pointed at her and eximed, ¡°It¡¯s you!¡±

    Emelie recognized her.

    Mnie had previously liked William and actively pursued him. She bought him flowers, coffee, and event showed up at hispany.

    However, at that time, William was already with Emelie and not interested in pursuing another rtionship, so he straightforwardly rejected her.

    Coincidentally, there was an important project overseas, and William took Emelie to work abroad.

    They were gone for over a month, and when they returned, Mnie didn¡¯t show up again,

    Their only interaction was on the day William rejected Mnie. She cried miserably and got caught in the

    rain.

    Emelie took her to buy new clothes and sent her back to school.

    However, those things were not so important.

    What mattered was that Mnie had a pretty and innocent face. Apart from

    being lively, her other characteristics perfectly matched William¡¯s preferences.

    During their conversation, Emelie learned that Mnie had graduated

    and was looking for a job. She had wanted to be a teaching assistant to Samuel but was rejected by him.

    Emelie thought for a moment and then asked, ¡°Ms. Swanson, do you want to hear about another job?¡±

    With Mnie¡¯s resume in hand, Emelie prepared to return to thepany.

    Samuel pulled up in his car next to her. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a ride, Ms. Hoven.¡±

    Chapter 10 Hard to Be fuse Hira

    ¡°No need. I¡¯ll just take a cab. It¡¯s very convenient.¡±

    Samuel seemed to sense her hesitation.

    He looked at her through his sses and said, ¡°You helped me by introducing a job to my sister. All things

    considered, I should thank you.

    ¡°Besides, I¡¯m also going to Zesty Tacos near Cloudex to buy some food for my sister. I¡¯m going in the

    same direction. No need to worry about it.¡±

    Since he put it that way, Emelie felt she couldn¡¯t refuse anymore.

    She thanked him and got into the car, casually praising him, ¡°You¡¯re really good to your sister. That ce. always has long queues.¡±

    Emelie had wanted to try how good the food was, but she always gave up because of the long queues.

    ¡°She¡¯s the youngest at home, and my siblings spoil her. I¡¯ve gotten used to it.¡±

    They arrived at the perfect time, with not many people in line at the store.

    A new batch of tacos just came out of the oven, and the aroma wafted across the street.

    Samuel unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car. ¡°Wait here for me, Ms. Hoven.¡±

    Emelie looked at him. ¡°I¡¯ll get off here. You can just turn around after buying the tacos.¡±

    Samuel turned to look at her gently. ¡°I just need a second ¡±

    His eyes weren¡¯t particrly stunning, but they had a mysterious charm that made people want to obey

    him.

    Emelie hesitated for a moment and then agreed, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Samuel smiled and got out of the car.

    In the car, Emelie leaned against the headrest and looked at Mnie¡¯s resume. She didn¡¯t wait long. before the car door opened again, and Samuel cam

    He handed one to her directly.

    ¡°This ce doesn¡¯t offer delivery or open other branches to guarantee the taste. Mnie loves it and always asks me to buy it for her every few days.

    ¡°Please try it for me, Ms. Hoven. See if it¡¯s really that good or if that brat is just messing with me.¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t know what to say.

    He didn¡¯t just have eyes that made people want to obey him; he also had a skillful way of speaking that made it hard for people to refuse him.

 Chapter 51

    Chapter 51

    Chapter 51 You¡¯ll Have to Marry Her

    Samuel drove for a while and dropped Emelie off at Cloudex. She got out of the car with the taco and waved him goodbye.¡±

    At the same time, Jayden, who hade to see William at Cloudex, witnessed the scene. He raised an eyebrow and went into the building first..

    It wasmon for him to visit William, so there was no need to go to the reception. He went straight upstairs and knocked on the door.

    ¡°Come in,¡± William said.

    Only then did Jayden push the door open.

    William nced up at him. ¡°Take a seat.¡± He was still reviewing a document.

    Jayden made himself at home.

    He brewed himself a cup of coffee using William¡¯s coffee machine and took a sip before casually saying. Ms. Hoven seems to be very popr. After Troy

    ¡°I saw Samuel dropping her off downstairs. Since when did they know each other?¡±

    Frowning, William raised his head.

    Jayden hinted meaningfully, ¡°But Ms. Hoven does fit Samuel¡¯s preferences.¡±

    Samuel might appear to be a refined gentleman, but his aesthetic preferences were rather strange. He preferred slender waists, and Emelie¡¯s figure fit th

    perfectly.

    William took a sip of his coffee. It had already turned cold, just like his expression.

    Jayden spoke slowly. ¡°I¡¯ve been saying that many people want Ms. Hoven, but you didn¡¯t believe me.¡±

    It was precisely at this moment that Emelie knocked on the door of the CEO¡¯s office.

    Upon William¡¯s emotionless e in¡°, Emelie entered. Seeing Jayden there, she politely greeted him, Mr. Gleamfield.¡±

    Jayden nodded.

    Emelie walked up to William. ¡°Mr. Middleton, I found a candidate who meets the requirements ording to your request. This is her resume.¡±

    However, William was looking at her.

    Emelie always wore office attire¨Ca white shirt and a skirt¨Cwhen she went to work. The shirt was tucked Into the skirt, highlighting her slender waist.

    The shirt was both formal and not. It was restraining yet entuating. She wore this outfit when she met Samuel. No wonder she piqued his interest.

    William loosened his tie slightly, feeling his rage rising.

    Emelle didn¡¯t know what he was thinking. ¡°Mr. Middleton?¡±

    His voice was cold as he said, ¡°You found a candidate after I mentioned it only this morning. You¡¯re very efficient, Ms. Hov¨¦n.¡±

    Emelle inaintained herposure. ¡°It¡¯s what I should do.¡±

    William opened the resume and saw Mnie¡¯s profile. He raised an eyebrow. ¡°Is this the candidate you¡¯ve

    found for me?¡±

    Since Jayden wasn¡¯t an outsider, Emelie spoke frankly.

    ¡°She fits your requirements perfectly. She has an innocent look, likes to depend on others, and, most importantly, she¡¯spatible with you socially.

    ¡°If you decide to pursue a rtionship with her, I believe your father wouldn¡¯t object. It¡¯s a win¨Cwin

    situation.¡±

    He asked her to find a secretary for him, but she found a life partner for him instead.

    William closed the resume. His feelings were hard to discern from his expression.

    Emelie wasn¡¯t sure what he meant. ¡°Are you not satisfied? If that¡¯s the case, I can find someone else.¡±

    I

    ¡°You personally found her. How could I not be satisfied? It¡¯s settled,¡± William said, throwing the resume

    aside.

    Emelie hadn¡¯t expected him to agree so easily, but it was better this way. It saved her the trouble of finding someone else.

    She felt a bit guilty about doing this kind of ¡°pimping¡± business. It made her feel like she was ruining a good girl for him, even though Mnie was overjo

    Emelie nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll inform Ms. Swanson.¡± Then, she left the room.

    Jayden nced at the door. ¡°Ms. Hoven came back to work?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    She had never really intended to leave him. She was just being stubborn.

    Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    Now that Daphne was gone, and he had given her a way out, she naturally returned.

    Jayden nced at the resume again. ¡°What¡¯s the deal with this?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s so considerate of her to find me a woman. How could I refuse?¡±

    ¡°That sounds like words spoken in a fit of pique.¡± Jaydenughed.

    William remained expressionless.

    Jayden looked at the photo on the resume again. As a good friend, he reminded William, ¡°If you touch a Swanson, you¡¯ll have to marry her.¡±

 Chapter 52

    Chapter 52

    Chapter 52 He Was Humiting Her

    Women were casual topics of conversation during their leisure time, meant to pass the time. Their focus

    was still on work.

    Jayden put down the cup of coffee and quickly got to the point about why he hade to see William. The two of them talked for the entire afternoon.

    As it was time to leave work, they prepared to go out for dinner. Just as they stepped out

    of the office, they saw Cindy dumping half a cup of water on Emelie.

    It was too sudden, and Emelle didn¡¯t have time to dodge.

    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    The water sshed onto her face and then dripped down onto her clothes from her chin.

    Cindy dropped the cup and ran off, covering her mouth. She looked like she was crying.

    Emelie¡¯s expression remained indifferent. She didn¡¯t bother to look at the other people in the office.

    Instead, she grabbed some tissues to wipe her face.

    Since William already had a suitable candidate for the secretary position, Cindy naturally couldn¡¯t stay. So Emelie had the HR department inform her not

    Cindy immediately understood. She had been yed by them¨Cmore urately, by Emelie.

    Cindy was furious after having offended Jeremy and then being sacked by Cloudex.

    Disregarding everything, she rushed over and sshed half a cup of cold water on Emelie.

    But rather than being angry, Emelie felt annoyed. Very annoyed.

    If it weren¡¯t for William pressuring her with legal matters, she would still be enjoying her vacation.

    She wouldn¡¯t have toe back to deal with his messes, choose a new secretary for him, and handle

    these unwanted suitors.

    Sighing, Emelie got up and headed to the changing room to change her shirt.

    But as she turned around, she saw William and Jayden standing there. The former was looking at her

    expressionlessly.

    Emelie paused for a moment, then reported, ¡°Mr. Middleton, I¡¯ve already handled the secretary matter.¡±

    William ruthlessly criticized, ¡°That¡¯s a really shitty way of handling it. If this is all you¡¯re capable of, you¡¯re

    not fit for the head secretary position.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Middleton. I¡¯ll do better next time,¡® Emelle replied.

    After all, she only had one week left with thepany. Whether she was fit as the head secretary didn¡¯t matter much to her anymore.

    William¡¯s cold gaze swept over her body, finally stopping at the semi¨Ctransparent cor of her shirt.

    Chapter 52 He Was Humiliating Her

    Suddenly, he said, ¡°We¡¯re going out to eat. You¡¯reing with us.

    ¡°Okay, let me change my clothes.¡± She couldn¡¯t go out looking like this.

    He smirked. ¡°No need. You¡¯re going like this.¡±

    Emelie was stunned. Like this?

    William: walked up to her and said in a low and malicious voice.

    ¡°Once you¡¯ve experienced it, you¡¯ll know how embarrassing it is to handle things poorly.¡±

    Emelie understood that he was deliberately humiliating her.

    212

    Emelie was wearing a

    chiffon shirt, which was rather thin. She had worn a small camisole underneath. But after being soaked with water, the shirt became almost transparent,

    Although it hadn¡¯t reached the point of being a wardrobe malfunction, it was enough to attract attention.

    Emelie looked up at him. ¡°Are you sure about this, Mr. Middleton?¡±

    ¡°What do you.

    think?¡± William¡¯s gaze was icy.

    Emelie breathed steadily and obeyed. ¡°Alright.¡±

    So, from taking the elevator downstairs to walking out of thepany, Emelie attracted countless stares

    within a short distance of 300 feet.

    Emelie was stunning, but her demeanor exuded a certain aloofness.

    With her hair slightly disheveled, makeup wed, and clothes half wet, she looked as if something terrible had happened to her.

    And this messy beauty was enough to make people think of indecent things, giving rise to impure

    fantasies.

    Those people, especially men, looked at Emelie as if they wanted to do something to her on the spot.

 Chapter 53

    Chapter 53

    Chapter 53 She Was More Like Daphne

    William suddenly stopped in his tracks.

    With a cold expression, he took off his suit jacket and tossed it at her. ¡°Go buy yourself a new outfit.¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t catch it, and the jacket ended up falling to the ground.

    William¡¯s expression visibly darkened. ¡°Are you trying to pick a fight with me?¡±

    Seeing that, Jayden couldn¡¯t help but pinch the bridge of his nose, feeling exasperated.

    Emelie remained calm. ¡°I have spare clothes in the lounge. If it weren¡¯t for you, Mr. Middleton, I wouldn¡¯t have to spend money on another shirt.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t even have money for a shirt?¡± William took out a card from his wallet and threw it at her.

    Just like the jacket, itnded on the ground, too.

    It seemed like they were at a stalemate.

    In the end, Jayden couldn¡¯t bear to watch any longer. He picked up the jacket from the ground and

    brushed off the dust.

    After putting the card in the pocket, he draped the jacket over Emelie.

    ¡°Ahem, there¡¯s a mall right across. You should be able to find women¡¯s clothing there, Ms. Hoven.

    ¡°Go pick out a new outfit. It¡¯s getting cold. We just don¡¯t want you to catch a cold.

    ¡°Use the card to buy whatever you need¡­ We¡¯ll be at Opulent Pte. Once you¡¯ve bought your clothes,e straight over. We¡¯ll wait for you to join us f

    William gave Emelie a cold nce and then turned to leave. Jayden followed suit.

    Emelie didn¡¯t hold back her anger for even a second.

    She tore the jacket off her shoulders, grabbed it in her hand, and clutched it tightly. She was on the verge

    of throwing it in the trash.

    This damn man!

    Alo

    restraining herself for a full three minutes, Emelie turned around and headed toward the mall.

    Meanwhile, Jayden couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Why did you have to mess with her for no reason?¡±

    She was William¡¯s woman, and now another man was taking an interest in her. Wasn¡¯t he just causing trouble for himself by provoking her?

    William just felt that nothing about her pleased him.

    Speaking from experience, Jayden warned, ¡°You¡¯ll regret this someday.¡±

    Emelie entered the mall and didn¡¯t bother looking at any particr brand.

    She walked into a random store and told the sales assistant her size. ¡°Please help me find a shirt. Thank you.¡±

    The sales assistant brought her several different styles of shirts to choose from.

    After a simple nce, Emelie picked one. She went into the fitting room and took off her wet shirt, but her heart still felt like it was stuck onto something,

    She felt that if she continued to stay by William¡¯s side, there would be a day when she would suddenly lose control and take a knife to end him and herse

    After changing into the new shirt, Emelie walked out of the fitting room and handed the wet shirt to the sales assistant to pack.

    She then swiped William¡¯s card, adding a 200% tip for the sales assistant.

    The sales assistant was overjoyed and enthusiastically escorted her out of the store. ¡°Thank you! Pleasee again.¡±

    After leaving the mall, Emelie called William. ¡°Mr. Middleton, I¡¯ve walked too much today, and my legs hurt. I¡¯m going home first.¡±

    ¡°Return the jacket to me. There¡¯s an invoice in my pocket. If it¡¯s lost or leaked, you¡¯ll be fully responsible,¡± William replied.

    In other words, he didn¡¯t want her to leave and cut off her means of having someone bring the jacket back to him.

    Emelie silently repeated, ¡°I can do this,¡± 50 times before going to the restaurant

    When she arrived, she realized that there was anotherdy at their table.

    It was Mnie.

    The moment Mnie saw Emelie, she eximed happily, ¡°Emelie, I got the job! Thank you! If it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to work with W

    Emelie had been busy with other work in the afternoon and hadn¡¯t had a chance to tell Mnie that she had been hired.

    So it meant that it was William who had personally told Mnie that she had been hired.

    Was he that satisfied with her?

    William had taken off his suit jacket, leaving only his shirt.

    He had also put away his tie at some point, and he had unbuttoned one button of his cor, giving him a more casual look.

    Sensing Emelie¡¯s gaze on him, he looked up.

    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    His eyes were deep, but they always gave people a cold and indifferent feeling, even at this moment.

    Chapter 53 She Was More Like Daphine

    Without saying a word, Emelie sat down, refraining from asking Mnie how she ended up here.

    There were only two possibilities: either William summoned her, or it was a chance encounter.

    Regardless, it didn¡¯t concern her.

    Emelie quietly ced her order while Mnie behaved inplete contrast.

    She was very lively, just like a child. She pestered William with questions.

    ?

    Since she wasn¡¯t a business major, she didn¡¯t know anything about business. She had to rely on Williampletely.

    And what William liked was her dependence, so he responded to her every question.

    When Emelie went to fetch water, she nced at them again.

    Mnie came from a prestigious family and had a sophisticated vibe. When they sat together, they seemed perfectly matched in every aspect.

    And William was clearly interested in Mnie.

    8 2 2 2

    After all, Cindy¡¯s innocence was an act, while Mnie was genuinely innocent. Thetter was more like

    Daphne in some ways.

 Chapter 54

    Chapter 54

    Chapter 54 What Part of Me Isn¡¯t Good Enough

    This meal didn¡¯t require Emelie to speak, so she focused on eating.

    While Mnie was pestering William with questions, Emelie finished several servings of steak and

    lobsters.

    Jayden couldn¡¯t help but marvel at her appetite.

    William also looked at her, realizing for the first time how much she could eat.

    If one didn¡¯t know any better, they might think she hadn¡¯t eaten in days. She ate so earnestly without paying any attention to anyone else.

    He suddenly spoke up. ¡°Are you done eating?¡±

    Emelie looked up and saw that his eyes were on her. Realizing the question was for her, she took a sip of water and swallowed.

    ¡°Do you need me for something, Mr. Middleton?¡±

    ¡°Take Ms. Swanson home,¡± William replied.

    Emelie didn¡¯t have a car, so how was she supposed to take her home? But she didn¡¯t want to argue with him.

    She wanted to take this opportunity to leave. ¡°Alright.¡±

    Mnie was also willing to go with her. She picked up her bag and stood up.

    ¡°Well then, see you at work tomorrow, Will.¡±

    William nodded.

    Mnie hooked her arm with Emelie¡¯s and sweetly said, ¡°Emelie.¡±

    Jayden watched the two of them leave the restaurant together. He really admired William.

    Although they had only coincidentally met Mnie, how could Williame up with the idea of having Emilie take thedy he was flirting with home?

    He said, ¡°You¡¯re having Ms. Hoven take her home. Won¡¯t she run into Samuel again?¡±

    William frowned.

    On the roadside, Emelie and Mnie were waiting for their ride.

    Mnie had a very affectionate personality. Even though they weren¡¯t very close to each other, she could still lean against Emelie¡¯s shoulder and hold he

    She said in a dreamy tone, ¡°He¡¯s really hot.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen a man as hot as him in all four years of college. He¡¯s even better looking than the celebrities!

    Chapter 54 What Part of Me Ian Good Enough.

    ¡°And he has that kind of charm¡­ Emelie, do you get me? It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s hard to describe. Anyway, I haven¡¯t been able to forget him for three years.¡±

    Emelie understood.

    When she first fell for William, she felt just like how Mnie was feeling.

    Since Mnie and William were both attracted to each other, there was no ce for her to speak.

    However, since she had brought Mnie to William¡¯s attention, If Mnie were to suffer emotional harm because of it, she would be to me.

    Emelie cautiously reminded her, ¡°You¡¯re so pretty, and Samuel is good¨C

    looking. I bet your other brothers are probably hot, too. You¡¯ve also seen Mr. Gleamfield.

    ¡°All of them are hot, so it¡¯s clear that there are many good¨Clooking men in this world.

    ¡°Mr. Middleton isn¡¯t so good¨Clooking that he¡¯s out of this world. You might just be unable to forget him. because he rejected you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s different.¡± Mnie pouted. ¡°Will has a kind of yer vibe that seems like he won¡¯t fall for anyone.¡±

    Indeed, he wouldn¡¯t fall for anyone other than Daphne.

    ¡°But the more he¡¯s like that, the more I want to conquer him. I¡¯m sure I can make him fall head over heels

    for me.¡±

    Women in love would always think that they were the special ones who could make a yboy change his

    ways or make a celibate break his vows.

    Emelie sighed. ¡°He¡¯s not as good as you think.¡±

    ¡°What part of me makes you say that, Ms. Hoven?¡± A man¡¯s calm voice suddenly sounded behind them.

    Emelie instinctively turned around.

    They were standing in the darker patch between two streetmps.

    The headlights from passing cars illuminated William¡¯s chiseled features for a second before fading away like a fleeting glimpse of a precious gem.

    ¡°Tell me. What part of me isn¡¯t good enough?¡±

    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie hesitated for a few seconds before politely

    saying, ¡°When I write my resignation letter, I¡¯ll remember to include my wishes for my boss and colleagues.¡±

    Typically, such messages would convey wishes of good luck and happiness. However, Emelie¡¯s implication seemed to lean toward cursing him in the me

    William took a step forward.

    Seeing that, Mnie ran over.

    ¡°Will, don¡¯t make it hard for Emelie. She¡¯s just afraid I¡¯m too love¨Cstruck. You probably don¡¯t know, but

    it!

    Chapter 54 What Part of Me Tem Good Froligh

    that¡¯s how best friends are.

    ¡°They find fault with their friends¡® boyfriends everywhere, thinking that they¡¯re not good enough for their

    friends.¡±

    William withdrew his gaze from Emelle and said to Mnie, ¡°I¡¯ll take you home.¡±

 Chapter 55

    Chapter 55

    Chapter 55 William Is Hungry

    Mnie was overjoyed. ¡°Really? Great!¡® She bounced with excitement. ¡°Emelie, I won¡¯t go with. See you at work tomorrow.¡±

    Emelie nodded while William walked away without a word.

    Facing the road, Emelie continued to walt for her ride.

    you, then.

    She couldn¡¯t help but wonder when she and Mnie had be best friends. And were Mnie and William already a couple?

    It seemed that it wasn¡¯t that difficult to be William¡¯s girlfriend after all. Daphne could be, and so could Mnie.

    In the end, she was the only one who didn¡¯t get that recognition after being with him for three years.

    But Emelie hadn¡¯t expected William to be this ¡°hungry¡°.

    The next day, when she arrived at the secretarial department, she not only saw Mnie but also Cindy.

    Cindy swaggered over to her with a smug look.

    ¡°Mr. Middleton asked me toe back. He said I¡¯ve made contributions to thepany and won¡¯t be fired.

    ¡°He also said that certain people shouldn¡¯t take matters into their own hands.¡±

    Emelie remainedposed on the surface but couldn¡¯t help but frown internally.

    She made the stakes very clear yesterday, and William agreed, which was why he let her find Mnie as his secretary. So why did he decide to keep C

    What was worse was that Cindy¡¯s eyes held not only satisfaction but also resentment.

    She had developed a grudge against Emelie for firing her yesterday.

    When Emelie went to William¡¯s office to deliver some documents, she asked him, ¡°Mr. Middleton, didn¡¯t you say yesterday that you wouldn¡¯t keep Cindy?

    William retorted, ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell her that I was interested in her? Since you said so yourself, I had to keep her, of course.¡±

    ¡°I said that because earlier, you told me in the car that as long as I persuaded her to our side, you would be willing topromise with

    Mr. Ramsey. Isn¡¯t that showing interest in her?¡± she countered.

    In retrospect, the half¨C

    cup of water she had been sshed with yesterday and Cindy¡¯s current resentment shouldn¡¯t have been directed at her but at William. He was the one p

    William returned his gaze to the documents and said indifferently, ¡°Whatever you say. If there¡¯s nothing. else, you can leave now.¡°,

    Emelie didn¡¯t like office politics.

    Chapter 55 Witam Hunery

    Previously, the secretarial department had only her and two other secretaries.

    They had clear divisions ofbor, cooperated with each other, and never held each other back. It created a very harmonious working atmosphere.

    Then Daphne came, causing choos by not knowing anything. It became worse now that there were two

    Daphnes

    The whole moming, Emelie felt like a nanny.

    Mnie would call her over to help her figure out why her mouse was glitching or why her keyboard couldn¡¯t use the copy shortcut.

    Emelie couldn¡¯t focus on her work because of the interruptions.

    She said directly. ¡°Ms. Swanson, you graduated from college, right?¡±

    ¡°I did, but I studied ssical music, notputers.¡± Mnie pouted, feeling wronged.

    Emelie replied, ¡°It¡¯s not about your major. Since you¡¯ve been to college, your intelligence should be at

    least at a normal level.

    ¡°So when you encounter something you don¡¯t understand, you can just look it up online.¡±

    ¡°Oh, but I thought it would be faster to ask you,¡± Mnie said.

    ¡°But I also have work, and I¡¯m very busy.¡±

    ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll go ask someone else.¡±

    Emelie ignored her.

    Half an hourter, a middle¨Caged man in a suit appeared in the secretarial department.

    The man was carrying many cups of coffee and cupcakes. Mnie enthusiastically invited everyone to

    The secretaries looked at each other and politely declined, saying they weren¡¯t hungry.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just leave them here. Take whatever you want. Don¡¯t be shy.¡±

    She then asked the middle¨Caged man to sit next to her.

    At first, she just asked him how to do this and that, butter, she let him do everything while she watched TV shows on her phone.

    One of the secretaries couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Ms. Swanson, who is he?¡±

    Mnie replied, ¡°He¡¯s my family¡¯s butler. I asked him toe help me at work. He graduated from Orford University and is very capable.¡±

    Everyone was speechless hearing that.

    Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    Indeed, Mnie was like a princess experiencing life in disguise.

    Chapter 55 Witam to Hangry

    Emelie pinched the bridge of her nose. She couldn¡¯t do anything to Mnie since it was William who decided to keep her around.

    She was about to continue working when suddenly a file was thrown onto her desk, knocking her thermos

 Chapter 56

    Chapter 56

    Chapter 56 Would She Be Sent Away Again

    Emelle looked up and saw Cindy standing there.

    Thetter smirked and said, ¡°Ms. Hoven, please handle this as soon as possible. We need it immediately.¡±

    Emelie opened the file and nced at it. It was the contract with Jeremy.

    She closed it and replied, ¡°You¡¯re the one handling this coboration. I only participated in the final

    negotiations.¡±

    Cindy crossed her arms.

    ¡°But Mr. Middleton said you¡¯re the head secretary, and all the files in the secretarial department are under

    your management.¡±

    ¡°Then let him tell me himself. If he asks me to handle this, I¡¯ll surely do it.¡± Emelie tossed the file back

    onto Cindy¡¯s desk and knocked over her cup at the corner of the desk as well.

    Cindy was furious. ¡°How dare you?¡±

    Emelie simply reciprocated her rudeness.

    Seeing that, Mnie came over to pick up Emelie¡¯s thermos that had fallen on the ground and ced it

    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    back on her desk.

    Then, she pushed Cindy out of the secretarial department.

    ¡°Um, Cindy, I¡¯m new here and not familiar with this ce. Can you take me to the restroom?¡±

    She had just been to the restroom herself, but she said that so as to separate them and avoid a real

    quarrel.

    The other two secretaries also tried to advise Emelie.

    ¡°Mr. Middleton was the one who asked her to stay. Don¡¯t bother arguing with her.¡±

    They were mainly afraid that William would get angry and send Emelie away again.

    As expected, not long after, they saw Cindy entering the CEO¡¯s office with red eyes. It was obvious that

    she had gone toin.

    Less than ten minutester, Emelie received an internal call summoning her to the CEO¡¯s office.

    This scene seemed familiar. It was the same process as when she was sent awayst time.

    Her two secretary colleagues looked at her with concern, but Emelie remained calm as she knocked on

    the door and entered.

    ¡°Mr. Middleton.¡±

    William picked up his suit jacket from the coat rack and put it on without looking at her. He ordered, ¡± Take the files on the desk and notify the driver to pi

    Emelie was a bit puzzled. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°For work, of course.¡± William looked up at her. ¡°Are you still in your vacation mode?¡±

    Emelie was stunned for a moment. Then, she looked at Cindy.

    Cindy was glering at her with resentment.

    It seemed that she dide to see William toin. However, William wasn¡¯t taking any action against her because of it.

    After all, someone who resembled Daphne wasn¡¯t the real Daphne. Not everyone could win William¡¯s favor as easily as the real Daphne did.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go prepare.¡±

    Emelie grabbed the door handle to open it, but William added, ¡°Bring Cindy and Mnie with you. Let them learn along the way.¡±

    Take them along? Emelie felt overwhelmed just thinking about it.

    After leaving the office, she ryed the instructions for the field inspection to Mnie.

    Mnie was ecstatic and immediately took out her makeup bag to touch up.

    She also had her butler help her pack her things. Her actions were so shocking that people would think

    they were going on a group vacation.

    Mnie kept asking Emelie, ¡°What else should I bring? I haven¡¯t done this before, Emelie.¡±

    Emelie pinched the bridge of her nose. ¡°Um¡­ just bring a notebook and pen. If you don¡¯t mind the trouble, you can bring aptop.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. Theptop is too heavy.¡± Mnie only¡¯carried a small bag with lipstick in it.

    Therge¨Cscale mall Cloudex invested in was nning to introduce a batch of luxury brands from

    overseas.

    Securing the deal wasn¡¯t easy. So, when William had a free morning, he would check on how the counters.

    were being arranged.

    However, Mnie treated it as a shopping trip.

    She openly held William¡¯s hand and looked around here and there.

    William didn¡¯t refuse her and was very indulgent, to the extent that the manager of the mall mistook her for his girlfriend.

    Unwilling to be outdone, Cindy clung to William because of her ¡°contributions¡°.

    Meanwhile, Emelie silently followed behind them.

 Chapter 57

    Chapter 57

    Chapter 57 Who Was He Running To

    As they passed by the ice cream shop, Mnie yfully asked William to buy her a cone.

    Cindy chimed in, saying she was thirsty, too. William casually agreed and let them choose for themselves.

    He spotted a crispy cone and vaguely remembered that Emelle liked it, so he picked one up.

    However, when he turned around, he saw Emelie drinking water from her thermos.

    He was speechless seeing that.

    Emelie didn¡¯t particrly dislike ice cream.

    However, she experienced severe menstrual painst time and suspected it was caused by the

    miscarriage.

    From then onward, she decided to take good care of herself by avoiding cold foods and drinks and opting

    instead for warm water in her daily routine.

    William expressionlessly put the cone back in the freezer.

    Suddenly, Mnie let out a little cry as the melting cone dirtied her fingers. She wiped them a few times with a tissue but still felt ufortable and stick

    Is there a restroom here?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s over there, around the corner.¡± The mall manager pointed out.

    Mnie threw the cone away. ¡°Will, I¡¯m going to wash my hands. Wait for me, okay?¡±

    William was busy discussing with a brand representative, so he might or might not have heard her, but he

    nodded anyway.

    After that, Mnie went off on her own.

    Meanwhile, Emelie wandered around and inadvertently overheard two sales assistants chatting near the beauty counter.

    ¡°Do you know? There¡¯s an exhibitionist near our mall. I saw him from a distancest night after work. I

    was so scared.¡±

    ¡°I know. Someone reported it to the police, but they couldn¡¯t find him. I wonder where he¡¯s hiding. You

    don¡¯t think he¡¯s in our mall, do you?¡±

    Hearing that, Emelie had a bad feeling.

    ly was eat

    eating

    She looked around and saw that William was still talking to the brand representative, Cindy her ice cream, and Mnie hadn¡¯t returned yet.

    She nced at her watch. It had been ten minutes. At once, she headed toward the restroom.

    As soon as she got there, she heard Mnie scream at the top of her lungs.

    Chapter 57 Who Was He Running To

    Emelle ran over and saw Mnie, who was pale with fear.

    Behind her, there was an exposed man.

    The man was obviously mentally disturbed. He was chasing after Mnie with a creepy smile on his face.

    Mnie was terrified. With the slippery tiles, she stumbled and fell in panic. This gave the exhibitionist a chance to pounce on her.

    Immediately, she screamed.

    Emelie quickly grabbed a fire extinguisher from the wall and smashed it against the back of the

    exhibitionist¡¯s head.

    When he fell to the ground, she pulled Mnie up. ¡°Get up! Run!¡±

    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    The two of them ran as fast as they could.

    Themotion had already attracted the attention of other people in the mall. Security guards were also

    rushing over. Just then, Emelie saw William in the crowd.

    At that moment, she didn¡¯t have time to think about anything. Instinctively, she ran toward him. When William saw her, he ran toward her, too.

    Any woman would be petrified if they encountered a mentally disturbed exhibitionist.

    Emelie suddenly wanted to be by his side, so she ran toward him with all her might.

    In thest few steps, her eyes involuntarily reddened, and she cried out, ¡°Will-¡±

    Yet Mnie beat her to it.

    She let go of Emelie¡¯s hand and threw herself into William¡¯s arms, hugging his waist tightly as she cried.

    ¡°Will, it,was so scary. I was scared to death¡­.

    Emelie froze in ce.

    William patted Mnie¡¯s back andforted her softly, ¡°It¡¯s okay now. The guy has been caught.¡±

    And with that, the panic that had gripped Emelie faded away like a receding tide.

    She regained herposure, and the moisture in her eyes dried up.

    Like the surface of the sea untouched by the wind, not a ripple remained in her heart.

    She was overthinking it.

    William wasn¡¯t running toward her. He was running toward Mnie.

 Chapter 58

    Chapter 58

    Chapter 58 You¡¯re Indeed Considerate

    The exhibitionist was caught by security and handed over to the police.

    Shaken, Mnie cried pitifully. She felt dirty and insisted on changing clothes and taking a shower. She also refused to let go of William and

    insisted that he apany her.

    As a result, their inspection that day was postponed. They found a nearby hotel, booked a room, and let

    her clean herself up.

    William even sent someone to buy clothes for Mnie.

    Hearing that, Mnie cried out, ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone else. I want Emelie to do it. Emelle, help me buy clothes.

    ¡°I don¡¯t trust others¡® choices, I don¡¯t want to wear ugly clothes.¡±

    William looked at Emelie, and thetter tactfully said,

    ¡°I¡¯ll go:¡±

    William¡¯s gaze lingered on her face for several moments before he said, ¡°There¡¯s a clothing store across the street from the hotel. You pay for it first. The

    Emelie nodded and turned to leave. But just as she walked a few steps, she heard him speak again in a light tone.

    ¡°If you need to change, you can buy for yourself, too.¡±

    Emelie instinctively turned around, but she saw Mnie pulling on William¡¯s clothes.

    She was crying to him that the exhibitionist smelled terrible, and she still remembered that smell, making her want to throw up.

    ¡°Will, stay closer to me. You smell good.¡±

    Emelie lowered her eyes and walked out of the room.

    Smiling, Cindy followed behind. ¡°That girl is so young yet so scheming.¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t want to talk to her. With a poker face, she pressed the elevator button, and the doors opened.

    Cindy stood in front of the elevator, blocking her path.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you tell that she¡¯s pretending to be innocent and weak? Asking you to buy clothes for her is to trouble you and keep you away.

    ¡°What do you think will happen/in the room when neither you nor I are there?¡±

    She imitated Mnie¡¯s voice! ¡°Will, I¡¯m so scared. I don¡¯t dare to be alone. Can you help me shower?¡±

    Emelie looked at her.

    ¡°If you like to imitate others, you can try your luck in showbiz. Excuse me for not appreciating such

    Chapter 58 You¡¯re Indeed Considerat

    artistry. Don¡¯t perform in front of me in the future.¡±

    As the elevator doors were about to close, Emelle pressed the button again, bypassing Cindy and entering the elevator.

    Cindy was furious. ¡°Emelie!¡±

    Emelie pressed the button for the first floor.

    As the elevator doors slowly closed, she said in a soft voice, ¡°She hasn¡¯t harmed you. There¡¯s no need to spread malicious rumors behind her back. Let¡¯

    ¡°If you want topete to be favored, perform in front of Wilm. There¡¯s no need to act for me.

    ¡°You want to use me to deal with Ms. Swanson, right? You have some tricks, but I¡¯m not a fool.¡±

    With thest word uttered, the elevator doors closedpletely and began to descend.

    Emelie closed her eyes and exhaled a long breath.

    She only bought clothes for Mnie. Since she hadn¡¯t been touched by that exhibitionist, she felt that it was unnecessary to change her clothes.

    Yet she didn¡¯t immediately return to the hotel. As Cindy had said, something might happen between William and Mnie, and she didn¡¯t want to disturb

    If something did happen, she should buy William a set of clothes to change into.

    After pondering for a while, she went to pick out a set of clothes for William, just in case he needed to changeter. It would save her another trip.

    She nned to wait for an hour before going back. But half an hourter, her phone rang.

    It was

    William.

    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    He sounded displeased. ¡°Are you done yet?¡±

    ¡°I am. I¡¯ming back now.¡±

    Emelie hung up the phone, thinking that Cindy had guessed wrong.

    When she returned to the room, William was standing by the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window, talking on the phone.

    Upon hearing the door open, he nced at her, However, he continued his call.

    Meanwhile, Mnie was in the bedroom.

    Emelie took out the bag of clothes she had bought for William and put it aside, only taking the women¡¯s clothes into the bedroom.

    Mnie had finished showering and was wearing a bathrobe.

    She sat on the bed with her knees hugged to her chest, and her eyes were still a little red. ¡°Emelie.¡±

    Emelie spoke gently. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about your size, so they might not fit perfectly. You¡¯ll have to make do.¡±

    Mnie pouted. ¡°Emelie, aren¡¯t you afraid? When I recall it, my heart still pounds like mad.¡±

    ¡°That guy has been caught. It¡¯s all over now. If you¡¯re still afraid, don¡¯t go to work today. Go home and rest.

    Mnie nodded, and Emelie closed the door when she left the room.

    Turning around, she saw William taking out a man¡¯s shirt from the bag and a box of men¡¯s underwear.

    He raised his eyes. Though he was smiling, the depths of his eyes were cold.

    ¡°Do you think I would do something with her and need to change clothes? You¡¯re indeed considerate, Ms.

    Hoven.¡±

 Chapter 59

    Chapter 59

    Chapter 59 You Just Won¡¯t Rely on Anyone

    Emelie remainedposed. ¡°As a secretary, being well¨Cprepared isn¡¯t wrong.¡±

    ¡°Do you want something to happen between me and her?¡± William asked.

    ¡°Whatever you want to do is none of my concern.¡±

    William stared at her face for a few seconds before suddenly walking toward her.

    Emelie didn¡¯t know what he was going to do, but she instinctively backed away.

    Luckily, at that moment, Mnie came out after changing her clothes. ¡°Will, I¡¯m ready.¡±

    Emelie immediately said, ¡°I¡¯ll take Ms. Swanson home first.¡±

    Mnie shook her head. ¡°No, Emelie. I¡¯m fine now. I can continue working.¡±

    ¡°No need to force yourself.¡±

    ¡°We experienced this together, but you didn¡¯t cry. I can¡¯t be weak anymore. I want to be like you and be

    brave.¡±

    Mnie was extremely serious.

    William didn¡¯t look at either of them and walked out. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the office.¡±

    Back at the office, Emelie wanted to go to the secretarial department but was stopped by William, who

    grabbed her arm and forcefully pulled her into his office.

    ¡°Come with me.¡±

    Emelie couldn¡¯t help but frown. This kind of physical contact between a superior and a subordinate was obviously inappropriate.

    She immediately pulled her hand back.

    ¡°What do you need me to do, Mr. Middleton? Just say it.¡±

    William¡¯s tone was cold. ¡°About the incident at the mall-¡±

    Emelie reported, ¡°I¡¯ve already talked to the mall management. There¡¯s a back door at the mall, and goods are usually brought in and out through there.

    ¡°The security isn¡¯t very strict, so the exhibitionist probably entered through there.

    ¡°Of course, the mall management also admitted that there were ws in their management.

    ¡°The incident has tarnished the mall¡¯s image, so they proposed to strengthen security, install more surveince cameras, and increase patrols to ensure

    Emilie continued, ¡°I told them that the victim was the daughter of Weston¡¯s Swanson family, and they expressed a desire to apologize to Ms. Swanson in

    and offered gifts aspensation.

    Chapter 59 You Just Won¡¯t Rely on Anvors

    2/3

    ¡°If Ms. Swanson is still unhappy with that and has any requests, they will try to fulfill them.¡±

    William wasn¡¯t asking about that.

    When Mnie was crying in his arms, Emelle had already taken care of everything. That was what a head secretary would do.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid?¡± he suddenly asked.

    Emelie remained unfazed. ¡°It happened in broad daylight and In front of so many people, so I¡¯m not afraid.

    William leaned against the desk with his legs crossed. His gaze was deep as he looked at her. ¡°Not afraid? Weren¡¯t you running toward me?¡±

    ¡°At that time, you were the only acquaintance in my line of sight, and you were also running toward us. I didn¡¯t think much and ran toward you.¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t show any emotions. ¡°I had to safely escort Ms. Swanson to you.¡±

    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    William seemed to see her eyes reddening for a moment, but it onlysted for a second.

    By the time he wanted to take a closer look, she had already returned to her calm demeanor.

    He even doubted if he had seen it wrong.

    He vaguely felt that Emelie didn¡¯t seem as close to him as before.

    Although she had never been clingy, now it seemed like she was even more distant.

    He loosened his tie. ¡°You just won¡¯t rely on anyone.¡± His tone was not very friendly.

    ¡°Sorry for disappointing you, Mr. Middleton. That¡¯s just my personality, and it won¡¯t change.¡±

    William¡¯s expression became stern. ¡°Get out.¡±

    When William grabbed Emelie¡¯s hand, Cindy saw it.

    Mnie, still feeling scared, said, ¡°Will will surely teach the negligent mall management and that exhibitionist a lesson!¡±

    After some thought, Cindy deliberately asked Mnie, ¡°Do you like Mr. Middleton?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± Mnie coyly said while blushing.

    Cindy smiled. ¡°What¡¯s there to be embarrassed about? There are many people in thepany who like Mr. Middleton.*

    Mnie looked at Cindy, ¡°You, too?¡±

    ¡°I like him, but I know that he likes Ms. Hoven the most.¡±

    ¡°Will likes¡­ Emelie?¡± Mnie frowned. ¡°Really?¡±

    Cindy hugged her shoulders. ¡°You can ask around. Everyone knows that Ms. Hoven is not just Mr.

    Chapter 59 You Just Won¡¯t Rely on Anwete

    Middleton¡¯s secretory.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re all talking nonsense. Emelle knows that I like Will, so she let me stay by his side. She¡¯s trying to match us up. She¡¯s a good person.¡± Mnie did

    ¡°You¡¯re too naive.¡± Cindy whispered, ¡°Listen. If you want Mr. Middleton to like you, the first thing you should do is get rid of Emelie.¡±

 Chapter 60

    Chapter 60

    Chapter 60 Attracting a Lot More Attention

    Emelie happened to be at the doorway to the pantry and overheard the conversation. She halted in her

    steps.

    Mnie quickly replied to Cindy, ¡°Don¡¯t try to sow discord between us. Even if there¡¯s something between Will and Emelie, I¡¯llpete with Emelie fairly.

    you.

    ¡°If you also like Will, you canpete with me fairly, too. I¡¯m confident that I¡¯m not inferior to any of you In the end, Will will definitely be with me.¡±

    Hearing that, Emelie turned and walked away.

    Mnie was indeed a good person, but Cindy was not.

    She failed to use Emelie to her advantage, so she resorted to sowing discord between her and Mnie.

    She¡¯d better not do anything, or Emelie wouldn¡¯t be kind to her either.

    After work in the evening. Emelie saw Samuel in the lobby. After some thought, she greeted, ¡°Mr. Swanson.¡±

    ¡°Ms. Hoven.¡± Samuel stood up from the couch.

    Emelie took a guess and asked, ¡°Are you here to pick up Ms. Swanson? When I wasing down, I saw her talking with another colleague. She should

    Samuel nodded, then said, ¡°I know everything that happened to her at the mall today. I haven¡¯t had a chance to thank you for helping her.¡±

    ¡°What I did hardly counts a

    wouldn¡¯t be in danger.¡±

    helping. It was just a small effort. And even if I wasn¡¯t there, Ms. Swanson

    Samuel¡¯s gaze, through his sses, looked very gentle.

    ¡°But the fact now is that you did help her.¡±

    Emelie smiled. ¡°Okay, Mr. Swanson. I¡¯ll ept your gratitude.¡±

    ¡°Just gratitude isn¡¯t enough. Let me treat you to dinner.¡±

    Emelie hurriedly declined. ¡°Really, there¡¯s no need.¡±

    Samuel joked in a serious tone, ¡°I¡¯ll feel ufortable all over if I don¡¯t treat you to dinner.¡±

    It was i

    just a meal, after all. Repeatedly refusing seemed inappropriate, so Emelie finally agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll ept your kind offer, then.¡±

    Not long after, Mnie came downstairs and enthusiastically offered to treat Emelie to dinner to repay her for saving her life today.

    Since Emelie had already agreed to Samuel¡¯s invitation, she nodded in agreement to Mnie as well.

    Chapter 60 Attracting & Lot More Attention

    But she didn¡¯t expect that Samuel would take them to eat at the same mall where today¡¯s incident urred.

    Mnie resisted and didn¡¯t want to go in. ¡°Let¡¯s go somewhere else.¡±

    Samuel, who had a good temper, was unusually firm at this moment and didn¡¯t give in to her..

    ¡°You¡¯re always like this. Every time you encounter difficulties, your first reaction is to run away, never considering oveing them.

    ¡°Think about it yourself. Is running away of any use? Do you want to live with this trauma forever?¡±

    After much mental preparation, Mnie finally mustered the courage to walk in.

    Seeing her take a step forward, Samuel showed a relieved smile. During dinner, he personally peeled shrimp for her, rewarding her for her courage.

    Next to him, Mnie held his arm and talked about today¡¯s events, looking aggrieved. In fact, she was ying cute.

    Emelie watched and couldn¡¯t help feeling envious.

    This was what a girl who grew up in a loving environment looked like.

    Mnie said she wanted to learn to be brave like her, but there was no need for that.

    Mnie had someone protecting her and someone who was willing to indulge her, turning her into a pampered little princess. But Emelie had no one to p

    Dependent? Who could she depend on?

    Her back was empty.

    After dinner, Samuel drove Emelie back to her apartment.

    Mona happened to be taking out the trash downstairs at the same time.

    When she saw Emelie waving goodbye to a bespectacled handsome guy, she became extremely excited.

    After Samuel left, she immediately went up to ask, ¡°Who was that?¡±

    ¡°Just a friend.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen this friend of yours.¡±

    Emelie knew what she was thinking. ¡°I helped his sister today, so he invited me to dinner. His sister was there, too.¡±

    Mona analyzed, ¡°The so¨Ccalled sister may just be his shield to get close to you.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t let your imagination run wild.¡±

    Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    Mona clicked her tongue. ¡°I really think you¡¯re attracting a lot more attention from men since you left William

    ter 60 Allracing a Lei Mark Attention

    1/3

    ¡°That scumbag was bad luck, wasting three years of your youth without evenpensating you for it.¡±

    What she was most unhappy about was that William still had Emelle go to work when it was herst few days with thepany.

    Damned capitalist.

    As Mona cursed, she became worried. ¡°He won¡¯t¡­ stop you from leaving, right?¡±

    Emelie walked back to the apartment with her. A hint of worry shed through her mind.

    But after some thought, she replied, ¡°All things considered, he has no reason to keep me nor any legal basis to do so. I¡¯m sure I can leave.¡±

 Chapter 61

    Chapter 61

    Chapter 61 Greta Lowe

    The next day, Emelle went to work as usual.

    Holding a thermos, she went to the pantry to get warm water.

    Since she hadn''t officially started work yet, she leaned against the counter, took out her phone, and made

    a call

    Ever since William mentioned her mother that day, Emelle had been feeling uneasy.

    She spent two days looking for her old neighbor¡¯s phone number and finally dialed it.

    The call connected, ¡°Hello, who is this?¡±

    "Hi, Ms. Barron, it''s Emelie.

    ¡°Oh, Emelie. How did you get my number?¡±

    Emelie replied softly. ¡°I had it before.¡±

    Natalie Barron asked, ¡°What''s the matter?¡±

    ¡°Are you still neighbors with my parents? How have they beentely?¡±

    y son and

    Natalie said, ¡°I moved away a long time ago. I don''t live there anymore. I''m living with my daughter-inw now.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have much contact with your parents, but they seemed fine thest time I saw them. I just don''t know how they¡¯re doing now."

    Emelie felt disappointed. "I see.¡±

    ¡°Emelie, if you want to know how they''re doing, why

    don¡¯t you just call them directly? I heard they said your went to work outside the city and haven''te back yet.¡±

    Emelie simply said, ¡°I did call, but it seems they''ve changed their phone number, so I couldn''t get through

    Natalie muttered, ¡°Why didn¡¯t they tell their daughter that they changed their number...

    ¡°Anyway, do you want me to give you their current number so you can call them yourself?

    Emelie was very grateful. ¡°Yes, thank you.

    After jotting down the number, Emelie dialed it immediately.

    The call went through with a couple of rings, and soon, she heard a familiar female voice. ¡°Hello?

    She instinctively hung up the phone

    That was her mother, Greta Lowe¡¯s voice.

    Pressing her lips together, Emelie put away her phone. She turned around, took out a tea bag from the cab, and dropped it into the thermos.

    Chapter 61 Greta Lowe

    With a tap, she started the water dispenser.

    As the warm water hit the tea bag, it released a faint fragrance. Her thoughts swirled with it as well.

    Three years ago, she dated William.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    He gave her three million dors to repay her family¡¯s debts and sent a driver to take her back to her

    home.

    When her parents saw her, they

    didn''t ask-where she had been the

    night before or what had happened

    Instead, they med her for running

    away.  ~

    7

    They said that the creditors hade to the housest night, causing a scene and smashing the furniture.

    They scolded her for being reckless and disobedient, not considering the family¡¯s situation, and not realizing how difficult their lives were.

    They even said they had been driven to the point of wanting to jump off a building.

    Emelie numbly listened to their usations and ced a card on the table

    ¡°There are three million dors in there. Use it to pay off the debts.¡±

    Her father, Ronan Hoven, was stunned. He immediately picked up the card and looked at her in disbelief." Where did you get so much money?¡±

    ¡°Don''t worry about that. Just use it to pay off the debts. You don¡¯t have to worry about the creditors anymore.¡±

    Greta grabbed her hand and asked in grief, "Did you... did you do something bad? Huh? Tell me, Emelie! What did you do?¡±

    Emelie suddenly felt likeughing. and she didugh.

    ¡®Something*bad? What do you mean

    by bad? '' You took me as coteral-

    for thedebts. Do you really think that

    putting me in the hands of those

    people won''t lead to anythittg bad?¡±

    Greta cried out. ¡°Emelie... we really have no way out. If we still had a way, we would never let you-¡±

    ¡°I know you''re at your wits¡¯ end, but I¡¯m not your only choice.

    ¡®I have two sisters. Of course, they shouldn''t suffer either. I just don¡¯t understand why you chose me.

    No one was at fault. No one should have suffered, but she was the one who was abandoned and was also the one her parents cared about the least.

    Greta shook her head in tears. ¡°No, it''s not like that

    Emelie didn¡¯t want to say anything anymore. ¡°Take the money, I¡¯m leaving. I won''t contact you anymore.¡±

    With that, she left in the car. In the rearview mirror, she saw Greta chasing after her. Yet she didn''t stop the car, nor did she look back.

    For the next month, she felt deeply distressed. A blood rtionship of over 20 years couldn''t be broken

    just like that. In the end, shepromised and called home.

    Unexpectedly, Greta was cold and said, ¡°You have nothing to d

 Chapter 62

    Chapter 62

    Chapte

    Chapter 62 Interest

    That statement left Emelie utterly disappointed in her parents.

    From then onward, she didn''t contact them for three years until a few months ago, when she randomly decided to call, the call couldn''t go through.

    At that time, she sneered. Her parents were unrivaled in their ruthlessness. When they said they were cutting ties, they really meant it.

    Now that she heard Greta¡¯s voice and knew she was fine, Emelle stopped worrying about them and decided to live her own life.

    She picked up her tea and returned to the secretarial department.

    As soon as she sat down, Cindy threw yesterday''s file onto her desk. boasting triumphantly, ¡°I''ve already talked to Mr. Middleton, and he specifically a

    Fine. Emelie didn¡¯t want to stay in this chaotic office.

    Without saying a word, she picked up the file and her bag and left.

    Cindy watched her leave with a malicious look in her eyes.

    Emelie left thepany and went to a nearby caf¨¦. She ordered a cup of coffee and sat down to look at

    the file.

    Half an hourter, she had a good understanding of the project. The current focus was on getting Jeremy to sign a supplementary agreement, which h

    This was actually a bit difficult.

    After all, Jeremy had been coerced into signing the contract that day. If she went to find him again, he would most likely make things difficult for her.

    Emelie was thinking about how to deal with this problem when someone lightly tapped the table.

    Following the clearly defined knuckles, she met Samuel''s handsome smile.

    He was wearing a new pair of silver-framed sses today with a sses chain, looking refined and gentle.

    Emelie was somewhat surprised. She straightened up and closed the file.

    ¡°Why are you here, Mr. Swanson? Are you here to buy tacos for Ms. Swanson again?

    ¡°Speaking of which, I brought the taco from that day to the office to share with my colleagues, and

    everyone said they were delicious. Thank you. Mr. Swanson.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s my mistake. I should''ve bought more. Just one shouldn''t be enough, right?¡±

    Emelie jokingly said, ¡°How can you say that? It sounds like I¡¯m asking for more.¡±

    Samuel chuckled. ¡°Sorry for making you think that.¡±

    Chapter 62 Interest

    He sat down. ¡°Mnie was still a bit scared after yesterday. I had no sses this morning, so I came over to have lunch with her to reassure her.

    ¡°She hasn¡¯t finished work yet, so she asked me to wait here for her.

    ¡°You two have a really good rtionship,¡± Emelle sincerelymented

    Samue! shook his head. ¡°I raised Mnie, so she depends on me more.¡±

    Emelie wasenvious. Shehada

    normal rtionship with both of h¨¦r

    sistersbefore. But after that >

    incident, she hadn''t contacted them

    for''the past few years. Content

    belongs to  ~

    ¡°Why are you sitting here, Ms. Hoven? Waiting for someone?¡± Samuel asked

    Emelie simply replied, ¡°No, I''m about to meet a client. so I¡¯m studying the documents here.¡±

    Seeing that he hadn''t ordered coffee yet, she took the opportunity to suggest, ¡°Let me buy you a cup of coffee.¡±

    Samuel didn¡¯t refuse. ¡°Youre the host here. What you say goes.¡±

    With that, Emelie went to the coffee counter to order a cup for him

    She really liked Samuel''s way of treating people. He wasn¡¯t too formal

    When she identally dirtied his shirt, he let herpensate him. And when he treated her to a meal, he Jet her buy him coffee.

    He epted everything graciously, relieving her of any sense of debt

    Despite having just met, it felt as though they had been friends for years.

    Emelie returned to the table with the

    coffee and found that Samuel hac

    picked up her file. Frowning slightly,

    she put down the coffee. Content

    belongs to  =

    ¡°Mr. Swanson.¡±

    Samuel handed the contract and the coffee back to her, exining naturally, "There was a child running around here just now.

    ¡°I was afraid he would bump into the table and spill the coffee, so I picked it up. I didn¡¯t mean to touch your things.¡±

    Emelie smiled. ¡°I have no reason not to trust you, Mr. Swanson.¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Samuel picked up the coffee. ¡°But I did catch a glimpse of the document.

    Thispany has worked with my.

    eldest krother before, and I''ve seeri

    the documents in his study. It¡¯s been

    a rising star in the past two years,

    with great development potential.¡±

    Emelie just said, ¡°Is that so?¡± With that, she casually brushed past the topic of work.

    They didn¡¯t chat for long before leaving the caf¨¦ together.

    Samuel was going to thepany to pick up Mnie. while Emelie went to find Jeremy. They parted

    Chapter 62 Interest

    ways, each going in their own direction.

    Meanwhile, William was preparing to go out and just happened to see them parting ways.

    He also saw Samuel stopping after walking about 30 feet and turning back to look at Emelie''s figure.

    The gaze behind the lenses was deep. William, being a ma

 Chapter 63

    Chapter 63

    Chapter 63 The Only One

    William didn''t show any expression on his face as usual. When he arrived at the meeting ce with Elias, he found Elias wolfing down a taco.

    William nced at him before taking a seat

    Seeing William, Elias gestured toward the files on the table and mumbled, ¡°The information you want is there. Read them yourself. I haven''t eaten

    sincest night. and I¡¯m starving.¡±

    ¡°No one at home cooked

    for you? Wasn''t your mom supposed to find you a wife?¡± William casually remarked as he picked up a file and started flipping through it.

    Just thinking of the woman who had moved into his house as his fianc¨¦e made him sick to his stomach. Elias threw the taco back into the bag, wiped I

    in an unfriendly tone.

    ¡°She could be my aunt. She¡¯s five years older than me. I really don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with my mom for having me marry that woman.

    ¡°All she wants is the inheritance my mom holds. I''ll just take it as having an extra housekeeper after marrying her... Okay. let''s not talk about her.¡±

    Elias looked at William. ¡°Why do you suddenly want information on these smallpanies? Aren''t these insignificant in front of Cloudex?¡±

    The key was that if William wanted it done, he could just have his people take care of it for him. Why bother stepping in himself? What was he nnin

    William read through the files seriously, though the projects were only worth a few million. ¡°Things I handle tend to get noticed.

    ¡°It sounds like you''re trying to acquire a smallpany, not for yourself but for someone else.¡± Elias, intrigued by the secrecy, asked. ¡°For whom?¡±

    Thinking of Emelie, who was leaving thepany soon, he teased, ¡°Are you nning to give Ms. Hoven apany so she can be her own boss?¡±

    William chuckled inexplicably. He neither denied nor confirmed it.

    Twisting open a bottle of mineral water, Elias asked, ¡°Isn''t she back at work? Hasn''t she withdrawn her resignation?¡±

    William closed the folder and was ready to leave. Before leaving, he said, ¡°She hasn¡¯t withdrawn it, but she won''t leave either.¡±

    How could she bear to leave him? Was there anyone who treated her better than he did?

    Even her biological parents didn''t want her. She once held him and said he was her only family in the world.

    On the other hand, Emelle arrived at Jeremy¡¯spany. Unsurprisingly, she was shut out. Jeremy didn¡¯t

    want to see her.

    Chapter 63 The Only One

    With Cloudex Corporation¡¯s name and the title of head secretary, Emelle hadn''t been rejected by anyone for a long time.

    But it didn¡¯t matter, Jeremy would eventually sign that contract, sooner orter.

    Wasting her time on him was much better than seeing those two ¡°Daphnes¡¯¡± and William at the office, so she decided to waste her time with him.

    When she first joined Cloudex, she.

    was justan insignificant secretary:

    She had once pursued a client

    relentlessly just to signa contract,

    rivaling a salesperson. Content

    belongs to  ~~

    Now, she was using that same vigor to pressure Jeremy.

    When Jeremy went to a restaurant

    with clients, Emelle sat at the table

    behind ahem. She tasted a dessert

    that was quite good and asked the

    waiter to bring two to Jeremy''s

    table.

    -

    The client asked curiously. ¡°Do you know each other?¡±

    Emelie replied frankly, ¡°I''m also here to sign a contract with Mr. Ramsey.¡±

    Seeing that Jeremy still had someone waiting, the client didn¡¯t dare dy him and left after the meal.

    Even so, Jeremy ignored her and went straight back to thepany, instructing the receptionists not to let her upstairs.

    So, Emelig Sat inthepany¡¯s

    lobby area, working on her phone:

    When : she was thirsty, she went to

    theicpantry to pour water and eat

    snacks when hungry. Content

    belongs to  ~

    She did give them something for the receptionists.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    in return. Around 5:00 pm, she ordered more than a dozen cups of coffee

    After work in the evening, Jeremy strode out without ncing aside.

    Since the receptionist drank Emelie''s cup of coffee, she showed courtesy by quietly calling out to Emelie, Hey.

    Emelie looked up and immediately followed, catching up to him in the parking lot.

    Unable to bear it any longer, Jeremy turned and said, ¡°I''m going home. Are youing home with me?¡±

    He looked at her and continued with a

 Chapter 64

    Chapter 64

    Chapter 64 Venting Anger

    Emelie remainedposed. ¡°I heard you recently had a son, who¡¯s apparently adorable. I wonder if I could have the honor of seeing him.

    Without responding. Jeremy got into his car and left.

    But instead of going home, he headed to a hotel to attend a salon event being held there.

    With her status as the head secretary of Cloudex Corporation, Emelle naturally gained entry. However, she had no interest in mingling with others and

    After the event ended and seeing that Jeremy was about to leave, Emelie approached him to get him to sign the supplementary agreement.

    Well, even if he didn''t sign it. it didn¡¯t matter. She coulde back tomorrow. It would be better if he stalled her for four days.

    After all, she would leave thepany in four days.

    Emelie was casually flipping through a magazine when she suddenly noticed amotion nearby.

    She stood up and walked over to see Jeremy arguing with a woman.

    The woman didn¡¯t care about the asion and shouted at Jeremy, ¡°Jeremy Ramsey! You soldpany assets! I hope you die miserably!

    Her voice was loud, and everyone at the salon event heard it, gathering around to watch

    Jeremy''s expression was extremely ugly.

    Emelie whispered to the person next to her, ¡°Who is she?"

    ¡°Mr. Ramsey¡¯s sister-inw. a famous shrew.

    Emelie quickly recalled that during yesterday''s contract discussion, Cindy mentioned Jeremy''s younger brother.

    After Cindy brought up his brother, Jeremy resorted to violence.

    It seemed that the two brothers were inpetition. Jeremy had the upper hand at the moment. which was why his brother''s wife dared to make a sci

    And Jeremy seemed to be at a loss about how to deal with this woman.

    After some thought, Emelie took out her phone and aimed the camera at Jeremy and the woman.

    She then loudly announced, ¡°Look, everyone. This is our salon event

    tonight. It¡¯s a really high standard, and the buffet is luxurious with unlimited servings of salmon, escargots, foie gras, and caviar.¡±

    She quickly brought her phone close to the woman¡¯s face. Seeing that, the woman quickly covered her face.

    Chapter 64 Venting Anger

    ¡°Who are you? What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Me? I''m live-streaming. It''s so lively tonight. The viewership will surely be high,¡± Emelie said with a smile.

    The woman¡¯s face changed slightly. ¡°You captured all of that just now?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    The woman scolded, ¡°Delete it! Delete it now! Who allowed you to film me? This is an Invasion of my privacy! I''ll sue you!¡±

    ¡°This is a public ce. The organizer didn¡¯t say we couldn''t livestream, and I was filming the food, not you.

    "Whichw did I vite? It was your

    oud voice that attracted everyone''s

    attention. Who''s to me? Besides,

    this''is a livestream. How can I delete

    if?¡±

    The woman was speechless. ¡°Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie calmly said, ¡°If you''re afraid.

    of being seen in a bad light, I think

    it''s better for you to leave on y@ur

    ownthan waste your breath, telling

    meio turn my livestream olf.¡±

    With that, she picked up her phone again. ¡°Everyone, look. What''s this? It''s a grade¡ªA steak

    The woman stomped her foot and left in a huff. It was only then that Emelie turned off her phone

    Jeremy loosened his tie, still not recovering from the shock. ¡°You were live streaming?¡±

    No

    just taking selfies. I was just scaring her.¡± Emelie smiled.

    Jeremy wasn''t interested in staying at the salon event any longer.

    After all, he wasn¡¯t deaf to everyone¡¯sments about him. He walked straight out of the hall

    He sat on a chair at the entrance and opened a bottle of mineral water.

    Emelie followed him out, holding a document in her hand.

    Jeremy nced at it and said, ¡°You''re not responsible for this contract. Why did you go to such lengths?"

    ¡°Regardless of who''s responsible, this is the task given to me by my superior, so I have to handle it well.

    After saying that, Emelie started analyzing

    ¡°Mr. Ramsey, the die is cast. You haven''t suffered any losses working with us, right?

    ¡°If you dontsign this supplementary

    agreement today, I''ll continue to.¡±

    pester you tomorrow until you.do.¡±

    Jeremy''s tone was cold, as if he

    a

    urgently needed a channel tevent

    his-anger.

    <

    ¡°I''m not making things difficult for you. I just can¡¯t let Cindy''s betrayal slide.

    ¡°How about this? Make up some lies to bring her over

 Chapter 65

    Chapter 65

    Chapter 65 Revisiting Old Memories.

    Emelie calmly asked, ¡°So, how do you n to handle her?"

    Jeremy smirked coldly, replying, ¡°That¡¯s my affair. It''s got nothing to do with you.¡±

    ¡°Well, if your actions end up causing harm to her and result in criminal implications, then I be implicated, too. That bes my problem.¡± Emelle

    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to make things easier for you. If I''m not mistaken, you¡¯ve been stuck with this unpleasant task because Mr. Middleton favors her and is I

    ¡°Basically. her presence is hindering your progress. Hand her over to me, and I''ll take care of it. You''ll have one lesspetitor to deal with. Makes th

    Jeremy calmly broke down the situation. His tone was seductive. as if there were no downsides in his proposed n.

    Emelie thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement. ¡°You''re right. She''s been a headache for me,

    too.¡±

    Jeremy narrowed his eyes. ¡°So, you agree?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I''ll do it now.

    Emelie took out her phone, dialed a number, and after a short pause, she said, "Ms. Mitchell, it''s me. Mr. Ramsey wants me to lure you over.

    ¡°He¡¯s got something daunting nned for you. We''re at the Sheldon Suites. Can youe over right away?

    Jeremy snatched her phone and nced at the screen, only to see that she hadn''t actually made any calls.

    He threw the phone back at her. ¡°You¡¯re trying to trick me!¡±

    Emelie shot back, ¡°It¡¯s actually you who''s trying to trick me, Mr. Ramsey. You have a family and clearly had no harmful intentions. So why try to intimid

    Jeremy was simply trying to let out some frustration after dealing with his siblings.

    With things settling down, he didn¡¯t feel like causing her any more trouble.

    ¡°Hand them over," he said.

    Emelie passed him the documents and a pen, and Jeremy signed them without hesitation.

    As he gave the contract back to Emelie, something crossed his mind. He looked up at her.

    ¡°I heard you''ve been considering a job changetely. Are you really nning to leave Cloudex Corporation?¡±

    Emelie replied, ¡°It¡¯s just a normal career move.

    Chapter 65 Revisiting Old Memories

    ¡°I find you quite interesting. You might want to give mypany a shot. It may not be as big as Cloudex, but there¡¯s a lot of room for growth.¡±

    Jeremy reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card, offering it to her along with the

    documents.

    ¡°Here''s my card, with my personal number. Feel free to contact me if you''re interested.¡±

    Emelie epted it politely. "Thank you, Mr. Ramsey.¡±

    Jeremy left the hotel to go home, and Emelie was also getting ready to leave. But as she walked through the hotel lobby, she saw William.

    Emelie paused for a moment, unsure of what to do.

    William nced at her indifferently, his lips farming the silentmand, ¡°Come here.

    Unable to pretend she hadn¡¯t seen him, Emelie reluctantly walked over.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Mr. Middleton, is there something you need?"

    William led her directly to a hotel room, and Emelie immediately knew what he needed.

    Once inside, William pushed Emelie onto the bed and held her chin, preventing her from avoiding his rough kisses.

    Emelie gasped and pushed against his chest with all her might.

    She scrambled to find something to defend herself with, but William quickly grabbed her and pressed her against the bed.

    There was no way he would give her another chance to use the pepper spray against him.

    ¡°Mr. Middleton... William!"

    William raised his head, his gaze darkly fixed on her. ¡°Do you remember what day it is today?¡±

    Emelie was clueless.

    She clenched her teeth, remainingposed. ¡°Let go of me. You''re forcing yourself on me!¡±

    ¡°Three years ago today. you started following me.¡±

    Emelie¡¯s mind momentarily nked out, leaving her face pale.

    As she pieced it together, it hit her slowly. It seemed like today

    Yes, it was today.

    That was why thatbor contract that was due in four days happened.

    Three yearSback, just four days

    after shetrailed after him, he

    nonchntly remarked, ¡°From now

    on, yOu ¡®ll be by my side, serving as

    my secretary.¡±

    -

    She protested, pointing out her non-business background, but he was in a good mood

    ¡®lll teach you.¡±

    Emelie couldn¡¯t help but tremble, feeling like she was experiencing their first time together three years. ago all over again.

    Back then, she had been just as nervous, scared, and inexperienced.

    ¡°Mr. Middleton, you have quite a vivid memory,¡± she murmured softly.

    ¡°It¡¯s hard not to. I''ve never seen you

    look so wvainerable, Ms. Hoven. Ite

    was me > who found you in such. a

    sorry state and brought you heme,¡±

    william said, lifting her legs, bis

    voiee subdued and hoarse..Content

    b¨¦longs to  ~

    ¡°How can revisiting old memories be considered forceful?¡±

    Emelie did not reply.

    The night was already shaping up to be a rough one.

    Outside, a few muffled thunderps were heard, followed by the gentle patter of rain

    In the midst of the rainy night, it felt like they were transported back three years ago.

    Emelie''s nails dug into William''s

    shoulders. Her breath was uneven:

    and her voice slightly shaky as¡®she

    said, '' ¡®This is thest time!"Content

    belongs to  =

    Just four more days, their contract would expire, marking a full three years.

    In a way, she would be repaying him the three million dors from back then.

 Chapter 66

    Chapter 66

    Chapter 66 Drugged

    That night, it was as if William couldn''t get enough of her. He left behind several bite marks and bruises

    on her waist.

    Lost in a trance, Emelie heard him whisper in her ear, ¡°How did I not notice this before? You¡¯re quite the

    seducer.¡±

    Assuming he was talking about Jeremy, Emelie found

    It ludicrous and chose not to respond. She simply shut her eyes and let him carry on as he pleased,

    The next morning, Emelie was up early as usual

    As she got out of bed, a sense of unease washed over her.

    Soon after, William also rose from the bed. He gave her a quick nce before heading straight to the bathroom without saying anything.

    His movements were swift, and as Emelie finished applying her makeup and headed out, he followed suit.

    The two of them left the hotel without exchanging a word.

    William''s driver arrived to pick him up at the hotel entrance.

    After getting into the car, William said, ¡°Wait a sec.¡±

    Meanwhile, Emelie left the hotel and noticed William¡¯s car, yet she decided to hail a taxi instead.

    The driver stole a quick nce at William in the backseat.

    With a nk expression, William uttered, ¡°Let''s go.¡±

    The morning carried on like any other for Emelie at work.

    As she coordinated tasks with one of her female colleagues, she happened to notice some director''s documents on her colleague''s desk.

    ¡°Hey, what''s up with these?¡± Emelie asked casually.

    Her colleague quickly hid the documents and chuckled nervously.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing... By the way, what were you just saying?¡±

    Emelie suspected that William had assigned her the task involving the documents and stressed the importance of confidentiality, which prevented her

    Deciding not to pry, Emelie silently acted as though she didn''t know.

    As she returned to her workstation, Emelie couldn''t shake the feeling that her colleagues were giving her strange looks.

    Not one to typically pay much mind to others¡¯ stares, she initially shrugged it off and focused on her tasks at hand

    2/2

    However, as the stares persisted and grew more noticeable, she couldn''t help but feel unsettled.

    It was at that moment when Mnie leaned in close and whispered discreetly, ¡°Emelle, they''re saying you slept with a client to seal a deal...

    Emelie¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Wait, what?¡¯

    ¡°I didn¡¯t start the rumor. I just overheard it. I don''t believe you''d do something like that, so I felt I had to tell you. You should figure out where it¡¯sing

    Though Emelie wasn''t too bothered by how others saw her, she knew this rumor could significantly affect her future prospects.

    That was something she couldn''t tolerate.

    During her lunch break, she took some time to investigate and soon found out where the rumor originated.

    It turned out to be Cindy.

    Once again, it was her.

    After her previous failed attempts to manipte and cause trouble, she resorted to spreading rumors.

    Emelie asked her colleague, ¡°Where''s Cindy?

    ¡°She''s in the break room...¡±

    In the break room, a group of people huddled together, gossiping in low voices.

    ¡°Since Ms. Hoven returned from Vown, her standing has taken a hit, but I never thought she''d resort to something like this...¡±

    ¡®Her contract with Cloudex i

    Corporation is about to expire, and if

    she do¨¦sn''t start meeting oO

    performance targets soon, Cloudex

    Corporation won''t renew it.¡± "Content

    belongs to  ~

    ¡°But I never thought Ms. Hoven would de something like that. She¡¯s the head secretary, after all...

    "You never-really know someone''s

    true color¡¯. She slept with Mr. _

    Ramseyst night. There¡¯s solid¡±

    evidencel¡± Thosest words ? came

    from Cindy.

    XuThis is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie smiled, but it was one devoid of warmth

    She had given Cindy a chance, but Cindy insisted on provoking her,

    Now. Emelie would make sure Cindy learned just how far she was willing to go to fight back.

    She pushed the door open with a bang, and everyone turned to look at her.

    Emelie put on a look of feigned shock and eximed, ¡°Is what you guys were saying true?¡±

    Caught off guard by Emelie¡¯s sudden appearance, a few of her colleagues¡¯ faces froze before turning awkward

    ¡°We didn¡¯t say anything

    pter 65 Drugged

    Emelie looked incredulous. ¡°You''re saying I slept with Mr. Ramsey? But I don¡¯t remember any of that.

    ¡°Could Mr. Ramsey have drugged mo? I had water from hispany yesterday. Maybe there was

    something in it!¡±

    Her colleagues didn¡¯t dare to entertain her usations.

    They quickly shook their heads. ¡°We don¡¯t know anything. It was all Cindy!¡±

    Emelie turned to Cindy and asked, ¡°Did you see Mr. Ramsey put something in my drink?

    ¡°Well, you better tell the police everythingter. Whether I get justice or not is all on you, Ms. Mitchell!¡±

    ¡°W¡ªWhat police? What are you talking about?¡± Cindy seemed utterly bewildered

    Emelie took out her phone and walked out of the break room Into a busier area. She dialed 911.

    "Hi, officer-tneed to report a crime. I

    think someone drugged me, i

    although i have no memory of it it ~But

    there''s- a witness here who says she

    has-8olid evidence to prove twas

    untawfully harmed. Content belongs

    to¡° ¡°

    ¡®I''m Emelie Hoven, the other person involved is Jeremy Ramsey, and the witness is Cindy Mitchell. We''re at Cloudex Corporation, 19th floor.

    ¡°Yes, both Cindy and I are here, waiting for you to arrive.

    Her conversation on the phone was loud enough for her colleagues to hear.

    They gathered around, asking what was going on and why the police were called

    William and Jayden came over at that exact moment. William''s eyes locked onto Emelie.

    ¡°What''s going on?¡±

    Emelie shrugged. ¡°Cindy said Mr. Ramsey spiked my drink, so I figured I¡¯d better call the police.

 Chapter 67

    Chapter 67

    Chapter 67 Little Bunny

    William''s expression quickly turned cold. ¡°When did this happen?¡±

    Emelie replied calmly. ¡°She said it wasst night.¡±

    Last night, Emelie was indeed ¡°vited.¡± But when it came to whether it was Jeremy or not, nob*dy knew better than William.

    He turned to Cindy. ¡°What did you see?¡±

    ¡° Cindy''s face paled as she stuttered. She finally realized Emelle wasn¡¯t joking.

    In a panic, she blurted out, ¡°Emelie! What nonsense are you spouting?¡±

    Emelie replied, ¡°How is it nonsense? Didn''t you vividly describe to our colleagues what supposedly happened between me and Mr. Ramsey?

    ¡°You painted such a vivid picture with all the details. However, I don''t remember anything. But since my colleagues believe you, naturally, I do, too.¡±

    Cindy never imagined that Emelie would handle it this

    S way,

    Rumors would usually spread like wildfire, making it impossible for the victims to clear their names.

    Even if they attempted to exin, some people would still remain skeptical

    Cindy''s intent was to tarnish Emelie''s reputation.

    She had even prepared herself for a confrontation if Emelie came to her. But she never expected Emelie to involve the police directly.

    The situation quickly went from Emelie needing to defend herself against false usations to one where

    Cindy had to prove something that never even happened.

    ¡°But how on earth could she possibly prove something that never urred?¡± Cindy wondered.

    Involving the police turned the situation from mere gossip into a serious matter.

    Emelie¡¯s eyes now held a simr coldness andck of empathy as William''s as she watched Cindy¡¯s panic

    unfold.

    ¡°It''s not just me. Other colleagues, heard it. too. You imed to have solid evidence, so when the police

    arrived, you better hand it over.

    ¡°That includes where Mr. Ramsey got the drugs, how he slipped them into my drink, how he passed it to me, and which hotel he took me to. Everythin

    However, Cindy had no evidence to support her ims.

    She looked nervously at William. She was expecting him to step in and help.

    With his hands tucked behind his back, William¡¯s lips formed a slight smile.

    Chapter 67 Lite Bunny

    ¡°Well, let''s see the evidence first.¡±

    Emelie shot him a quick nce.

    William knew just what happenedst night. He knew Cindy was spreading rumors

    But since Emeile had already called the police, he didn''t feel the need to intervene.

    Cindy never thought things would blow up like this, to the point where even William got dragged in

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this just gossip?¡± she thought.

    Watching things get serious, she genuinely panicked and stuttered, "N¡ªno, it''s not true! I didn¡¯t see anything.

    ¡°I just heard you went to the hotel with Mr. Ramsey. I don¡¯t know anything else. Please don''t falsely use

    me!¡±

    ¡°How am I falsely using you? Didn¡¯t the rumors start with you?¡± Emelie smirked. ¡°Everyone here can testify to that.¡±

    Her colleagues nodded in agreement.

    Emelie forted¡± Cindy, saying, ¡°Ms. Mitchell, don¡¯t be afraid. Just because Mr. Ramsey is our business partner doesn''t mean you can¡¯t tell the truth

    ¡°As long as what you say is true, justice will prevail.¡±

    William nodded.

    ¡°Even if your revtion damages our partnership and results in Cloudex Corporation losing millions in investments, I won''t hold you ountable.

    William and Emelie¡¯s words left Cindy feeling weak, causing her to slump into her chair.

    The idea of ruining the partnership and causing millions in losses weighed heavily on her.

    She quickly got up again and hurried over to Emelie.

    ¡°You-you need to call the police and tell them it was all a mistake! There wasn¡¯t any drugging! Nothing went down!

    ¡°I made it all up because I was pissed at you for lying to me. It wasn¡¯t real. I-I can''t handle thepany¡¯s losses!¡±

    ¡°So it was just a rumor.¡± The colleagues watching whispered among themselves.

    They were amazed at how convincingly Cindy spoke. They nearly bought into it.

    Jayden subtly clenched his fist, trying to hide a smirk at the corner of his lips.

    *Ms. Hoven sure knows how to deal with these rumors.¡±

    She even managed to make the user suffer the consequences

    Chapter 67 Line Bunny

    William raised an eyebrow. ¡°Is she really that good?¡±

    Jayden chuckled. "Maybe it''s because she¡¯s always been so obedient in your presence, so you think she¡¯s just a harmless little bunny.¡±

    Cindy struggled desperately, her

    words tu tumbling out Incoherently.¡°..

    you... You were with Mr. Ramsey ¡®at

    the hotelst night! It¡¯s reasonable

    forme to assume that! Coritent

    belongs to  ~~

    ¡®Ir you weren''t, then tell me, what were you doing at the hotelst night? Come on, say something!

    Emelie didn¡¯t even bother responding

    William stayed silent, too. He knew.

    all too well that Emelle, who had just

    calmly ¡®and decisively countered. the

    rumors, was in his armsst night.

    William absentmindedly rubbed his hands behind his back.

    The police brought Jeremy along, and he looked totally lost.

    Emelie stuck to her story¡ªCindy imed she had a thing with Jeremy, but Emelie couldn''t recall any of it

    Emelie dared Cindy to provide proof, arguing that if Cindy said it happened, then it must have been because Jeremy drugged her.

    Jeremy erupted in anger. He wanted to lunge forward and p Cindy again, but the police held him back just in time.

    The police stepped in, speaking firmly, ¡°Alright, what''s going on here? Give us the whole story!

    ¡°And you, youngdy, do you realize that spreading rumors can lead to legal consequences?¡±

    Cindy couldn''t hold back her emotions anymore.

    She broke down in tears, dropping to her knees before Emelie.

    ¡°I''m sorry! I''m sorry! It was all my fault for spreading those lies! I know I messed up! I won''t do it again, I swear!Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    Enjoy Ad-Free Reading

 Chapter 68

    Chapter 68

    Chapter 68 Jealousy

    Chapter 68 Jealousy

    The 19th floor was bustling today, filled with employees from Cloudex Corporation.

    The police arrived with hotel surveince footage. They confirmed Jeremy and Emelie''s presence at the salon event in the hotel banquet hallst nigh

    Jeremy left much earlier than Emelle, so it was evident that there was no chance of anything happening between them.

    It was apparent that Cindy was the one spreading rumors.

    Feeling like a cornered animal, Cindy insisted, ¡°Keep watching! Emelie¡¯s definitely hiding something!

    ¡°I mean, she lives right in Capebatt City. Why would she stay at the hotelte at night? There¡¯s gotta be a

    reason.

    ¡°And even if it wasn¡¯t Mr. Ramsey, it could¡¯ve been someone else!¡±

    If the footage kept rolling, it would show William leading Emelie upstairs.

    Emelie maintained a poker face.

    ¡°As long as we prove you''re spreading rumors, that¡¯s all that matters. Whether or not I left the hotel is none of your business.¡±

    Cindy gritted her teeth. ¡°You''re guilty as sin! Keep watching, everyone! Let''s see what she¡¯s hiding!¡±

    As Emelie contemted how to handle the situation, William intervened.

    ¡°The matter¡¯s been rified. Let''s call it a day.¡±

    With his words, the onlookers scattered and no longer dared to stick around.

    The lunchtime chatter among Cloudex Corporation employees took a surprising turn.

    What started as talk about Emelie''s rumored ¡°affair¡¯ had now shifted to discussions about Cindy spreading false rumors.

    It was aplete reversal of topics.

    But Emelie wasn''t willing to just let it go. She asked the police, ¡°What''s the next step? Surely it¡¯s not just a matter of a verbal warning?"

    The police hesitated. ¡°Usually, we try to mediate...¡±

    Emelie cut them off, saying, ¡°I won''t settle for mediation.¡±

    The police exined, ¡°For serious cases of defamation, the offender could be detained for up to five days

    Cindy''s face went pale.

    Just a moment ago, she was confident, but now she was on the verge of tears.

    Chapter 68 Jealers

    ¡°Please, Ms. Hoven. I promise I won''t do it again. Please don''t let the police arrest me, don¡¯t detain me. If I get a record, I''ll struggle to find a job.

    ¡®I''ve just graduated. I still have a future. Please, show some mercy, Ms. Hoven...¡±

    Emelie responded with a hint of amusement, ¡°Why do you need to find a job? Didn''t Mr. Middleton already rehire you?"

    William nced at her. ¡°Cloudex Corporation can''t tolerate employees who spread rumors and defame others.¡±

    In other words, William wasn¡¯t going to defend Cindy this time.

    The police took Cindy back to the station for further questioning.

    In a moment of utter despair, as she was dragged away. Cindy turned to Emelie and cried out, ¡°Emelie! You¡¯ve ruined my life! I hate you!

    Emelie shook her head with a wry smile.

    The one who agreed to fire Cindy initially was William, and it was also William who praised Cindy as a hero when he rehired her.

    Yet now, it was William who was spearheading her dismissal from thepany once again.

    Despite this, Cindy¡¯s resentment was solely aimed at Emelie.

    William nced at Emelie. ¡°After causing so much drama, are you happy now?¡±

    Emelie countered, ¡°How was it me causing all the drama? Should I just sit back and endure false usations?¡±

    William remarked, ¡°I''ve never seen you so sharp¡ªtongued before

    ¡°If she wasn''t sharp¡ªtongued, how else could she defend herself?¡± Emelie wondered.

    Even if she went around exining to everyone one by one, there would still be doubters.

    It was better to make a big fuss, turning gossip into news headlines so she could clear her namepletely.

    Emelie took a deep breath and spoke slowly, ¡°Mr. Middleton, please don¡¯t act like you know me so well.

    With that, she turned and walked back to her desk.

    Jayden walked up to William. ¡°Are you impressed by her gutsy move?

    William averted his gaze and stepped into his office

    ¡°Now that she has vented her frustrations, my n is ruined.¡±

    Jayden inquired, ¡°Your n?¡±

    ¡°Cindy was ying both sides and had connections with Mr. Ramsey''s brother. I was hoping to see if I could leverage her connections to dig up somet

    ¡°But now, all thanks to this woman, it''s all gone to waste.¡±

    But Jayden sensed there was more to William¡¯s frustration and gave him a closer look. ¡°So why did you

    back her up

    earlier?¡±

    William didn''t see it that way. Emelie was with himst night, not Jeremy.

    He wasnt in the habit of being cuckolded

    Jayden added casually, ¡°But Ms. Hoven has been getting close to Vertex Capital Holdingstely. I have

    at feeling she¡¯s seriously thinking about resigning.

    William sipped his coffee, absentmindedly rubbing a faint red mark on his neck. It was a bite mark from Emeliest night

    He chuckled, ¡°Why do you think she¡¯s so keen on getting rid of Cindy?¡±

    Jayden paused, catching the tone. ¡°Because... jealousy?¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    ¡°What else could it be?¡± William thought.

    But Jayden wasn''t entirely sold on the idea.

    William handed Jayden a cup of coffee, which he epted.

    ¡°Anyway, let''s change the subject. I won''t be able to make it to the cruise party hosted by the Grahams Elias is going, and you''re going too, right?¡± Jay

    ¡°Yeah,¡± William confirmed with a nod.

    Jayden took a sip of his coffee and casually added. ¡°I wonder if Wesley¡¯s back yet? I remember you two went to the same high school.

    ¡®I heard he went abroad because he couldn''t handle a girl whe was relentlessly pursuing him.¡±

    He chuckled at the story, finding it amusing.

    However, Jayden didn¡¯t notice the sharp, cold look in William¡¯s eyes when Wesley''s name was mentioned.

    Chapter 68 Jealousy

    The 19th floor was bustling today, filled with employees from Cloudex Corporation.

    The police arrived with hotel surveince footage. They confirmed Jeremy and Emelle''s presence at the salon event in the hotel banquet hallst nigh

    Jeremy left much earlier than Emelle, so it was evident that there was no chance of anything happening

    between them.

    It was apparent that Cindy was the one spreading rumors.

    Feeling like aered animal, Cindy insisted, ¡°Keep watching! Emelle¡¯s definitely hiding something!

    ¡°I mean, she lives right in Capebatt City. Why would she stay at the hotelte at night? There''s gotta be a

    reason

    ¡°And even if it wasn¡¯t Mr. Ramsey, it could¡¯ve been someone else!¡±

    If the footage kept rolling, it would show William leading Emelie upstairs.

    Emelie maintained a poker face.

    ¡°As long as we prove you''re spreading rumors, that¡¯s all that matters. Whether or not I left the hotel is

    none of your business.¡±

    Cindy gritted her teeth. ¡°You''re guilty as sin! Keep watching, everyone! Let''s see what she¡¯s hiding!¡±

    As Emelie contemted how to handle the situation, William intervened.

    ¡°The matter¡¯s been rified. Let''s call it a day.

    With his words, the onlookers scattered and no longer dared to stick around.

    The lunchtime chatter among Cloudex Corporation employees took a surprising turn.

    What started as talk about Emelie''s rumored ¡°affair¡¯ had now shifted to discussions about Cindy spreading false rumors.

    It was aplete reversal of topics.

    But Emelie wasn''t willing to just let it go. She asked the police, ¡°What''s the next step? Surely it¡¯s not just a matter of a verbal warning?¡±

    The police hesitated. ¡°Usually, we try to mediate...¡±

    Emelie cut them off, saying, ¡°I won''t settle for mediation.¡±

    The police exined, ¡°For serious cases of defamation, the offender could be detained for up to five days

    Cindy''s face went pale.

    Just a moment ago, she was confident, but now she was on the verge of tears.

    William''s expression quickly turned cold. ¡°When did this happen?¡±

    Emelie replied calmly, ¡°She said it wasst night.¡±

    Last night, Emelie was indeed ¡®vited.¡± But when it came to whether it was Jeremy or not, nob*dy knew

    better than William.

    He turned to Cindy. ¡°What did you see?¡±

    .¡± Cindy''s face paled as she stuttered. She finally realized Emelie wasn''t joking.

    In a panic, she blurted out, ¡°Emelie! What nonsense are you spouting?¡±

    Emelie replied, ¡°How is it nonsense? Didn''t you vividly describe to our colleagues what supposedly happened between me and Mr. Ramsey?

    ¡°You painted such a vivid picture with all the details. However, I don''t remember anything. But since my colleagues believe you, naturally, I do, too.¡±

    Cindy never imagined that Emelie would handle it this way.

    Rumors would usually spread like wildfire, making it impossible for the victims to clear their names.

    Even if they attempted to exin, some people would still remain skeptical

    Cindy''s intent was to tarnish Emelie''s reputation:

    She had even prepared herself for a confrontation if Emelie came to her. But she never expected Emelie to involve the police directly.

    The situation quickly went from Emelie needing to defend herself against false usations to one where Cindy had to prove something that never ev

    ¡°But how on earth could she possibly prove something that never urred?¡± Cindy wondered.

    Involving the police turned the situation from mere gossip into a serious matter.

    Emelie¡¯s eyes now held a simr coldness andck of empathy as William''s as she watched Cindy¡¯s panic unfold.

    ¡°It''s not just me. Other colleagu¨¦s heard it. too. You imed to have solid evidence, so when the police. arrived, you better hand it over.

    ¡®That includes where Mr. Ramsey ~~

    got the drugs, how he slipped therm

    into my. ¡®drink, how he passed itto

    me, and which hotel he took, me to.

    Everything needs to be exined.¡±

    However, Cindy had no evidence to support her ims.

    She looked nervously at William. She was expecting him to step in and help.

    With his hands tucked behind his back, William¡¯s lips formed a slight smile.

    ¡°Well, let''s see the evidence first.¡±

    Emelie shot him a quick nce.

    William knew just what happenedst night. He knew Cindy was spreading rumors

    But since Emcile had already called the police, he didn''t feel the need to intervene.

    Cindy never thought things would blow up like this, to the point where even William got dragged in

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this just gossip?¡± she thought.

    Watching things get serious, she genuinely panicked and stuttered, "N¡ªno, it''s not true! I didn¡¯t see anything

    ¡°I just heard you went to the hotel with Mr. Ramsey. I don¡¯t know anything else. Please don''t falsely use me!¡±

    ¡°How am I falsely using you? Didn¡¯t the rumors start with you?¡± Emelie smirked. ¡°Everyone here can testify to that.¡±

    Her colleagues nodded in agreement.

    Emelie forted¡± Cindy, saying, ¡°Ms. Mitchell, don¡¯t be afraid. Just because Mr. Ramsey is our business partner doesn''t mean you can¡¯t tell the truth

    ¡°As long as what you say is true, justice will prevail.¡±

    William nodded.

    ¡°Even if your revtion damages our partnership and results in Cloudex Corporation losing millions in investments, I won''t hold you ountable.

    William and Emelie¡¯s words left Cindy feeling weak, causing her to slump into her chair.

    The idea of ruining the partnership and causing millions in losses weighed heavily on her.

    She quickly got up again and hurried over to Emelie.

    ¡°You-you need to call the police and tell them it was all a mistake! There wasn¡¯t any drugging! Nothing went down!

    ¡°I made it all up because I was pissed at you for lying to me. It wasn¡¯t real. I-I can''t handle thepany¡¯s losses!¡±

    ¡°So it was just a rumor,¡± The colleagues watching whispered among themselves. They were amazed at how convincingly Cindy spoke. They nearly be

    Jayden subtly clenched his fist, trying to hide a smirk at the corner of his lips.

    ¡°Ms. Hoven sure knows how to deal with these rumors."

    She even managed to make the user suffer the consequences

    y.

    William raised an eyebrow. ¡°Is she really that good?"

    Jayden chuckled. "Maybe it''s because she¡¯s always been so obedient in your presence, so you think she¡¯s just a hamless little bunny.¡±

    Cindy struggled desperately, her

    words tumbling out incoherently,

    you... you were with Mr. Ramsey ¡®at

    the hotelst night! It¡¯s reasanable

    for. me to assume that! Coritent

    belongs to  ~~

    ¡®Ir you weren''t, then tell me, what were you doing at the hotelst night? Come on, say something!"

    Emelie didn¡¯t even bother responding

    William stayed silent, too. He knew all too well that Emelle, whe had just calmly and decisively countered

    the rumors, was in his armsst night.

    William absentmindedly rubbed his hands behind his back.

    The police brought Jeremy along, and he looked totally lost.

    Emelie stuck to her story¡ªCindy imed she had a thing with Jeremy, but Emelie couldn''t recall any of it.

    Emelie dared Cindy to provide proof, arguing that if Cindy said it happened, then it must have been because Jeremy drugged her.

    Jeremy erupted in anger. He wanted to lunge forward and p Cindy again, but the police held him back just in time.

    The police stepped in, speaking firmly. ¡°Alright, what''s going on here? Give us the whole story!

    ¡°And you, youngdy, do you realize that spreading rumors can lead to legal consequences?¡±

    Cindy couldn''t hold back her emotions anymore.

    She broke down in tears, dropping to her knees before Emelie.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I''m sorry! It was all my fault for spreading those lies! I know I messed up! I won¡¯t do it again, I

    swear!

    Chapter 68 Jealousy

    Chapter 68 JealousyContent rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    The 19th floor was bustling today, filled with employees from Cloudex Corporation.

    The police arrived with hotel surveince footage. They confirmed Jeremy and Emelie''s presence at the salon event in the hotel banquet hallst nigh

    Jeremy left much earlier than Emelle, so it was evident that there was no chance of anything happening between them.

    It was apparent that Cindy was the one spreading rumors.

    Feeling like a cornered animal, Cindy insisted, ¡°Keep watching! Emelie¡¯s definitely hiding something!

    ¡°I mean, she lives right in Capebatt City. Why would she stay at the hotelte at night? There¡¯s gotta be a

    reason.

    ¡°And even if it wasn¡¯t Mr. Ramsey, it could¡¯ve been someone else!¡±

    If the footage kept rolling, it would show William leading Emelie upstairs.

    Emelie maintained a poker face.

    ¡°As long as we prove you''re spreading rumors, that¡¯s all that matters. Whether or not I left the hotel is none of your business.¡±

    Cindy gritted her teeth. ¡°You''re guilty as sin! Keep watching, everyone! Let''s see what she¡¯s hiding!¡±

    As Emelie contemted how to handle the situation, William intervened.

    ¡°The matter¡¯s been rified. Let''s call it a day.¡±

    With his words, the onlookers scattered and no longer dared to stick around.

    The lunchtime chatter among Cloudex Corporation employees took a surprising turn.

    What started as talk about Emelie''s rumored ¡°affair¡¯ had now shifted to discussions about Cindy spreading false rumors.

    It was aplete reversal of topics.

    But Emelie wasn''t willing to just let it go. She asked the police, ¡°What''s the next step? Surely it¡¯s not just a matter of a verbal warning?"

    The police hesitated. ¡°Usually, we try to mediate...¡±

    Emelie cut them off, saying, ¡°I won''t settle for mediation.¡±

    The police exined, ¡°For serious cases of defamation, the offender could be detained for up to five days

    Cindy''s face went pale.

    Just a moment ago, she was confident, but now she was on the verge of tears.

    Chapter 68 Jealers

    ¡°Please, Ms. Hoven. I promise I won''t do it again. Please don''t let the police arrest me. don¡¯t detain me. If I get a record, I''ll struggle to find a job.

    ¡®I''ve just graduated. I still have a future. Please, show some mercy, Ms. Hoven...¡±

    Emelie responded with a hint of amusement, ¡°Why do you need to find a job? Didn¡¯t Mr. Middleton already rehire you?"

    William nced at her. ¡°Cloudex Corporation can''t tolerate employees who spread rumors and defame others.¡±

    In other words, William wasn¡¯t going to defend Cindy this time.

    The police took Cindy back to the station for further questioning.

    In a moment of utter despair, as she was dragged away. Cindy turned to Emelie and cried out, ¡°Emelie! You¡¯ve ruined my life! I hate you!

    Emelie shook her head with a wry smile.

    The one who agreed to fire Cindy initially was William, and it was also William who praised Cindy as a hero when he rehired her.

    Yet now, it was William who was spearheading her dismissal from thepany once again.

    Despite this, Cindy¡¯s resentment was solely aimed at Emelie.

    William nced at Emelie. ¡°After causing so much drama, are you happy now?¡±

    Emelie countered, ¡°How was it me causing all the drama? Should I just sit back and endure false usations?¡±

    William remarked, ¡°I''ve never seen you so sharp¡ªtongued before

    ¡°If she wasn''t sharp¡ªtongued, how else could she defend herself?¡± Emelie wondered.

    Even if she went around exining to everyone one by one, there would still be doubters.

    It was better to make a big fuss, turning gossip into news headlines so she could clear her namepletely.

    Emelie took a deep breath and spoke slowly, ¡°Mr. Middleton, please don''t act like you know me so well.

    With that, she turned and walked back to her desk.

    Jayden walked up to William. ¡°Are you impressed by her gutsy move?¡¯

    William averted his gaze and stepped into his office

    ¡°Now that she has vented her frustrations, my n is ruined.¡±

    Jayden inquired, ¡°Your n?¡±

    ¡°Cindy was ying both sides and had connections with Mr. Ramsey¡¯s brother. I was hoping to see if I could leverage her connections to dig up somet

    Chapter 68 dealisty

    ¡°But now, all thanks to this woman, it''s all gone to waste.¡±

    But Jayden sensed there was more to William¡¯s frustration and gave him a closer look. ¡°So why did you

    back her up

    earlier?¡±

    William didn''t see it that way. Emelie was with himst night, not Jeremy.

    He wasnt in the habit of being cuckolded

    Jayden added casually, ¡°But Ms. Hoven has been getting close to Vertex Capital Holdingstely. I have

    at feeling she¡¯s seriously thinking about resigning.

    William sipped his coffee, absentmindedly rubbing a faint red mark on his neck. It was a bite mark from Emeliest night

    He chuckled, ¡°Why do you think she¡¯s so keen on getting rid of Cindy?¡±

    Jayden paused, catching the tone. ¡°Because... jealousy?¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    ¡°What else could it be?¡± William thought.

    But Jayden wasn''t entirely sold on the idea.

    William handed Jayden a cup of coffee, which he epted.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± William confirmed with a nod.

    Jayden took a sip of his coffee and casually added. ¡°Il wonder if Wesley¡¯s back yet? I remember you two went to the same high school.

    ¡®I heard he went abroad because he couldn''t handle a girl who was relentlessly pursuing him.¡±

    He chuckled at the story, finding it amusing.

    However, Jayden didn¡¯t notice the sharp, cold look in William''s eyes when Wesley''s name was mentioned.

 Chapter 69

    Chapter 69

    Chapter 69 Who''s In Charge Here

    Emelie returned to her desk, where her colleagues gathered around to console her or apologize for believing Cindy¡¯s words too easily.

    Emelie reassured them that it was fine.

    However, contrary to her typical behavior, Mnie remained alone at her desk.

    Looking down, she seemed visibly upset.

    She had rushed to debunk the rumors for Emelle.

    She even dispatched her butler to retrieve surveince footage from the hotel-yes, she was one step ahead of the police in obtaining that footage.

    But much to her surprise, the footage revealed William with Emelie, the two entering an elevator and heading upstairs to a room

    Aman and a woman entering a hotel room¡ªwell, even the most naive could imagine what might happen next.

    Mnie couldn''t help but feel like Emelie had betrayed her.

    After all, it was Emelie who had brought her into William¡¯s circle, ying the matchmaker between them.

    How could Emelie treat her like this?

    It felt like stealing a best friend¡¯s boyfriend.

    Emelie didn¡¯t notice Mnie''s change in mood

    Seeing Jayden leave, she promptly got up and headed into the CEO''s office.

    ¡°Mr. Middleton, I need to take a few days off,¡± she said.

    William raised an eyebrow. ¡°And why¡¯s that?

    Emelie remainedposed.

    ¡°Today''s events have really taken a toll on my mental well-being. I think I need some time off to see a doctor.

    William, of course, saw right through her excuse.

    Twirling his pen, he looked at her for a moment before saying, "Going to see a doctor for psychological issues might not be the best solution

    ¡°Actually, I just got invited to a three-day cruise party. Join me, rx, and you''ll probably feel better much

    sooner.

    Emelie declined, suggesting, "Mr. Middleton, perhaps Ms. Swanson could apany you instead.¡± William''s

    tone was straightforward as he said, ¡°Who''s in charge here? You or me? I want you toe with

    Chapter 69 Witos in Charo

    1. me. Any problem with that?¡±

    Emelie was confused

    He hadn''t brought her along to any events in a while.

    She couldn''t help but wonder why he suddenly changed his mind in thest three days before the end of her contract, but she had no choice but to ag

    Leaving the CEO''s office, Emelie spotted Mnie and called out, ¡°Ms. Swanson...¡±

    But Mnie didn''t even look her way and just kept walking.

    Emelie was left a little surprised.

    Someone like William wouldn''t simply waste three days on a leisure trip.

    This cruise was also a business affair.

    It was organized by an industry insider with the goal of promoting professionalworking and advancing industry development.

    CEOS attending had more than just scheduled activities.

    They could freely exchange ideas and conduct transactions. lt once set a three-day transaction record of

    50 billion dors.

    That afternoon, Emelie and William boarded the ship together.

    An evening charity auction awaited them

    Emelie had originally worn her usual work attire. But William insisted she change, emphasizing that she

    was going as his date, not just his secretary.

    So, she reluctantly changed into a ssy white sundress.

    It caught the eyes of many guests as they walked in, with William casually draping his arm around her

    waist.

    Throughout the event, Emelie yed the role of William''spanion perfectly.

    She stood by his side as he mingled with other executives.

    She stayed quiet and attentive, only"

    speaking when spoken to, fully

    embracing her role as the decorative

    Gontent belongs to swnevel

    arm candy for the night.

    Out of the blue, William leaned over and asked Emelie, ¡°You like it?¡±

    Emelie was a bit puzzled. ¡°Huh? What are you referring to?¡±

    William gestured with his chin toward the stage.

    Emelie looked over and saw a diamond ne up for auction.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Lost in thought. she had been gazing at it absentmindedly, and William assumed she liked it.

    Chapter 69 who''s in Charn Here

    Emelie quickly responded, ¡°No, I was just lost in thought.

    Despite Emelie''s exnation, William persisted, ¡°I''ll bid on it for you if you fancy it.

    ¡°Mr. Middleton, I really don''t like it,¡± Emelle insisted.

    Ignoring Emelie¡¯s exnations and objections, William went ahead and raised his paddle.

    Another CEO also had his sights set on the ne and joined in the bidding war against William

    The two went back and forth until they drove the price to unprecedented heights.

    Emelie squeezed William''s hand. ¡°Mr. Middleton! I really don¡¯t want this ne!

    ¡°Do you think I can¡¯t even afford to give you a ne?¡± William replied calmly.

    Emelie bit her lip and whispered, ¡°It''s not about whether you can afford it...¡±

    It was simply that she never wanted the ne to begin with

    William was relentless in his pursuit of the ne.

    He entered into a fierce bidding war with the other CEO.

    Their back-and-forth quickly became the main event of the auction, drawing attention and sparking

    conversations among the attendees.

    In his understated yet sophisticated ck suit with silver ents, William remainedposed and

    unruffled despite the escting bids.

    Emelie slowly caught on to his intentions and stopped trying to interfere.

    She understood that he wasn¡¯t bidding for her sake.

    In the end, William''s deep pockets secured the ne at a price ten times its starting bid.

    Without batting an eye, William smoothly signed the paperwork handed to him by the staff.

    Then, he picked up the ne and draped it around Emelie¡¯s neck.

    With a subtle grin, he remarked, ¡°It,

    looks nice on you. There¡¯s a g

    tometrow night. Pair it with.@ dress

    and apany me.¡±

 Chapter 70

    Chapter 70

    Chapter 70 Sult Yourself

    Emelie extended her hand to touch the ne and nodded.

    It wasn''t actually about giving her a gift.

    It

    It was William''s way of quickly making a name for himself, ensuring the other CEOs aboard the cruise

    knew who he was and were aware of the capabilities of Cloudex Corporation.

    Simply put, she ended up being his tool again.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    She was nothing but a tool for him to show off his status

    Samuel looked away and casually took a sip of his cocktail.

    His friend, Nathan, raised an eyebrow. "Are you interested in that diamond ne, too? You seemed quite focused on it.¡±

    Samuel smiled. ¡°Yeah, it caught my attention.

    Nathan continued, "Really? Then why didn¡¯t you join the bidding earlier?

    ¡°Wasn''t that William Middleton from the Middleton family? They''ve got quite a reputation, especiallytely.

    ¡°But the Swansons from Weston aren''t exactly behind either. If you really wanted that diamond ne, you could have given him a run for his mone

    Samuel chuckled, ¡°No worries, there¡¯s always tomorrow.¡±

    Nathan nced at him, then turned his gaze to William and Emelie, as if he had figured something out.

    ¡°You''re not eyeing the diamond ne, are you? You''re interested in the person wearing it.¡±

    Samuel remainedposed. ¡°Let''s not jump to conclusions and tarnish anyone¡¯s reputation

    Nathan shook his head, feeling nostalgic

    ¡°If you''re truly into her, just mention it back home. They''ll be thrilled to wee her as your wife.

    ¡°After all these years, your family has been waiting for this moment to happen.¡±

    Samuel smiled but said nothing.

    Lost in their conversation, they failed to notice Elias sitting behind them, who managed to pick up most

    of what they were saying.

    When William got up to use the restroom, Elias followed suit.

    ¡°Hey, Will.¡±

    William nced back, and they both made their way to the restroom

    ¡°When did you and Samuel start having issues?¡± Elias asked

    Chapter 76 Sun Yourself

    ¡°Samuel?¡± William said, ¡°We don''t.¡±

    ¡°I just overheard him saying he¡¯s into Ms. Hoven,¡± Elias Insisted

    William''s expression darkened briefly, but he smirked dismissively. ¡°If he¡¯s got the guts, he can try.¡±

    Since Elias left early, he missed out on Nathan''s subsequent advice to Samuel: "But hey, don¡¯t take things. too seriously on this ship.

    ¡°YOu might be new here, but I¡¯m sure

    you''ve heard the rumors, right? Its

    pretty mon for people to switch

    companions behind the scenes.¡±

    Samuel furrowed his brows.

    ¡°The women brought onto this ship are basically up for grabs. William must be aware of this unspoken

    rule.

    ¡°If he¡¯s okay with bringing that woman aboard, it probably means she¡¯s not from a high-ss background.

    ¡°She doesn''t meet the Swansons¡¯ standards.¡±

    Nathan shrugged casually. "So, maybe it''s better to just have some fun with her here instead of taking things too seriously.

    The auction finished up around 10:00 pm, signaling the start of the cruise as the ship set sail from the dock

    Emelie and William were shown to their room by a steward.

    Their suite could rival any five-star hotel. It featured a spacious living room and dining area but with just one bedroom and a double bed.

    Oddly enough, several boxes of ~~

    condoms were prominently

    disyed on the bedside tablet

    was.as if they were deemed

    essential for the room''s oc¨¦upant

    Emelie remainedposed. ¡°Mr. Middleton, I''ll just sleep on the couch.¡±

    William loosened his tie. He was unimpressed by her attempt to dodge the situation

    ¡°You haven''t shared a bed with me before?¡±

    Emelie held her breath, ¡°Mr. Middleton, as I''ve mentioned, that night at the hotel would be thest time.¡±

    William gave her a wry smile. ¡°Are you overconfident? Or do you just not trust me?¡±

    Emelie paused for a moment before responding, ¡°I don''t trust myself. I''m worried I might do something to offend you

    ¡°Will that be enough of an answer, Mr. Middleton?¡±

    William looked at her coldly for a few seconds before responding. ¡°Suit yourself.¡±

    He went straight into the bedroom. The door mmed shut behind him

    Fortunately, the suite had two bathrooms.

    Chapter 70 Sant

    If Emelie couldn''t get into the master bedroom, she could still use the other bathroom to freshen up.

    Emelie carefully removed the diamond ne and ran her fingers over its surface.

    Despite herck of expertise in jewelry, she could tell it was a top¡ªquality plece just by its feel.

    She certainly wouldn''t consider it a gift from William. She was just borrowing it and intended to give it back once they got off the ship.

    The couch proved to be quitefortable. Emeliey down, covered herself with a light nket. and closed her eyes.

    As William came out to pour himself a drink, he noticed she was already fast asleep.

    The nket had slipped off onto the plush carpet beneath her.

 CHAPTER 71

    Chapter 71 Nowhere to Run

    Upon seeing Emelie in her long pants and long¨Csleeved pure cotton pajamas, William couldn¡¯t help but wonder whom she was guarding <b>against</b>.

    But as luck would have it, her tossing and turning during sleep caused the buttons on her pajamas toe undone, revealing a glimpse of her

    corbone.

    She

    didn¡¯t seem to realize that the more she covered herself up, the more William feltpelled to tear it all off and see what was

    As William pondered over something, he returned to his room after finishing his drink.

    In the middle of the night, Emelie woke up feeling cold.

    underneath.

    She realized her nket had slipped onto the floor. She reached <b>for </b>another thin shirt to put on and covered herself <b>back </b>up with the nket.

    Despite this, when moming arrived, Emelie <b>found </b>herself still feeling groggy

    But afterpleting her moming routine, the foggy sensation in her head began to clear significantly.

    As she stepped out of the bathroom, Emelie spotted William already seated in the dining room, enjoying his breakfast

    ¡°Mr. Middleton, do we happen to have a first aid kit in the room?¡± she asked.

    She wanted to take some cold medicine just in case.

    ¡°No, but you can ask a steward if you need anything.¡± William replied, ncing up at her. ¡°Feeling seasick?¡±

    Since there wasn¡¯t one avable in the room, she didn¡¯t want to hassle a steward, figuring it wasn¡¯t a big deal.

    ¡°Nah, I¡¯m good. It¡¯s nothing¡± She shrugged off the concem.

    Emelie quietly sat down for breakfast while William finished eating first. After taking a <b>sip </b>of his coffee, he nced out the window at the deep

    blue sea.

    ¡°Did you bring your swimsuit?¡± he asked

    Emelie looked up from her te, slightly surprised.

    ¡°No. Are we nning to swim? Isn¡¯t it a bit risky being so far from the shore? This seems like open water.¡±

    ¡°The heart of the <b>sea </b>is where all the excitement is. <b>There¡¯s </b>nowhere to run,¡± William remarked cryptically, his words carrying an unsettling

    <b>Long</b>

    Emelie¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she felt a sudden wave of unease.

    ¡°Since you don¡¯t have a swimsuit, just wear whatever. We¡¯re all going jet skiingter,¡± he <b>said</b>.

    Emelie pursed her lips. ¡°But I don¡¯t know how.¡±

    ¡°Then, leam.¡± William¡¯s gaze was intense and prating. ¡°Don¡¯t ruin everyone¡¯s fun.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Emelie reluctantly agreed.

    Emelie¡¯s intuition was usually spot on. She couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something was off about William suddenly inviting her to the

    banquet.

    After all, he hadn¡¯t taken her to any business or private events for almost half a year.

    When things seemed out of the ordinary, Emelie knew there <b>was </b>likely something more to it, and she became vignt

    In the end, she opted for a conservative outfit,

    She wore a ck, sunproof, waterproof wetsuityered with <b>a </b>white short¨Csleeved T¨Cshirt and ck shorts.

    While she was fully covered, the other women riding jet skis were in bikinis.

    As they embraced the strong winds, crashing waves, and <b>elerating </b>speed, their minimal fabric seemed on the verge of being blown away.

    But <b>that </b>was exactly what it took to spark the adrenaline¨Cfueled atmosphere.

    The deck echoed with screams of excitement and cheers, punctuated by asional ribald jokes.

    To an outsider, it could easily seem like a raucous party at sea

    William nced at Emelie¡¯s attire, looking somewhat displeased. But he was busy chatting with some CEOs and didn¡¯t really have time for her. Seeing the coaches around, Emelie wondered if she should approach them to learn how to operate the jet ski Riding a jet ski on the water was a whole different experience. It <b>offered </b>her apletely unique sensation,

    Chapter 21 Nowhere to fun

    Despite her usual sharpness, Emelie struggled to master the art of bncing on the jet ski. Her attempts were in vain.

    She relied on the coach¡¯s guidance to prevent herself from tumbling into the ser

    While Emelie excelled in most endeavors, sports seemed to be her Achilles¡® heel.

    Even after the coach spent over an hour teaching her, she still couldn¡¯t get the hang of it.

    Meanwhile, others, even those who were just as new to it as she was, had already caught on.

    The coach let out a rueful chuckle.

    ¡°You¡¯re really putting me to the test,¡± he said with a wry smile, while Emelie stood there, lost for words.

    Initially uninterested in participating, William finally couldn¡¯t <b>bear </b>it any <b>longer</b>.

    He approached, dismissed the coach, and settled himself directly behind Emelie.

    ¡°Are you dumb?¡± he criticized.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie, who hadn¡¯t been called dumb since her promotion to head secretary, <b>couldn¡¯t </b>help but shoot William a defiant nce. She felt a bit offended.

    William took hold of her hands and gripped the jet ski¡¯s handlebars while pressing his chest against her back.

    It seemed like he waspletely hugging her.

    Feeling a bit ufortable, Emelie instinctively <b>tried </b>to move away from him.

    Whispering in her ear, he instructed<b>, </b>¡°Keep your legs tight and shift your weight back. Don¡¯t elerate too quickly. Gently twist the throttle like this-¡±

    In the blink of an eye<b>, </b>the jet ski roared ahead, sending a towering spray of water into the air.

    Emelie¡¯s nerves were instantly sent into overdrive.

 CHAPTER 72

    Chapter 72 Astray

    William was more skilled than Emelle¡¯s coach. He sped across the sea with Emelle.

    The sshing water made it hard for her to keep her eyes open, and her heart was racing with adrenaline.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    ¡°Having fun?¡± William asked. Noticing her excitement, he leaned down and yfully nipped at her <b>neck</b>

    Emelie flinched instinctively. But she was too caught up in the moment to react or respond.

    It was simply amazing. She was having an absolute st

    She even found herself captivated by the thellling experience of body and <b>soul </b>separation

    At that moment, her mind was empty, with only one <b>word </b>resonating from head to toe¨CEuphoria!

    ¡°<b>Wanna </b>go <b>faster</b>?¡± <b>William </b>casually asked.

    Emelle¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°We can actually go <b>faster</b>?¡±

    With a smirk, William revved the throttle, propelling them past the other jet¨Cski riders.

    The vast sea <b>weed </b>their excitement.

    Emelie couldn¡¯t contain herself any longer, letting out a scream, ¡°Woo

    William just grinned, looking somewhat indulgent.

    After over an hour of fun, they finally made their way <b>back </b>to the ship. Emelie¡¯s legs were like jelly, barely able to hold her up.

    Grabbing her arm, William smiled and whispered something in her ear..

    Still buzzing from the excitement, Emelie¡¯s ears were ringing. Staring at him nkly, she couldn¡¯t quite <b>make </b>out <b>what </b>he <b>said</b>.

    Letting her <b>go</b>, William watched as she copsed onto <b>the </b>deck.

    Emelle was too exhausted to care. She was just sitting there to recover from the thrill ninning <b>through </b>her veins.

    Elias walked over and said, ¡°You two are quite the daredevils! Watching from behind, we¡¯re worried sick you might flip your jet ski.¡±

    William shrugged it off. ¡°She wanted to have fun, so I took her out¡±

    Elias seemed to be implying something deeper when he said, ¡°Ms. Hoven, Will hasn¡¯t ridden a jet ski in years. You¡¯ve led him astray today.¡±

    As Emelie began to recover<b>, </b>she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that it was just harmless fun.

    She couldn¡¯t understand why Elias was making it sound like such a big deal.

    <b>She </b>was even thinking about enrolling in a training ss once they returned.

    She was determined to master jet skiing on her own so she could enjoy it in the future.

    ¡°Being all wet on the deck could easily give you a cold¡±

    Several people approached<b>, </b>each carrying arge towel, and handed them out to the women.

    Emelie recognized the voice and tumed <b>to </b>see¨Cit was Samuel

    He came up to her. He opened arge towel and draped it over her, then he squatted down to face her.

    ¡°Ms. Hoven, what a coincidence to see you <b>again</b><b>,</b>¡± he <b>said</b><b>, </b><b>smiling</b>.

    Wrapped in his towel, Emelie looked thoroughly drenched. Blinking at him, she asked, ¡°Mr. Swanson, what brings you here?¡±

    ¨C

    Samuel smiled. <b>¡°</b>I¡¯m here with my older brother. He said I spent too much time <b>cooped </b>up in school like a nerd and insisted on taking me out

    <b>to </b>rx.¡±

    Elias nudged William¡¯s arm, gesturing to him,

    William walked over and pulled Emelie up from the deck.

    ¡°You should head back to the room and change. There¡¯s a bunch meeting.¡±

    Feelingpletely soaked and <b>chilled</b><b>, </b>Emelie was already nning to change, so she nodded.

    She politely said <b>to </b>Samuel, ¡°Mr. Swanson<b>, </b>see youter.¡±

    ¡°Sure thing, see youter.¡±

    After Emelie left, Samuel <b>also </b>stood up and greeted William.

    ¡°Hey, Mr. <b>Middleton </b>¡±

    William responded <b>calmly</b>, ¡°Mr. Swanson, you seem pretty considerate of my secretary.¡±

    Samuel responded graciously, ¡°Ms. Hoven introduced my sister to work with you, which was really kind of her.

    ¡°Naturally, we, the Swansons, want to look out for her. By the way, I haven¡¯t properly thanked you for looking after my sister.¡±

    William waved it off, saying, ¡°There¡¯s no need for thanks.¡±

    With their contrasting personalities¨Cone reserved and the other affable¨Cthe two men faced each other without either giving way.

    Unaware of the tension between V William and Samuel, Emelie made her way back to the room.

    On the way back, she encountered several men looking at her with suggestive smiles, making her feel uneasy.

    Emelie tightened her towel, hastened her pace, and faintly overheard them saying, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of this one<b>¡­</b>¡±

    As she approached the room, she encountered two women in bikinis. Emelie instinctively stepped aside to let them pass.

    But as they brushed past each other, one of the women muttered under her breath, ¡°Slut¡±

 CHAPTER 73

    Chapter 73 Ambitious

    Emelle passed in her tracks, Looking back, she could see that the two women had disappeared around the hallway¡¯s corner.

    She didn¡¯t know them, nor hail she ever interacted with them.

    Suddenly being called a set left her uncertain if it was even directed at her

    Afterhesitating for a moment, Emelle decided not to chase after them for <b>an </b>exnation.

    Since she was new to the area, she thought it would be best to <b>avoid </b>any unnecessary trouble.

    As she made her way back to her rooms, a heavy feeling settled in her chest

    After enjoying a soothing hot shower, she changed into clean clothes and started drying her hair.

    Suddenly, she sneezed <b>a </b>few times, feeling a chill creeping through her body.

    She didn¡¯t think much of feeling a bit chilly in the moming that, it seemed she had caught a cold, probably from Jet skiing and being out in theOriginal from N?velDrama.Org.

    wind.

    Emelie touched her forehead and was relieved to find that she didn¡¯t have a lover.

    As she came out of the bathroom, she spotted <b>William </b>lounging on the living room couch.

    He was already dressed in <b>a </b>suit.

    He gestured toward the table, saying, ¡°There¡¯s water there. Finish it¡±

    Emelie walked over, puzzled. The liquid had a rich, dark color. She sniffed it and realized it was a cup of ginger tea.

    Taking a sip, she felt warmth spread from her <b>stomach </b>throughout her body.

    She couldn¡¯t help but smile, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Middleton.¡±

    William asked, ¡°How close are you and Samuel?¡±

    Emelie took a moment before answering. ¡°We¡¯ve had two meals together and had coffee once.¡±

    William sneered, ¡°And that¡¯s enough for you to introduce her sister to me<b>?</b>¡±

    Emelie held her tea and asked, ¡°Mr. Middleton, did you forget about Ms. Swanson? She pursued you before.¡±

    William genuinely couldn¡¯t recall. ¡°When did that <b>happen</b>?¡±

    ¡°It was three years ago,¡± Emelie exined.

    ¡°You attended the

    the freshmen wee party at Capebatt University as an alumnus

    ¡°You gave a speech on stage, and she was smitten with you instantly. She even tried to pursue you for a while.¡±

    William couldn¡¯t remember, ¡°What was my reaction at the time?¡±

    ¡°It seemed <b>like </b>you weren¡¯t very interested,¡± Emelic answered.

    <b>With </b>his legs crossed, William asked, ¡°If I wasn¡¯t interested back then, why would you think I am <b>now</b>?¡±

    Emelie wondered if William was saying he had no feelings for Mnie,

    She was uncertain. ¡°Aren¡¯t you two dating?¡±

    William nced at her, his tone teasing, ¡°So you¡¯ve always

    sassumed we were acti

    we <b>were </b>a couple?

    ¡°If that¡¯s what you thought, then why did you end up in bed with me that night? You¡¯re knowingly ying the role of a third wheel?¡±

    Emelie was caught off guard.

    She hadn¡¯t anticipated him saying that.

    In an instant, she felt the blood rush to her face, which then drained away, leaving her pale with shock.

    Admittedly, she wasn¡¯t exactly a saintly figure, or else she wouldn¡¯t have willingly chosen to be romantically involved with him.

    But that night, it was he who initiated the conversation about their first time together three years ago.

    It left her emotionally shattered and delenseless, and he <b>took </b>advantage of her vulnerability.

    She couldn¡¯t believe he was now turning the situation around and ridiculing her.

    Emelle felt a wave <b>of </b>coldness wash over her. Her hands <b>were </b>shaking as she held onto her tea. She was unable to find the words <b>to </b>speak.

    William hadn¡¯t expected such a strong reaction from her and decided not to tease her any further.

    Chapter 73 Artelunda

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing between me and her, so don¡¯t overthink it.¡±

    So there was nothing between William and <b>Mnie</b>, not even dating. But Emelie no longer belloved him.

    Fortunately, she would soon be able to move away from him and <b>escape </b>his maniptions.

    Emelie managed topose herself and then reconsidered,

    Putting aside Samuel¡¯s character, when it came to Mnie<b>, </b>she was just a young, naive girl.

    If she ended up getting hurt because of her involvement with this man, Emelie would feel responsible.

    ¡°If you¡¯re genuinely uninterested in Ms. Swanson, Mr. Middleton, I suggest you fire her as soon as possible,¡± she suggested.

    William seemed indifferent. ¡°Why<b>?</b>¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s here with the intention of developing a rtionship with you. If you¡¯re not interested, it¡¯s best to reject her promptly.

    ¡°Otherwise, the longer she invests, the more emotionally involved she bes, and the easier she¡¯ll be hurt.¡±

    William found that Emelie was quite good at finding excuses.

    First, she got rid of Cindy. Now, she wanted to drive away Mnie, all to have him to herself.

    William wondered why he hadn¡¯t noticed before how ambitious she was.

    But Emelie¡¯s genuine concern for him made him hesitate, William pondered whether he should <b>actually </b>let her be ¡°shared¡°.

 CHAPTER 74

    Chapter 74 Tricked

    William¡¯s gaze seemed to suggest something profound. But Emelle, feeling dizzy, unwell<b>, </b><b>and </b>burdened by heavy thoughts, wasn¡¯t in the mood to delve deeper.

    Even if he wasn¡¯t considering firing Mnie, there was nothing she could do about it.

    All she could do was subtly hint to Samuel to remind his sister not to get too emotionally invested in William.

    However, William casually mentioned, ¡°You¡¯re the head secretary.

    ¡°She works <b>under </b>you. If you think it¡¯s not working out and you want to let her go, go ahead. You don¡¯t need to consult me about these trivial

    Emelie wondered if that meant Williams agreed to fire Mnie

    William was always like this, making it hard for people to figure out what he was really thinking

    What Mnie said was actually quite true. William had the kind of allure that stirred one¡¯s desire to conquer, to witness his true self.

    However, Emelie had tried and failed miserably.

    She no longer dared to pursue his affection. All she wished for now was for him to peacefully let her g

    William got up and approached Enselie. She instinctively lifted her head as he reached out and held her chin¡­

    ¡°You¡¯re aware that Swanson Corporation and Cloudex Corporation have significant business oveps and arepetitors, don¡¯t you?

    ¡°I trust I don¡¯t need to remind you about the importance of avoiding potential conflicts of interest. Keep your distance from Samuel, got it?¡± <b>he </b><b>said</b><b>, </b>making his point clear.

    Emelie rified, ¡°Mr. Swanson and I are just friends. <b>We </b>never ta

    talk about business.

    ¡°Besides, he¡¯s a lecturer, solely focused on teaching Swanson Corporation¡¯s affairs aren¡¯t his concem.

    William shook her chin. ¡°Did he actually tell you that?¡±

    <b>¡°</b>That¡¯s i

    s just my own conclusion

    ¡°If you¡¯re concerned about Swanson Corporation essing Cloudex Corporation¡¯s trade secrets, perhaps <b>you </b>shouldn¡¯t have <b>agreed </b>to have Mnie as your secretary in the first ce.

    ¡°Secretaries have ess to more confidential documents,<b>¡± </b>Emelie replied.

    William pondered for a moment and asked, ¡°So, are you feeling jealous <b>of </b>Mnie, or are you trying to defend Samuel?¡±

    Emelie paused briefly before replying. ¡°Neither. I¡¯m just discussing the matter as it is.¡±

    William grew impatient. ¡°In any case, I need you to keep your distance from Samuel.¡±

    Releasing her chin, he gestured toward the door. ¡°Since you¡¯re finished here, let¡¯s go!

    Emelie pursed her lips and stood up.

    <b>William </b>offered his arm, and she took it as they walked together to the dining room.

    The lunch meeting was casual, with a buffet¨Cstyle setup

    Still, William took advantage of the asion to negotiate a one¨Cyear supply contract with twopanies.

    True to the positioning of this cruise <b>ship</b>, opportunities were everywhere.

    However, Emelie felt ufortable under the gaze of one of the clients.

    Despite this, William was enjoying his conversation with him. So Emelie made an excuse to step away from the table temporarily, heading to the restroom

    While washing her hands at the sink, another woman entered and started applying makeup.

    Emelie nced at the mirror and recognized her as the client¡¯spanion. She gave a polite nod and prepared to return to the table.

    The <b>woman¡¯s </b>voice took on a teasing lilt. ¡°So, you¡¯re a secretary, huh? That exins why you¡¯re different. How did you manage to upset your boss?¡±

    Emelie furrowed her brows. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    The woman looked at her from head to toe. ¡°Really? You don¡¯t know? There¡¯s a little secret activity on this cruise: <b>partner </b>swapping ¡°Partner swapping?¡±

    ¡°Wow, you seriously didn¡¯t know?¡± The womanughed, noticing Emelie¡¯s confusion.

    Chapter 24 Tricked

    02

    It hit her that Emelie had been tricked intoing here.

    No wonder Emelie¡¯s actions seemed so odd. At first, the woman thought Enelle¡¯s Innocent demeanor was her strategy to charm or manipte

    clients.

    She kindly informed Emelle, ¡°All the women whoe here are <b>aware </b>that we¡¯re just bargaining chips for our bosses¡® business negotiations.

    <b>¡°</b><b>We¡¯re </b>prepared to be sent to clients to secure better deals. We make good money, so it¡¯s not a big deal.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    ¡°Ever wonder why the deals on board are cheaper? It¡¯s because bosses negotiate best in bed!¡±

    Silently, Emelie watched as the woman touched up her makeup and confidently walked <b>away</b>.

    She could feel a chill creeping up from her feet to her scalp.

 CHAPTER 75

    Chapter <b>75 </b>Unwritten Rules

    Emelie had makeup on. But right now, her face wa

    was shockingly pale,

    It clicked. It made sense why, after six months, William abruptly deckled to bring her to the banquet

    It made sense why those men were giving her odd looks and why women were hurling insults at her for no apparent <b>reason</b>.

    Men viewed her as a trophy, and women regarded her as a formidable rival.

    She was the only one left in the dark.

    Upon learning the truth, Emelie¡¯s first reaction was to get

    is to get out of there. But then it wned on her they were out at sea with n

    nowhere to

    William had long forewarned her, ¡°There¡¯s nowhere to run.¡±

    He had everything nned out. Enselie couldn¡¯t tell if it was fear or despair that made her eyes well up with tears.

    As the tears began to fall, she quickly wiped them <b>away</b>. Emelle wondered why she was even crying.

    She shouldn¡¯t waste tears on William. He had shown his heartlessness from the very beginning.

    Instead of crying, she realized she needed to focus on saving herself.

    Stuck on this ship, outnumbered and unable to fight back, she had to stay vignt.

    She needed to grasp every opportunity to protect herself and refuse to be used as a pawn in William¡¯s pursuit of profit

    She took a moment to collect herself before heading back to the restaurant.

    William was still seated in his usual spot. But there was a new face across from him, recing the previous CEO

    William¡¯s status was unmistakable. Everyone always seemed eager to please him.

    Emelie made her way over slowly as William indifferently listened to the new CEO, Leon, boasting about his ownpany. William didn¡¯t seem too engaged until Emelie returned. He looked up at her.

    ¡°What took you so long?¡±

    Emelie simply nodded in reply.

    She noticed that Leon had alsoe with a femalepanion, who looked rather delicate.

    If Emelie epitomized the serene beauty of a lily, then the woman beside Leon resembled <b>a </b>delicate daisy, seemingly vulnerable to anyone¡¯s

    touch

    Leon noticed William¡¯sck of enthusiasm and decided to be more direct. ¡°Mr. Middleton, fancy spicing things up? Without even bothering to lift his gaze, William picked up his wine <b>ss</b>, took a sip, and casually asked, ¡°How so?¡±

    Leon chuckled<b>, </b>¡°How about letting mypanion here help you in taking a little ¡®nap¡®, Mr. Middleton?

    ¡°A good midday rest ensures you¡¯ll be energized all aftemoon. Tonight¡¯s banquet is the highlight, and you¡¯ll need to be on top form.¡±Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie¡¯s eyelids twitched noticeably.

    It wasn¡¯t just about Leon offering a woman to William.

    to give Emelie away, too.

    ording to the unwritten rules, <b>if </b>William epted Leon¡¯spanion, he would have to

    William¡¯s eyes scanned the woman before he casually asked, ¡°If she¡¯s <b>here </b><b>to </b>assist me with a nap, Mr. Sanders, what about your own rest? [ wouldn¡¯t want to interfere with your well¨Cbeing.¡±

    As anticipated, Leon redirected his blunt and unabashed gaze toward Emelie.

    Emmelie felt a strong surge of nausea deep within her. Apanying the nausea was a fiery anger.

    She quickly turned cold.

    ¡°Mr. Sanders, I think there¡¯s been a misunderstanding. While Mr. Middleton brought me here, I¡¯m not his property. He doesn¡¯t have the right to dictate my choices.¡±

    William remained impassive.

    in on the other hand,

    <b>Leon</b>, on

    <b>was</b>

    momentarily stunned.

    He clearly did not expect such boldness from a woman who h

    had been brought <b>aboard </b>the ship.

    Leon sneered<b>, </b>¡°Mr. Middleton, It seems yourpanion isn¡¯t very obedient.

    ¡°Women are like pets. They need to be trained. Otherwise, they won¡¯t even know who¡¯s actually their master!¡±

    Emelie gripped the wine ss tightly. She wished she could ssh its contents onto both Leon and William

    William remained indifferent. ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t know how to <b>handle </b>animals, I can take care of them, Mr. Middleton,¡± Leon said with a smirk.

    I guarantee I can <b>teach </b>her to behave. Just give me one night. I¡¯ll return her to you tomorrow, and I promise you¡¯ll be satisfied.¡±

    12

 CHAPTER 76

    Chapter 76 Are You Satisfied

    Whether to switchpanions or not was just a thought away for Williams.

    In a subdued tone, William remarked, ¡°Mr. Sanders, I see you¡¯re quite knowledgeable about this.¡±

    Leon, feeling pleased with himself, replied, ¡°Oh, definitely! I¡¯ve tamed my fair share of women.¡±

    William smirked, saying, ¡°I can see why you¡¯re with someone so young. I¡¯m guessing you¡¯ve had even younger ones, haven¡¯t you, Mr. Sanders?

    Leon gasped dramatically, putting on <b>a </b>show of being scandalized. However, he was anything but afraid,

    His grim was lecherous, as ifw meant nothing to him

    ¡°We can¡¯t just go blurting that out, can we? <b>Haven¡¯t </b>you heard? It¡¯s illegal. It¡¯s <b>a </b>crime, haha,¡± he chuckled.

    Emelie couldn¡¯t stand it anymore <b>and </b>abruptly stood up, but Win stopped her with his hand.

    He wouldn¡¯t let her <b>leave</b>.

    Leon scooted his chair closer to William.

    ¡°But if you, <b>Mr. </b>Middleton, happen to share any simr interests, I could certainly provide some avenues for you.¡±

    William gazed at him with a cid expression, leading Leon to believe he was indeed interested.

    As Leon leaned in closer, smiling, and about to speak, William sshed wine right onto his <b>face</b>.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    With wine running down his face, Leon was stunned as <b>William </b>casually wiped his hands with a silk <b>handkerchief</b>.

    ¡°Our discussion about coboration ends here,¡± William said calmly.

    Leon stammered, ¡°Wh¨Cwhy?¡±

    Since you¡¯re about to go to jail, it wouldn¡¯t be wise for me to keep coborating with you, would it?¡±

    Leon¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Jail?¡±

    William turned to Emelie. ¡°Ms. Hoven, didn¡¯t you hear <b>what </b>Mr. Sanders just said? Call the police.¡±

    Without hesitation, Emelie reached for her phone. Leon suddenly realized the gravity of the situation and rose to his feet.

    Leaning back in his chair, William had a stronger presence than Leon, even while seated,

    ¡°How I handle women is §ê§å

    business. Who are you to give <b>orders</b>? Leon Sanders, be more careful next time, and don¡¯t offend me again.¡±

    He paused, then smirked. ¡°But it looks like there might not be a next time for you.¡±Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    <b>Leon </b>stared intensely at William

    The restaurant¡¯s security subtly edged closer, knowing well the importance of the people present and their need for protection.

    If Leon showed any aggression toward William, they would step in without hesitation.

    Breathing heavily, Leon begrudgingly admitted he couldn¡¯t <b>do </b>anything against William

    With a clenched jaw, he swallowed his pride and tumed to leave.

    William gestured for the waiter to refill his ss.

    With the wine ss in his hand, he swirled it on the table <b>and </b>turned to Emelle, who seemed lost in thought.

    ¡°Now that I¡¯ve helped you get your revenge<b>, </b><b>are </b>you satisfied?¡±

    Emelie responded calmly, ¡°It¡¯s simply because Mr. Sanders doesn¡¯t meet your standards.¡±

    A slight smirk appeared on William¡¯s <b>face</b>. ¡°Indeed, he doesn¡¯t.¡±

    From the very beginning, William had little respect for Leon. The proposed coboration meant very little to him.

    In such a scenario, William had no intention of giving up Emelle, his leverage.

    Simply put, Leon didn¡¯t have enough influence, and William didn¡¯t see the point in engaging further.

    But if it were someone else, someone who was his target, she doubted he would bother standing up for <b>her</b>.

    Emelle took a deep breath and went straight to the point, ¡°I¡¯ve heard there¡¯s a game on board where partners are swapped. Are you nning to participate, Mr. Middleton?¡±

    Chapter 76 Are You Satisfied

    <b>William</b>, sensing her usatory tone, replied coldly, ¡°Ms. Hoven, have you forgotten the secretary¡¯s code?¡±

    The secretary¡¯s code prioritized thepany¡¯s interests, the CPD¡¯s interests, and the CEO¡¯smands that would benefit thepany.

    Gritting her teeth, Emelie realized she was stuck in an irreversible situation.

    Having been William¡¯s secretary for three years, she now found herself obligated to ¡°contribute¡± once more to his business empire.

    As William¡¯s eyes roamed over her<b>, </b><b>he </b>lifted his wine ss.

    ¡°Make sure to dress nicely for dinner, We have clients.¡±

    Emelie truly felt the urge to p him.

    She got up from the table rigidly and left the restaurant.

    Once outside, her steps quickened involuntarily, as if she could escape from it all. But there was nowhere she could run to.

    She dashed forward, not paying attention, as she turned a corner and bumped into someoneing from the opposite direction.

    The person caught her.

    Emelie instinctively apologized, and the person replied gently, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Ms. Hoven, are you in a hurry? Is everything alright?¡±

    Looking up, Emelie realized she had bumped into Samuel

    In desperate times, people tend to feel more vulnerable.

    Seeing a familiar face, especially someone who had always treated her kindly, instantly intensified her will to survive. Emelie held onto Samuel¡¯s <b>hand </b>in return.

 CHAPTER 77

    Chapter 77 ying With Fire

    Samuel arched an eyebrow.

    Emelle had always been a woman who knew how to keep things proper.

    vibes that could be misinterpreted.

    Even when they went out for meals or coffee, she never gave off any s

    Not this <b>was </b>the first time she had grabbed his hand like that, almost as if she were clutching onto the only thing keeping her afloat in rough

    Sammel¡¯s gaze softened as he noticed a subtle hint of redness in her eyes.

    He couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of sympathy. Lowering his head, he spoke softly, ¡°Ms. Hoven, is everything alright? Have you run into some

    Emelie

    back of her head.

    elle felt the sea breeze bushing against her <b>face</b>, but at the same time, a dull ache pulsed at the b

    Her question emerged somewhat disjointed, ¡°Mr. Swanson, did you bring soineone along?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± came his straight forward reply.

    ¡°Did your older brother bring one?¡±

    ¡°He did,¡± Sammel confirmed

    ¡°Is it his girlfriend?¡± Emelie pressed further.

    Samuel chose his words carefully, ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure.¡±

    ¡±

    Emelie was convinced it wasn¡¯t his brother¡¯s girlimend

    She reasoned that if it were someone significant, like a girlfriend, Samuel¡¯s response wouldn¡¯t be so vague. After all, there was no way he could not recognize his own sister¨Cinw.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    Samuel¡¯s vague response hinted that the person was likely brought along by his older brother for a specific reason¡­

    Well, considering they were already on the cruise, it was only natural to expect everyone to be aware of the game rules.

    After all, unlike her, they weren¡¯t lured here.

    Emelie gently dabbed her dry lips before fixing <b>a </b>serious gaze on Samuel Her appearance was impable, with wless features and deep, Luminous <b>eyes</b>.

    Abruptly, she said, ¡°It appears that both Cloudex <b>Corporation </b>and Swanson Corporation arepeting for the same project.

    ¡°Even though I haven¡¯t been involved much inpany business <btely</b>, <b>I </b>understand how crucial this project is for bothpanies.¡±

    Interrupting her, Samuel asserted, ¡°Ms. Hoven, <b>you </b>know I don¡¯t meddle inpany affairs¡±

    ¡°I know, I¡¯m just hoping, <b>as </b>a friend, Mr. Swanson, that you could pass along <b>a </b>message to your older brother.

    ¡°If he could trade me from William, <b>ensu</b>

    ensure my safety, and let me leave unharmed, I could offer him some help.¡±

    Samuel felt like he was watching her walk a tightrope. His brows furrowed.

    ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re willing to betray Cloudex Corporation? Have you thought about the consequences?¡±

    Emelie <b>paused </b>for a moment and murmured, ¡°I¡¯m just trying to save myself.¡±

    Since she couldn¡¯t defy the <b>rules </b>of the game, then she had to figure out how to keep herself safe within It

    Samuel was the

    the only person she knew on this ship who could help her out.

    Samuel¡¯s piercing gaze behind his sses conveyed a serious warning. ¡°Ms. Hoven, ying with fire will only end in disaster.¡±

    By betraying Cloudex <b>Corporation</b>, she was essentially burning bridges. There was no way William would forgive her actions.

    Emelie <b>took </b><b>a </b>moment topose herself <b>and </b><b>said</b>, ¡°But it¡¯s better than just watching the mes engulf me.¡±

    For William to use her as a bargaining chip, he must first see some significant benefit.

    Though she and Samuel were friends, they were just that¨Cfriends.

    She couldn¡¯t expect him to sacrifice his own interests for her, let alone <b>ask </b>his brother for unconditional help.

    So, she had to propose terms that satisfied Samuel¡¯s brother first, who would then negotiate with William.

    That was the only way she could get out of this situation.

    It was impressive how Emelle managed to keep her thoughts clear even in her dizzy state.

    She asked, ¡°Mr. Swanson, would you be willing to assist me with this?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve asked, so of course, I¡¯ll do what I can.¡± Samuel adjusted his sses. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll take you to meet my brother, Bryan.¡±

    Bryan found Emelie¡¯s proposed deal intriguing, and they spent the whole afternoon talking it over.

    After reaching <b>a </b>consensus, Bryan instructed someone to go and fetch William..

    As William made his way up the stairs, he noticed the woman in front of him stumble slightly and instinctively reached out to help her steady

    herself

    The woman looked up. Her face was strikingly beautiful. ¡°Thank you, sir.¡±

    William¡¯s gaze lingered on her face for a moment before he nodded politely and continued on his way to the coffee shop.

    At the open¨Cair coffee shop on the deck, Bryan sat alone at the only table.

    ¡°Mr. Swanson,¡± William greeted as he approached..

    Bryan stood up and shook his hand. ¡°Mr. Middleton, I¡¯m d you could make it.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for the <b>invite</b>, Mr. Swanson,¡± William replied.

    As soon as they took their seats, Bryan got straight to the point. ¡°I¡¯m willing to step back from the project on Maple Avenue.¡±

    William¡¯s expression shifted for a moment, but his tone remained unchanged.

    ¡°No good deed goes unnoticed. Since you¡¯re offering such a substantial concession, how should I <b>repay </b>the favor?¡±

    As the conversation came to a close, the sound of high heels cking approached.

    William raised his eyes with indifference.

    He watched as the alluring woman he had assisted on the stairs earlier sauntered over. Her steps were graceful, and her <b>smile </b>was flirtatious.

    She came up behind Bryan and ced her hand on the back of his chair.

    Bryan lifted his coffee cup. ¡°You know, Patricia has always admired you, Mr. Middleton, and she¡¯s keen to meet you¡­.

    ¡°Oh, and I bumped into Ms. Hoven today, and we really hit it off How about we all be friends?¡±

    Decent people had a way of being subtle in their conversations. But the message remained the same.

    It was <b>about </b>exchangingpanions.

    Ernelle hid inside the coffee shop<b>, </b>carefully eavesdropping on the conversation unfolding outside.

    She couldn¡¯t help but wait anxiously for William¡¯s reply.

    If he agreed, it would confirm that he was indeed willing to use her <b>as </b>a bargaining chip for his own gain.

    Chapter 7 n

 CHAPTER 78

    Chapter 78 n B

    The waiter served them coffee.

    William grabbed a small sugar cube with a clip and dropped it into his coffee. The once¨Ccalm surface rippled.

    He then stined the coffee with a spoon

    The sleeve of his suit was slightly rolled up, revealing the elegant wristwatch with a <b>peacock </b>dial <b>underneath</b>.

    He looked down, hiding his emotions.

    ¡°The Maple Avenue project is a great opportunity. We¡¯re interested, and Vertex Capital Holdings is too.¡±

    Bryan remainedposed. ¡°So, if Swanson Corporationpromises, it¡¯ll give Cloudex Corporation a better chance.<b>¡±</b>

    William lifted his head. His gaze was calm.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Mr. Swanson, how about we reconsider the tennis?¡±

    Bryan paused briefly, and even Emelie, who was hiding in the coffee shop, <b>was </b><b>taken </b>aback.

    She couldn¡¯t believe William was actually tuming down the offer. He had refused to trade her as part of the deal

    Emelle pressed her lips tightly together.

    ¡°<b>Finding </b>it tough to meet this condition, Mr. Middleton?¡± Bryan probed. ¡°Or is it that you <b>have </b>other projects in mind that you want Ms. Hoven to ¡®assist¡± with?<b>¡±</b>

    William didn¡¯t reply ¡°You¡¯ll being to dinner tonight, won¡¯t you?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Of course,¡± came the response. The dinner was the main event tonight.

    William lifted his coffee cup, taking a sip before politely excusing himself

    ¡°Let¡¯s continue our discussion on the project after tonight. I have other matters to attend <b>to</b>. Please excuse me.¡±

    Bryan didn¡¯t try to hold him <b>back</b>. He simply rose to shake William¡¯s hand again. ¡°Alright¡±

    As William descended the stairs, his expression turned frosty.

    Once William had left, Bryan picked up his coffee and called out to Emelie in the coffee shop.

    ¡°Ms. Hoven, you cane out now.

    Emelie stepped out from her hiding ce.

    Bryan nced up. ¡°You heard what was said just now, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± she confirmed with a nod

    ¡°He didn¡¯t say yes, but he didn¡¯t say no either. Instead, he brought up the dinner¡­

    ¡°I have a feeling he¡¯s got another project in mind that¡¯s a higher priority, and he wants to see if he can use you to secure it first.

    ¡°If that doesn¡¯t work out, he¡¯lle back to discuss the Maple Avenue project with me as a n B.¡±

    <b>William </b>had everything meticulously nned out.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Emelie <b>replied</b>.

    She also suspected that William¡¯s hesitation to <b>trade </b>her might mean he had other ns in mind rather than just being reluctant to let her go

    Bryan sighed, ¡°If they agreed to trade a <b>deal </b>for you first, then I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s not much I can do.¡±

    Feeling disheartened, Emelie <b>gave </b>a slight bow.

    ¡°I must still thank <b>you </b>for your help, Mr. Swanson.¡±

    <b>Bryan </b>shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m helping out Sam. I don¡¯t usually get involved in young people¡¯s affairs, but this is the first time he¡¯se to me for help because of <b>a </b>woman.¡±

    Emelie could tell that he was trying to paint a favorable picture of Samuel

    ¡°Mr. Samuel is a true gentleman. He can¡¯t bear to see anyone in distress,¡± shemented

    ¡°Of course, I agreed to help not only because of Sem but also because I¡¯m interested in the terms <b>you </b><b>discussed </b>with me.

    ¡°Ultimately, I still hope that William will <b>choose </b>to bring you to my side,¡± Bryan exined.

    After thanking Bryan once again, Emelie left the coffee shop.

    As she left, she <b>made </b><b>eye </b>contact with Patricia<b>. </b>Emelie smiled at her first, and Patricia nodded in response.

    Emelie walked back to her room<b>, </b>her mind <b>heavy </b>with thoughts.

    Over the past month, she had been out of touch with thepany.

    She was unsure about any urgent projects at <b>hand</b>. She also couldn¡¯t decipher William¡¯s true intentions.

    With the Maple Avenue project already a major deal and the top threepanies in the countrypeting for it, Swanson Corporation¡¯s willingness topromise would be a big win for Cloudes Corporation

    Emelie couldn¡¯t understand why William hadn¡¯t agreed to trade her for the deal.

    She reached for her room <b>key </b><b>card</b>, but before she could swipe it, <b>the </b>door swung open from inside.

    Emelie looked up and found herself facing William¡¯s icy stare.

    She instinctively stepped back. ¡°Mr. Middleton¡­.

    William¡¯s voice sounded frosty. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be back in your room already?¡±

    ¡°I thought I¡¯d enjoy the good weather and take a leisurely walk outside,¡± Emelie exined.

    Out of nowhere, William asked, ¡°Were you walking with Samuel?¡±

    Emelie hesitated. She couldn¡¯t let him know about her <b>private </b>discussions with Samuel and Bryan.

    Otherwise, with William being as perceptive as he is, he¡¯d quickly catch on that she <b>and </b>Bryan had struck some kind of deal, prompting Bryan to talk to him about exchangingpanions.

    In short, it would be like exposing her betrayal of Cloudex Corporation, with terrible consequences awaiting her.

    She answered carefully, ¡°It was just a coincidence. I mean, the ship isn¡¯t that big, so bumping into people is bound to happen. We just said hello.¡±

    Suddenly, William lifted her chin and <b>firmly </b>pressed his finger against her lips. ¡°Just by saying hello¡­ Do you understand how quickly you can catch someone¡¯s eve?¡±

    William was certain that Bryan¡¯s request for Emelie was for Samuel

    He wondered if Emelle was some kind of seductress.

    She had managed to win over Troy¡¯s parents after just one meeting, convincing them to approve of her as a daughter¨Cinw.

    Now Bryan, whom she had also only met once, <b>was </b>willing to ept her as a sister¨Cinw.

    William¡¯s face twisted into an unpleasant <b>scowl </b>as he gripped Emelie¡¯s lip tightly, causing her to wince in pain and <b>retreat</b>. ¡°Mr. Middleton¡­¡±

    Letting go of her, William didn¡¯t acknowledge her and simply walked into the room, his tone devoid of any warmth, ¡°Go change<b>. </b>Dinner¡¯s

    about to start.¡±

 CHAPTER 79

    Chapter <b>79 </b>Seductive

    The dinner that was mentioned repeatedly was supposed to be the biggest banquet of the whole voyage.

    Everyone was expected to show

    Willians had set out a few fancy outils for Emelie to choose from, all hanging neatly on hangers.

    There was even a professional makeup <b>team </b>on standby

    But the more he fussed over her appearance, the more Emelle felt a sense of coldness creeping In.

    It was like she was being dolled up for some kind of high¨Cstakes deal.

    She wasn¡¯t

    In the mood and randomly picked one outfit.

    William was sitting on the couch, flipping through a magazine.

    He nced over and remarked, ¡°That one doesn¡¯t go with that diamond ne,¡±

    Suddenh, it all came back to her

    William had bought that diamond ne at an auctionst night and had suggested she wear it with a dress.

    Putting aside hers

    runease, Enelle chose a

    <ul>

    <li>a stylish gown with a sleek design.</li>

    </ul>

    <b>The </b>gown, <b>a </b>subtle shade of light <b>green</b>, flowed elegantly to her ankles.

    It looked sophisticated and refined from the front, while the <b>back </b>revealed intricate cut¨Cout patterns.

    It showed off just a hint of her shoulder des and maintained a natural sense <b>of </b>allure.

    The stylist gently swept Emelie¡¯s hair to one side. Then, she delicately ced the diamond ne before applying makeup to give Emelic a fresh appearance.

    As the makeup artist pondered over which lipstick to choose for Emelie, a hand suddenly emerged from behind Emelie and reached for one of the lipsticks.

    <b>The </b>makeup artist stepped back

    Emelle looked up to see William¡¯s reflection in the mirror. He had changed into a simple ck <b>suit</b>, looking poised and refined.

    William carefullypared the lipstick shades against Emelle¡¯s lips before deciding on a warm cinnamon color.

    He then took his time to apply it perfectly

    Emelle stayed still. She was taken aback by his unexpected skill in using his fingertips to blend the lipstick <b>on </b>the <b>edges </b>of her lips for a softer

    finish

    He had never applied lipstick to her before. Given her rare asions of wearing makeup, his effortless expertise hinted at practice on someone else¡¯s lips.

    Emelie could only Imagine one person who would have had him apply lipstick personally: Daphine.

    It also perfectly captured the essence of their pure love.

    After he was done applying the lipstick, Emelie thanked him and then proceeded to put on the pearl earrings.

    With her inherently cool demeanor, this refined <b>ensemble </b>truly showcased her best features, entuating them to the fullest.

    Emelie eventually picked up a knitted shawl and wrapped it around herself.

    William came closer to <b>assist</b>, his hand gently guiding from her shoulder to her chin as if he might lean in for a kiss

    Instinctively, Emelle tumed her head away

    William¡¯s voice turned solemn, ¡°You never refused me before.¡±

    Emelie lowered her gaze. ¡°Mr. Middleton, you know things are different now.¡±

    He wouldn¡¯t have handed her over to another man before, either.

    William stared into her eyes.

    As Emelie walked past him toward the door, <b>Jayden¡¯s </b>words echoed in William¡¯s mind¨Cshe truly seemed to be considering resigning

    His <b>eyes</b><b>, </b>naturally deep, now appeared even darker than the turbulent sea outside.

    As Emelie and William entered the banquet hall on the second floor, they attracted the attention of many <b>guests</b>.

    The attention they received stemmed not only from William¡¯s prestigious status <b>but </b>also from Emelie herself.

    THE

    Chapter 79. Sedactive

    Rumors had already spread about Leon¡¯s sudden disappearance earlier <b>that </b>afternoon.

    Some gossip suggested that he <b>had </b>made inappropriate advances toward William¡¯s femalepanion, Emelie.

    As a result, Leon was expelled from the ship for angering William.

    So, Emelie was suddenlybeled as <b>the </b>one causing all themotion.

    Emelie even overheard someone <b>whisper</b>, ¡°She¡¯s such a seductive one. No wonder even William, who usually steers clear of women, can¡¯t

    resist her charm.¡±

    Emelie was rendered speechless.

    She wondered where this notion of her being seductive <b>came </b>from and why people assumed William was distant from women.

    Seeing Emelie¡¯s expression, William smirked and picked up a cocktail from the table, teasingly offering it to her lips. ¡°Feeling upset?¡±

    For Emelie, there was no need to feel upset over such a trivial matter.

    Emelic epted the cocktail. She took a small sip and was careful not to drink too much. She needed to <b>stay </b>alert and ready to handle whatever came her way.

    As Elias walked toward them, she casually asked, ¡°Why isn¡¯t Mr. Gleamfield here this time?¡±

    William raised an eyebrow and quipped, ¡°You¡¯re missing him <b>already</b>?¡±

    Caught off guard by William¡¯s remark, Emelie looked at him incredulously.

    Es had already approached them. Raising an eyebrow, he suddenly walked away.

    Emelie was even more confused. ¡°<b>Why </b>did Mr. Undvike leave?¡±

    It was because her recent nce at William seemed too flirtatious.

    Emelie looked absolutely stunning tonight. Every smile and movement of hers was radiating grace.

    Thus, Elias chose to politely step away and let them enjoy their moment undisturbed.

    William also felt a slight flutter in his heart at the sight of her.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

 CHAPTER 80

    Chapter 80 Uncertain Return

    At that moment, the host approached and greeted, ¡°William!¡±

    William smiled, then whispered to Emelie, ¡°Walk to your left when the dance begins. I¡¯ll grab your hand.¡±

    Why <b>did </b>William want her to walk to the left?

    Emelie was puzzled, but a middle¨Caged man approached them before she could ask

    ¡°Uncle Norman.¡± William nodded.

    The <b>man</b>, nearing 60, had a kindly demeanor. ¡°My boy, we¡¯re all here for some fun. Harmony breeds prosperity. But look at you scaring people

    His words sounded like a reprimand, but his tone was more teasing. It was evident he admired William as a junior.

    William was equally affectionate toward him.

    It was a sight Emelie had never witnessed him share with any elder, including Henry

    ¡°<b>I¡¯m </b>just getting rid of troublemakers for you, Uncle Norman, so they don¡¯t tarnish your reputation,¡± William retorted.

    <b>¡°</b>You always have an excuse.¡± Norman chuckled. ¡°But could I really me you for being <b>an </b><b>outsider</b>? <b>You¡¯re </b>like a son to me; of course, I¡¯d defend you!¡±

    ¡°<b>Like </b><b>a </b>son to him?¡± Emelie thought.

    Was <b>he </b><b>a </b>son¨Cinw or an adopted son? After all these years by William¡¯s side, how did she not know the extent of his rtionship with this

    William asked, ¡°Has Wesley returned yet?¡±

    Wesley? Emelie was caught off <b>guard </b>by the mention of this name, ncing at William involuntarily.

    William remained indifferent, engrossed in conversation with Norman, and didn¡¯t acknowledge her gaze.

    Only now did <b>Emelle </b>realize this was a banquet hesred by the Graham family.

    ¡°Wesley¡¯s whereabouts are uncertain. Sometimes, even as his father, I¡¯m not sure.

    ¡°I did ask him toe back this time, but whether he actually returned or boarded the ship, I have no idea.¡± Norman sighed<b>.</b>

    ¡°The closer he gets to his mother¡¯s side, the more worried I be. He¡¯s so reckless, it wouldn¡¯t surprise <b>me </b>if one day I¡¯ll hear news of his death.¡±

    ¡°People have their own paths,¡± William remarked.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    Emele tightened her grip on her wine ss.

    name in her mind, drifting away briefly, back <b>to </b>a time before everything happened

    Wesley¡­ Wesley¡­ She repeated the na

    Back when her family wasn¡¯t burdened with debt, she hadn¡¯t met William on a rainy night, and these past three years hadn¡¯t existed.

    She was just a young girl<b>, </b>endlessly asking Wesley why he didn¡¯t like her.

    ¡°Oh my!¡± Norman¡¯s hand trembled inexplicably, and he spilled his drink,

    William <b>was </b>about to call <b>a </b>server for a towel when Emelie quickly handed him a tissue from her purse. ¡°Here, let me help you wipe <b>that</b>.¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯m almost getting there. Sometimes, you can be walking perfectly fine and still bump into things. It¡¯s embarrassing.¡± Norman joked about himself<b>.</b>

    With his status, who would dare say he was embarrassing?

    Emelie spoke softly, ¡°People make mistakes. It¡¯s normal, and there is nothing to worry about.¡±

    William nced at her.

    ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± Norman looked at Emelle, then smiled at William. ¡°Thaven¡¯t asked you yet. Is there anyone here catching your eye?¡±

    William shrugged. ¡°No<b>, </b>none of them are <b>as </b>special as the one by my side.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha! I¡¯ve noticed quite a few eyeing your plus one. If you don¡¯t want to let her go, you might have to soon!¡± Norman chuckled.

    ¡°That¡¯s just how it goes. If you¡¯re going to y, you have to be able to handle it,¡± William replied with a smile

    Emelle was speechless.

    Norman excused himself to wash his hands, ending the conversation.

    Chapter 110 Dibetan Return

    After he left, Emelie asked, ¡°What do you mean by ¡°let her ga¡®?¡±

    <b>William¡¯s </b>tone tumed cold, ¡°You seem quite concerned about Mr. Noman. It is because you know he¡¯s Wesley¡¯s father?¡±

 CHAPTER 81

    Chapter 81 Who Caught My Hand

    §¯

    What?¡± Emelie didn¡¯t even understand why he brought up Wesley.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    Her interactions with Wesley were from high school, a time when they didn¡¯t even know each other.

    ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand what you mean, Mr. Middleton.¡±

    William remained expressionless. ¡°I find that hard to believe,¡±

    Emelie really didn¡¯t understand what he meant.

    William coldly stared at her probing gaze and suddenly felt annoyed. He released her waist, uttered, ¡°Don¡¯t let me see you for now,¡± and left

    her alone.

    Emelie watched his departing figure in confusion,pletely baffled by his sudden change in demeanor.

    She stood alone, surrounded by unfamiliar guests, feeling somewhat lost.

    Luckily, she had been to many banquets like this before, <b>so </b>she adapted quickly.

    She found herself standing alone in aer of the banquet hall.

    It would have been ideal for Emelie to stay like this until the end of the banquet.

    End the night, leave the ship tomorrow<b>, </b>and quit the day after

    But that was not going to happen

    Suddenly, the Lights in the entire hall dimmed. Emelie paused for a moment, instinctively reaching for her phone.

    At that moment, & spotlight illuminated the stage, shining on a woman wearing a pink strapless dress who stepped onto the stage. The woman held a microphone.

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, first of all, on behalf of the <b>Graham </b>Group, I would like <b>to </b>express our heartfelt gratitude to all of you for taking the time to attend this grand event.

    ¡°Thank you! After a year, we are finally gathered together again!¡±

    The banquet hall erupted into enthusiastic apuse.

    Emelie realized it was just part of the program, so she joined in the apuse while she searched for William¡¯s figure in the darkness.

    The female host smiled and <b>said</b>, ¡°As usual, let¡¯s begin tonight with a dance. Everyone, please blindfold yourselves and step onto the <b>dance </b>flour.

    your understanding of each other.¡±

    ***Trust your instincts and fate, and find your dance partner. Let this dance deepen y

    Blindfold? Emelie was puzzled

    However, the waiters were already descending from the stage with trays containing strips of ck fabric, which they ced in front of the puests.

    Everyone else took the ck fabric without hesitation, blindfolding themselves.

    When <b>the </b>waiter reached Emelie, she hesitated but eventually took one.

    She understood they were supposed to blindfold themselves and randomly select dance partners.

    They were just going to dance, right?

    Because of this ¡°exchange partners¡± hidden game, Emelie remained cautious about any activities on the ship, feeling that things were not as simple as they seemed

    She searched for William again, but with the lights off in the banquet hall, all she could see were moving silhouettes.

    <b>¡°</b><b>That </bdy over there, please cover your eyes.¡±

    The female host noticed Emelie¡¯s wandering gaze. Emelie pursed her lips and blindfolded herself.

    The female host <b>pped </b>her hands, and the music started.

    ¡°Who will be your dance partner tonight? Who will have the first dance with whom? Three minutes to find a dance partner; now, begin!¡±

    Immediately, the surroundings buzzed with activity.

    Emelie frowned and retreated into aer

    With her eyes covered, Emelie¡¯s other senses heightened.

    Chapter 11 Whe Caught My Hand

    In the darkness, she subconsciously tilted <b>her </b>head to listen. The surroundings were filled withughter, calls, jokes, and invitations.

    She focused and tried to move closer to the <ber</b>, avoiding being noticed by anyone.

    But her shoulder was bumped into just as she took a <b>few </b>steps <b>back</b>. She stumbled in ce, nearly falling

    The woman who bumped into her quickly apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Emelie replied, trying to steady herself <b>and </b>continue moving backward.

    Unbeknownst to her, that collision changed her direction. Her ¡°backward¡± movement now led her toward the middle of the dance floor

    instead.

    Emelie felt like she should have reached theer after walking for a while.

    She reached out to feel for the wall, but someone grabbed her hand before she could touch it.

    The hand was broad, warm, and firm

    It was a man

    Emelie was stunned.

    She instinctively pulled off the blindfold.

    At the same time, the person grasped her hand firmly and pulled her toward <b>him </b>with some force.

    As she collided with his chest, the blindfold fell from her eyes.

 CHAPTER 82

    Chapter 82 Was It <b>You </b>Just Now?

    Emelie found herself close to the man¡¯s chest, catching a faint yet pleasant scent.

    It reminded her of the rows of pine and cypress trees in the morning forest¨Cdamp, cool, mysterious, and intriguingOriginal from N?velDrama.Org.

    Her dazested only three seconds.

    Instinctively, she raised her head to try to see the man¡¯s face.

    But just as she lifted her head, her eyes were covered by another strip of ck fabric.

    The man had picked up the fallen blindfold and tied it securely around the back of her head

    Emelie only caught <b>a </b>glimpse of the man¡¯s chin. She could only discem that it wasn¡¯t William.

    May I ask, what should I <b>call </b>you? Emelie asked softly.

    The <b>man </b>seemed to hesitate brielly but didn¡¯t answer. He finished tying the blindfold and then held her hand.

    The female <b>host </b>announced from the stage, ¡°Three minutes, time¡¯s up! Everyone has found their dance partners. So, let tonight¡¯s dance begin!¡±

    The orchestra started ying, and the man embraced Emelie¡¯s waist.

    Women are sensitive and susceptible to whether they are being taken advantage of.

    Emelie sensed that the man didn¡¯t intend to take advantage of her, <b>so </b><b>she </b>didn¡¯t resist as he led her onto the <b>dance </b><b>floor</b>.

    Emelie couldn¡¯t see anything and waspletely under his control. They danced the basic steps of waltz¨Cretreat to the left, advance to the

    right

    These were steps familiar to anyone who <b>had </b>attended a banquet

    Emelie attempted to pull off the blindfold <b>several </b>times, but the man kept holding her hand, preventing her from breaking free.

    The more he concealed his identity, the more Emelie wanted to know. ¡°Who are you, really?¡±

    As he spun her away, Emelie immediately tried to remove the blindfold with her other hand. But the man pulled her back, grasping <b>her </b><b>hand</b>

    once again.

    His hand interlocked with hers tightly. Their palms touched, and Emelie could feel the warmth of the man¡¯s hand, stirring her heart.

    The faint scent of pine seemed to intensify.

    Emelie was distracted the entire song, longing to know who this person <b>was</b>. She was genuinely curious.

    The music ended after seven minutes, and the lights in the banquet hall came on.

    The man <b>released </b>her hands, and Emelie immediately pulled off the blindfold.

    But <b>suddenly</b><b>, </b><b>a</b>

    <b>a </bmotion broke out nearby. Someone eximed<b>, </b>¡°Oh no! The <b>cake </b><b>has </b>been knocked over! Quickly, get out of the way!¡±

    The six¨Cfoot¨Chigh <b>giant </b>cake, intended to <b>make </b>a grand entrance under the spotlight, unexpectedly copsed before everyone.

    Guests screamed in panic, scrambling to retreat from the copsing cake.

    In the chaos, people bumped into each other, <b>and </b>Emelie, who was close by, was pushed and stumbled several steps.

    She had just regained her vision and hadn¡¯t adjusted to the sudden brightness.

    In her confusion, she instinctively reached out to grab the <b>man¡¯s </b>hand, hoping he wouldn¡¯t leave in the chaos

    But someone else knocked her off course before her hand could reach him.

    Someone stepped on Emelie¡¯s foot, causing her to wince and fall.

    up and aside, out of harm¡¯s way.

    Before she fell, she caught a glimpse of a tall and slender figure. At the same time, someone pulled her up

    Emelie tightly grasped onto this person¡¯s hand, refusing to let go. She needed to <b>know </b>who he was.

    <b>As </b>she struggled to stand, she quickly lifted her <b>head </b>to look, and then she saw

    Samuel

    Samuel<b>?</b>

    ¡°Ms. Hoven, are you okay?¡± Samuel asked with <b>concen</b>

    Emelie stared at him nkly.

    She also caught a faint scent from him, simr to the one she smelled earlier,

    Chapter 82 Was 11 You Just Now?

    She wanted to get closer and sniff carefully to see if it was pine, but Samuel had already distanced himself from her.

    Emelie suddenly lost the <b>motivation </b>to approach him.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Emelie replied, biting her lip. Then she asked, ¡°Was it you who danced with me just now?¡±

 CHAPTER 83

    Chapter 83 Snatched Her Back

    Samuel looked at her ¡°Hmmm? I¡¯m not sure. It was dark earlier, and I couldn¡¯t see clearly. But when the lights came on<b>, </b>you were close to me, so it¡¯s possible.¡±

    Emelie <b>nced </b>around and noticed that no one else was blindfokled.

    The rules of this game were to find a partner blindfolded and then remove the blindfold.

    Yet, the man had kept her blindfolded, preventing her from seeing anything

    He intentionally didn¡¯t want her to see him, not even a glimpse in the dark.

    That man definitely wasn¡¯t Samuel

    Samuel was confused ¡°Ms. Hoven?¡±

    Emelle temporarily put the thought of the <b>man </b>aside and turned back to Samuel

    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Swanson.¡±

    The staff swiftly cleaned up the fallen cale and <b>reced </b>a new carpet.

    It was all done in less than 15 minutes; the efficiency and discipline of the <b>Graham </b>family were truly remarkable.

    The soothing music resumed, and after someforting words from the female host, the banquet continued.

    Some continued dancing while others engaged in conversations<b>, </b>each holding a ss of wine as they found seats on the couches.

    Samuel nced around. ¡°Is Mr. Middleton not here?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know where he went,¡± Emelie replied, no longer interested in finding him.

    Samuel¡¯s gaze was clear and gentle. ¡°If Ms. Howen doesn¡¯t mind, let me apany you tonight. Nothing will happen.¡±

    Emelie understood his meaning.

    What she feared most was that William would give her away tonight. With Samuel by her side, he could protect her in any unexpected

    situation.

    Emelie¡¯s expression was sincere. ¡°Thank you very much, Mr. Swanson.¡±

    ¡°Today, I¡¯ve received too many thank yous from you. I¡¯ll decline if there are any more. II Ms. Hoven truly wants to thank me¡­¡± <b>Samuel </b>extended his <b>hand</b>. ¡°Let¡¯s dance together<b>¡±</b>

    Emelie had no reason to refuse. She ced her hand in his palm, and the two embraced as they entered the dance floor.

    Emelie smiled faintly at Samuel

    She didn¡¯t go looking for William anymore.

    She wanted to find him when she was clueless about the game rules and worried about stepping into a trap.

    But now, with Samuel leading her, she didn¡¯t need him anymore.

    Moreover, William was the source of her unease.

    She was focused on dancing, unaware that William¡¯s gaze was coldly fixed on Samuel¡¯s hand around her <b>waist </b>not far away.

    He returned when the lights went our but couldn¡¯t find Emelie. When they came <b>back </b>on, she was already with Samuel

    So, Emelie¡¯s first dance was with Samuel. She certainly had courageContent (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    ¡°Mr. Middleton, why do <b>you </b><b>keep </b>looking at others? Am I not charming enough?¡±

    Hispanion from earlier stood beside him, coincidentally, also an acquaintance.

    It was the morous woman named <b>Patricia </b>who was with Bryan.

    ¡°Of course not. It¡¯s an honor to dance with Ms. May.¡± William spoke indifferently, not looking at her.

    He then pulled her hand to enter the dance floor again.

    Emelie¡¯s shoulder was suddenly bumped into. She turned to see William¡¯s eyes, which seemed to foretell a stomm.

    Emelie paused briefly<b>, </b>then ignored him and continued to dance with Samuel

    Samuel nodded to William, considering <b>it a </b>greeting.

    A mocking curve formed at the corner of William¡¯s lips.

    When it was time for the spinning move, Emelie was spun away from Samuel, but before she knew it<b>, </b><b>another </b>hand grabbed hers!

    Chapter 83 Snatched Her Tack

    She hesitated momentarily, and the next second, William suddenly exerted force to snatch her back from Samuel¡¯s grasp!

 CHAPTER 84

    Chapter 84 Dare Not Listen to Illm

    They were just dancing normally, so Samuel did not hold Emelie¡¯s hand tightly.

    <b>With </b>a poll from William, Samuel¡¯s grip loosened even i

    <b>William </b>seized the opportunity to push Patricia toward Samuel and then embraced Emelie by the waist.

    Emelie was caught off paard and found hersell back in front of Williams, staring at him in astonishment.

    His expression was indifferent.

    She felt like she was nothing more than an object to him. She would be discarded when not wanted and snatched hack when desired.

    Emelie didn¡¯t feel respected by him.

    Emelie asked, ¡°Mr. Middleton, what are you doing?¡±

    ¡°<b>Why</b>? Do you preter Mr. Swanson?¡± William¡¯s voice was coll. ¡°Have you forgotten who you belong to?¡±

    In his eyes, she never had an independent personality. She had to revolve around him and live at his beck and call, subject to his whims and

    Lancies

    Emelie didn¡¯t want to dance with him or see him anymore.

    After suppressing her emotions for a whole day, she <b>finally </b>couldn¡¯t hold back at this moment.

    Emelie wanted to leave him, but he held her hand and waist tightly. She could only push against his chest with one hand.

    He didn¡¯t seem to exert much force, but Emelse couldn¡¯t push him away

    She gritted her teeth. ¡°Mr. Middleton, wasn¡¯t it you who left me first?¡±

    What was he using her of now?

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to go to the left? Didn¡¯t I tell you I would hold your hand?¡± William continued.

    Emelie remembered this sentence<b>,</b>

    But his words were <b>so </b>vague. Plus, it was her first time attending such a banquet, <b>so </b>how could she know there was a blindfolded segment?

    How could she associate his words with that meaning?

    ¡°Did you hear it clearly, or are you just pretending not to?¡± William looked at her.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯ve been distracted all day. I¡¯m not sure what you are plotting, so, naturally, my words wouldn¡¯t register with you.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Middleton, no need to turn the tables.¡±

    It was like the pot calling the kettle ck

    William chuckled. ¡°Do you think I can¡¯t see through your intentions?¡±

    Emelie¡¯s eyes flicker slightly, and her lips pursed tighter.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    She pushed <b>against </b>his chest more forcefully. ¡°Mr. Middleton, you can think whatever you want, I <b>don¡¯t </b>want to dance anymore.¡± William stopped dancing. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to dance<b>, </b>then don¡¯t. Come upstairs with me to meet the clients.¡±

    He grabbed her <b>hand</b>, intending to lead her upstairs.

    Emelie didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°I¡¯m not going!¡±

    At the same time<b>, </b>someone held her other hand,

    ¡°Mr. Middleton,¡± Samuel spoke softly, but a cold look shed in his eyes.

    ¡°It seems I <b>heard </b>Ms. Hoven refusing to go with you. We should respect her wishes no matter what.¡±

    William¡¯s gaze flickered to Samuel¡¯s hand, then back to him, growing even colder. ¡°Is Mr. Swanson trying to snatch someone from me?¡±

    Samuel replied calmly, ¡°It¡¯s not about that. Ms. Hoven belongs to herself. She doesn¡¯t have to <b>follow </b>anyone; she chooses who she wants to be

    with

    ¡°Ms. <b>Howen</b><b>, </b><b>as </b>I mentioned earlier, there will be fireworks tonight, best seen from the third¨Cfloor deck.

    ¡°We can g

    We can go now; we might miss the best spots if we wait any longer.¡±

    He gave Emnele a tug in his direction, and she gave him a look of gratitude.

    William uttered slowly, ¡°Ms. Hoven.¡±

    Chapter Are Not Listen to Him

    The way he said it sent shivers down Emelie¡¯s spine.

    ¡°Are you trying to breach the contract?¡±

    She was still within the project deadline, even if it was thest three days.

    Would she dare not listen to him and leave<b>?</b>

    Emelie held her breath, watching him closely.

    William¡¯s expression was unforgiving.

    She would bear the consequences <b>herself </b>if she dared to leave with Samuel.

    The atmosphere between them fell silent.

    Their standoff drew the attention of some bystanders, and they started discussing it quietly.

    What was happening?

    Several people appeared at the staircase on the second floor.

    ¡°William, what¡¯s going on here?¡± <b>Norman </b>raised his voice.

    Bryan was also upstairs, holding onto the staircase railing, frowning as he called out, ¡°Sam.¡±

    Samuel raised his head slightly. ¡°Bryan<b>.</b>¡±

    Norman smiled. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Mr. Samuel.¡±

    Bryan tried to defuse the imminent conflict. ¡°Sam, I left a document in the room. Could you fetch it for me?¡±

    Samuel agreed

    As he turned around, he gestured with his eyes to Emelie, indicating that she shoulde with <b>him</b>.

    He didn¡¯t believe William would forcibly drag her away in front of everyone.

    Emelie wanted to go but only took one step forward and dared not go any further.

 CHAPTER 85

    Chapter 85 She Belongs to Me Tonight

    Emelie was afraid of William.

    She couldn¡¯t imagine what he could do with the contract, and humans would always be scared of the unknown.

    William didn¡¯t make any further moves toward Emelie, simply letting go of her hand and striding upstairs.

    He didn¡¯t ask for her to follow

    But his departing figure clearly implied that she should follow Itim upstairs.

    Emelie¡¯s mind raced; she tried to think of ideas, She identally made eye contact with Bryan, who slightly nodded.

    Emelie steadied herself and eventually went upstairs.

    At least with Bryan there, he would back her up,

    Even without Samuel¡¯s involvement, he was delighted with the terms she offered him. So, he would help her.

    Downstairs was where regr guests entertained themselves, while the second floor was where the big shots on this ship gathered.

    Norman patted William¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re ying poker. I remember you¡¯re good at it.¡±

    William replied<b>, </b>¡°I¡¯m <b>just </b>decent.¡±

    you take my ce? I¡¯m getting old and can¡¯t handle the fatigue. I need to be <b>down</b>

    Norman massaged his waist, sighing. ¡°Then can you

    William nodded.

    He entered the room, and Emelie followed.

    The room wasn¡¯t huge. It was well¨Clit, with a <b>sofa</b>, a coffee table, and a poker table.

    No one was on the sofa, but two men in <b>suits </b>sat at the poker table, shuffling the cards.

    Both men were rtively young, with different temperaments.

    Emelie found them familiar but couldn¡¯t quite ce their names.

    Bryan had just been ying, so he sat at the poker table as soon as he entered the room. William took Norman¡¯s previous seat and joined in.

    Patricia had somehow followed them upstairs. She wore a strapless dress, with the upper part made of red velvet fabric and the skirt made of

    off¨Cwhite chiffon

    She looked elegant and princess¨Clike, but she sat on the carpet next to Bryan¡¯s leg.

    She leaned against Bryan¡¯s thigh, lighting a cigarette for him and asionally feeding him strawberries

    Emelle felt an ufortable sense of humility<b>.</b>

    The other two men also had women at their feet, doing simr things.

    Emelie felt awkward, unsure of what to do. She stood there, and no one paid her any attention

    It wasn¡¯t until William looked at her and said, ¡°Do you still need me to teach you where your ce is?¡±

    He wanted her to follow Patricia¡¯s example, obediently kneeling at his feet.

    Emelie didn¡¯t want to degrade herself like that. She remained silent and didn¡¯t move

    However, this act of defiance caused the other two men at the poker table to focus on her.

    One of the men scrutinized Emele, smiling as he asked William, ¡°Is this Mr. Middleton¡¯s ¡®bargaining chip<b>¡®</b><b>?</b>

    ¡°Indeed<b>, </b>she is quite attractive. No wonder you dared to sh so many points off me with just one word.¡±

    Willum remained silent and continued ying his cards.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    The man took <b>a </b>cigarette from the <b>pack</b>, tapped it on the table, <b>and </b>motioned to Emelie.

    ¡°Come over here and light this cigarette for me.

    Emelie suddenly remembered who he was

    He was a real estate tycoon.

    William was nning to use her as a bargaining chip to acquirend.

    Bryan casually ced a chip and raised his eyes, <b>¡°</b><b>So</b>, mypetitor is Mr. Davis. To be frank, I¡¯ve <b>also </b>taken a liking to this woman.

    ¡°What I can

    offer Mr. Middleton is no less than what Mr. Davis can.¡±

    Charles chuckled. ¡°Is that so

    While they conversed, their hands continued to y the game of poker.

    The crisp tter of the chips striking each other hit Emelie¡¯s nerves, causing her to tense up.

    Charles suddenly raised an eyebrow <b>and </b>showed his hand.

    ¡°Oh, a Full House. Not bad. This woman¡¯s lucky for <b>me</b>. Mr. Middleton, I ept your offer. Tonight, she belongs to me.¡±

 CHAPTER 86

    Chapter 86 Marriages Can Sour Quickly

    On the other hand, Norman¡¯sint about his back <b>pad </b>was just an excuse,

    He had heard some news and immediately returned to his room, asking his secretary, ¡°Has Wesley really boarded the ship?¡±

    ¡°Vincent saw a figure that looked very much like him, but he wasn¡¯t entirely sure.

    Nonnanughed bitterly.

    ¡°He¡¯s even keeping a secret while attending our own family¡¯s banquets. What¡¯s making him so afraid to show his face? Truly, he¡¯s been spoiled by his mother!¡±

    He andered, ¡°Send someone to find him!¡±

    The secretary nodded. ¡°Yes,¡±

    Nonman paused <b>for </b>a moment. ¡°Wait, do it discreetly, don¡¯t alert anyone.¡±

    Just in case Wesley had his ns, Norman didn¡¯t want to hold him back.

    The secretary replied, ¡°Understood.¡±

    Still feeling uneasy, Norman walked toward the room where the poker game was happening.

    That room was now in a brief silence

    Charles imed Emelie

    William¡¯s gaze shifted to Emelie

    Behind him was a floormp, casting shadows that obscured his expression

    No one could tell what he was thinking at that moment.

    Emelie¡¯s breath caught for a moment.

    Everything hung on his decision. If he nodded, she would be at his mercy tonight.

    No, she couldn¡¯t rely on this man. Relying on him meant having no hope

    Suddenly<b>, </b>Emelie smiled and took a hesitant step forward.

    ¡°Hmm? I wonder what the bosses are talking about. I can also y poker. Why don¡¯t you add

    Charles looked at her with a sarcastic smile. ¡°You want to join the table, too?¡±

    His remark was clearly mocking her inability to understand her status.

    Emelie pretended not to understand and casually said, ¡°My poker skills are not bad. I should be qualified to be a ying partner for the bosses.

    <b>Charles </b>leaned back in his chair with a rxed demeanor and said, ¡°Well then, tell us, who do you think should give up their seat for you here?¡±

    Seated at the table were the capital tycoon from the Middleton family in Capebatt City, the venture capitalist from the Swanson family in Weston, the <b>real </b>estate tycoon from the Davis family in Calmcrest, and the technology <b>giant </b>from the Collins family in cidville.

    As a woman who was brought here, who did she think should step down for her?

    William¡¯s seat directly faced the <b>door</b>, and Emelie couldn¡¯t help but look at him

    <b>She </b>actually <b>wanted </b><b>him </b>to step down, preferably <b>straight </b>off the ship and into oblivion.

    Before today, she didn¡¯t think <b>William </b>would stoop to this level.

    Marriages really could turn sour quickly.

    ¡°What are you looking at me for?¡± William asked calmly. ¡°Do you have something to say?¡±

    ¡°Secretary Hoven can take my ce.¡± Bryan stood up, buttoning his suit jacket.

    ¡°<b>I¡¯m </b>a bit tired of ying. <b>Patricia</b>, apany me for a drink.¡±

    Emelie was most grateful to the brothers from the Swanson family.

    Charles noticed her title and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Secretary?¡± He nced at William with interest, then nodded. ¡°Come.¡±

    Emelie took a seat.

    The game quickly started<b>, </b>and Wim was the first in tum, ?

    Emelie looked at her hand and said, ¡°I¡¯ll call¡±

    casually raising the chips.

    Chapter Re Marriages cai Soo Quickly

    At first, everyone was just ying for fun, not really taking it seriously, with winning or losing not mattering much.

    But with Enelie joining, she yed with great focus, winning hand after hand.

    A worthy opponent can spark one¡¯spetitive drive.

    As they kept ying, <b>everyone </b>started to get serious. The poker table fell silent, with only the sound of chips clinking.

    Bryan stood <b>behind </b>Emelie with a ss of wine.

    William raised his bet and looked at Emelie across from him.

    <b>She </b>appeared very focused<b>, </b>with her eyshes slightly lowered.Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    Charles folded his <b>hand</b>.

    Emelie confidently dered, ¡°All in<b>.</b>¡±

    Thomas Collins chuckled. ¡°Why is Charles folding just before Ms. Hoven goes all in?¡±

    Charles didn¡¯t say anything. He bit his tongue and nced at Emelie. He then grinned and nodded.

    ¡°Let¡¯s continue.¡±

    In the second round, Emelie yed just as smoothly.

    William remarked, ¡°Are you counting cards?¡±

    Counting cards meant remembering every card yed by each <b>yer</b>, what was taken back, and figuring out what <b>cards </b>each yer might hold in their hand and how to <b>y </b>to win.

    The great thing about poker as a pastime was that <b>some </b>people yed it casually while others used their brains.

    Charles chuckled. ¡°Ms. Hoven has a good mind.¡±

    Emelie¡¯s gaze flickered slightly. She had yed so diligently, waiting for his acknowledgment.

 CHAPTER 87

    Chapter 87 Threatening His Throne

    ¡°Mr. Davis is too kind. Perhaps it¡¯s just practice that makes perfect.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t very good before, but as the head secretary of Cloudex Corporation, I often have to represent Cloudex Corporation and connect with various CFOs and their wives.

    ¡°The more I y, the more skilled | be.¡±

    Charles paused for a moment.

    Head secretary. Connecting with various CEOs and their wives.

    He pondered for a moment. ¡°I see,<b>¡±</b>

    After hearing Emelie¡¯s insightful words, William nced at her and raised his bet.

    Emelie immediately called, returning his gaze. Her words were directed at Charles but were meant for him.

    Was he really going to give her <b>away</b>? Had he thought it through?

    She was the head secretary, controlling Cloudex Corporation¡¯s numerous client resources. She might not be able to hold her tongue if he dared to sell her out.

    She could casually mention some major clients¡® preferences<b>, </b>habits, and limits to Charles. If Charles then <b>took </b>those clients, she wouldn¡¯t be

    at fault.

    This <b>wouldn¡¯t </b>count as betraying Cloudex Corporation¡¯s secrets; she was just chatting about some gossip about clients while ying poker.

    Emelie smiled. ¡°The one who has guided me the most is Mrs. Parker, but the most interesting yer is Mrs. Adams.

    ¡°She¡¯s from Elmridge, and they have a type of poker called ¡°Fists and Kicks,¡± which is quite amusing. Does Mr. Davis y Elmridge poker<b>?</b>¡±

    Charles pondered. ¡°I¡¯ve seen it but never yed it. But I¡¯m interested after hearing Ms. Hoven say that. Can you teach me <b>tonight</b>?¡±

    Emelie was disgusted by his words but maintained her smile. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll let you knowter what games Mr. Jenkins and Mr. Bet enjoy <b>ying</b>.¡±

    Her hand won again. ¡°Full House. I¡¯ve won, again. Looks like Charles is also favoring me.¡±

    William sneered. He had underestimated this woman<b>. </b>She dared to threaten him directly,

    Emelle pursed her lips. ¡°Shall we continue?¡±

    William folded his hand. ¡°Do you think we¡¯re here to y poker with you? Who do you think you are?

    He ushered her <b>away </b>from the table. ¡°The drinks are finished; po get <b>more</b>.¡±

    Emelie lowered her <b>gaze </b>and stood up, <b>¡°</b><b>Certainly</b>, Mr. Middleton.¡±

    As she turned to leave, she nodded at Bryan

    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Swanson, for letting me y these two rounds¡°.

    Bryan looked at her seriously. ¡°You¡¯re wee. It isn¡¯t easy winning against them.¡±

    Emelie walked out of the room, went a long way, and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

    William probably wouldn¡¯t give her to Charles. Unless he was really betting on whether she¡¯d keep quiet and if Charles could steal his clients.

    He definitely wouldn¡¯t gamble.

    William liked to y it safe, and he had always been that way,Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    He led a smooth life thanks to his family. Only thosecking strength and confidence needed to gamble, and he had plenty of both

    Emelle suddenly had a thought

    She hoped Willian would <b>lose </b>his strength <b>and </b>confidence one day and have nothing.

    Then, she would make him feel like he <b>was </b>walking on a tightrope at the edge of a cliff, desperately trying <b>to </b><b>save </b><b>himself</b>.

    Emelie went downstairs and didn¡¯t retum to the private room. Instead, she found a quieter to sit down.

    She felt a bit weak in her legs.

    In <b>the </b>room, everyone stopped ying poker and casually chatted

    Charles casually said, ¡°It¡¯s a good thing when women are intelligent and have character<b>, </b>but it¡¯s troublesome.

    ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s better to raise dogs than cats. Dogs be more obedient and affectionate over time, while cats are too alool.

    Chapter #7 Threatening His Throne

    ¡°They often forget their role as pets.¡±

    Patricia was helping Bryan peel grapes andined in a coy tone, ¡°Mr. Swanson, I don¡¯t want to peel them anymore. My freshly done nails <b>are </b>splitting ¡±

    Bryan patted her head. ¡°Alright. Then, don¡¯t peel them.¡±

    William¡¯s voice <b>was </b>indifferent.

    ¡°It¡¯s boring when someone doesn¡¯t know how to ask, how <b>to </b>speak<b>, </b><b>thinks </b>they¡¯re clever, and still enjoys ying tricks.¡±

 CHAPTER 88

    Chapter 88 Where Did Emelle Go?

    Emelie didn¡¯t notice anything when she was on edge, but she felt a headache once she rxed.

    She touched her forehead and realized she had a fever. She asked a walter for some medicine and sought a quiet ce to rest.

    Coincidentally, she ran into Elias.

    He asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you with WiLE?¡±

    Emelie hesitated for a moment before realizing he was referring to William.

    She gestured upstairs and walked past him to sit on a couch by the window.

    Elias nced at her before heading upstales

    As she sat <b>alone </b>on the couch, Emelie felt increasingly dizzy and couldn¡¯t hold on.

    She tried to retum to her room, but the short distance felt daunting as her vision blurred,

    <b>As </b>she fell, she saw a pair of leather shoes in front of her.

    She seemed to catch a whiff of the scent of pine.

    The discussion upstairs was nearing its end, so they headed downstairs. Es and William walked together.

    Elias sought out William primarily to report an unusual incident.

    ¡°A speedboat <b>was </bunched from the cruise ship just now<b>, </b>a

    , <b>and </b>we don¡¯t know who left midway.¡±

    1/2

    Leaving midway was disrespectful to the Graham family unless someone like Leon had to go.

    Normally, people wouldn¡¯t be so rude.

    ¡°It Mr. Sanders wants to <b>leave</b>, they can do it in their own boat. If the <b>Graham </b>family provided a speedboat, it must be someone they wanted to

    ¡®t matter who it is.¡±

    William was unconcerned. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter

    But it couldn¡¯t be Wesley, right? Thinking of him, William went to look for Emelie.

    ¡°Have you seen her?¡± He still had some ounts to settle <b>with </b>her.

    ¡°Who?¡± Eliss guessed ¡°Ms. Hoven?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Elias pointed to the sofa. ¡°Wasn¡¯t she there Huh? Where did she <b>go</b><b>?</b><b>¡±</b>

    The sofa was empty.

    Flies was puzzled. ¡°When I went upstairs, I saw her sitting there.¡±

    William scanned the entire banquet hall but couldn¡¯t find her anywhere.

    Es looked outside the banquet hall ¡°The wind is quite strong tonight. Feels like the ship is swaying a bit.¡±

    William furrowed his brows and immediately dialed Emelie¡¯s number

    The call connected, but no one answered.

    William immediately left the banquet hall

    He continued to call her as he entered the elevator and pressed the button for the fourth floor.

    He assumed she had returned to her room. However, it was pitch ck inside when he opened the <b>door</b>.

    William <b>was </b>stunned.

    She wasn¡¯t in the banquet <b>hall</b>, wasn¡¯t answering the phone, and wasn¡¯t in her room.

    Could she have gone missing?

    Then, another wave hit, causing the entire cruise ship to sway.

    With the door still open, William could bear cries from below.

    Security urged guests to return to <b>their </b><b>cabins </b>and not <b>to </b>approach the railing <b>to </b>avoid idents

    William pursed his lips and turned to find the security manager<b>, </b>demanding they check the surveince footage

    He needed to know where Emelie <b>was </b>and exactly where she had gone

    Chapter 35 Where Did E p¨¦lia <b>cont</b>

    The security manager didn¡¯t dare to dy <b>and </b>immediately took William to the main control room to review the surveince footage.

    The cameras on the cruise ship had extensive coverage, and they quickly found Emelie¡¯s figure. It was from half an hour ago.

    At first, Emelie <b>was </b>on <b>the </b><b>s</b><b>. </b><b>But </b>after a while, she shook her <b>head</b>, looking ufortable, and left the banquet hall alone.

    She first headed toward the elevator, but it was blocked by people, so she walked up the nearby staircase.

    The staircase was designed as an observation deck, open¨Csided, with the <b>sea </b>on one side.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie¡¯s figure swayed as it she were drunk.

    With the strong wind, her steps were unsteady <b>as </b>she held onto the handrail.

    She nearly stumbled several times, frightening anyone watching the footage.

    William¡¯s gaze darkened

    The security manager wiped his sweat and quickly picked up the walkie¨Ctalkie.

    He instructed security to follow Emelie¡¯s path on the surveince and continue to track her himself.

    The next scene showed the third¨Cfloor deck, where Emelie safely ascended.

    There weren¡¯t many people on the deck, and the strong <b>wind </b>made her hair fly and her dress flutter

    She stumbled and tripped, eventually falling onto the deck.

    She sat there, her hair cascading down like a captured mermaid<b>, </b>looking innocent and <b>unaware</b>. <b>Even </b>in the blurry surveince footage, she was stunning.

 CHAPTER 89

    Chapter 89 Could She Have Been Hidden Away

    Two men approached, <b>clearly </b>drawn by Emelle¡¯s beauty. They crouched in front of her and said something.

    Emelie didn¡¯t lift her head, and one of the men pinched her clin

    William watched coldly, already noting these two men.

    After getting a clear look at Emelie¡¯s <b>face</b><b>, </b>the other man recognized her as someone from William¡¯s circle and quickly pulled hispanion away, not daring to <b>provoke </b>further.

    Emelie picked up the hairpin from the ground, clutching it as she swayed to her feet from the deck.

    But she was like a defenselessmb in her current state<b>, </b>vulnerable to anyone¡¯s attack.

    Until now, William hadn¡¯t realized how easily Emelie could be bullied.

    Even more concerning was that!

    t she suddenly walked <b>toward </b>a blind sp

    I spot in the surveince.

    <b>The </b>security manager tried switching camera angles, but Emelie¡¯s figure couldn¡¯t be found anywhere.

    William¡¯s voice was heavy. ¡°Where is she?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Middleton, please wait a moment.¡± <b>The </b>security manager continued to switch between camera angles, but there was no sign of her

    anywhere.

    After Emelie entered the blind spot of the surveince, she vanished into thin air

    The security dispatched to find her reported that they had reached the third floor but hadn¡¯t seen Emelie.

    The <b>security </b>manager swallowed nervously, not daring to think further.

    They would face dire consequences <b>if </b>something happened to William¡¯s guest under their noses.

    He contacted everyone, deployed more personnel<b>, </b>searched everyer, and questioned every guest, especially those who <b>had </b>been on the third floor.

    As he busily coordinated, the surveince video still ying suddenly emitted a ssh, as if something heavy had fallen into the water

    The security manager was still in shock when William quickly grabbed the mouse, rewinding the progress bar

    The ssh came from the direction where Emelie disappeared.

    The control room fell into silence.

    It was hard not to think that Emelie had fallen into the sea in such a situation.

    ¡°Mr. Middleton, this.¡± The security manager¡¯s face turned pale.

    William¡¯s expression was key

    He immediately walked out, his voice resolute. ¡°Deploy a search and rescue team into the sea.¡±

    The security manager quickly reported to his superiors and organized personnel for a full¨C<b>scale </b>search and rescue.

    Late into the night, over a dozen rubber boars were lowered into the sea, each carrying two <b>people</b>, spreading across the surface.

    In addition, there were coaches on jet skis and divers searching near the cruise ship:

    The ship tumed on itsrge lights, brightening up the sea.

    Such <b>a </bmotion naturally couldn¡¯t go unnoticed. Guests who had been enjoying themselves at the banquet gathered on the deck.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°I heard Mr. Middleton¡¯spanion fell into the water,¡±

    my god! Will they be able to find her?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Middleton has also contacted the shore guard<b>, </b>and reinforcements are on their way. But the sea is so vast that it¡¯s not easy to find someone who fell into it.¡±

    Norman patted William¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°William, rest assured, whether she¡¯s alive or not, I¡¯ll give you an exnation. I won¡¯t let her disappear like this without a trace.¡±

    Elias nced at William

    William was alwaysposed, and he remained so <b>even </b>then

    An hour of chaos passed, but nothing was found.

    Chapter 29 Could She Have Been Hidden Away

    Elias moved hisptop to the deck and reyed the <b>footage </b>of Emelie¡¯s disappearance. Guests crowded around him.

    Elias kept adjusting the progress bar, zooming in on the footage where the <b>ssh </b>sound urred, trying to see what had fallen into the sea.

    But it was too <b>dark</b>, <b>and </b><b>it </b>happened <b>in </b>a blind spot of the surveince. That made it impossible to see clearly.

    So, did Emelie really fall into the <b>seat</b>

    If not, where was she now?

    If she was still on the ship, she would know ande out since there was such a hugemotion.

    Could it be that someone hid her <b>away</b>?

    1/2

    Chapter go Found Her

    Es gained no instelt and was about to <b>shut </b>hisputer when a woman behind him suddenly spoke, ¡°Ar that time, um, I think I heard that sshing sound.¡±

    The woman was talking to her friend softly, and it was unclear how William, who was several feet away, heard her.

    He quickly turned his head to look

    ¡°What did you hear?¡± His voice was slightly tense.

    The woman hesitated momentarily and then said, ¡°At H0 pm, I went back to my room on the third floor to get something.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°On my way back to the banquet hall, as I <b>passed </b>by a room, I inadvertently heard arguing inside.

    ¡°There was also a ssh sound. At the time, Lalso thought it sounded like something falling into the water.¡±

    William¡¯s gaze sharpened. ¡°<b>Please </b>take me to that room.¡±

    The

    e woman <b>quickly </b>agreed and led William to the room on the third floor

    William immediately knocked on the door.

    <b>A </b>man with a braised tace opened the door, looking extremely surprised to see William ¡°Mr. Middleron, you.¡±

    William nced into the room. The chairs were overturned, and it was a mess.

    He didn¡¯t beat around the <b>bush </b>and asked about the sshing sound.

    The man dared not hide anything and confessed that he and his wife quarreled tonight, which escted into a tight

    In a fit of anger, his wife threw a flowerpot at him. He dodged, and the flowerpot flew out the window and into the sea

    In other words, the ssh sound was from the flowerpot instead of Emelie

    William closed his eyes briefly.

    s felt inexplicably relieved<b>, </b>as if he <b>had </b>been holding his breath all this time.

    Was he worried about Emelie?

    After confirming the details, William immediately walked away.

    ¡°Bring <b>back </b><b>half </b>of the search team from the sea. Emelle is still on the ship. Search the cabins.¡±

    Elias promptly went to carry out the order.

    William walked alone in the corridor

    He pondered. If Emelie hadn¡¯t f?llen into the sea, she must still be on the ship,

    With such amotion, she would¡¯vee out if she were conscious.

    Considering her unsteady state in the surveince footage, she might be unconscious somewhere now

    No. The security team had already searched the public <b>areas </b>once

    <b>She </b>would have been found if she were unconscious. That was unless she was taken into a room by someone.

    William suddenly stopped in his tracks, and realization dawned on him.

    His eyes lifted<b>, </b><b>revealing </b><b>a </b>dark abyss within

    He <b>asked </b>the person following him, ¡°<b>Where </b>is Mr. Samuel¡¯s <b>room</b>?¡°¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s also on the third floor, in the first room¡®

    William burried over.

    Everyone on the ship knew Emelie was suspected of talling into the water.

    Samuel was so concerned about her<b>, </b>yet he hadn¡¯t appeared until now.

    Something wasn¡¯t right.

    William rang

    the doorbell when he reached the door.

    However, no one answered.

    He pressed the doorbell three more times. Just as his patience was about to run out,

    The person who opened the door was Samuel

    the door finally opened.

 CHAPTER 90

    Chapter 90 Found Her

    Es gained no insight and was about to shut hisputer when a woman behind him suddenly spoke, At that time, um, I think I heard that sshing sound.¡±

    The woman was talking to her friend softly, and it was unclear how William, who was several feet away, heard her.

    He quickly turned his head to look.

    ¡°What did you hear?¡± His voice was slightly tense.

    The woman hesitated momentarily and then said, ¡°At 8:30 <b>pm</b>, I went back to my room on the third floor to get something.

    ¡°On my way back to the banquet hall, as I passed by a room, I inadvertently heard arguing inside.

    ¡°There was also a ssh sound. At the time, I also thought it sounded like something falling into the

    water.¡±

    William¡¯s gaze sharpened. ¡°Please take me to that room.¡±

    The woman quickly agreed and led William to the room on the third floor.

    William immediately knocked on the door.

    A man with a bruised face opened the door, looking extremely surprised to see William. ¡°Mr. Middleton, you¡­¡±

    William nced into the room. The chairs were overturned, and it was a mess,

    He didn¡¯t beat around the bush and asked about the sshing sound,

    The man dared not hide anything and confessed that he and his wife quarreled tonight, which escted into a fight.

    In a fit of anger, his wife threw a flowerpot at him. He dodged, and the flowerpot flew out the window and into the sea.

    In other words, the ssh sound was from the flowerpot instead of Emelie.

    William closed his eyes briefly.

    Elias felt inexplicably relieved, as if he had been holding his breath all this time.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Was he worried about Emelie<b>?</b>

    After confirming the details, William immediately walked away.

    ¡°Bring back half of the search team from the sea. Emelie is still on the ship. Search the cabins.¡±

    Elias promptly went to carry out the order.

    William walked alone in the corridor.

    He pondered. If Emelie hadn¡¯t fallen into the sea, she must still be on the ship.

    With such amotion, she would¡¯vee out if she were conscious.

    Considering her unsteady state in the surveince footage, she might be unconscious somewhere <b>now</b>.

    No. The security team had already searched the public areas once.

    She would have been found if she were unconscious. That was unless she was taken into a room by

    someone<b>.</b>

    William suddenly stopped in his tracks, and realization dawned on him.

    His eyes lifted, revealing a dark abyss within.

    He asked the person following him, ¡°Where is Mr. Samuel¡¯s room?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s also on the third floor; in the first room.¡±

    William hurried over.

    Everyone on the ship knew Emelie was suspected of falling into the water.

    Samuel was so concerned about her, yet he hadn¡¯t appeared until now.

    Something wasn¡¯t right.

    William rang the doorbell when he reached the door.

    However, no one answered.

    He pressed the doorbell three more times. Just as his patience was about to run out, the door finally opened.

    The person who opened the door was Samuel.

    He was wearing a white bathrobe, as if he had just taken a shower, with a lingering scent of moisture. He was busy wiping his short hair.

    Upon seeing him like this, William¡¯s expression became even more unpleasant.

    Samuel wasn¡¯t wearing sses and asked with a smile, ¡°Mr. Middleton? Why are <b>you </b>here? Is there

    something you need?¡±

    ¡°Emelie is here with you, right?¡± It was no longer a question but a statement.

    Samuel paused for a moment, then nodded with a smile. ¡°Yes.¡±

    William¡¯s jaw tightened, and he walked straight into the room.

    His gaze swept around. There was no one in the living room or the dining room.

    He headed toward the bedroom.

    Samuel intercepted him with an unpleasant expression<b>.</b>

    Chapter 90 Found Her

    ¡°Mr. Middleton, it seems you don¡¯t have the right to barge into my room without permission.¡±

    William ignored him and pushed open the partially closed door.

    Then, he saw Emelie.

    She was sitting on therge bed, wearing a white bathrobe and slightly damp hair.

 CHAPTER 91

    Chapter 91 Caught In the ActContent (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    An hour and a half ago, Emelie sat alone in the banquet hall, feeling increasingly dizzy

    She felt her forehead and realized her fever hadn¡¯t subsided.

    She couldn¡¯t endure it anymore and leaned on the table to stand up, intending to return to her room for a

    nap.

    She could have taken the elevator directly to her <b>room </b>on the fourth floor.

    However, she encountered several men blocking the elevator, either drunk or arguing for some other

    reason.

    She frowned and decided to take the stairs instead.

    After all, she was on the third floor and just needed to go up one more level.

    However, she remembered wrong.

    The banquet was on the second floor, but she mistakenly thought it was on the third. So she actually arrived on the third floor.

    The difference of one floor ensured she would end up in the wrong room.

    She wasn¡¯t so dizzy when she climbed the stairs. But after standing on the deck for a while and feeling the sea breeze, the spinning sensation became worse.

    She staggered to the door of a room and swiped her room key at the sensor.

    The sensor emitted a harsh beep, and the screen disyed an ¡°incorrect room key.¡±

    With her eyes half shut, Emelie didn¡¯t even notice that the door was partially open. With a push, it swung open.

    Thinking she had opened it with her room key, she walked in, closed the door, andy on the sofa.

    She sensed that the roomyout differed from what she remembered, but the feeling of strangeness was minimal.

    Emelie was <b>too </b>feverish to think much about it, quickly drifting into a deep sleep.

    Feeling uneasy about leaving Emelie alone, Samuel came out of the bedroom with his phone and was surprised to see a graceful figure oh his sofa.

    He paused, furrowing his brows, and walked over to look closer.

    To his astonishment, it was Emelle.

    Looking closer, he noticed her flushed cheeks and uneasy expression, indicating she wasn¡¯t feeling well.

    Samuel sniffed her and detected no alcohol. She couldn¡¯t be drunk

    He then touched her forehead, finding it burning hot with fever.

    7/2

    He softly called out, ¡°Ms. Hoven? Ms. Hoven?¡±

    Emelie showed no response.

    He then went to the bathroom to fetch a clean towel, which he dampened and ced on her forehead to help reduce her temperature.

    He rummaged through his luggage to find medicine..

    Samuel was meticulous and always carried a small medical kit when traveling to prevent potential health issues.

    After locating the medicine and pouring a ss of water, he returned to Emelie¡¯s side.

    He gently <b>lifted </b>her upper body <b>and </b>supported her against his shoulder. ¡°Ms. Hoven, have some medicine.¡±

    Emelie was in a semi¨Cconscious state. She vaguely realized that she was leaning against someone¡¯s

    chest.

    The person¡¯s voice seemed to fluctuate, sometimes distant and sometimes close, familiar yet unfamiliar.

    She remembered the scent of pine again.

    Something was ced near her mouth, and she instinctively swallowed it.

    Samuel whispered, ¡°How can you be so trusting?¡±

    Emelie struggled to open her eyes <b>and </b>saw Samuel¡¯s face. She murmured something.

    Her words took Samuel aback.

    Before he could react, Emelie grabbed the back of his neck and pressed her lips against his chin.

    In that instant, the gentle expression in Samuel¡¯s eyes was reced by a dangerous and aggressive masculinity.

    He immediately pressed down on the back of Emelie¡¯s head.

    Back to the present moment, the door was forcefully pushed open, and Emelie instinctively lifted her

    head.

    William¡¯s face was ice¨Ccold.

    With both of them dressed like that and the ambiguous atmosphere, it was impossible that nothing had happen

 CHAPTER 92

    Chapter 92 Provocation

    Emelie was familiar with William, so she knew that his current mood was extremely poor.

    It had even reached the point of anger<b>.</b>

    William rarely got angry. After all, he could control almost everything, leaving little reason for him to get <b>angry</b><b>.</b>

    If he didn¡¯t like something just onemand was all it took, and someone would handle it.

    These were among the few asions.

    Emelie called out, ¡°Mr. Middleton.¡±

    William grabbed her wrist and pulled her up from the messy bed.

    He exerted so much force that Emelie mmed into his chest without any support.

    He didn¡¯t use cologne, but there was a refreshing scent, like the smell of snow.

    It was clearly out of reach, yet the invading sensation was overpowering.

    As soon as it touched her, it consumed all her senses, erasing any memory of the pine scent and leaving only him.

    But William¡¯s strength was so great that he almost twisted her wrist bone. Emelie groaned in pain and reprimanded softly.

    ¡°Mr. Middleton.¡±

    William didn¡¯t loosen his grip. He intended to take her away like this.

    Samuel blocked the doorway.

    He had his sses back on, and the sses chain hung on his shoulder. His presence was not weak

    either.

    ¡°Mr. Middleton, do you have my consent to take someone away from my room?¡±

    The two had been on edge with each other all day, and at this moment, they were finally going to break

    tiespletely.

    William looked at the man before him.

    He didn¡¯t mind throwing him into the sea to feed the sharks, especially since he saw them wearing

    identical bathrobes.

    William suddenly sneered. ¡°Yours? Even your brother wouldn¡¯t dare to im my secretary as his own just like that. What are you?¡±

    Emelie couldn¡¯t stand his offense toward Samuel. ¡°Mr. Middleton, mind your words!¡±

    She dared to protect him.

    William¡¯s expression turned cold.

    On the other hand, Samuel remained unruffled, still wearing a gentle expression.

    ¡°Mr. Middleton, do you think I took Ms. Hoven away?

    ¡°Is it possible that she actually agreed? Mr. Middleton, the only thing you can use to bind Ms. Hoven is a contract, but our rtionship is purely voluntary.¡±

    In other words, William could only force Emelle. But it was consensual between him and Emelie.

    William turned to look at Emelie.

    Emelie was holding the hand that William had grabbed.

    She pursed her lips and spoke gently, ¡°Mr. Swanson, I¡¯ve troubled you tonight. It¡¯s gettingte, so you should rest.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go back with Mr. Middleton. We have something to discuss.¡±

    Samuel weighed his options. Ultimately, he didn¡¯t want to make things difficult for her, so he nodded and stepped aside.

    ¡°Feel free to call me if you need anything.¡±

    Before Emelie could nod, William had already taken her out of Samuel¡¯s room.

    Emelie was wearing a hotel bathrobe and slippers, which was inappropriate for outside. But William <b>didn¡¯t </b>give her time to tidy up, so she could only grit her teeth in silence.

    Fortunately, they didn¡¯t encounter anyone on the way.

    They reached the fourth floor, the first room on the right, and William swiped the card to open the door.

    Emelie thought he would finally let her go.

    Her wrist was already numb, but instead, he dragged her all the way into the bedroom and threw her onto

    the bed.

    Before Emelie could get up, the man¡¯s body pressed down on her directly.

    The next moment, he pulled off Emelie¡¯s bathrobe.

    Emelie¡¯s breath hitched, and she immediately pushed him away.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    She blocked his hands, feeling immense humiliation. ¡°William! What are you doing<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>

    ¡°What am I doing?¡± William gripped her chin, his tone sharp with anger.

    ¡°What did you do with Samuel? Take off your clothes yourself. Don¡¯t make me say it a second time.¡±

    d <b>time</b>.

 CHAPTER 93

    Chapter 93 Conclusion

    Emelie understood that he suspected she had done something with Samuel and wanted to examine her body.

    Emelie felt so aggrieved that she wanted to explode.

    Was she his personal belonging?

    Others couldn¡¯t touch her, and if it seemed like someone else had, he needed to check.

    He didn¡¯t even see her as a human being. She had had enough of him!

    Not knowing where she found the strength, Emelie pushed him away. She then fixed her robe and was about to leave the bed.

    William caught up from behind and grabbed her hand.

    Without thinking. Emelie turned around <b>and </b>pped him, but she missed.

    William also grabbed her other hand. He then pressed Emelie against the wall with his hands behind her.

    Emelie didn¡¯t want to give up and attempted to kick him, but William rendered her powerless.

    ¡°Feeling brave now? You dare toy hands on me?¡± William looked at her with a dark expression. Emelie¡¯s chest heaved with anger, and her eyes turned red. ¡°William! You¡¯re despicable!¡±

    William sneered. ¡°Indeed, it seems like someone is backing you up. You dare to challenge me now.¡±

    Emelie struggled to break free. ¡°Let go of me!¡±

    William was furious.

    ¡°I thought you had fallen into the sea. What were you doing when we were searching for you on the ship?

    ¡°Were you sleeping with Samuel? Emelie, do you want to die?¡±

    Emelie snapped. ¡°Did I ask you to find me? What do you want from me?

    ¡°Which project do you need me to ¡®contribute¡® to now? Do you want to use me to exchange for a few more points?¡±

    It was ridiculous. What was with his attitude?

    ¡°Are you telling me that you have the right to decide whose bed my body goes to, but I don¡¯t have the right to decide whose bed I go to?

    William didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°You indeed don¡¯t have the right.¡±

    Emelie gritted her teeth.

    ¡°Are you trying to threaten me with the contract again? Now it¡¯s past midnight, it¡¯s already the next day. and tomorrow is Saturday, a holiday.

    ¡°So, strictly speaking, my contract with Cloudex Corporation expires today!

    ¡°We have officially ended. There is no rtionship between us anymore. Why do you still treat me like this?¡±

    The question ¡°why¡± hit Emelle¡¯s nerve, and she trembled with anger.

    She liked him, even loved him to the point of losing herself. Yet, he didn¡¯t have the decency to end things properly, instead, he passed her off to someone else.

    How could he do such a thing?

    Emelie felt a lump in her throat, gritting her teeth. ¡°William, what gives you the right to treat me like this?¡±

    Her tears welled up, and William looked at her.

    ¡°The contract expired? Do you think you can leave just because the contract expired?¡±

    Emelie froze for a moment.¡°¡­ What do you mean? What do you want to do? William, don¡¯t be despicable; you promised to let me go!¡±

    Despicable? William red at her with dark eyes.

    Emelie feared that he would go back on his word, ¡°William¡­¡±

    William chuckled. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is. You think that just because the contract has expired, you can leave.

    ¡°So you used Samuel to get close to Bryan, wanting to enter the Swanson Corporation? This backup n is quite clever.¡±

    Emelie pressed her lips together. ¡°Mr. Middleton, you gave me this backup n.

    ¡°You nned to use me to exchange projects with the Swanson Corporation, right? It¡¯s benefiting you, but

    It¡¯s also benefiting me.¡±

    What a way to benefit both of them.

    William¡¯s tone <b>turned </b>cold. ¡°Since you¡¯ve made up your mind, why wait? Better to strike while the <b>iron </b>is hot. I¡¯ll take you to meet your new employer right now.¡±Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    He dialed Bryan¡¯s number in front of her.

    ¡°Mr. Swanson, are you avable to meet now? Yes, right now. Let¡¯s discuss the project in Maple Avenue. Okay, I¡¯ming over now.¡±

    William hung up and released her/hand. ¡°Three minutes to change your clothes, or you cane with me

    like this.¡±

    Emelie clenched her fists and then left the bedroom. She took her clothes from the suitcase and changed

    in the bathroom.

    William walked past her without a word.

    Emelie followed.

    Chapter 93 Conclusion

    <b>3/3</b>

    They were meeting in Bryan¡¯s room.

    William was emotionless. ¡°Sorry to disturb your rest, Mr. Swanson.¡±

    ¡°No problem, I just got back to my room.¡±

    Bryan¡¯s gaze fell on Emelie¡¯s pale face. ¡°As long as Ms. Hoven is okay.¡±

    William didn¡¯t want to waste time. ¡°The project in Maple Avenue will be handled ording to <i>Mr. </i>Swanson¡¯s instructions.¡±

    Handled ording to his instructions? Bryan¡¯s gaze shifted to Emelie. ¡°Mr. Middleton, <b>are </b>you willing to let go?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the point in holding onto used goods?¡±

    William left.

    He also took Patricia with him..

    Emelie stood in Samuel¡¯s living room.

    She swallowed hard and let out a bitterugh. Tears streamed down her face uncontrobly.

    It was finally over after three years.

 CHAPTER 94

    Chapter 94 Appropriate Measure

    Bryan handed her a tissue.

    Emelie sighed and took it. ¡°Thank you,¡± wiping away her tears..

    Bryan didn¡¯t say anything.

    Being a few years older than her, he understood the affairs between men and women very well.

    Love leads toplications<b>, </b>and emotions are the greatest erosion of willpower.

    He always kept his distance from such matters.

    ¡°I¡¯ve sent a message to Sam, asking him toe and pick you up.¡±

    Emelie initially refused. ¡°It¡¯s not <b>necessary</b>. It¡¯ste, and it¡¯s not right to bother Mr. Samuel.¡±

    Samuel nced at her. ¡°You have to stay somewhere tonight, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Emelie was speechless

    Indeed.

    They were on the ship, not onnd. She couldn¡¯t just find a room in any hotel by spending some money.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    She couldn¡¯t spend the night in the same room as Bryan either. Others might not see them as innocent if

    they were caught sleeping together.

    <b>Just </b>like <b>her </b>and Samuel, in William¡¯s eyes, something had already happened.

    William took Patricia away, and they might do something tonight as well.

    William didn¡¯t dislike Patricia. Although Patricia wasn¡¯t like Daphne, William wasn¡¯t limited to only Daphne.

    Of course, whether they slept together or not had nothing to do with Emelie.

    She could choose not to go to anyone¡¯s room and stay on the deck or in one of the banquet halls for the

    night.

    But even so, there were unknown dangers.

    Samuel arrived promptly and exchanged greetings with Bryan.

    Bryan nodded. ¡°Sam, take Ms. Hoven to rest. Ms. Hoven, don¡¯t forget what we agreed on before.¡±

    Emelie nodded at his words,

    Samuel then led Emelie away.

    After leaving the room and walking a few feet, Samuel draped his coat over Emelie¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡°You¡¯re still not fully recovered from your illness. Don¡¯t make it worse.¡±

    Emelie replied, ¡°I¡¯ve caused you a lot of trouble tonight, Mr. Swanson.¡±

    Chapter 94 Appropriate Measure

    <b>2/2</b>

    ¡°These are just small troubles. As friends, we should lend a hand to each other when necessary.¡±

    Samuel smiled, adjusted his cor, and led her to third floor.

    the

    Emelie realized he wasn¡¯t taking her to his room when they arrived.

    Samuel used his room key to open an empty room and handed the key card to her.

    ¡°When Mr. Middleton took you away, I thought you might argue tonight.

    ¡°I was prepared toe and pick you up, so I asked for another room. I just received the room key when Bryan called me. It seems that I was <b>right</b>.¡±

    Emelie was speechless.

    He wasn¡¯t leaving her in Bryan¡¯s room or taking her back to his. Instead, he arranged for another room for

    her.

    He respected her and always maintained propriety, making her feel she deserved to be treated well and not like someone without dignity.

    Emelie was moved. ¡°Mr. Swanson, thank you.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    Samuel returned the diamond ne <b>she </b>dropped in his room. ¡°Your clothes have been sent for dry cleaning. They should be back tomorrow.¡±

    Emelie looked at the valuable diamond ne and took it. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Samuel smiled wryly, having heard enough thanks from her, and pushed her into the room.

    ¡°You¡¯ve had a tiring day. Rest early. Goodnight.¡±

    He closed the door behind her and didn¡¯t enter her room. It wasn¡¯t appropriate to do sote at night. He only stood outside for a moment before returning to his room.

    Emelie was alone inside, and she didn¡¯t turn on the light. Theyout of the rooms on the ship was simr, so she walked toward the bedroom based on her instincts.

    She fell straight onto the bed <b>as </b>her knee hit the edge.

    Exhaustion engulfed her instantly.

    She stared into the darkness, her gaze fixed on the diamond ne.

 CHAPTER 95

    Chapter 95 Upbringing

    Emelie had anticipated that things might not end well between her and William, but she hadn¡¯t expected it to escte to this extent.

    Ultimately, he had indeed handed her over.

    The deed was done, no matter the method or circumstances.

    In <b>a </b>way, it was for the best.

    She was someone who cherished feelings deeply, yet William had destroyed that affection with his own

    hands.

    Emelie ced the diamond ne on the bedside table.

    It was too preci

    precious, and she would definitely return it to William tomorrow to avoid giving him any excuses to make things difficult for her.

    Struggling with her sore body, Emelie got up <b>and </b>turned on the bedsidemp.

    She then neatly folded Samuel¡¯s coat <b>and </b>ced it on the sofa.

    Only then did she return to bed and curl up under the covers.

    She was indeed drained, both physically and mentally, so she fell asleep quickly.

    However, her sleep was not peaceful. She was in a bad mood, and her body wasn¡¯t feeling well either.

    Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have vomited on Samuel.

    Feeling dizzy from the cold medicine given by a server, she identally went to Samuel¡¯s room.

    Samuel had noticed she had <b>a </b>fever and gave her fever medicine, but perhaps thebination of the two

    medicines caused her stomach to churn.

    Even though she had pushed Samuel away in time, she still ended up vomiting on both of their clothes.

    Samuel¡¯s manners were truly impable.

    He didn¡¯t immediately distance himself from her, even in such a situation. Instead, he brought the trash can over and gently rubbed her back,

    Emelie hadn¡¯t eaten much tonight, and what she had vomitedter was mostly water.

    It wasn¡¯t until she had expelled the pill that she started to feel a bit better.

    She felt extremely embarrassed and hastily apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Swanson, I didn¡¯t realize.

    I

    Samuel poured her a ss of warm water.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re just sick, It¡¯s not your fault. Rinse your mouth first. I¡¯ll call the doctor.¡±

    Emelie nodded and looked ufortable.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Chapter 95 Upbringing

    Samuel handed her tissues and then called the doctor. While waiting for the doctor to arrive, he cleaned

    up the vomit on the floor.

    Feeling ashamed, Emelie said, ¡°I don¡¯t know how I ended up here¡­ I¡¯m sorry, let me clean this up.¡±

    Samuel smiled. ¡°You¡¯re in no condition to clean up now. Just sit tight and don¡¯t fall over.

    ¡°I only told the doctor you had a fever and didn¡¯t mention your fall, so he didn¡¯t bring <b>any </b>medicine for it.¡±

    Emelie felt weak all over and couldn¡¯t do much. All she could do was thank him again and apologize.

    Samuel casually remarked, ¡°If you really feel sorry, you canpensate me with the cost of another shirt*

    This brought up the memory of their first encounter, prompting a smile from Emelie.

    The doctor arrived promptly. He took Emelie¡¯s temperature, checked her pulse, and provided her with some medication.

    She thanked him <b>as </b>he left. Shortly after, a stewardess arrived.

    Samuel suggested, ¡°Let the stewardess assist you to the bathroom to clean up.

    Emelie didn¡¯t think much about it at that moment. She was covered in vomit, and the smell was

    unbearable.

    She just wanted to get cleaned up as soon as possible.

    It wasn¡¯t until the stewardess helped her undress in the bathroom that Emelie realized how inappropriate the situation was.

    She was alone in a man¡¯s room. How could she allow herself to be in such apromising position?

    Even if there were extenuating circumstances, it still wasn¡¯t right. It was too ambiguous.

    She should have returned to her room to clean up.

    But her dress, which she had just taken off, was already soaked with water.

 CHAPTER 96

    Chapter 96 Thoughtful Gestures

    Emelie couldn¡¯t understand why she had made such a basic mistake just because she fell ill.

    After contemting, she asked the stewardess, ¡°Do you have any clothes I could borrow? Anything will do.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t possibly appear in front of Samuel without wearing anything.

    The stewardess hesitated. <b>¡°</b>Can you use this uniform I¡¯m wearing?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡°Please wait for me for ten minutes. I¡¯ll go get it now.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    The stewardess left the bathroom and closed the door behind her.

    Emelie didn¡¯t take a shower. She wiped her face with a wet towel, put on a bathrobe, and walked out.

    She was still dizzy.

    She tripped over the bath mat, stumbled a few steps, and fell onto the bed.

    Before she could get up, William had barged in.

    This illness was indeed causing chaos.

    Of course, Emelie wouldn¡¯t bother exining anything to William. She would let him think whatever he wanted.

    It was good if he detested her, it made her resignation easier.

    Emelie spent the whole night in a <b>daze</b>.

    The following day, she woke up with a slight headache. But it wasn¡¯t as severe as the previous night.

    She had never been this ill before. Her constitution had weakened significantly after the miscarriage.

    Emelie took a shower after breaking into a sweat.

    She had forgotten to take her luggage from William¡¯s room.

    But it didn¡¯t matter. Samuel said the dress she <b>wore </bst night had been sent for dry cleaning and wouldContent (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    be returned today.

    Emelie called the front desk to return the clothes <b>and </b>requested a set of disposable underwear.

    The front desk staff replied, ¡°Of course, madam. I¡¯ll have someone bring them right away.

    Emelie waited in her bathrobe for a while, and the doorbell rang.

    She got up to answer it.

    Indeed, it was the steward delivering the clothes. However, behind the attendant was Samuel.

    Samuel raised an eyebrow. ¡°You should change your clothes first.¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t want to keep him waiting at the door.

    ¡°Mr. <b>Swanson</b>, pleasee in and wait. I¡¯ll be quick.¡±

    Samuel smiled, his eyes narrowing slightly. ¡°Alright.¡±

    Emelie took the clothes to the bathroom to change.

    Samuel was looking at his phone on the sofa when she came out. He looked up when he heard Emelie emerge from the bathroom.

    Even though Samuel had seen her in this dressst night, she still looked stunning.

    Samuel¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Feeling better today?¡±

    ¡°Nothing serious.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good. The ship is already heading back, and we¡¯ll be docking in the afternoon.¡±

    Samuel <b>stood </b>up and prompted, ¡°Would you like to have breakfast together?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    The two of them went to the second¨Cfloor restaurant together.

    Emelie saw William and Patricia in the restaurant.

    Despite what happenedst night, it seemed to have not affected William. His expression remained

    indifferent as usual.

    On the other hand, Patricia smiled as she rested her chin on her hand.

    Emelie lowered her gaze but saw Patricia taking her foot out of her high heels and using her toes to shake William¡¯s trouser cuff.

    Emelie was dumbfounded.

    She withdrew her gaze and walked to an empty table with Samuel.

    William lifted his cold eyes.

    Patricia paused briefly and retracted her foot.

    Emelie wondered if his sudden coldness was because he saw her with Samuel or because he

    disapproved of Patricia¡¯sck of discretion.

    Emelie and Samuel each ordered a set meal.

    When the waitress brought the dishes, Emelie realized that the dish named ¡°Myriad Colors¡± on the menu was actually a seafood pasta.

    3.3

    She thought it was made from purple yam, red carrots, and yellow corn.

    The naming was too abstract.

    Emelie couldn¡¯t eat seafood because of her sickness. But it would be a waste if she refused to eat it.

    While Emelie pondered, Samuel swapped her seafood pasta with his pork and vegetable pasta.

    ¡°You can have mine,¡± he said casually.

    He even noticed her dilemma.

    Emelie picked up her spoon, feeling touched. ¡°Mr. Swanson, you¡¯re so considerate.¡±

    Samuel smiled. ¡°Then<b>, </b>I¡¯ll be less considerate; pardon my intrusion, but what deal have you reached with Bryan?¡±

    He only introduced them and didn¡¯t participate in their conversation, so he wasn¡¯t aware of the details

    between them.

    His main concern was that if Emelie betrayed Cloudex Corporation to the Swanson Corporation to escape William, she¡¯d be in big trouble if William found out.

    Worse, she might even break thew.

 CHAPTER 97

    Chapter 97 No Regrets

    Emelie understood Samuel¡¯s good intentions.

    She considered him a friend and didn¡¯t <b>beat </b>around the bush. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Swanson, we haven¡¯t engaged in any illegal transactions.

    ¡°I promised Mr. Bryan that if he could save me, I would work for the Swanson Corporation <b>and </b>sign a five- yearbor contract with him.

    ¡°With my abilities, the return I can bring him within five years will not be less than that of the Maple Avenue Project.¡±

    The Swanson Corporation also offered her an opportunity.

    The two out¨Cof¨Ctownpanies Emelie had previously considered were Vertex Capital Holdings and Swanson Corporation.

    However, after careful consideration, she found Vertex Capital Holdings more suitable for her, so she didn¡¯t contact the Swanson Corporation.

    Yesterday, she had no choice but to use herself as a bargaining chip and negotiate with Bryan.

    After considering everything, Bryan agreed to her terms.

    However, he added a condition: during her five years at the Swanson Corporation, she would only receive

    a basic sry, without any bonuses ormissions.

    People in business wouldn¡¯t let themselves lose out.

    William was the biggest winner in this deal, while Emelie suffered.

    She wouldn¡¯t tell Samuel about these hardships, only saying, ¡°Being able to work for the Swanson Corporation is also my honor.¡±

    Samuel nodded. ¡°Then I can rest assured.¡±

    Emelie¡¯s meal also included a te of fried cmari rolls. Samuel naturally extended his fork and took a

    plece.

    As he did so, he said, ¡°Mine should be the vegetable rolls. Do you want to swap?¡±

    It would be troublesome to keep exchanging dishes.

    Since they were at the same table and it was easy to reach, Emelie shook her head. ¡°No need, I can eat it

    like this.¡±

    To William, this scene looked like they were intimately sharing each other¡¯s food.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    The way Emelie was smiling. Was she prepared to embrace her new job?

    Working for the Swanson Corporation wasn¡¯t much different from working for Cloudex Corporation.

    It could be considered ateral move. However, it was also a good thing.

    Unfortunately, William couldn¡¯t bear to see someone else seed.

    William wiped his hands with a tissue and asked Patricia, ¡°Have you finished eating, Ms. May? I¡¯ll take you back when you¡¯re done.¡±

    ¡°Go back where?¡± Patricia¡¯s eyes flickered.

    ¡°Back to Mr. Swanson¡¯s, of course.¡± William chuckled. ¡°What? Just one night, and Ms. May wants to

    abandon her master already?¡±

    Patricia smiled mysteriously. ¡°Well, Mr. Middleton, wasn¡¯tst night¡¯s experience enjoyable? Aren¡¯t you considering keeping me?¡±

    No one heard William¡¯s response.

    At noon, William had lunch with Bryan. The ship docked in the afternoon.

    Emelie went to William¡¯s room.

    She had a room card but didn¡¯t swipe it; instead, she pressed the doorbell.

    William opened the door, wearing a tie around his neck.

    He nced at her indifferently and returned to the mirror to continue tying his tie.

    Emelie ced the diamond ne on the table and said, ¡°I¡¯m here to return the diamond ne, Mr. Middleton.¡±

    William ignored her and put on his suit jacket.

    Emelie didn¡¯t linger either; she packed her suitcase and was about to leave.

    ¡°Don¡¯t regret it,¡± William said emotionlessly.

    Emelie paused for a moment, then opened the door and left.

    After leaving the room, Emelie realized she had been holding her breath just now.

    She exhaled <b>and </b>thought she should thank Bryan and ask for his contact information for futuremunication regarding her new job.

    To her surprise, <b>Bryan </b>seemed somewhat distant.

    ¡°Ms. Hoven was able to escape mainly due to her own efforts. I didn¡¯t actually help much.

    ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing to ask for Ms/Hoven¡¯s five¨Cyear contract as a return.¡±

    Emelie pondered for a moment. ¡°So, Mr. Swanson is saying¡­¡±

    ¡°Swanson Corporation certainly wees talents like Ms. Hoven to join, but everything depends on your own willingness.¡±

    This ambiguous statement was actually a rejection.

    Chapter 97 No Regrets

    Emelie wouldn¡¯t be blunt enough to insist. ¡°I understand.¡±

    Bryan added, ¡°Sam wasn¡¯t involved in the matters between us.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t say much to Mr. Samuel,¡± Emelle replied.

    Bryan nodded and walked past her, disembarking the ship.

    Spin to im Your Surprise Reward!

 CHAPTER 98

    Chapter 98 Setback

    Emelie was confused.

    Bryan seemed very interested in her joining thepany at the beginning of their negotiation. Evenst night, he reminded her not to forget the conditions they discussed.

    Why did he politely decline her today?

    What Emelie didn¡¯t know was that her troubles were just beginning.

    Emelie dragged her suitcase and took a taxi back to her apartment.

    As soon as she unlocked the door, she heard a bang, which startled her.

    The next moment, colorful confetti rained down, and Mona cheered, ¡°Congrattions, Emelie. You¡¯ve finally escaped your suffering<b>!</b>¡±

    Emelie chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating. Why did you even buy confetti poppers? I thought something exploded.<b>¡±</b>

    Mona grinned. ¡°I calcted it. Tomorrow is Saturday, and your contract expires today. Shouldn¡¯t I celebrate properly for you?¡±

    She took Emelie¡¯s suitcase and asked, ¡°So, have you settled everything with William? Are you going your separate ways now?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve settled it.¡± Emelie didn¡¯t mention what happened on the ship.

    ¡°There were parting gifts when we disembarked¨Ctowels, bathrobes, and slippers from the ship¡¯s hotel.

    ¡°They were good quality, so I asked for an extra set for you.¡±

    Mona beamed. ¡°You¡¯re truly the best friend! Go rest for a bit. I¡¯ll cook dinner tonight.¡±

    She nned to start by making chicken soup.

    It was almost time to prepare the ingredients, so she went to the kitchen.

    Emelie tidied up the contents of her suitcase.

    Then, she poured herself a ss of water to take her medicine and scrolled through her phone on the

    sofa<b>.</b>

    Coincidentally, Samuel sent her a/WhatsApp message, reminding her that she hadn¡¯t fully recovered from her illness and should continue taking her medicine.

    Emelie smiled and replied, ¡°I know.¡±

    Emelie clicked into her social feed and saw a post from Samuel two minutes ago, featuring <b>a </b>picture of the moon taken on the deck, with a caption also referencing the moon.

    She casually liked the post.

    Scrolling down, she noticed a post from Vivian Ellis, who worked in HR at Vertex Capital Holdings.

    At that moment, Mona emerged from the kitchen and sat before her. ¡°Emelie, so you¡¯ve decided to join Vertex Capital Holdings, right?¡±

    Emelie nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±

    She already had extensive discussions with Vivian, clearly stating that she would sign with them once her contract with Cloudex Corporation expired.

    ¡°Then you¡¯ll have to move to Coastalburg. Mona pouted. ¡°Ah, we¡¯ve never been apart for so many years. Suddenly, you¡¯re leaving, and it makes me feel a bit sad.¡±

    ¡°Coastalburg and Capebatt City are neighbors. We can meet in just an hour by high¨Cspeed rail, which isn¡¯t much different from our usualmute time.

    ¡°Not to mention, on weekends or if we finish work early, we can always meet up for dinner,¡± Emelie said with a smile.

    Mona¡¯s mood was lifted. ¡°I feel much better now.¡±

    Vivian¡¯s post mentioned the end of work and two days off, asking if anyone wanted to make ns for

    tomorrow.

    The location tag was a hotel in Capebatt City.

    Emelie thought momentarily and then opened a private chat with her.

    ¡°I saw your post just now. I know a restaurant specializing in Capebatt City cuisine with authentic vors. How about I¡¯ll treat you to lunch tomorrow?¡±

    Vivian responded with a few shy emojis. ¡°You¡¯re too kind.<b>¡±</b>

    Emelie replied, ¡°That restaurant serves great food. I always rmend it to friends visiting from out of town.¡±

    Vivian chuckled. ¡°Haha, sounds good. I¡¯ll dly ept.¡±

    ¡°See you tomorrow,¡± Emelie said.

    The restaurant Emelie mentioned was 1215 Bistro.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    They specialized in Capebatt City cuisine and were located in an ancient mansion with a history of 35

    years.

    It was renowned as the pinnacle of Capebatt City cuisine.

    ¡°This taste is just alright, Eliasmented after trying their signature dish, the Spicy Seafood <b>Gumbo</b>.

    He nced across the table at William and took a sip of his tea.

    ?

    After they got off the ship to have dinner, Elias casually asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t the person you were texting in the car earlier Mr. Brown from Vertex Capital Holdings? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be rivals?¡±

    Chapter 90 Setback

    Why <b>did </b>they even start talking<b>?</b>

    William smiled. ¡°In the business world, aren¡¯t we all friends and enemies simultaneously?¡±

    That was true.

    Elias nced at the dishes before him <b>and </b>forced himself to take a few more bites.

    At around 10:00 am the following day, as Emelie was getting ready to meet up, she remembered she hadn¡¯t told Vivian the name and address of the restaurant.

    She swiftly sent the location over.

    However, Vivian responded with several crying emojis.

    Her reply read, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Hoven<b>, </b>I just received an <b>urgent </b>task from thepany, and I have to return

    to Coastalburg now. I won¡¯t be able to make it for lunch.¡±

 CHAPTER 99

    Chapter 99 Suspension

    Emelle paused momentarily before replying, ¡°It¡¯s okay. We can reschedule next time.¡±

    Thinking nothing of it at first, Emelie watered the mint nt by the window. The mint emitted a faint, cool fragrance.

    Suddenly, she had an idea and picked up her phone again, sending another message to Vivian.

    ¡°By the way, Vivian, should I just go directly to Vertex Capital Holdings to handle the onboarding process on Monday?¡±

    Half an hour passed, but Vivian didn¡¯t reply.

    As she inhaled the refreshing scent of mint, Emelie¡¯s mood sank.

    By noon, Emelie hadn¡¯t left, and Mona became <b>curious</b>.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to have lunch with the HR from Vertex Capital Holdings? Why haven¡¯t you left?¡±

    Emelie took out her phone, but Vivian still had not responded.

    She checked Vivian¡¯s social media and saw a photo of delicious food posted without a location tag, but she noticed the restaurant¡¯s sign in the corner of the image..

    She erged the image and confirmed it was a restaurant in Capebatt City.

    Wasn¡¯t Vivian supposed to rush back to Coastalburg?

    Emelie calmly liked the post.

    Within three minutes, the post disappeared, either deleted or set to private.

    Emelie didn¡¯t bother to dwell on it, but the fact that Vivian still hadn¡¯t responded to her messages made her understand the situation.

    ¡°She has other ns.¡±

    Mona asked again, ¡°Oh¡­ are you starting your new job on Monday?¡±

    Emelie set her phone down and repeated, ¡®<b>She </b>has other ns, so I probably don¡¯t need to go.¡±

    Mona was stunned. ¡°Huh? Why?¡±

    Emelie pursed her lips.

    She had figured out why Bryan suddenly turned her down and why Vivian stood her up.

    Someone must have intervened to <b>prevent </b>them from hiring her. And the only person with the capability and motive to do so was William.

    William had reasons to do this, whether it was out of revenge for her ¡°affair¡± with Samuel during the contract period or simply because he didn¡¯t want her to have an easy time.

    Despite her strong abilities, she was ultimately just an employee, not as significant as Cloudex Corporation and William in the eyes of thepanies.

    Swanson Corporation and Vertex Capital Holdings might not be afraid of him, but they saw <b>no </b>reas upset William for her sake.

    Emelie had anticipated her new job wouldn¡¯t be smooth sailing, so she remained calm despite this interference.

    On the other hand, Mona couldn¡¯t stay calm.

    She was about to explode.

    to

    ¡°Damn that bastard! What a scumbag! Why does he think he can do whatever he wants? It¡¯s infuriating!

    ¡°He didn¡¯tpensate you for your miscarriage injury, and that¡¯s bad enough! He cheated first, didn¡¯t apologize, and that¡¯s bad enough!

    ¡°Why does he have to sabotage you when your contract expires, when you¡¯re just trying to leave and find a new job? Why does he have the right?¡±

    Emelie calmly replied, ¡°Because he¡¯s William.¡±

    Mona clenched her teeth. ¡°Aren¡¯t you angry? He¡¯s blocking your way!¡±

    I

    ¡°Since I can¡¯t find a job right now, I¡¯ll just take some time off.¡± Emelie initially felt that her body was in poor condition and wanted an opportunity to recuperate.

    ¡°I¡¯m not in a hurry to work. I¡¯ll just find another job.

    ¡°William, powerful as he may be, can¡¯t possibly control everypany and prevent them from hiring me, right? With my skills, are you still worried that I won¡¯t find a good job?¡±

    ¡°You can find a job, but can an ordinarypanypare to apany like Vertex Capital Holdings?

    ¡°It¡¯s li

    like

    te you were originally qualified for a top¨Ctier university, but because of a jerk, you ended up in a low- ranking college.

    Your whole life has been altered, you know!¡±

    Emelie momentarily fell silent before saying, ¡°It¡¯s not serious.¡±

    Butter, when she tried to contact thepanies that had previously shown interest in her, they all

    vaguely turned her down.

    It was indeed that serious.

    But what else could she do but keep her mindset calm now that things had reached this point?

    Emelie decided to temporarily put aside thoughts of work. ¡°I want to go home.¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    ??

    Mona was puzzled. ¡°Go back home? To your parents¡® house? After the way they treated you back then, why would you go back?¡±

    Chapter 99 Suspension

    Emelie lowered her gaze. ¡°It¡¯s been three years. I just want to take a look.¡±

    Emelie had been feeling uneasy since William mentioned her mother that day. She thought it would be

    better to see for herself,

    She went to the mall to buy some nutritional supplements to bring back home the following day.

    Coincidentally, she bumped into Vanessa.

 CHAPTER 100

    Chapter 100 Who¡¯s Pregnant

    Emelie politely greeted, ¡°Mrs. Middleton, are you alone?¡±

    Vanessa took her hand, looked at her carefully, and reprimanded, ¡°Emelle, it¡¯s been over a mon

    youst came home for a meal. Why do you look thinner <b>again</b>?¡±

    Emelie <b>apologized</b>. ¡°A lot of things have been going on recentlyContent rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    Vanessa¡¯s face turned sour.

    over a month since

    ¡°Ah, but even if you hade during this time, we might not have been able to entertain you properly

    ¡°What happened?¡± Emelie asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s all because of William and his father.¡± Vanessa shook her head.

    ¡°The rtionship between them has deteriorated to the extreme because of that secretary named

    Daphne

    ¡°William hasn¡¯te home during this time, and he hasn¡¯t answered any calls or messages.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t unusual for William not toe home, considering he hadn¡¯t been back for six monthsst time.

    But not responding to calls and messages was indeed a first.

    One can see how <b>bad </b>the rtionship between father and son has be from this incident.

    Emelie nced at Vanessa discreetly.

    She likely knew that one reason for the strained rtionship between William and his father was Vanessa.

    However, in her opinion, Vanessa, as a stepmother, had been rtively modest in all aspects.

    She heard that Vanessa got an intrauterine device imnted after marrying Henry, showing her sincerity

    in not wanting children and notpeting with William for power, money, or status.

    ¡°I really can¡¯t understand; what¡¯s so good about that secretary?

    ¡°Why does he like her so much? Clearly, you¡¯re much better than her, Emelie,¡± Vanessa continued to

    None of these remarks were appropriate for Emelie to respond to, so she simply listened silently.

    Vanessa sighed again. ¡°For the father¨Cson rtionship to deteriorate to this extent, what will happen in

    the future?

    ¡°If that secretary had either a good family background or capability, Henry wouldn¡¯t be so opposed to

    them.

    *But <b>since </b>William likes her so much, we¡¯ll just have to ept it if there¡¯s no other way.¡±

    Vanessa was more of the soft¨Chearted type among strict parents.

    However, reflecting on it, she wasn¡¯t entirely fabricating the situation.

    Would she have still resigned when her contract expired if Daphne hadn¡¯t appeared?

    Emelie herself didn¡¯t know the answer.

    Spin to im Your Surprise Reward!

 CHAPTER 101

    Chapter101TheySpecificallyAskedForHer

    Emelie¡¯shometownwasatowncalledAlderbrook

    Inrecentyears,withthevigorousdevelopmentoftourismacrossthecountry,Alderbrookhadtransformed intoaculturaltown,attractingmanytouristsfroCarrageenans couldbeusedtomakejellies,Chillingthemintherefrigeratorwouldmakethemarefreshingandcoolingtreattoeatinthe

    summer.

    Emelieusedto<b>love</b>eatingjelly,andGretawouldoftengoouttopickcarrageenanstomakeit

    Butsinceshelefthome,shehadn¡¯thadthisjellyinyears.motherces.

    Overall,itwasnotconsideredbackward.

    Herhomewasinanalleywherecarscouldn¡¯tenter.Withtwobagsofstuffinhand,Emeliearrivedatthegateofherhouseafter being<b>away</b>forthreeyears.

    Thegatewasopen.Insuchalleys,itwamonfordoorstobeleftopenduringthedaywithout<b>much</b>concernforsafety.Emeliehesitatedabouthowtoapproachthem,whatexpressiontowearwhensheentered,andhowtogreetthem.

    Justasshewasabouttoenter,someonecameoutofthehouse.Sheinstinctivelyhidbehindthewall

    Shestealthilypeekedoutandsawthat<b>it</b>washermother,Greta.

    Gretawasholding<b>red</b>seaweeds<b>and</b>washingthemunderthetapatthedoor.Emelierecognizedthem.

    Thosewerecarrageenans.

    Justas<b>she</b>waslostinthought,sheheardaloudbang

    ItwasRomaingoutofthehouse,SeeingGretawashingthecarrageenans,hewasfuriousandkickedthebasin.

    thatan

    areyoudoingwiththesethings?Ifyouhavesomuchfreetime,gofindawaytomakemoney<b>.</b>Don¡¯tyouknowhowmuchmoney<b>you</b>needforyourillness?¡±

    Emeliewassuddenlystunned.Whatillness?ShehadnoideathatGretawassick.

    ShecarefullyobservedGreta.

    Injustthreeyears,Gretahadindeedlookedmucholderandthinner.

    Shewassittingonasmallstoolinayellowedwhitesweater,staringndyatthespilledcarrageenans

    Shepickedupthecarrageenansandputthembackinthebasin<b>while</b>saying,¡°I<b>know</b>.That¡¯s<b>why</b>ItoldyouthatI¡¯mnotseekingtreatment.

    ¡°I¡¯llliveaslongasIcan.IfIdie,justburnmeorburyme.It¡¯snobigdeal.¡±

    Ronanwasfurious.¡°Damnit!Ifyoudie,it¡¯sareliefforyou.Butwhataboutme?

    ¡°Doyouwantmetolivewithguiltfortherestofmylife?Howcanyoubesoselfish?

    ¡°IaskedyoutocallEmelieformoney,butyouneverdid!Allyoudoismessaroundwith theseworthlessthings!¡±

    HekickedoverthecarrageenansthatGretahadjustpickedup.

    Gretadidn¡¯twanttoarguewithhim,butshecouldn¡¯thelpit.

    ¡°CallEmelieformoney?Howdareyou?Haveyouforgottenhowwetreatedher<b>back</b>then?Shehatesus!¡±

    Emeliepressedherlipstogether,feelinplicated.

    As<b>Greta</b>recalledthepast,herheartached,andheremotionswereinturmoil.Shechokedup.

    <b>¡°</b>Can¡¯tyouimaginehowshegotthosethreemilliondors?Can¡¯tyouimaginewhatkindof1she¡¯slivingnow?Howcanyoustillbeartoaskherformoney?<b>¡±</b>

    en,thosepeoplespecificallyaskedforher.<b>What</b>couldIdo?¡±

    Ronanwasembarrassed.¡°Backthen¡­Backthen,

    Gretapressedonherchestandgaspedforbreath.¡°Iwon¡¯tcallher.I¡¯vetoldhernottebackandbedraggeddownbythisfamilyagain.

    ¡°I¡¯dratherdiethantakehermoney.Hermoneyisallearned inexchangeforherlife.I¡­L¡±

    Beforeshecouldfinishherwords,shecopsedtotheground.

    Romanwasshocked.¡°Gretal¡±

    Enelledidn¡¯thavetimetothinkabout anythingelse.

    Chapter101TheySpecificallyAskedForHer

    Sherushedout,shouting,¡°Mom!¡±

    Ronanwasshockedto<b>see</b>her.¡°Emelie?Emelie!¡±

    EmeliekneeledbesideGretaandtriedtofeelherbreath,buttherewasnone.

    SheleaneddowntolistentoGreta¡¯sheartbeat,buttherewasnoneeither.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    Tearsfloweddownhercheeksinstantly.Shecrossedher hands andbegantoperformCPRonGreta.¡°Canambnce!Now!¡±

 CHAPTER 102

    Chapter102Don¡¯tHateMe

    EmelleperformedCPRon<b>Greta</b>continuously forfive<b>minutes</b>andfinallysawherfrownslightly.

    Emelleimmediatelyleaneddowntolistento herheartbeatand<b>found</b>thatithadreturned,andshewas<b>breathing</b><b>again</b>.

    <b>Overjoyed</b><b>,</b>shecalledouturgently,¡°Mom!Mom!¡±

    Gretadidn¡¯twakeup,so<b>Emelle</b>continuedtoperformCPRonher.

    Shortlyafter,theambncearrivedoutsidethealloy.

    TheparamedicsliftedGretaontoastretcherandrushedhertothehospital.

    She wastaken directlytotheemergencyroom.EmelieandRonanwereblockedfromentering

    ThesuddenturnofeventsleftRonanweak<b>in</b>thelegs.Hesatdownonthegroundwithaworriedexpression.

    Comparedtohim,Emeliewasmuchcalmer.ShewalkedovertoRonanandpausedbeforehelpinghimtoachair.

    Then,sheheadedtoavendingmachine,boughttwobottlesofwater,andofferedone tohim.

    Ronan<b>didn¡¯t</b><b>drink</b>it.Hejustheldittightlyinhishand,butheseemedtohavecalmeddown.

    Emelieaskeddirectly,¡°What¡¯swrongwithMom?Isitaheartproblem?

    Romanclosedhiseyesandsigheddeeply.¡°Yes,itwasdiagnosedsixmonthsago.

    ¡°Thedoctorsaiditwastotetotreat,and<b>the</b><b>only</b>optionnowistohavehearttransntsurgery.¡±

    Itwas<b>already</b>toosevere.

    Emeliefeltherthroatbeparchedandsore.

    Sheopenedthebottleofmineralwateranddrankhalfofitbeforesittingdownonthe<b>chair</b>insilence.

    Ronan<b>nced</b><b>at</b>herseveraltimes.Hewantedtosaysomethingbuthesitated

    EmeliewasonlyconcernedaboutGretaintheoperatingroomatthemomentanddidn¡¯twanttosayanythingmore.

    Aftertwohoursofsilence,thedoorstotheoperatingroomswungopen.Emeliehurriedforward. ¡°Doctor,how¡¯smy

    ymom?

    Thedoctorsaid,¡°<b>There¡¯s</b><b>no</b>longeranimminentdanger.ButMr.Hoven,<b>as</b>we¡¯vetoldyoubefore,thepatientneedstoundergohearttransntsurgery.

    ¡°Wecan¡¯tguaranteethatshe¡¯llsurvivethenextcardiacarrest.¡±

    Ronanpartedhislipsbutcouldn¡¯tspeak.

    Healsowantedto<b>save</b>Greta,butthesurgeryycostwaslikeamountainweighingonhisback.

    Emelielookedathimbeforeturningtothedoctor.¡°Howmuchdoessuchasurgerycost?¡±

    ¡°Thesurgery,alongwith someconsumables,willcostabout15milliondors.¡±

    Emellefeltaslightrelief.She<b>had</b>thatamountinhersavingsand<b>could</b>affordthesurgery.

    Wecanaffordthesurgery.Whencanitbescheduled?¡±Emelieasked.

    Thedoctorlookedather.¡°You¡¯rethepatient¡¯s

    ¡°Daughter.¡±

    <b>Noticing</b><b>that</b>Emeliewastheonewiththeauthoritytomakedecisions,thedoctortumedtoher.¡°Wecan¡¯tdoitnow.

    ¡°Themostdifficult partofthissurgeryisfindingadonor.Theonlylegalwaytoobtainadonoristhroughthe

    e matchingdatabase.Theheartsinthedatabasewereallvoluntarilydonatedbydeceasedindividuals.

    ¡°It¡¯sverydifficulttofind<b>a</b>match.Somepatientsdon¡¯tevengetasuitableheartuntiltheypassaway.

    ¡°Fornow,allyoucandoiswait.<b>There¡¯s</b>noothershortcut.¡±

    Emeliefrowned.

    <b>The</b>doctorcontinued,¡°<b>The</b>patient¡¯sinformationhasalreadybeenregisteredin thedatabase.

    ¡°Ifasuitabledonorappears,thetformwillcontactMr.Hovenimmediately.¡±

    Emeleshookherhead.¡°Contactme.¡±

    ¡°Youcan<b>go</b>withthenursetoupdatetheinformation.¡±Thedoctorreiterated,¡°Thepatient

    itcanonlytakemedicationtocontrolthecondition

    fornow.

    Chapter102Don¡¯tHateMe

    ¡°Remember,shemustnotgetemotionallyexcitedoroverworked.¡±

    Emelieunderstood.¡°Thankyou,doctor.¡±

    Gretawokeupintheevening.

    Emeliesatbyherbedside.Theorangesunsetoutsidethe windowoutlinedherprofile.

    Greta¡¯sbreathingwasrapid,andtheoxygenmaskwascoveredwithyerofmist.¡°Em¡­Emelie¡­¡±This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    <b>||</b>

    Emelieimmediatelyheldherhand,leanedovertoher,andwhispered,¡°Thedoctorsaidyoumustn¡¯tget workedupnow.Takeiteasy.¡±

    Iheardyourvoice.IthoughtIheardwrongly.¡±TearsfellfromGreta¡¯seyesandslidintoherslightlygray<b>hair</b>.

    Emelierememberedthat<b>when</b>shelefthome,Gretadidn¡¯t<b>have</b>grayhair.

    Gretaprobablyheardhervoicewhenherheartbeatreturned.

    ¡°Whydidn¡¯tyoutellmeyouweresick?Ididn¡¯tchangemyphonenumber.¡±

    Emelieadjustedthenket.Greta,whowasinherhospitalgown,lookedmuchthinner.

    Gretashookherhead.SheheldEmelie¡¯shandtightly<b>with</b><b>a</b>painful expression.

    ¡°HowcouldItellyou?We¡¯vewrongedyou¡­.

    ¡°Emelie,wehadnochoicebackthen.Weweredesperateandhadtoagreetotheirdemands.¡°Weknowwewerewrong.I¡¯msorry¡­Don¡¯thateme.Pleasedon¡¯thateme..¡±

 CHAPTER 103

    Chapter103OutsidetheUltrasoundRoom

    Emelielistenedinsilence,feelingatwingeinherheart.Shetooka<b>piece</b>oftissuean

    andgentlywipedthetearsfromGreta¡¯seyes.

    Shecouldn¡¯tbringherselftosaythatitwasokayorthatshedidn¡¯tmeher,butshedidn¡¯tfesmuchhatredasbefore.

    ¡°Letbygonesbebygones.Let¡¯snotmentionthatanymore.Idon¡¯thateyou,andyoudon¡¯tneedtoworrya

    ¡°I¡¯vebeendoingokaythesepastf

    pastfewyears.<b>And</b>don¡¯tworryaboutthesurgerycost.Ihavethemoney.

    ¡°Wejustneedtowaituntsuitablematchisfound,andthenyoucanhavethesurgery,¡±This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Gretasmiled.¡°dtohearthatyou¡¯vebeendoing<b>okay</b>¡±

    Allsheheardwas,¡°<b>I¡¯ve</b>beendoing<b>okay</b><b>.</b>¡±

    aboutme

    EmeliestayedwithGretaforalongtime<b>and</b>evenfedhersomechickensoup.ItwaswhenGretafesleepatnightthatEmelielefttheward.

    Romanwassittingonachairoutsidethewardwhenshecameout.Hestoodupimmediately,lookinguneasywhenhesawher.

    HewantedtotalktoEmelie,butthepasteventsandtheestrangementovertheyearsmadehimunsureofhowtobroachthesubject.

    Emeliespoke<b>first</b>,<b>¡°</b>WhereareElianaandAshlyn?¡±

    Ronanhurriedlyreplied,¡°ElianaisworkingwithherhusbandinRachdale.Theyjusthadababy.

    ¡°Itoldhertoeovertomorrow.Ashlynleftwith<b>a</b>mantwoyearsagoanpletelydisappeared

    ¡°Wecan¡¯tcontactorfindher.¡±

    Emellefellsilentfor<b>a</b>while.Injustthreeyears,somuchhadhappenedinthefamily.

    Shetookoutherphone.¡°Givemeyourountnumber.¡±

    Ronangaveittoher.

    andletmeknowifthemedicalexpensesarenot

    Emelieenteredtheountnumberandtransferred100thousanddors.¡°TakecareofMom,andletenough.Youheardwhatthedoctorsaid.

    ¡°Shecan¡¯tgetworkedupnow,oritcouldbelife¨Cthreatening.Don¡¯tgetangrywithher<b>anymore</b>.¡±

    Ronannodded.¡°Iknow.¡±

    ¡°Thehospitalhasrentapanionbeds.Gofindanurseandaskwheretorentone.Youstaywithhertonight.

    ¡°I¡¯rrangeforacaregivertetomorrowsoyoudon¡¯thavetotireyourselfout.¡±

    number.Callmeanytimeifyouneedanything¡±

    Emelietookoutapieceofpaperandwrote<b>down</b><b>a</b>seriesofnumbers.¡°Thisismyphonen

    Aftersayingthat,shehandedthepapertohimandthenwalkedaway.

    Itwasn¡¯tuntilshereachedtherthatRonanfinallyshouted,¡°Emelie!I¨CI¡¯msorry.Comebackhomemoreoften¡­¡±

    Emeliepaused,repliedwithan¡°okay,¡±<b>and</b>leftquicklywithoutwaitingforaresponse.

    Afterleavingthehospital,shestoodaloneonthe roadsideforalongtime.

    Itwasn¡¯tuntilshereceived<b>a</b>messagefrom<b>Mona</b>askingwhenshewouldreturnthatshetookacabbacktoherapartment.

    Emeliestillcouldn¡¯pletelyforgiveherparentsforusingherascoteralfordebt.

    Butwhether ornotsheforgavethemwashing;shecouldn¡¯tbeartoseeGretadie.

    ShehadworkedatCloudexfor<b>three</b>years,earningadecentsry.

    Shehadmanagedtosavesomemoney.Butafter<b>spending</b>1.5milliondors,shewouldn¡¯thavemuchleft.

    Andtherewouldbepostoperativeexpenses,whichwouldcostasignificantamountaswell.

    Shehadtofindajobquicklytomaintainabncebetweenieandexpenditure.

    Emeliewasreallyafraidoffeelineredbecauseof1

    Thenextmorning,Emellearrangedfor<b>a</b>caregivertoaidRonanatthehospitalsohecouldgohomeandrest.

    Ronanwasgettingolderandcouldn¡¯tstayupallnight.

    InsteadofimmediatelygoingtothehospitaltoseeGreta,Emeliewenttothehospitalsheoftenvisitedforacheck¨Cup.

    Shehadwantedtocheckherbodyandtreatanyproblemsordingly.

    AfterseeingGretacopseyesterday,shefeltevenmorestronglythathealthwasthefoundationofeverything

    Chapter103OutsidetheUrsundRoom

 CHAPTER 104

    Chapter104OutsidetheUrsundRoomContent (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    Justasshefinishedherultrasoundandcameoutoftheroot,

    sheranintoVanessa.

    UponencounteringVanessaoutsidetheultrasoundroom,Emeliecouldn¡¯t helpbutrememberseeingherinthebabyformsectionyesterday.

    HergazesubconsciouslyfellonVanessa¡¯sabdomen.

    Chapter104Daphne¡¯sCall

    Vanessawas wearinglooseclothing,soherbellywasn¡¯tnoticeable.

    ShealsonoticedEmelieand<b>approached</b>her.¡°Emelle,whatareyou<b>doing</b>here?

    Emelieaskedwithconcern,¡°Areyoufeelingunwell,Mrs.Middleton?¡±

    ¡°No,I¡¯mheretoseeafriend.Igotlostonmywaydownstairsandendeduphere,¡°Vanessasaidwith<b>a</b><b>smile</b>.

    ¡°I¡¯mherefor<b>a</b>check¨Cup,¡±Emelieexined.

    Vanessasighed.¡°Youreally<b>need</b>acheck¨Cup.Youlooksopale.You¡¯restillyoung, butyou¡¯retoocaughtupwithworktolookafteryourself.

    ¡°Ifeelsorryforyou.AndWilliam.He¡¯ssoindifferent.Itmustbetoughforyou.¡±

    ¡°IthasnothingtodowithMr.Middleton,¡±Emeliereplied.

    Thehospitalwasn¡¯taceforsmalltalk,andtheybothhadtheirownmatterstoattendto,sotheypartedwaysquickly.

    Emeliereceivedhertestresultsthenextdayandwenttoseethedoctorwiththereport.

    Thedoctorncedatthereportandjoked,¡°Youhavethebodyofa35¨Cyear¨Coldat25¡±

    Emeliefrowned.¡°Is<b>it</b>serious?¡±

    ¡°Therearenomajorissues,butmanyminorones.Youshouldtakecareofyourselfmore,oryou¡¯llsufferwhenyougetolder.¡±

    Emelie¡¯smainconcemwasheruterus:<b>¡°</b>Couldyoupleasecheckmyultrasoundreport?¡±

    Asthedoctorflippedthepagesfortheultrasoundreport,hecasuallyasked,¡°Doyoufeelufortableanywhere?¡±

    Emellebitherlipbeforeanswering,¡°Ihadamiscarriageafew<b>months</b>ago.Couldithavecausedanydamage!¡±

    Thedoctorexaminedthereportcarefullyand<b>frowned</b>.¡°It¡¯sindeednotverygood¡­Didyounotrecuperateafterthemiscarriage?¡±

    Indeed,shehadn¡¯L

    EmeliehadbeendispatchedtoVownwithWilliamforaprojectshortlyafterthemiscarriage,soshehadbeenbusywithworkduringthattime.

    ¡°Youruterinewallisnaturallythin,<b>malding</b>conceptiondifficult.Afteramiscarriage,thewallisdamaged.It¡¯llbeverydifficulttoconceiveinthefuture,¡±

    Thedoctorsympathized.¡°Youshouldprepareyourselfmentally.¡±

    Emelieleftthehospitalfeeling<b>heavy</b><b>¨C</b>hearted

    SheImewthatthemiscarriagewould<b>have</b>animpactonherbody,butshehadn¡¯texpectedittobesosevere.

    Shecouldn¡¯thelpbutrouchherabdomenandwaslostinthoughtwhensuddenly<b>a</b>carstoppedinfrontofher.

    Emelieinstinctivelysteppedback,Justthen,therearwindowofthecarrolleddown,revealingacoldandhandsomeprofile.

    ItwasWilliam

    Emellereflexivelyhidthemedicalreportbehindher<b>and</b>remainedsilent.

    Williamncedatherindifferentlybefore<b>spealding</b>directly,¡°Didyoutattleonmetomyfamily?¡±

    ¡°<b>No.</b>¡±Emellefrowned.

    ¡°No!Howelsewould<b>my</b>dadknowaboutyourresignation?Howelsewouldbeknowaboutyourhospitalcheck¨Cup?¡±

    EmelierealizedthatVanessamusthavetoldHenrywhenshewenthome.Sheremainedcalm.

    ¡°IranintoMrs.Middletontwice.Onceatthesupermarket,sheinvitedmetodinner,andIhadtogiveareasontodecline,soItoldher<b>I</b><b>had</b>alreadyresigned.¡°Ididn¡¯tthinkmyresignationwas somethingtohide.

    ¡°Theothertimewasatthehospital.Vanessasaidshewasvisitingafriend,andijustsaidIwasthereforacheck¨Cup,Ididn¡¯tsayanythingelse

    Williamsmirkedasifhehadjustthoughtofsomething.¡°Somepeoplebegjusttoseeher,butyou¡¯reluckyenoughtobumpintohertwice.¡±

    Enelledidn¡¯tknowwhathemeant.Shetightenedhergriponthemedicalreport.

    Recallingthedoctor¡¯swordsfromearlier,shefeltabitagitated<b>and</b>saidfirmly,¡°I¡¯m tellingthetruth.Ifyoudon¡¯tbelieveme,Ican¡¯tdoanythingaboutit¡±Sheshowedahintofassertiveness.

    Williamlooked athercoldlyw

    whiletoyingwithhisphoneonhislee.Suddenly,thescreenlitup.

    EmeliencedatitinstinctivelyandsawthatthecallerIDshowed¡°Daphne,¡±

    Dapline?

    williamflippedhisphoneover.

 CHAPTER 105

    Chapter105BegtoSeeHim

    Tamelle<b>,</b>notwantingtoengagefurtherwithWilliam,turnedtoleaveforanotherhospitaltoseeGreta.

    ¡°Mydadandhiswifeseemtoreallylikeyou.Mydadactuallycametofindmeatthpanypersonallybecauseofyou.¡±Williamchuckled.

    ¡°Theywantmetomarryyou.Unfortunately,Idon¡¯twant<b>a</b>shut.

    Emelieclosedhereyesbrieflyanddecidedtobestraightforward.

    >hinderingmyjobsearch.

    Shemedtolookintothecarbeforesaying,¡°So,Mr.Middleton<b>,</b>youbetterstoph

    ¡°Itcan¡¯tfindworkandcan¡¯tsurvive,thenI¡¯llhavetotumlothem.

    ¡°ImighteventellthemthatmypoorhealthisallbecauseofyouandDaphne.ThenitwillbeevenmoredifficultforDapomarryyou.¡±

    <b>William¡¯s</b>facetumedice¨Ccoldinaninstant.Hisdarkeyesbumedwithrage.¡°Doyouhaveadeathwish,Emelie?¡±

    ¡°Idon¡¯t,butapersoncandoanything<b>when</b>they¡¯rered.Don¡¯tpushmetoofar,Mr.Middleton,¡±Emeliewarnedbeforewalkingaway.

    Williamfollowedsuit,drivingoffbehindher.

    Emeliestoppedinhertracksandtamedtolookathiscar.

    Theiing<b>call</b>wasactuallyfromDaphne.

    <b>Was</b>itWilliam¡¯sownskillthatfinallyledhimtothelong¨ClostDaphne,ordidHenryrelentandagreetolethimbewithDaphne,promptingthemtostartcontactingeachother?

    Eitherway,WilliamandDaphinewesectedagain.

    Williamhadn¡¯tspecificallygothehospitaltofindEmelie

    HejusthappenedtopassbyandsawEmeliestandingatthehospitalentrance,lostinthought,sohehadthedriverpullover

    HehadrecentlybeenworkingonaprojectwithJayden<b>and</b>hadscheduledameetingwithhim.

    Jayden<b>could</b>tellthatwilmwas<b>in</b><b>a</b>badmood.Rememberingsomethinghehadjusthard,hethoughtWilliamwasupsetbecauseofthat.

    Sohetriedtforthim,saying,¡°Didn¡¯ttheybringherinintheend?¡±This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Williamlookedupathim.

    ¡°What?Aren¡¯tyouinabad<b>mood</b>becauseyouhadafightwithyourdadaboutDaphnecopsingintherainoutsideyour<b>house</b>?

    DuringWilliamandEmelie¡¯sthree¨CdaycruisetriptomeettheGrahamfamily,DaphnewenttoMiddletonResidenceandbegged<b>to</b>see

    HenryandVanessanaturallyignoredher.Yetsheactuallykneeleddirectlyatthedoorandrefusedtoleave,despitetheirpersuasion.

    IthappenedtorainthateveninginCapebattCity,sotheweadycopsedafterkneelingforseveralhours.

    Inthe<b>end</b>,Vanessacouldn¡¯tbearit.ShehadDaphnebroughtintoMiddletonResidenceandcalledadoctor.

    Williamonlyfoundoutaboutthisincidentafterhereturned.

    JaydenthoughtDapherwasquitesmart

    ceshecouldhimtoCapebattCity,shecouldhave contactedWilliamherself.YetshechosetogotoMiddletonResidenceandask<b>his</b>parentstoletherseehim.

    SheknewthattheobstaclepreventingherfrombeingwithWilliamwashisparents.

    TheywouldhavetorelentbeforeshecouldstayinCapebatiCityandbebyWilliam¡¯sside.

    Otherwise,herreturnwouldonlybetemporary,andshestillcouldn¡¯tmarryWilliam

    Williampoured<b>himself</b><b>a</b>ssofwineandsaid,¡°Iftheycameouttoseeherearlier,shewouldn¡¯thaveto<b>kneel</b>untilshetatted.¡±

    JaydencouldtellfromWilliam¡¯swordsthathemedhisparentsforthisincident,sohedidn¡¯tsayanything.

    ¡°Shebeggedsodesperatelyi

    ytosee<b>you</b>.Issomethingwrong?

    ¡°Shesaidherdadis<b>sick</b>andneedssurgery.Shedoesn¡¯thavethemoney,soshecametoaskmeforaloan.¡±

    ¡°Anddidyoulendittoher?¡±<b>Jayden</b>askedinstinctively

    Williamncedathimasitsaying,<b>¡°</b><b>is</b>thatevenaquestion?¡±

    Jaydenalsotookaspotwineandshookhishead.

    ¡°It¡¯sgoodthatyou lendittoherSavingalifebringsyou goodkanna,

    ¡°Bytheway,IheardthatyouinformedseverapaniesthatwereoriginallyinterestedinhiringMs.Hovennottohireher.Whyareyouobstructingherjob-hunting?

    ¡°I¡¯mnotobstructingher,¡±Williamsaidcoldly.<b>¡°</b>I¡¯mcklistingher.¡±

    Jaydencouldn¡¯thelpbutsay,¡°Don¡¯tpush ittoofar.There¡¯snoneedtoesctethingsbetweenyoutwotothisextent.

    Williamlookedatthewineinhissswithacold<b>and</b>tiredexpression.

    ¡°Forgetit.Talking<b>about</b>womenwillonlyleadtomocetrouble,¡±Jaydenendedthesmall<b>talk</b>withthatandmovedontowork¡°Anyway,Lyleisback.We¡¯rethenwinghimaweepartyattheWestwardClubtonight.¡±

 CHAPTER 106

    Chapter106LyleInning

    Gretastayedinthehospitalforfivedaysandwasnowabletogohome.

    OnthedayofGeeta¡¯sdischarge,EmelieborrowedacarfromafriendtotakeherparentsbacktoAlderbrookandhadlunchathome.

    Ronancookedlunch.Aftertheyfinishedeating<b>,</b>Emelorwashedthedishes.

    Atthismoment,shefinallyfeltliketheywerefamilyonceagain

    Volces<b>could</b>beheardfromthelivingroom.

    WhenEmelleemergedfromthekitchen,shesawhereldersister,ThanaHoven,andher<b>husband</b>,BillyWomack,whohadreturnedwiththeirdaughtertovisit

    <b>Greta</b><b>.</b>

    Emeliehadmetthemonceatthehospital,butaftersomanyyears<b>apart</b>andwithEliansalreadymarriedandwith afamily,therewasanaturaldistancebetween

    However,Enelle<b>really</b>likedherniece.Sheheldherforquiteawhile.

    Later,ElianaandBillywerereadytoleave.SinceEmeliewasabouttoleave aswell,Elianaofferedtodrivethemhome.

    Beforeleaving<b>,</b>Ronanchasedafterherandhandedherasmallpackage.¡°Thisisfromyourmom.

    Emelieopeneditandfoundthreeenvelopeswithmoneyinside.HerfirstinstinctwastogivethembacktoRonan

    ¡°Idon¡¯tneedthem<b>.</b><b>I</b>havemoney.¡±

    ¦§

    ¡°TheseareNewYeargifts.Everyyear,yourmomgivesoElianaandAshlynandkeepsonefor<b>you</b>.

    ¡°Shehadalwayswantedtogiveittoyouwhenshehadthechance,justtolet<b>you</b>lowthatwehaven¡¯tforgottenaboutyou,¡®

    AsEmelielookeddownattheenvelopesinherhand,shefelt<b>a</b>panginherheart

    Rotanlookedashamed<b>as</b>hesaid,¡°Anddon¡¯tsaythatyouhavemoney.Howmuchcanyoueam?Your<b>mom¡¯s</b>surgery costsalot.

    ¡°I¡¯vesavedupabout80thousanddors.Whenshecanhavethesurgery,thana wilsocontributealittle.We¡¯llsharetheburdentogether.¡±

    BeforegettingIntothecar,Emeliecheckedthemoneyintheenvelopes.

    Itwasn¡¯tmuch,onlyafewhundreddors,butholdingitin herhand,shefeltthatitwasheavierthantensofthousandsofdors.

    Onthewaybacktothecity,BillypolitelyaskedEmeljewhereshewasworkingnow.

    Emelseansweredhonestly,¡°I<b>just</b>resignedandamlookingforanewjob.¡±

    ¡°Oh,IseeIthinkyou¡¯requitecapable,sofindingajobshouldn¡¯tbedifficult.¡±

    Emeliejustsmiled.Aftershedroppedthemoffathome,shereturnedthecartoherfriend<b>and</b>finallytookthesubwaybacktoherapartment.

    Afterallthefuss,itwasalreadteatnightwhenshegothome.

    Sheturned<b>on</b>heptopandloggedintoheremail.Unsurprisingly,she<b>found</b>itemptyexceptforadvertisementemails

    Shestillhadn¡¯tfoundajob.

    Severaparesthathadshown interestinherandcontactedherthroughheadhuntershadallrejectedher,soshecouldonlycontinuetosendoutresumes

    Butevenaftershesentoutresumes,itwasasiftheydisappearedinto<b>thin</b>air.Shehadn¡¯treceivedasingleresponse.

    Withherqualificationsandexperience,thisshouldn¡¯tbetheresult.EverythingwasWilliam¡¯sfault.

    Emeliepickedupthethreeenvelopesagain,feelingatinglingsensationinherheart.

    Shehadthoughtthatwhentretaaskedhernottocontactthemagainthreeyearsago,Gretawasdisowningher.

    Butnow,sherealizedthatGrecastillcaredforandlovedher..

    Ifitweren¡¯tfor<b>deta¡¯s</b>illness,shecouldhave<b>talen</b><b>her</b>timewiththejobhuntingsinceshehadhersavings.Butthingsweredifferentnow.

    Emelietumedonheptopagainandsentresumestoseveralsmalpanies.

    Therewasn¡¯tmuchinterestingentertainmentatnight,soWilliamandafewotherswereyingbilliardsupstairsattheWestwardClub.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    AfterWilliam¡¯sshot,thecarballscatteredtheiscoloredballs,andfiveofthemfellintothepockets

    Smbling,Jaydensaid,¡°Whatagreatshot!¡±

    willianjustsmirked.

    Suddenly,thedoortotheprivateroomwaspushedopenfromthe<b>outside</b>.A<b>man</b>enteredamidsttheambiguousredlightsandthenoisymusic

    ¡°IwenttothebartograbsomedrinksandoverhearddyaskingthebartenderifWillwashere,¡±themansaidwhileclosingthedoorbehindhimtomufflethe

    Ashelooked<b>up</b><b>,</b>hisremarkablydelicatefeaturesstood<b>out</b>..

    Theman<b>was</b>LyleIming.Despitehisdelicateappearance,hisdemeanorandmethodswereanythingbutconventional

    UnliketheothersinWilliam¡¯sclecte,Lyledidn¡¯thadfromaprominentfamily.Yethe wasdoingsowellthathmandedrespectfromallwalksoflife.

    TherenownedprivateclubinCapebatiCity,WestwardClub,belongedtohim

    *Whowasthdy?¡±Jaydenaskedcuriously.

    <b>Lyle</b>openedabottleofbeer.HewasfromEprand,sohespokewithanent.¡°Itookalook,butIdon¡¯tlowher.Didwillgethimself<b>into</b>troublewithwomenwhileIwasaway?

    Lylehadbeenawayforhalfayear,duringwhichWilliamdidindeedpethimselfintofrouble.

    Jaydenwondered outloud,¡°Wasshecute?¡±

    HethoughtthatitmightbeDupline.

    ylesmithed.¡°WhichLadyisn¡¯t?NoteveryoneislikeMs.Hoven,socoldandaloof.Thadyisquiteyoungandlookedfearless.¡±

 CHAPTER 107

    Chapter107DidYouSleepWithHim

    JaydenguesseditfromLyle¡¯sdescription.¡°ItmustbetheSwansonfamily¡¯syoungestdaughterWillhiredher<b>as</b>asecretaryawhileago.¡±

    Whilefocusingonhisgame,Williamreplied,¡°She¡¯salreadybeendismissed.¡±

    HavingaSwansonworkingunderhimprovedannoying.ButMniewouldn¡¯tgiveup.Shekeptlookingforhim,buthedidn¡¯thavetimetodealwithher.

    ¡°Speaking<b>of</b>secretaries,I¡¯vebeenbackforafewdaysnow,butIhaven¡¯tseenyoubringMa.Hovenalong

    ¡°<b>Didn¡¯t</b>sheusedtosticktoyouwhereveryou<b>went</b>?¡±

    Lylegrabbed<b>a</b>

    Jaydenshook<b>his</b>head.¡°She<b>resigned</b><b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    Lylefrozeforasecond.¡°Resigned?¡±

    Jardenexined,¡°Hercontractexpired,andshedidn¡¯twanttorenewit.Whatcouldhe<b>do</b>?Hehadnochoicebuttolethergo

    ¡°puthe¡¯scklistingberbehindthescenestoventhisanger.¡±

    LyleowedWilliam<b>a</b>favor<b>and</b>couldn¡¯tstandtosee<b>William</b>unhappy.

    Hesmirkedand<b>said</b>,¡°Shedoesn¡¯tknowwhat¡¯sgoodforher<b>.</b>¡±

    Williamshiftedhispositionandtookashot,clearingthetableinonego.

    Hethensaidcasually,¡°She¡¯leback<b>and</b><b>bow</b>downtome.¡±

    Itwasn¡¯tthefirsttime,anyway.

    WhenhebanishedhertothebranchofficeinVown,shecamebackandtriedtomakeamendswithhim,askinghimtoletbeeback

    Itwasonlyamatteroftime.

    Emeliehadlosthoperegardingjobhunting.Butunexpectedly,shereceivedanInterviewInvitationinheremailthenextday.

    Sheepteditwithouthesitation.

    Thefirstroundofinterviewswasonline,andtheinterviewerwasquitesatisfiedwithher.Theyinvitedhertothpanyforaface¨Cto¨Cfaceinterview.

    Thpanywassituatedinanothercity,athree¨Chourjourneybyhigh¨Cspeedrail.

    Despitethedistance,Emelieultimatelychosetogo.

    Onthehigh¨Cspeedrail,shereceivedtwomoreinterviewinvitationsfromothepanies.Thephoneconversationswentwell,andtheyalsoinvitedhertetotheipaniesforinterviews

    Thosetwpanieswerenot<b>far</b>fromtheoneshewasnningto<b>interview</b>with,soshedecidedtoepttheirimitationsaswell.

    Shefiguredoutthe<b>reason</b>thespaniesdaredtohireher<b>was</b>becausetheyweresmall¨Cscale

    WithWilliam¡¯sstatus,hewouldn¡¯tevenbotherdealingwiththesesmalpanies,sothe¡°cklist¡±hadn¡¯treachedthem.

    <b>William</b>probablydidn¡¯texpecthertobewillingtogotothesesmalpanies.

    Theinterviewswentsmoothly.Theinterviewersaskedhertoreturnhomefirstwhiletheydiscussedinternally.

    Emellefeltquiteconfidentaboutherprospects

    Apartfromthesethrepanies,Emeliealso receivedinterviewinvitationsfromseveralothersmalpanies.

    Shedecidedtogivethemtryaswell.Themoreinterviewssheattended,themoreoptionsshewouldhave.

    Injustaweek,shehadvisitedaroundnineces.Sincethpanies<b>were</b>alllocatedoutsideCapebattCity,shehadn¡¯treturnedduringthistime.

    Monacouldn¡¯thelpbument,¡°Othersarrangeatightschedulefortravel,butyou¡¯redoingitforinterviews.¡±

    Everytimeshetalkedaboutwork,shewouldcurseWilliamIfitweren¡¯tforhismeddling,Emeliewouldn¡¯thavetogo<b>through</b>allthis

    Butdespite<b>having</b>interviewedatsomanyces,shestillhadn¡¯treceived<b>any</b>formaljoboffersafter<b>a</b>weekThis content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Inherfive¨Cminutephone callwithMona,Emellecoughedthreetimes.ItworriedMona,¡°Areyousick

    Indeed,shewas.

    After rushingaroundwithouttimetorestfordays,Emelsemighthavecaughtacold.

    Butitwasn¡¯tassevereasthetimethegotsickontheboat.Shehadboughtmedicinefromthepharmacstnightandwasfeelingmuchbetter.

    <b>¡°</b>Maybeyoushouldebackfirst.<b>Get</b>wellbeforeyougojob huntingagain

    ¡°I¡¯vebeenlookingoutforjobopportunillesforyou,too.Maybesomethinggoodwileupsoon.¡±

    Emeliefellsilentforamomentbeforesaying,¡°Okay,I¡¯lebacktoday.¡±

    ShesuddenlyunderstoodwhyshehadonlyreceivedInterviewinvitationsandnotjoboffers.ItwasprobablyWilliam¡¯sdoing

    Hewasreallygoodatmessingwithpeople.

    Sincethesmalpanieswerecloseby<b>,</b>sheagreedtotheinterviewssinceshewasalready<b>in</b>the<b>area</b>.So,sheendeduptraveling<b>back</b>andforth.

    Hereageresstofindajoballowedhimtostringheralong<b>for</b><b>a</b>wholeweek

    Chapter

    107DidYouSleepWithHim

    Emellewasn¡¯teasilyangered,butthistime,shecouldn¡¯thelpbutfeelfuriousafter<b>realizing</b>allthis.

    <b>When</b>shegotangry,shewouldstartcoughing.Andwhenherlungsweresorefromcoughing,shecouldn¡¯tresistanylonger.

    ShepickedupthephoneandcalledWilliam.

    Whenthecallconnected,sheimmediatelyasked,¡°M.Middleton,doyoufindthisamusing?Ifyouwantmetodie,whydon¡¯tyoujusll me?It¡¯sjustaneasyjobfor<b>you</b>.

    Insteadofanswering,Williamasked,¡°DidyousleepwithSamuelthatnight?¡±

    Emeliewasspeechlessfor<b>a</b>second.<b>After</b>adeepbreath,shesaid,¡°<b>Will</b><b>you</b>sparemeafter Iansweryou?¡±

    Williamspeeted,¡°IsawwhatIsaw.DoyouthinkI¡¯dbelieveyouifyousaidno?You¡¯rejustsayingthattoletmespateyou.¡±

    ¡°Thenwhybotherasking?¡±Emelieretorted.

 CHAPTER 108

    Chapter108APet

    Williamhungupthephonewithoutsayinganotherword.

    Emelletossedherphoneasideandrummagedforsomelozengeswhilecoughing,Aftertakingone,hercoughinggraduallysubsided.

    Onceshefeltbetter,shebookedherticketandboardedthehigh¨CspeedtrailtoheadbacktoCapebattCity.

    AsEnvellearrivedatCapebatt<b>City</b>stationandprepared<b>to</b>exit,shenoticedafamiliarfigure.

    Uponcloserinspection,sherealizeditwasDaphne.

    Theyweren¡¯ttoofarfromeachother,soDaphnenoticedher,too.

    AlthoughEmelieworeamaskduetohercoughing,Daphnerecognizedherfromhereyesandfigure.

    Daphnewaswithamiddle¨Cagedwomanwhoboresomeresemncetoher.Emelseassumeditwashermother.

    Daphnedidn¡¯tavoidEmelie¡¯sgaze.Hereyeswerebright,butEmeliecouldn¡¯tdiscemheremotions.

    Justthen,Emelie¡¯sphonerang.ncingatthescreen,shenoticeditwasanunknownmumbercalling

    ¡°Hello,whoisthis?¡°!

    ¡°I¡¯mcallingfromLifeLineHospital.AreyouGretaLowe¡¯sfamily?

    Emeliewasstunnedforamomentbeforereplying,¡°Yes,<b>I</b><b>am</b>.¡±

    ¡°WejustgotanotificationthatadonorheartmatchingMs.Lowe¡¯scriteria<b>is</b>avable.Shecanundergosurgerynow.¡±

    Emellewasinstantlyoverwhelmedwithjoy.¡°Really?There¡¯s<b>a</b>heartavable?

    ¡°Yes,soit¡¯sbestforyoutobringhertothehospitaltomorrow.The heartiscurrentlyinEprandbutwillsoonbetransportedhere.

    ¡°Ms,Loweneedstostartpreparingforthesurgery.¡±

    Emelleimmediatelyagreed.¡°Okay,I¡¯llbringmymomtothehospitaltomorrow.¡±

    Afterhangingupthephone,shecouldn¡¯tcontainherjoy.Thisnewpletelydispelledthegloomanddespairshehadbeenfeelingrecently.

    Waitingfor<b>a</b>donor¡¯s heartwasextremelydifficult.

    Emeliehadresearchedandfoundoutthatthousandsofpeoplewerewaitingfora<b>heart</b>everyday.

    Donorshadtosignupfororgandonation,andonlyafteranidentornaturaldeathcouldtheyreceiveaheart.

    Evenwithaheartavable,sessfultransntationdependedonmatching,which<b>had</b><b>a</b>verylowprobability.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Thatwaswhythedoctorsaidsomepatientsmight nevergetaheart<b>even</b>aftertheypassedaway.

    Theywereundoubtedlyfortunatetogetonesoquickly,

    EmelieImmediately calledhome.Ronanwasoverjoyed.¡°That¡¯s<b>great</b>TilltellEbanaandBilly.They¡¯lepickusuptomorrowtogotothehospital.

    ¡°Youjustgodirectlytothehospital.There¡¯snoneedtebackhere.Don¡¯ttireyourselfouttoomuch.¡±

    Thesewereallminormatters.Emelleagreed,¡°okay.¡±

    Assheexitedthestation,she<b>saw</b>Monawaitingtopickherup.sheranoverandhuggedher.

    ¡°Mona,thehospitalhasfoundamatchformymom¡¯s<b>heart</b>.Shecanhavethesurgery!¡±

    Monawasalsoveryhappyfor her,soshetookEmelietoeat&barbecue.

    Theyorderedawholetable<b>of</b>meat.NolicingEmelle¡¯sweightlossinjust<b>a</b>week,Monacouldn¡¯thelpbutworry.

    Shekeptpiling<b>food</b>onEmelie¡¯ste.

    Emeliewasinagoodmood.Shesaidwithasmile,¡°I¡¯mfine.Mypriorityismymom¡¯srecovery.Everythingelsecan<b>wait</b>.¡±

    Monahesitatedbeforesaying,¡°Ifyoureallycan¡¯tfindajob,maybeyoushouldjust..surendertohim.¡±

    Wheered,even<b>the</b>strongestwouldhavetoyield.Emelie<b>was</b>clearlyoutmatchedbyWilliam.Surrenderingtohimagaintomake<b>ends</b>meetdidn¡¯tseemlikeabigdeal.

    Emeliecutasliceofbeeffromthebeetrib<b>as</b>she<b>said</b>,¡°There¡¯snowayI¡¯msurrenderingtohimthistime,Mona.¡±

    Shecouldn¡¯tforgethow<b>William</b>triedtogiveher offorhiscruelwordsaboutherbeingaslutwhomhewastired ofsleepingwith.

    Shecouldliveevenwithouthim<b>.</b>

    Theywereatafamouslocalbarbecuerestaurant.Duringmealtimes,itwasalwaysbustlingwithcustomers.

    Atthetablebehindthem,amanwithhisbacktoEmeliehadaleenhearingandcaughtwhatshesaid.Hetook<b>a</b>sipofhiswaterandsmirked.

    <b>No</b>wayshewassurrendering?

    <b</b>Williamraisedtohaveitstemper

    ThemanfeltthatWilliamwasbeingtoogentlewithEmelle.Hecouldn¡¯tallowspetHewasdeterminedtoteachEmelie<b>a</b>lesson.

 CHAPTER 109

    Chapter109HowtoTrainaPet

    Afterfinishingthebarbecue,nelieandMonareturnedtotheirapartment.

    Emeliestartedpreparingthingsfor Greta¡¯shospitalvisitthenextdaywhileMonascrolledthroughherphoneonthecouch.

    Suddenly,sheeximedexcitedly.¡°Emelie!¡±

    ¡°What?¡±Emelielookedover.

    Monagrinned.¡°Ifoundyouajob!¡±

    Emelie¡¯seyebrowsshotup.¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°IwasscrollingthroughmyInstagram,<b>and</b>Isawmyformerbosspostingajobopeningforadepartmentmanager.

    ¡°Ithoughtyou¡¯dbe<b>a</b>goodfit,soIchattedwithherandsentheryourresume.Shesaid<b>you¡¯re</b>highlyqualified!¡±

    Emelierecalled.¡°YouusedtoworkatPrimepoly,right?Wasn¡¯tthereacolleaguewhoalwaysbullied<b>you</b>,soyouquit?

    ¡°Yeah,thoughPrimepolycan¡¯paretoClouder.Butlet¡¯sbehonestHowmanpaniescanmatchupwithCloudex?Primepolyisalreadydecenparedtoothers.

    ¡°Exceptforthatbitchycolleague,everyoneelsewasnice.Ifitweren¡¯tforthatbitch,Iwouldn¡¯thavelett.

    ¡°Plus,ev

    eventhoughIresigned,I¡¯mstill incontactwithmyformerboss.She¡¯s reallynice.¡±

    Emeliesmiled.¡°Youmake<b>it</b>soundtempting.¡±

    shehadmetMona¡¯sformerboss,RaleyMerrill,oncewhenWilliamsummonedher<b>to</b><b>a</b>bartopickhimup.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Whenshearrived,shehappened<b>to</b>seeLylehuggingasmart¨Clooking<b>beauty</b>,whoturnedouttobe<b>Mona¡¯s</b>formerboss.

    Soonafter,MonasharedsomegossipwithEmelie.SherevealedthatRileyhadrecentlyexperiencedabreakup<b>and</b>crieduntilhereyeswereswollen.

    Emeliequicklydeduced<b>that</b>Lylemusthavebeentheodumpher

    ¡°Ms.Merrillsaidshe¡¯dliketotreatustodinnertonighttogettoknoweachother.¡±<b>Mona</b>urged Emilie.

    ¡°Let¡¯sgo.Evenifit<b>doesn¡¯t</b>workout,havingdinnertogetherwon¡¯thurt.It¡¯s<b>all</bdies.¡±

    <b>Upon</b>listeningtoherwords,Emeliedidn¡¯thesitatetoagree.¡°Okay.¡±

    Ifshecouldfindajob,itwouldbelikehittingtwobirdswithonestone.ItwouldcoverthecostsofGreta¡¯srecoveryperiodaftersurgery.

    AfterEmelietookhercoughmedicine,shechangedherclothesandappliedlightmakeup.

    Intheevening,theytook<b>a</b><b>cab</b>toWestwardClub,whereRileyaskedtomeet.

    AstheysteppedintotheWestwardClub,someone called<b>William</b>.

    Lylelitcigaretteandflickedofftheashwithhisfingers.

    ¡°WhenWilliamansweredthecall,LylechuckledandsaiddisdainfullyinhisEprandian ent,¡°WilleandseehowItrainapet.¡±

    AssoonasEmelieandMonaenteredtheprivateroom,theyfeltsomethingwasoff.

    SeatedintheroomwasnotonlyRileybutalsoalecherous¨Clooldingmanwhoseeyeslit<b>up</b>assoon<b>as</b>hesawthem.

    MonaandEmelleexchangedance.

    Theformerforcedasmilethroughherdifortandsaid,¡°Ms.<b>Merrill</b>,whydidn¡¯tyoutellmeyouhadaguest?

    ¡°Sorryfordisturbingyou.We¡¯llleaveyoutoenjoyyourtime.Let¡¯scatchupanotherday,¡±

    <b>As</b>theyturnedtoleave,Rileyquicldyblockedtheirpath.¡°Hey,you¡¯realreadyhere<b>.</b>Why<b>wait</b>foranotherday?Besides,Mr.Willisisnotastranger.He¡¯saspecialguestLimited.¡±

    ShepushedEmelieforward.¡°Primepolyistoosmalltoamodatesomeoneastalented<b>as</b>you,Ms.Hoven.

    ¡®ButMr.Willispany,CrobLimited,is different.You¡¯llsurely have<b>a</b>betterfutureworkingforMr.Willis.

    ¡°Come,

    sitdown.¡±ShepushedEmelleintotheseatnexttoBrockWillis,WhenMonatriedtogoover,Rileypulledherintoachairnexttoher

    Smiling,brocksaid,¡°Nicetomeetyou<b>,</b>Ms.Hoven.¡±

    ¡°Nicetomeetyou,Mr.Willis.¡±Emeliepressedherlipsintoaline.

    ¡°I¡¯veheardaboutthetalentedandbeautifulsecretaryunderMr.MiddletonatCloudex.Soit¡¯syou.

    *Trulyapleasuretofinallymeetyouinperson.HowcouldMr.Middletonbeartoletgoof atalentlikeyou?¡±

    ¡°<b>I</b>admitI¡¯mnotquiteatthatlevelyet.Istillneedmoregrassrootsexperience.Wedidn¡¯trealizeitwasanInterviewwithyoutoday,Mr.Willis,

    ¡°Ilwehadknown,wewouldn¡¯thavedaredtotakeupyourtime.Wewon¡¯tdisruptyourgatheringanyfurther,we¡¯lltakeourleave.¡±

    Enseliequicklybrushedofftheconversation.ShethenstoodupandgesturedforMonatoleavequickly,

    Woonenhadasixilirose.Theatmosphereinthisroomgavethemabadfeeling

 CHAPTER 110

    Chapter110They WillDieHere

    BeforeEmelieandMonacouldreachthedoor,Rileyonceagainblockedtheirpath,¡°Whyare<b>you</b>insuchahurrytoleave?

    Monawasgettingangrynow.¡°Whatareyoutryingtodo,Ms.Merrill?

    Rileyreignedinnocence.¡°Tinjustintroducingyouto<b>a</b>jobopportunity.

    <b>¡°</b><b>Are</b>youintroducingustoajobortryingtosell<b>us</b><b>?</b><b>¡±</b><b>Mona</b><b>asked</b><b>sharply</b><b>.</b>Shecouldn¡¯tbelieveshehadtoastedRiley,Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    Justthen,Brockcameoverwitha<b>ss</b>ofwine.¡°Howcanyousaythat?Don¡¯tmakebaselessusations.

    ¡°Thiswon¡¯tdo.Youneedtoapologize!<b>You</b>mustfinishthisssofwine.Ifyoudon¡¯t,youwon¡¯tbeleavingheretoday!¡±

    Finally,<b>his</b>truecolorswe

    wererevealed.

    EmelieandMona<b>exchanged</b><b>a</b>nce.Theyknewthattheyprobablywouldn¡¯tbeabletoleaveevenif theydrankthewine.

    Without furtherado,theypushedpastRileyandrushedout.

    Theyhadtoleavethisroomimmediately.

    Rileywaspushedtotheground.Meanwhile,Brockshouted,¡°Getthem!¡±

    AsEmelieandMonkopenedthedoor,theyfoundtwobodyguardsoutside,

    Thebodyguardslungedatthetwowomen,butthtterdidn¡¯tsumender.Instead,theyfoughtback

    Theyusedtheirhandbagstopthebodyguardsfaceshandandlockedtheminthegroin.Inaninstant,chaoseruptedintheroom.

    Theyshoutedtogetattentionfromtheoutside,¡°Help!Somebodyhelpus<b>!</b>¡±

    Althoughthereweremanypeopleoutside,theyjustncedoverandthenturnedawayasifnothinghappened.

    Itseemedlikesuchincidentswermonhere.Noonewantedtogetinvolved.

    Emellepushedoneofthebodyguardsawayandcan.SheranquiteadistancebeforeleoldingbackforMona,butMoradidn¡¯tfollow.

    shehadn¡¯t<b>made</b>itoutoftheprivateroomyet.

    Emellegrittedherteethanddialed11whilerunningback

    Whenshckedopenthedoorofthe<b>private</b>room,shesawBrockpinningMonadownonthecouch.

    Muna¡¯sclotheshadalreadybeento<b>,</b>andshewascryingforhelp.Itwasobviousthatshewasabouttobeassaulted.

    Withouthesitation,Emeliegrabbed<b>a</b>winebottlefromthetableandsmasheditdownonBrock¡¯shead

    Brockscreamedatonce.Caughtoffguard,hefelltotheground.

    EmelleimmediatelywenttocheckonMonaMonahadp<b>mark</b>onherface,herhairwasdisheveled,andhereyeswereblurrywith<b>tears</b>.¡°Let¡¯sgo!¡±ShepulledMonaup,

    Butastheyrantothe<b>door</b>,thurywereblockedby

    ythetwobodyguardsagain

    Brock,holdinghisheadwherehehadbeenhit,cursedloudly,¡°Damnit!Youbitch!I¡¯llshowyouwho¡¯s<b>in</b>chargein<b>this</b>cetoday!¡±

    Hethen<b>ordered</b>,¡°Gerthemandteach them<b>a</b>lesson!¡±

    ThetwobodyguardscaughtMonaandforeofftheremainingshredsofherclothes.EmelletriedtorescueMona,butsomeonegrabbedher<b>hair</b>.

    ItwasBrockWithatwistedface,heshovedEmelle¡¯sheadintothefishtankintheroom.

    Instantly,waterrushedintohereyes,ears,<b>nose</b>,andmouthfromalldirectionsshefeltsuffocated.

    Withherearsfilled withwater,itwasasifshehadenteredanotherworldwhereall<b>sounds</b>weremuttled

    Despitethis,thestillheardMona¡¯sscreams.Emellestruggleddesperatelybuttonoavail.

    Shewasdrowning.Shehadafeelingthat<b>both</b><b>she</b>andMorswoulddieheretonight.

    Suddenly,<b>the</b>pressureonher<b>head</b>disappeared.Itwasrecedbyaman¡¯sscreams.¡°Ah!¡±

    Brockwaskickedaway.

    Emeliewasfinallyrescued.Shecopsedtothegroundandbracedher<b>hands</b>againsttheflooras shecougheddesperately.Hervisionwasblurry.Shecouldn¡¯ttellifitwastearsorwater,buthereyesstung<b>,</b>makingithardtokeepthemopen.

    <b>Under</b>the dimlight,<b>she</b>sawa<b>pair</b>ofshinyleathershoesapproachingher

    They weresofamiliar,aswerethetrousercuffs.

    Emelieliftedherbead

    Atthatmoment,itfeltlikeshewastransportedbackthreeyears.Inthepouringrain,shegazeduptoseeanelegantmandinckgloves,holdingackumbre

    Helookedathercoldlyandutteredthewordsshe¡¯dneverforgotten-¡°She¡¯smine.Who<b>dares</b>totouchher?¡±

    ¡°Howmuchtroubledoyouwanttocausebeforeyoustop?¡±

    Twocontradictorysentencesovepped.Emelie¡¯s eardrumssqueakedsharply,pulling herbackfromherhaze.

    Chapter110TheyWillDieHere

    Itwasn¡¯tanillusion.

    ThepersonwhohadarrivedwasWilliam.

 CHAPTER 111

    Chapter111DoasYouPleaseinCapebattCity

    Delididn¡¯tknowwhattosay.

    Whydiditalwayshavetobelikethis?

    Healwayssawhermostembarrassed<b>and</b>desperatemoments,<b>as</b>ifshecouldn¡¯tliveadecentlifewithout<b>him</b>protectingher.

    Williamcasuallytookoffhissuitjacketandthrewitoverher

    Thewoodyscentofhiscoloquewasexquisite,yetitleftEmeliefeelingtooembarrassedtoraiseherhead.

    Fortunately<b>,</b>Williamremainedasaloofasever.Withoutpayingmuchattentiontoher,hewalkedtowardBrock

    AsBrockcrawledupfromtheground,hegrumbled,¡°<b>Who</b>isit?Whodarestoruinmyfun?Yousurehavea<b>death</b>¨CAh!¡±

    LyleliftedhisfootandstompedonBrock beforehecouldget<b>up</b>whilesmilingamiably.¡°Watchyourwords,Brock<b>Willis</b>.¡±Brockstruggledtolifthishead.Whenhesawtyle,hisfacetumedpaleatonce.¡°M¨CMr.Inning-

    williamwalkedovertoLyle¡¯ssideandlitacigarette.

    Hewasonlywearingawhiteshirt,whichwastuckedinto<b>his</b>trousers.Itshowcasedhisbroadshouldersandnarrowwaist.Heputonehandinhispocketandheldthecigaretteintheother.Ashetappedthecigarette,theashfellontoBrock¡¯sc

    Ofcourse,Brockrecognizedhim.Hestammered,¡°M¨CMr.Middleton,whyareyouhere?¡±

    Smiling,LyletappedBrock¡¯scheekwiththetonofhisshoe.¡°Youdaredtotouchhiswomaninmyce.Whydoyouthinkhe¡¯s here<b>?</b>¡±

    Terrified,Brockhastilyexined,¡°No,Mr.Middleton,letmeexin!Itwasn¡¯tintentional!ItwasRiley!

    ¡°Wejustsignedacoborationcontract,soaskedhertoarrangedyformeto<b>have</b>somefun.

    ¡°shesuggestedtryingsomethingdifferentandintroducedme tosomone.IttumedouttobeMs:Hoven.

    ¡°SheevensaidMs.Hovenhadresignedfromcloudesandthatyouhadsaidtocklisther,soIthoughtIcouldhavesomefunwithher.

    ¡°Imadeamistake,Itrulythoughtitwasasshesaid.IfIhadknownshewasyours,wouldneverhetouchedher!Really!

    <b>william</b><b>asked</b><b>calmly</b>,¡°Where¡¯sRiley,then?!

    Brocklookedaroundfrantically,¡°S¨CShewasstillherejustnow..¡±

    ¡°Oh,shecanaway?Thesearepastyourwords.There¡¯snoevidence.Who¡¯sgoingtobelieveyou?¡±LylechuckledandwalkedovertoEmelieleisurely.

    Hesquatteddownandlookedather¡°IWillhadn¡¯tarvedintimetoday,youwouldhavebeeninbigtrouble,Ms.Hoven.¡±

    Emelieliftedherhead.Waterdropletssliddownherfacealonghercontoursanddrippedontotheground.

    ShegazedatLyle¡¯shandsomefaceforafewsecondsbeforeabruptlyraisingherhandanddelivering<b>a</b>hardpacrosshisface.

    Lyle¡¯sfacetumedtothesidefromtheforceoftheblow.Hismen,whohaewith<b>him</b>,lookedextremelyshockedtoseethisserne.

    Lylelickedtheinsideofhischeekwherehewaspped.Surprisingly,hesmiled:¡°Youhavegatethetemper,Ms.Hoven.¡±

    Emelie<b>wasn¡¯t</b>surewhetheritwasthelingering<b>fear</b>,thechillingdampnessofherclothes,orsheerfrustration,butherbodywastrembling.

    ¡°ItwasyouwhohadalleybringMr.Willistodo<b>this</b>tous,wasn¡¯tit?¡±

    Itwasn¡¯t<b>a</b>questionbutastatementofcertainty.

    Itwasn¡¯thardtopiecetogether.Theyhadn¡¯toffendedRiley,sowhywouldshe<b>harm</b><b>them</b>?AndhowdidWilliamandLylearrivesoontime?

    Thatwastheonlylogicalexnation

    Afterall,lleywasLyle¡¯sex¨Cgirlfriend.Theykneweachother.

    Lylestaredatherpalebeautifulface,Deltherconfirmingnordenying,Instead,hesmiled.

    ¡°You¡¯requitecleverButifyou¡¯resoclever,whyareyousocluelessaboutotherthings?

    ¡°I¡¯mjustshowingyouthatwithwillbyyourside,you<b>can do</b>asyoupleaseinCapebatt CityContent (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    ¡°Butwithouthim,you¡¯rejustavulnerablepery,waitingtobetaken<b>advantage</b>of<b>.</b>Got<b>it</b><b>?</b>

    Emelieclenchedherteethandtrembledevenmoreviolentlyfrom anger.

    Apreytobetakenadvantageof?<b>Indeed</b>,shewasbeingtakenadvantageof.

    Butifitweren¡¯tforthemsettingupthistrap,sheandMonawouldn¡¯thavehadtogothroughall<b>this</b>.Yet<b>why</b>weretheytalkinglikeshewastheone<b>in</b>thewrong?

    Trowning,<b>William</b>walledoverandpattedLyle¡¯sshoulder,Indicatingthatheshouldstep<b>aside</b>.

    Lylerubbedthesideofhisfacethathadbeenpped.

    Frombeingathagtogettingtowherehewas,hehadbeeninmanyfights,buthehadneverbeenppedbyawomanbefore

    HencedatBelle.

    Shewaswearingalightcoloreddressmadeofthin<b>fable</b>.Thewaterhadsoakedthroughthechestarea,makingherchestslightlyviable

    Lylestaredatherforamomentbeforeturningaway.Hewalkedtothesideandlitanothercigaretteto<b>clear</b>hismind.

    Hehadn¡¯texpectedEmelletohavesuchagoodfiguredespiceherfrigidity.

    Chapter111DoasYouPleaseinCapebattCity

    Suddenly,Lylepausedinhisthoughts,thensnorted.

    Regardlessofherfigure,shebelongedtoWilliam.Whydiditmattertohim?

    ActFast:FreeBonusTimeisRunningOut!

 CHAPTER 112

    Chapter112YouBetrayedMe

    WilliamlookeddownatEmelieandofferedhisband.¡°Getup.¡±

    teadoftakinghishand,Emeliegrabbedtheedgeofthetable.Shetriedtouseitforsupport,butshecouldn¡¯tmusterenoughstrengthWilliamgrabbedherwristandforciblypulled herup.

    Onceshestoodfem,shepushedhimawayandbellowed,<b>¡°</b>You¡¯reevenmoredespicablethanIthought,william!¡±

    Williamimmediatelyunderstood.ShethoughthehadinstructedLyletodothis.¡°Don¡¯tletyourimaginationnunwild,¡±

    ¡°Birdsofafeatherflocktogether.Iwastooblindtoseethroughyou.¡±

    Shecouldsee<b>clearly</b>now.

    ¡°Areyounotdespicable?Youhavebipaniescklistmeandletsmalpaniestreatmelikeafool

    said

    ¡°YouandDaphnehavealreadyreconciled,yetyourefusetospareme.Ifitweren¡¯tforyourrelentlesspressure,whywouldIhaveheretoday?¡±

    Williamstaredatherfaceand saidcoldly,¡°Youweretheonewhobetrayedmefirst.¡±

    ¡°Betray?Whatareyoutalking<b>about</b>?¡±Emelleretorted.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Youhave<b>the</b>nervetoask?Williamsneered.Atsixfeettwoinchestall,healreadyexudedanoverwhelmingpresence.Andnow,approachingher,heseemedlikeamountainbearingdownonher.

    ¡°Whobeggedmetosaveherthreeyearsago?whobeggedmetotakeherin?Whovolunteeredtobemywoman?

    ¡°Whosaidshewouldnever betraymeinthislifetime<b>?</b>WhosaidIwasher<b>only</b>familyandwouldneverleaveme?who-

    ¡°Enough!¡±Howcouldhebringupthesepastmatters?

    Williamcontinuedindifferently,¡°Youoweme,Emelle.¡±

    Emeliewas<b>rendered</b>speechless.Herfaceturned pale<b>as</b>sheclenchedherfists.

    Shehadindeedsaidthosewords.Evennow,shecouldeasilyrecallthesceneswhenshesaidthosewords

    Thatrainynight,hesavedherfrom<b>that</b>groupofbikers.Hetookintohis<b>car</b>andturnedontheheater.

    ThewarmthemanatingfromItcantedawoody fragrance.She curledupintherwhiletrembling

    Williammusthavefoundhermiserableappearanceunbearable,sohe<b>took</b>offhiscoatanddrapeditoverher.¡°it¡¯sreally<b>fine</b>now.¡±

    Yetshewasstilltrembling.Williamlookeddown ather,thengentlywrappedherinni.¡°You¡¯sesalenow.¡±

    Yes,hehadbeengentlewithherbackthenotherwise,shewouldn¡¯thavelostherselfandfallenforhim

    At<b>that</b>time<b>,</b>Emellehadbeenterrified<b>for</b><b>a</b>longtimebecauseofherfamily¡¯sdebts.

    Shepressedherforehead againsthischest,listeningto hissteadyheartbeat.itgraduallyeasedhernerves.

    Iwasasifshehadfoundsomethingtorelyon

    <b>Where</b><b>do</b>youlive?I¡¯lltake<b>you</b>home.¡±

    Home?No,shecouldn¡¯tgohome.

    Ifshewentback,herpatentswouldsendherofftosettletheirdebtsagain

    Emelielookedattheluxurycar,at thedriver,andfinallyatthegentlemanbesideher.Herthoughtswerechaoticbutclear,

    Shethoughttoherselfthatifitevercamedowntosellingherselfto saveherfamily,she¡¯drathersell<b>herself</b>tohimthan<b>to</b>anyoneelse

    Sheclutchedhisclothestightlyasifgraspingtheonlystrawforherlife.Whiletrembling,shesaid,¡°Canyou¡­takemein?¡±

    shehaddoneeverythingoutofherownwill,soshedidn¡¯inabout allthehardshipsshehadenduredoverthe<b>years</b>.Butshedidn¡¯twanttocontinueanymore.Couldn¡¯thelethergo?

    Emeliepartedherlips.Shethoughtshewasspeakingnormally,buthervoicewassosoftthatitwasbarelyaudible.

    ¡°Idon¡¯toweyouanything,William.¡±

    Shewalledpasthimandpickeduptheclothesontheground.Then,shehelpedMonaputthemon andassistedherinstandingup.

    AsWilliamwatchedherfigure,hefelt<b>an</b>inexplicableemotionsurginginhischest.Hiseyesdarkened,

    TmellesupportedMonsoutofWestwardClubMona<b>was</bpletelyweakandinaverybadstate.

    TherewasaflowerbedattheentranceofWestwardClub,soEmmeliehelpedMonasitdownbytheflowerbed.¡°Areyouokay,Mona?¡±<b>Mona</b>seemedtostillbeinadaze.Emellepressedherlipstogether.¡°Let¡¯stake<b>a</b>cabhome.Everythingwillbefineoncewe¡¯rehome.¡±Monamamured,¡°¡­Emelle,canyouhelpmecallHugo?<b>Askham</b>tepickmeup.¡±

    HugoDorseywasMona¡¯sboyfriend,butEmeliehadalwaysfeltthathewasn¡¯tagoodguy.However,Monawasmadlyinlovewithhim.Emeliedidn¡¯twantMonatogobackwithHuge<b>in</b>suchastate.¡°Let¡¯sgohomefirst,¡±

    Tearsflowed downMona¡¯scheeksinstantly.¡°IreallymissedHugowhenthat<b>scum</b>waspressingdownonme.

    <b>¡°</b>Ifhehadbeenhere,hewouldhavedefinitelysavedme.Iwanttosee<b>him</b>now.Pleasecallhimforme,please

 CHAPTER 113

    Chapter113It¡¯sAllOver

    Withnochoice,EmmeliecalledHugototellhimtheirlocation.

    Hugosaidhewasnearbyandwouldbetheminfiveminutes.

    Soon,Hugo¡¯scarpulled<b>up</b>infrontofthem.<b>Mona</b>mashedintohisarms,weepingashetookheraway.

    Emeliewasinpoorshape,too,andshewasunsteadyonherfeet.

    Unabletomakeithome,sheheadedtothehotcrossWestwardClub.

    Checkinginatthefrontdesk,acameraintherfocusedonherwithaclick,capturinganotherphoto.

    Emeliedidn¡¯tevenbothertoremovehermakeuporchange,copsingontothebed.

    Herjobinterviewsfailed,andGreta¡¯s conditionworsened.

    Forthepastweek,shehadbeenrushingaroundtodifferentces.PairedwithWilliam¡¯s<b>usations</b>,shewasexhausted<b>and</b>drainedphysically,mentally,andemotionally.

    Shetriedtosleepbutcouldn¡¯t.Herheartfelt<b>heavy</b>,thumpinguneasilywithahunchthatsomething<b>was</b>abouttohappen.

    Shetriedtosettleherself.SheneededrestasGreta¡¯ssurgery<b>was</b>tomorrow.

    Finally,aftermucheffort,shemanagedtodozeoff,onlytobeabruptlyawakenedbyherphone.

    Thepiercingringstartledherawake.Sheinstinctivelysatup,causingasuddenrushofdizzinessduetolowbloodsugar.

    Ignoringthesensation,shescrambledtofindherphone.Finally,shespotteditonthebedsiderug.

    ItwasRonancalling

    Emelleimmediatelyanswered,¡°Dad?What¡¯swrong?¡±

    Romancriedoutandsaid,¡°EmelieWe¡¯reatthehospital,butthey¡¯resendingus<b>back</b>.

    ¡°Theysaidthere¡¯snoheart,sotheycan¡¯tdothesurgerylEmelle,whatdowedo?¡±

    Emelle¡¯smindwentnkforamoment.Shecouldn¡¯trecallitshetoldRomanshewaing.

    Tegardless,shehungup.Heronlythoughtwastogettothehospitalimmediately.

    Shequicklygotoutofbed,legswobbling<b>as</b>shedroppedtoherkneeshardonthecarpet.Herkneeshurtfromtheimpact.

    Shebitherlip,pulledherselfup,andleanedagainstthewall,hurryingout.

    Emeliedescendedthestairsandhailedacab.¡°LifeLineHospital,bunny!¡±

    Outsidethedoctor¡¯soffice,Ronanhadalreadycausedascene.

    Heheldafruitlife,taldingayoungnursehostage.

    Romanshoutedinagitation,hisvoiceechoing.

    ¡°Yesterday,youtoldustetothehospitalforsurgery!Nowyousaytheheartisnolongeravable!

    ¡°YoudoctorsmusthavetakenbribesandgiventhehearttosomeoneelselShameless,hicalmonsters!Ifmywifedies,you¡¯remurderers!Murderers!¡±

    ThedoctorinchargeofGretatriedtocalmRoman.¡°Mr.Hoven,we¡¯veexinedtoyou.Thetformallocatesdonorsbasedonhowcriticalthepatient¡¯scondition

    ¡°Gretastillhasmorethansixmonthstolive.Theotherpatienthasonlyoneweek.So,theheartwenttohimfirst.

    ¡°Thiswasetadecision<b>made</b>byundoctors.It¡¯sbasedonthetform¡¯sdata.Noonecanintervene<b>!</b>¡±

    Ronancouldn¡¯tunderstandsucplexexnations.Hishand,holdingthelife,keptshaking.Thedecuttheyoungnurse¡¯sneck<b>,</b>leavingabloodywound.<b>¡°</b><b>I</b>don¡¯tcare!Idon¡¯tcare!diveusbacktheheart!Giveit<b>barld</b><b>¡±</b>

    Emelieandthepolicearrivedatthehospittthesametime.

    Seelingthisscene,shefroze.HermindwentnkOnlyhoughtremained,¡°It¡¯sover.It¡¯sallovernow!¡±

    Thepoliceheldstshields,forcingthecrowdback.Emellewasbehindtheshields.Shesawherfatherbeingheldatgunpointbythepolice.

    Shecriedout,<b>¡°</b><b>Dad</b>!¡±

    Bomantomedtolookather,hiseyesredwithtears.¡°Emelle,whatdowedo?Whatdowedo¡­.¡±

    Emelledidn¡¯tknowwhatto<b>do</b>either.Whatcouldthey<b>do</b><b>?</b>

    Theheatwasgone<b>.</b>

    Runatraisedchaosinthehospital,holdinganursehostageandinjuringher.Hewasbound<b>to</b>endupinprison..

    Herparents.Whatcouldshedo?Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

 CHAPTER 114

    Chapter<b>114</b>IDon¡¯tHaveTimeforThat

    Emelieclenchedherfingerstightly,nailsdiggingpainfullyintoherpalms,

    Shecalledoutcalmly,¡°Dad,putdownthufe.Putitdown.¡±

    Ronan¡¯sfacepaleduponseeingthepolice.¡°LIIdon¡¯tknowwhathappened,Emelie.Ididn¡¯tmeanto.Idon¡¯tknowwhyitturnedoutlikethis

    ¡°Wheredidyougettheknife?Emelieswallowedhard

    ¡°wewewaitedinthehallway<b>for</b><b>so</b>long,andthedoctordidn¡¯e.Ithoughtofpeelinganappleforyourmom.

    ¡°Thenthenursesaidthesurgerywascanceledandtoldustogoback.Shesaidtheheart<b>was</b>notavableanymore.They

    eydidn¡¯texinclearly.Igotupsetand¡­¡±

    Emelie¡¯svoicesoftened.¡°Puttheknifedown.Lethergo.I¡¯llhandlethe rest.

    Romannodded<b>rapidly</b>.

    Helplessandunsureofwhattodo,heshakllymovedtheknifeawayfromthenurse¡¯sthroat.

    Thenursefledimmediately.Policeswarmedin,pinningRomantotheground.Emelieclosedhereyes,unabletow

    watch.

    Policeswiftlycuftedandtook<b>Ronan</b>away.Emeliemovedtofollow,butanofficerstoppedher¡°Are youafamilymember?¡±

    Emellepressedherlipstogether.¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Comewithusthen.¡±

    Emeliewasbroughttothestationinanothersquad<b>car</b>.Butshecouldn¡¯tseeRonan,onlythetwoofficershandlingthecase.

    Despitethechaos,Emelieremaineposed,sincerelyansweringalltheirquestions.

    Finally,sheadded,¡°My<b>dad</b>isagoodperson.Hedidn¡¯tmeantocausetrouble.Hewasworriedaboutmymomandactedrecldessly.

    ¡°Hislimitededucationledtoamisunderstandingofthedoctor¡¯sexnation.Icapensatetheinjurednurse<b>and</b>thehospital,whateverittakes.¡°

    Thefemalepoliceofficernodded.<b>¡°</b><b>We</b>understandthesituationfromthehospital.

    ¡°While<b>Ronan</b>hadhisreason,medicaldisturbances<b>are</b>nowcriminaloffenses.Hisoffensecouldrange<b>from</b>lighttoheavycharge.

    ¡°Atworst,hecouldbesentencedtoimprisonmentforthreetosevenyears.¡±

    Emeliestruggledtospeak.¡°Isthere¡­nootherway?¡±

    ¡°<b>A</b>goowyercanhelpyoualot.Gogetone.

    Emeliewalkedoutofthepolicestation.Itwasnoon,andthesunshonebrightly.

    Shestoodunderthesunforamoment,feelinglikeallthemoistureinherbody<b>was</b>evaporating.Herthroatwasdryandsore.

    Shetookoutherphoneandmadeacall.

    Noansweronthefirsttry.Shecalledagain.

    Thesecondonefinallyconnectedneartheend

    William¡¯scoldvoicesoundedevenicieroverthephoneline.¡°I¡¯minameeting.Youhavethreeminutes.¡±

    Emelieaskedstraighttothepoint.¡°Mymom¡¯shearttransnt.Wasityoubehinditagain?¡±

    Williamreplied,¡°Whatheart?¡±

    ¡°Mymomwassupposedtoundergoahearttransnt.Butsuddenly,theheartwasallocatedtosomeoneelse.Didyousabotageit?¡±Williamseemedtofinditridiculous.¡°Doyouhaveprood?¡±

    Proof?Williamneverleftanyevidencebehind.

    Emelieenunciatedeachword.¡°Youknow<b>my</b><b>mom</b>hasaheartcondition¨Cdon¡¯tdenyit!Iremember!

    ¡°Thedayyoumademegobacktowork,yousaid,¡®Giveyourmom¡¯scurrentcondition,Ithoughtyouneededahigh¨Cpaying,stablejob.¡°¡±

    Heknewhermomhadheartdisease<b>,</b>andhermom lostherchanceatahearttransntshecouldhardlybelieveitwasjustacoincidence.Williamadmitted.¡°Elmow.AndIdidsay<b>that</b>.So?¡±

    ¡°Soyoutookmymom¡¯sheartto<b>punish</b>me!William,tormentmehoweveryou<b>want</b>,butleavemyfamilyalone!

    ¡°Doyouknowmymotheronlyhassixmonthslefttolive?Ifwedon¡¯tfindadonorwithinthattime,she¡¯lldielyou¡¯relillingher!¡±<b>William</b>soundedimpatient.¡°DoyouthinkIhavenobetterthingstodowithmytimethanobsessoveryourfamilymatters?

    ¡°Ifyoudidn¡¯t,howdidyouknowaboutmymom¡¯sillness?¡±

    ¡°Ifyouwantanswers,findthemyourself.Nobodyowesyouanexnation¡±

    Heloosenedhistiewithacoldexpressionoutsidetheconferenceroom.Then,heturnedandwentbackin.¡°Let¡¯scontinuethemeeting

    Theexecutivesexchangednces.Itwasthefirsttimethey¡¯dseenWilliamtakeapersonalcallduringaqueeting

    Chapter115HeHasNotStoopedThatLow

    Themeetingendedinanhour,andWilliamretumedtohis<b>office</b><b>.</b>

    Hissecretary,Fabian,wentinimmediatelytoupdate.

    ¡°Mr.Middleton,Ms. Bowen¡¯sfather¡¯ssurgeryisunderwayandhasn¡¯tfinishedyet.Ifthere¡¯sanynews,thehospitalwillcontactme.¡±

    Williamfrownedslightlybutreplied,¡°FindoutwhathappenedtoEmelie.¡±

    Fabianpausedandthensaid,¡°okay.¡±

    Afterleavingthepolicestation,EmelietetumedtoAlderbrook

    Whentheincidenturred,Billy,herbrother¨Cinw,quicklytoolsCertaaway.

    IfGretahadseenit,herconditioncouldhaveworsenedfromtheagitation.

    <b>Once</b><b>she</b>enteredthehouse,Elianarushedtoaskcher,¡°Emelle,how¡¯sDad?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯sbeendetained,¡±Emeliereplied.

    Elianacopsedintoachair.¡°Doesthatmean<b>he¡¯s</b>going<b>to</b>jail?¡±

    Emelienodded.¡°Maybe.¡±

    Enabitherlip<b>,</b>poundingher leeinself¨Creproach.¡°It¡¯sallmyfault!IknewDadgetsriledupeasilybut didn¡¯twatchhimcloselyenough!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯tmeyourself.I¡¯llgetwyerforDad.There<b>should</b>beawayout,¡±Emelie<b>said</b>,pouringherselfassofwater.

    ¡°How¡¯sMom<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>

    Elianapointedtothebedroom.¡°She¡¯sveryworried.Butthankfully,shehasn¡¯thadan episode.She¡¯srestingthere.¡±

    EmeliewentintocheckonGreta.

    Seeingher,Gretabrightenedwithhope,sittingup.¡°Emelie,yourfather¡­¡±

    Emelie<b>eased</b>herbackdown¡°llhandleDad¡¯smatter.Trustme.

    TearsfellfromGreta¡¯seyes.

    ¡°Itoldyounotto<be</b>back,nottocontactus.Ourtroublesalwaysholdyou<b>back</b>.Weareaburdentoyou.

    ¡°We¡¯refamily,sothere¡¯sno needforthat.Everyproblemhasasolution.¡±

    <b>Emily</b>paused.¡°Ifwe<b>can¡¯t</b>solveit,weepttheconsequences.Whenhe¡¯sreleased,we¡¯llstillbefamily.¡±

    Oreta<b>said</b><b>in</b>agony,¡°It¡¯sallmy<b>fault</b>.Igotthisillness.Whendiagnosed,Ishouldhaveendeditallinsteadofdraggingyoualldown!¡±

    Emelie¡¯snervestensed.

    ¡°Mom,youmustn¡¯tlosehope.You knowourfamily¡¯ssituation.Don¡¯tmakerashchoicesagain.Deathsolvesnothingandonlycasts<b>a</b>lifelongshadow!¡±

    ¡°No,Iwon¡¯t.Iwon¡¯tlosehope,Iwon¡¯tcausetroubleanymore.¡±Gretamanured.

    Emelleheldhermother¡¯s<b>hand</b>,herthoughtsinturmoil.

    Suddenly,sheremembered.¡°Dadtoldmethat<b>day</b>,youbothsavedupseventytoeightythousand<b>dors</b>.Howdidyousavethatmuch?Doyou<b>have</b>jobs?¡±Bonnardtorunasmallgrocerystore.Afterwellingeverythingtopayoffdebts,hewasleftwithnomeansoflivelihood<b>.</b>Theyhadlimitededucationandnoskills.Beingoverfiftyyearsold,theyshouldhavereliedontheirchildren¡¯ssupport.However,fromwhatsheobserved,Eliana¡¯sinwswereanaveragefamily.Theycouldn¡¯tsupporttheirelderlyparents.

    However,RonanandGretaseemedreasonablywell¨Coff.Howhadtheybeenmakingaliving alltheseyears?

    Gretaansweredher.¡°WepackagedthecooldesatNibblers¡®factoryinAlderbrookTheircooldesarethemostfamous.

    ¡°Weweretryingourluckbyinquiringiftheywerehiring.Surprisingly,bothyourfatherand1gothired.Howfortunate!Factoriesrarely<b>employ</b>elderlylikeuswithnoworkexperience.¡±

    Shetouchedherchest.¡°Theydetectedmyheartconditionduringthefactory¡¯smualhealthcheck.¡±

    Emelledidn¡¯taskfurther.¡°Please<b>test</b><b>.</b>I¡¯sksomefriendsaboutDad¡¯ssituation.¡±

    ¡°okay,okay¡±

    Thoughburdened,Gretawasstipatientwithlimitedenergy.Sheslowlydriftedtosleep

    Emeliewalkedout<b>and</b>satonthe<b>small</b>stooloutsidethehouse.<b>She</b>understoodnow.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    <b>William</b>likelyarrangedGretaandponam¡¯sjobs.Initially,hesaidthatifshefollowedhim,hewouldtakecareofherparents.

    Shethoughtheonlypaidofftheirthreemilliondordebt.Buthealsohelpedthemfind<b>a</b>basic jobtomakeendsmeet.

    Probably,hisarrangementresultedinthefactorynotifyinghimaboutGreta¡¯s<b>heart</b>condition.<b>That¡¯s</b>howheknew.

    Williamtoldhertofindtheanswersherself,andshedid.

    ButEmeliestillwasn¡¯tsure.Washe behindGetslosingthathearttransntopportunity?

    Hopefully,itwasn¡¯t?dan.

 CHAPTER 115

    Chapter115HeHasNotStoopedThatLow

    Themeetingendedinanhour,andWilliamretumedtohis<b>office</b><b>.</b>

    Hissecretary,Fabian,wentinimmediatelytoupdate.

    ¡°Mr.Middleton,Ms. Bowen¡¯sfather¡¯ssurgeryisunderwayandhasn¡¯tfinishedyet.Ifthere¡¯sanynews,thehospitalwillcontactme.¡±

    Williamfrownedslightlybutreplied,¡°FindoutwhathappenedtoEmelie.¡±

    Fabianpausedandthensaid,¡°okay.¡±

    Afterleavingthepolicestation,EmelietetumedtoAlderbrook

    Whentheincidenturred,Billy,herbrother¨Cinw,quicklytoolsCertaaway.

    IfGretahadseenit,herconditioncouldhaveworsenedfromtheagitation.

    <b>Once</b><b>she</b>enteredthehouse,Elianarushedtoaskcher,¡°Emelle,how¡¯sDad?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯sbeendetained,¡±Emeliereplied.

    Elianacopsedintoachair.¡°Doesthatmean<b>he¡¯s</b>going<b>to</b>jail?¡±

    Emelienodded.¡°Maybe.¡±

    Enabitherlip<b>,</b>poundingher leeinself¨Creproach.¡°It¡¯sallmyfault!IknewDadgetsriledupeasilybut didn¡¯twatchhimcloselyenough!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯tmeyourself.I¡¯llgetwyerforDad.There<b>should</b>beawayout,¡±Emelie<b>said</b>,pouringherselfassofwater.

    ¡°How¡¯sMom<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>

    Elianapointedtothebedroom.¡°She¡¯sveryworried.Butthankfully,shehasn¡¯thadan episode.She¡¯srestingthere.¡±

    EmeliewentintocheckonGreta.

    Seeingher,Gretabrightenedwithhope,sittingup.¡°Emelie,yourfather¡­¡±

    Emelie<b>eased</b>herbackdown¡°llhandleDad¡¯smatter.Trustme.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    TearsfellfromGreta¡¯seyes.

    ¡°Itoldyounotto<be</b>back,nottocontactus.Ourtroublesalwaysholdyou<b>back</b>.Weareaburdentoyou.

    ¡°We¡¯refamily,sothere¡¯sno needforthat.Everyproblemhasasolution.¡±

    <b>Emily</b>paused.¡°Ifwe<b>can¡¯t</b>solveit,weepttheconsequences.Whenhe¡¯sreleased,we¡¯llstillbefamily.¡±

    Oreta<b>said</b><b>in</b>agony,¡°It¡¯sallmy<b>fault</b>.Igotthisillness.Whendiagnosed,Ishouldhaveendeditallinsteadofdraggingyoualldown!¡±

    Emelie¡¯snervestensed.

    ¡°Mom,youmustn¡¯tlosehope.You knowourfamily¡¯ssituation.Don¡¯tmakerashchoicesagain.Deathsolvesnothingandonlycasts<b>a</b>lifelongshadow!¡±

    ¡°No,Iwon¡¯t.Iwon¡¯tlosehope,Iwon¡¯tcausetroubleanymore.¡±Gretamanured.

    Emelleheldhermother¡¯s<b>hand</b>,herthoughtsinturmoil.

    Suddenly,sheremembered.¡°Dadtoldmethat<b>day</b>,youbothsavedupseventytoeightythousand<b>dors</b>.Howdidyousavethatmuch?Doyou<b>have</b>jobs?¡±Bonnardtorunasmallgrocerystore.Afterwellingeverythingtopayoffdebts,hewasleftwithnomeansoflivelihood<b>.</b>Theyhadlimitededucationandnoskills.Beingoverfiftyyearsold,theyshouldhavereliedontheirchildren¡¯ssupport.However,fromwhatsheobserved,Eliana¡¯sinwswereanaveragefamily.Theycouldn¡¯tsupporttheirelderlyparents.

    However,RonanandGretaseemedreasonablywell¨Coff.Howhadtheybeenmakingaliving alltheseyears?

    Gretaansweredher.¡°WepackagedthecooldesatNibblers¡®factoryinAlderbrookTheircooldesarethemostfamous.

    ¡°Weweretryingourluckbyinquiringiftheywerehiring.Surprisingly,bothyourfatherand1gothired.Howfortunate!Factoriesrarely<b>employ</b>elderlylikeuswithnoworkexperience.¡±

    Shetouchedherchest.¡°Theydetectedmyheartconditionduringthefactory¡¯smualhealthcheck.¡±

    Emelledidn¡¯taskfurther.¡°Please<b>test</b><b>.</b>I¡¯sksomefriendsaboutDad¡¯ssituation.¡±

    ¡°okay,okay¡±

    Thoughburdened,Gretawasstipatientwithlimitedenergy.Sheslowlydriftedtosleep

    Emeliewalkedout<b>and</b>satonthe<b>small</b>stooloutsidethehouse.<b>She</b>understoodnow.

    <b>William</b>likelyarrangedGretaandponam¡¯sjobs.Initially,hesaidthatifshefollowedhim,hewouldtakecareofherparents.

    Shethoughtheonlypaidofftheirthreemilliondordebt.Buthealsohelpedthemfind<b>a</b>basic jobtomakeendsmeet.

    Probably,hisarrangementresultedinthefactorynotifyinghimaboutGreta¡¯s<b>heart</b>condition.<b>That¡¯s</b>howheknew.

    Williamtoldhertofindtheanswersherself,andshedid.

    ButEmeliestillwasn¡¯tsure.Washe behindGetslosingthathearttransntopportunity?

    Hopefully,itwasn¡¯t?dan.

    Hopefully,hehadnotstoopedthatlow.

 CHAPTER 116

    Chapter<b>116</b><b>She</b><b>Can¡¯t</b>SeemtoLeamHowtoDeWitty

    Emellposedherself.ShemessagedsomefriendsonWhatsApp,askingforrmendations<b>on</b>locawfirms¡­

    <b>Luckily</b>,shehadmaintainedgoodrtionshipsoverthe years.Somefriendswerewillingtohelpherwithintheirmeans.

    Onefriend,River,rmendedtheStarlightLawFirm.

    ¡°AshleyThornton,she¡¯saformidablefemalwyer.Sherarelylosescases,criminalorcivil

    ¡°Lastweek,shedealtwithamedicaldisturbanceassaultcase.Thedefendantmanagedtoreceiveonlytheminimumsentence

    Enelle<b>replied</b><b>,</b>¡°Thankyou.<b>I¡¯ll</b>lookforhertomorrow.¡±

    Thatnight,shestayedhome,sleepinginheroldbed.

    Besidethebed,aframedphotoshowedtheirfamilyoffive.Ofthefive,onlyEmelieandhercriticallyillmotherremained.

    Emeliedidn¡¯tsleepmuchthatnight.

    Thenextday,<b>Eliana</b>cametotakeoverlookingafterGreta.

    Before<b>leaving</b>,Emelieinstructedher<b>to</b>watchoverGretavigntly.

    Gretahadmentionedsuicideyesterday.Emeliefearedshemightdosomethingrashinthisstate.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    Elianapromisedshewouldn¡¯tleaveGreta¡¯sside.

    EmelletookacabtotheStarlightLawFirm.

    Herfriendhadgiventhemaheads¨Cup.SoshewasshowntoAshley¡¯sofficeaftertellingthereceptionistshewantedtoseeAshley.

    ¡°Ms.Thomtonisstillmeetingwithaclientintheconferenceroom.Pleasehaveaseat.I¡¯llgetyousomewater.

    ¡°Okay,thankyou.¡±

    Emelledidn¡¯twaitlong.Fifteen<b>minutes</bter,thedooropened.

    Thewomanwhoenteredseemedonlyaroundthirtyyearsold.Shewasdinadeepbluesuitandworeher<b>hair</b><b>in</b>asimplelowponytail.

    Yetevensuchano¨Cnonsenseappearancecouldnotconcealherstrikingbeauty.Thecaptivatingmole<b>beneath</b>hereye<b>somehow</b>elevatedherappearance.Shewaspretty,withanintellectualcharm

    Emelie stoodup.¡°YoumustbeMs.Thomton.I¡¯mEmelie.Riverhighlyrmendsyou.¡±

    Ashley shookher<b>hand</b>,thengesturedforhertosit.

    ¡°Yes,I¡¯mAshleyThorntonRiverbriefedme<b>on</b>yoursituation,butI¡¯mnot<b>clear</b>onthedetails.<b>Could</b>youborate?¡±

    Shewentstraighttothepoint.Emeliedidn¡¯tbeataroundthebush,recountingthewholestory.

    Ashleygavelittlereactionthroughout,asionallynoddingtoindicateshewaslistening.<b>Only</b>afterEmeliefinisheddidsherespond.

    ¡°Whenjudgesdecideonasentence,theyweighthwsinvolvedalongwiththeuniquedetailsofthecase.Yourfather¡¯scircumstancesaregenuinelyunfortunate.

    ¡°Itwillhelpifthenurseand<b>hospital</b>forgive<b>him</b>andconveythroughaletterseeldingleniency.<b>That</b>would<b>greatly</b>increasethejudge¡¯slikelihoodofa<b>light</b>

    sentence<b>.</b>¡±

    Emeliefrowned.¡°<b>How</b>lightcouldthesentencebe?¡±

    ¡°Detention.Butwhetherit¡¯sthreeorsixmonthsdepends onthejudge¡¯sdecision,¡±Ashleysaid.

    ¡°Don¡¯tworry.Iwilldomybesttohelpyouwith thiscase.¡±

    Ashley¡¯ckofwordsandsympathyoddlfortedEmelie.

    Emellerxedandsaidsincerely,Thankyou,Ms.Thomton.¡±

    Ashleyhandedherassofwater,¡°Don¡¯tmentionit.Ididchargeyouformylegalexpertise,didn¡¯t1?¡±

    Emelietookthessofwaterand expressedhergratitude.

    FromEmelle¡¯sreaction,Ashleyconcludedherattemptathumorfellt.

    Well,shecouldn¡¯tmakewitty<b>remarks</b>

    <b>Ashley</b>revertedtohernormalprofessionalmannerandstoodup.¡°Letmewalk

 CHAPTER 117

    Chapter117She¡¯sNoMatchfortheYoungGirls

    ¡°Ms.Hoven?¡±Eliasraisedabrow,thinkingEmellewantedwyer.

    HeassumeditwastosurWilliamforobstructingher<b>from</b>working.Hechuckledatthethought.

    ¡°What¡¯sthebigdeal?Marriedcouplesargueallthetime.It¡¯spartoflife.Justgohome,apologizetowill,andmakenice.Isitworthallthisfuss?¡±

    EmeliehadnodesiretohearaboutWilliamnow.AfterbiddingAshleyfarewell,sheleftdirectly

    Ashleytunedawayunconcerned.

    EliasgrabbedAshley¡¯shand,smirking.<b>¡°</b>Yourhusband¡¯shere,andyoudon¡¯teven<b>say</b>hello?¡±

    Ashleyhesitatedatthementionofherhusband,thensaid,¡°Ihaveworktodo,andaclientiswaiting.¡±

    Eliasletgoofherhandandflippantlyreplied,¡°Fine.We¡¯lltalterwhenyou¡¯refree.¡±

    AfterAshleytinishedmeetingtheclient,shefoundEliasleaningagainstthedesk.Hewasshamelesslyflirtingwiththeblushingreceptionists.

    Ashleycalledtly,¡°Eliasein.¡±

    Eliasncedover.¡°Oh,sure,AuntAsh<b>.</b>¡±Then,hefollowedherinside.

    Thereceptionistsexchangedsurprisedlooks,whisperingtoeachother,¡°IsheMs.Thomton¡¯snephew?¡±Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    Unbeknownst<b>to</b>them,onceinside,theso¨CcallednephewpinnedAshleyagainstthedoorssingherroughly.

    Hewasnevergentle

    Ashleypushedhim<b>away</b>,ufortable.¡°Youmessedupmy<b>makeup</b>.¡±

    <b>Elias</b>pressedclose.¡°DidI?I¡¯vesavedyouthe troubleofapplyinglipstick¡±

    He<b>was</b>skilledand<b>a</b>veteranofseduction.HishandssoonhadAshleymelting.

    Butassheponderedhowheacquiredtheseskills,Ashleypursedher<b>lips</b><b>and</b>insistedtheystop.

    Esdislikedthecoy,hard¨Cto¨Cgetact.Oncesheresisted,helostinterest.

    Heclickedhistongue,releasedher,andploppedontothecouch,takinghercuptodrinksomewater

    Ashleyadjustedherclothesandsteadiedherbreath.Then,sheaskedcalmly,¡°Youcametothwfirmtoseeme.What¡¯sthematter?

    Eliassatsprawled<b>,</b>legsapart,exudingmaleaggression.¡°Whydidn¡¯tyoutryontheweddingdress?Mymomcalledaskingifyouwereunsatisfiedaboutsomething.Shetoldme toattendtoyouproperly.¡±

    Hesavoredtheword<b>¡°</b>attend.¡±

    ¡°Ash,haven¡¯tIattendedtoyou<b>enough</b>?Whenever youwantit<b>,</b><b>I</b>agree,nomatterhowtiredIam,Whatelsedoyouwant?¨C

    Ashley¡¯sexpression<b>didn¡¯t</b><b>change</b>asshetookthecuptothesinkto<b>wash</b>itclean.

    Eslookedathercoldly.¡°Haven¡¯tyouhadenoughofme?

    Ashleyignoredhisttworemarks.Shesaidtly,¡°Nothingtobedissatisfiedabout.I¡¯vehadmymeasurementstaken,sothedresssizewillbecorrect.

    ¡°Asforothermatters,I¡¯vetalkedtothedesigneronline,andeverything¡¯sfine.

    Besides,MagicMomentsStudiois<b>a</b>renownedbridalbrand.Everythingistrustworthy,

    ¡°There¡¯snoneedtowastetimetryingondressafterdress.<b>I¡¯m</b>busy,¡±

    Essneered.¡°Icantellyou¡¯rebusy.¡±

    AfterAshleyputthecupintothesterilizer<b>,</b>shedriedherhandswithapapertowndlookedathim.

    ¡°Sodon¡¯etothwfirmunnecessarilywhenyou<b>have</b>nothingimportant.¡±

    shateditwhensheacted likethis.Despitebeing<b>only</b>fiveyearsolderthanhim,Ashley<b>acted</b>somature.

    Hesmiled.¡°Gotit,Ash.I¡¯llgetgoingthen.¡±

    Ashleynoddedcurtly.¡°Closethedoorbehindyou.¡±

    AsEsreachedthedoor,heturnedwith<b>a</b>smile.

    ¡°Ash,nomatterhowbusyyouarewithwork,takecareofyourself.Getenoughsleep,andavoidtoomuchscreentime.

    ¡°Youcouldusesomebeautytreatments,too.Iftheagegapistooobviouswhenwestandtogetheronourweddingday,we¡¯llbughedat.

    Ashley¡¯sfacewasexpressionlessasEliasleftandclosedthedoor.

    Ashley¡¯sprofilewasreflected<b>in</b>thesswindow.<b>That</b>reflectionwasunderably<b>beautiful</b>¡­

 CHAPTER 118

    Chapter118ASmallRedMoleBelowHerEarlobe

    AfterleavingStarlightLawFinn,Eliashoppedintohissports<b>car</b>andcalledWilliam

    ¡°GuesswhoIranintoatAshley¡¯soffice,Will?¡±

    ¡°Ms.Hoven.¡±Eschackled,findingitamusing,¡°IwonderwhatshewantedtoconsultAshleyabout.Coulditbebecauseyoublockedherfromfindingwork?

    ¡°She¡¯s<b>at</b>herwit¡¯send<b>.</b>That¡¯swhyshenstosueyou.¡±

    Williamleanedbackinhis<b>chair</b>,onehandproppinghistemple,eyeshooded.

    Eliascontinued.¡°Ifshebadpoisetoanyothewyri,nobig deal,ButAshleyistoughtohandle¡±

    <b>Willum</b>merelygranted¡°oh¡±

    Eliaschuckled.<b>¡°</b>Butwhatarefriendsfor?II she¡¯stroublesome,I¡¯llhandleherforyou

    williamchangedthesubject.¡°When¡¯syourwedding?¡±

    ¡°Mom¡¯safraidofdys,soshesetitonthefifthofnextmonth.Iwantedyoutobemybestman,butMomsaidyourprolongedbachelorhoodisinauspicines.Sheinsisted<b>on</b>Jayden¡±

    Eliassighed.¡°EveryoneknowsJaydenandhisgirlfriendhavebeentogethersincehighschool.

    ¡°That¡¯s<b>a</b>decade¨Clongrtionshipwithoutbreakingup.Whataninspirationtousall!¡±

    Aftersom

    someidlechat,Williamhungup.

    ConsideringwhatFabianuncoveredandEs¡¯ments,

    ts,Williamgrabbedhiscarkeysandletttheoffice

    Leavingthwfirm,Emeliepurchasedfruitandsupplementsatthemall,

    Afterward,sheboughtabouquetinthehospitallobby.

    First,sheaskedtheservicedesicShewantedtoknowwhichroomtheinjurednursefromyesterday¡¯sincidentwasin

    Thenurserecognizedherimmediately.¡°You¡¯rethefamilymemberoftheonecausingtrouble,aren¡¯tyou!

    Emeliepaused,thensaid<b>,</b>¡°IwanttoapologizetoMs.IngridHoopes.Canyoutellmeherroomnumber<b>?</b>¡±

    ¡°Whoknowsifyou¡¯reapologizingoruptosomethingelse?Sorry,wecan¡¯ttellyouwhereIngridis.Leavenow!¡±

    Emeliethoughtforamoment.Ingrid¡¯sinjurywastoherneck,so shetriedthegeneralsurgerydepartment.

    Goingroomtoroom,shefinallyfoundIngridintheVIPward

    Ingridhadbandageswrappedaroundherneck.Heplexionwaspallidashermother,Wren<b>,</b>f?dher.

    Emeliesteppedinside.¡°Hello,Ms.Hoopes.¡±

    IngridandWrenlookedup,

    Emeliewassincere.¡°Icametoseeyou.I¡¯msorry.MydadactedimpulsivelyyesterdayandInjuredyou.Iapologizeonhisbehall

    <b>She</b>offeredthegilts.¡°Twillcoverallyourmedicalexpenses.I¡¯msosorry.¡±

    BeforeIngridcouldrespond<b>,</b>Wieneruptedangrily.

    ¡°Apologieswon¡¯thelp!Don¡¯tyouImowyourfathernearlyslitmydaughter¡¯sthat?Shealmostdied!¡±

    ¡°Yes,Iadmitit¡¯sallour<b>fault</b>.IhopeMs.Hoopes<b>can</b><b>recover</b>well.Mydaddidn¡¯tintendham.Hewasdistraughtovermymotherlosingtheheartfortransnt<b>and</b>

    BeforeEmellecouldfinishspeaking,Wrenthrewthessofwateratherface!

    EmelieinstinctivelyclosedhereyesasWrenyelledinanger,¡°MydaughterisjustanurseWhateverdisputesyouhavewiththehospitreyourbusiness.

    ¡°Howdare youinjuremydaughterlikethis!Youwantustoforgivehim?Dreamon!Getout!Takeyourthingsandgetout!¡±

    Whenraisedherhandto<b>p</b>Emelie,whodidn¡¯tdodge.

    But,asecondbeforethended,Wren¡¯shandwascaught

    <b>A</b>man¡¯svoice,fimyetgentle,intervened.Let¡¯sbetair.Herfatherwaswrongtoinjuresomeone,butit¡¯salsoinappropriateforyoutohitherrashly,¡±

    Emelielookedup.Thehospital¡¯sbrightlightsreflectedoffSamoel¡¯ssses,brieflyblindingher

    ¡°Getout!<b>Both</b>ofyougetout!Wewillneveragreetoasettlement!We¡¯regoingtomakesurehegoestojail!¡±

    WeenshovedEmelieout,tossedherbelongingsafterher,andmmedthedoorshutloudly.

    Emellesighed.Samueltookatissuefromhispocketandhelped<b>wipe</b>thewateroffherface.

    Shewasn¡¯twearingmakeup.Herskinwascleanbuckingcolor.

    Emelielookedathim,¡°Mr.Swanson,whatareyoudoinghere?

    ¡°Istumbleduponavideoofyouonline.So,Iguessedyou¡¯etothehospitaltodayanddecidedtocheck¡±

    Informationcouldeasilybeleakedandessedonline<b>nowadays</b>.ItwasnotsurprisingthatSamuel<b>lie</b>aboutRonan¡¯shospitalincident

    Emelietookthetissuefromhimandcasuallytuckedherdamphairbehindhereat,Samwelnoticedasmallredinolerestingbelowherearlobe,oddlyenchanting.

    Chapter119HerIntention

    Samuvertedhiseyesandcrouchedtoretrievethefallenfruit,puttingitbackinthebasket.

    Enellehelpedgatherthem,rearrangingthebasketneatly.Sheleftitoutsidetheroom,tellingthenursethatthesewereforIngrid.WhetherIngridepteditwasuptoher.ThegesturewasEmelir¡¯s.

    SmelleandSamuelleftthewardtogethertotheelevator,Samuelncedather,hiseyesdowncast.¡°Don¡¯tbeangry,¡±he<b>said</b>softly.Emellesmiledfaintly,¡°I¡¯mnot.Wreshedoutbecausemyfatherharmedherdaughter.<b>If</b>someonehurtme,myparentswouldreactthesameway,

    defending

    Itwasamatterofempathy.Sosheunderstoodandcouldn¡¯tabandonherfather.Samuelspokecalmly,¡°Isuggestnotseeingthemagainfornow.¡±¡°Ihaveto.Ineedtheirforgivenesssomy fathergetsareducedsentence.<b>As</b>theelevator reachedthegroundfloor,theywalkedoutsidebyside.

    Emeliespokesoftly,¡°Iknowitwon¡¯tbeeasy.They¡¯reonlyhuman.Butif<b>I</b>sincerelyvisitenoughtimes,they¡¯lleventuallycalmdown.Once they¡¯rewillingtodiscuspensation,it¡¯llbeeasier¡±N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

    Samuelfrowned,imaginingtheindignitiesshewouldhavetoendure.

    Helookedather<b>with</b>pity,¡°So,whatdoyountodonow?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯mgoingtomeetwiththehospitalmanagement,Iwanttotrytogaintheirunderstanding¡±

    ¡°Theywon¡¯tmeetyouduring thissensitivetime.¡±

    ¡°know.Butmyfriendintroducedmetooneofthem,Mr.BenSmith.I¡¯lltestthewatersfirst.¡±

    TheymetBenatthehospital¡¯sbackdoor.

    Samuel keptwatch.

    Benncedaroundbeforespeakingquietly.

    ¡°Thisincidentalreadysparkedonlineoutrage,Managementiswatchingpublicsentimentcloselybeforedeciding<b>on</b><b>a</b>stance.Rightnow,nothingiscertain.¡±

    Ifpublicopinionleanedtowardsympathy,they¡¯dletitgo.

    Butifangerdemanded harshpunishment,they¡¯dpursue<b>charges</b>.

    Emeliebitherlip.¡°Can¡¯tyoumeettheotherpeopleinthemanagementteam?Letmetryreasoningwiththem.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯stoosensitiverightnow.I¡¯malreadytaldingariskmeeting<b>you</b><b>.</b>

    ¡°Ifanyoneseesus,theyusemeoftaldnebribesfromyou<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    Emelie didn¡¯tpressfurther,thankinghiminstead.Theleaderhurriedlylett

    EmeliewalkedovertoSamuel,forcing<b>a</b>joke.¡°Whatanhonorforadistinguishedprofessorlikeyourselftobemy

    lookout¡±

    Ithadonlybeenoveraweeksincetheypartedontheship.Emeliehadlostweightand<b>had</b><b>dark</b>circlesunderhereyes,obviouslynotgettingenoughrest.

    ThoughSamuppearedculturedas anacademic,herarelyfelttrueempathy.

    ButseeingEmellenow,hefeltpity.

    Hemurmured,¡°TheLifelineHospitalisalsoknown<b>as</b>CapebattUniversitySchoolofMedicineAffiliatedHospital.¡±

    Emeliepassed¡°Huh

    ¡°ThoughIdon¡¯tteach medicine,Icanaskmy colleagues.Maybewecan<b>find</b>someleads.¡±Samuelwantedtoease!

    Herfamilyreliedonher,butwhocouldshe<b>count</b>?

    Emelia¡¯sthroattightened.¡°Mr.Swanson,thankyou.Imeanit.¡±

    neherdifficulties.

    Samuelhesitated,thenreachedouttopuffleherhair.¡°Don¡¯tstayatthehospitnylonger.Thosenursesaregivingyounastylooks.Whatifsomeoneattacksyou?

    Emeliechuckled.¡°That¡¯sunlikely.¡±

    ¡°Andit¡¯saboutto<b>rain</b>.Letmedriveyouhome.¡±

    Emellenoddedslightly<b>.</b>¡°<b>okay</b>.¡±

    Astheyleftthehospital,theyhappenedtorunintoDaphneinthehallway.

    Daphnewaswithanurse,andsincenooneelsewasaround,theycouldn¡¯tavoideachother.

    Ofcourse,Emeliedidn¡¯t needto avoidher.Shewalkedpastwithout<b>a</b>sidelongnce

    Astheybrushedpasteachother,Daphnecalledher.¡°Emelie¡±

    Emelieignoredher.

    Theyhadalreadyfallenout.Therewasnoneedforpretenses.

    TeploeturnedtowatchEmelie<b>and</b>Sampelturnthetattheendofthehallway.

    Theposebesideherasked,¡°Doyouknowhet,Ms.

    Howen?

    ¡°IsupposeIda¡±

 CHAPTER 119

    Chapter119HerIntention

    Thenutsesaid,¡°Well,youmightnotknowthis.Butshe¡¯sthertiveofthe<b>man</b>whocausedthmotionatthei

    AflickercrossedDaphne¡¯sgaze.

    Shehadn¡¯texpectedittobeEmelie.

    TheOctoberraininCapebattcity<b>came</b>swiftly.

    Justmomentsago,onlydarkcloudswerelooming<b>overhead</b>.

    Astheywalkedtothehospital<b>entrance</b>,rainstartedfalling,darkeningthesky.

    Itwasbarelythreeintheafternoon,yetitlookedlikedusk.

    ¡°Waithere,I¡¯llbringthecararound,¡±Samuelsaid<b>gently</b>.

    ¡°okay.¡±

    AsSamuelleft,Emeliestoodaloneattheentrance,watchingtheraindropsfall.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Emelie.¡±

    Emelicturned.

    Daphnecamejoggingoverwithan<b>umbre</b>.

    ¡°Isawitwasraining,soIbroughtyouanumbreincaseyoudidn¡¯thaveone.Don¡¯tgetsoakedintherain.¡±

    Emeliedidn¡¯tunderstandherintention

 CHAPTER 120

    Chapter<b>120</b>BecauseofYouSheLostHerChild

    Emelle refused,¡°Noneed.¡±

    ButDaphneinsisted,thrustingtheumbreintoherhand.¡°Takeit.You¡¯lleasilycatchacoldinthisweather.¡±

    Emeliewonderedwhatgamesheyed.

    Daphnesaideamestly,¡°Emelle,don¡¯tthinkcatchingacoldisaminorillness.Sometimes,minorillnessescanleadto

    problems.

    tobigprol

    ¡°Likemy<b>dad</b>,wethoughtitwasmoncoldatfirst.Butitesctedintoalite¨Cthreateningcondition.Healmostdidn¡¯tmakeit.¡±¡°Fortunately,hehadahearttransnt.Otherwise,Imightnothaveadadnow,¡±Emelie¡¯searspickeduponthat¡°Didyousayhearttransnt?¡±Daphneexinedsoftly,¡°Don¡¯tyouknowaboutthissurgery,Emelie?<b>A</b>hearttransntiswhenapatientwithheartdiseasegetsahealthyheart.¡°Mydadhadthesurgeryyesterday.It¡¯samajoroperation.IfMr.Middletonhadn¡¯tbroughtinthetop surgeonsformydad,Iwould¡¯vebeenworried.<b>¡±</b>WasthepatientgivenpriorityoverGretaDaphne¡¯sfather? Theonewhohadonlyoneweeklefttoliveandwas<b>in</b>morecriticalconditionthanhermother.EmeliesuddenlyfeltlikeWrenhadthrownanothercupofwaterinherface.

    Heplexionrapidlypaledagainstthedrearybackdrop,appearingfrail.

    WhatanunluckycoincidencethatitwasDaphne¡¯sfather.

    Emeliehadjustconvincedherselftoeptthedoctorsexnation

    Itwasunderstandabletogivethehearttothepatientwhoonlyhadaweekleft.Butnow,thispatientwasDaphne¡¯sdad.So,didhe<b>genuinely</b>godown<b>to</b><b>his</b>finalweek?

    slett?Orwouldhe<b>have</b>receivedthatheartregardless,evenifhehadone,two,threemoreyears

    Williamdaredimthishad nothingtodowithhim.Emellereltasurgeofutterdespairandfury.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    Atthatmoment,Daphneadded,¡°Iheardsomeonecausedasceneovertheheartyesterday.Howpitifull

    ¡°ButIthinkwhatmeanttobewillbe.Lifeanddeath,wealthandnobilityareGod¡¯swill.Somethingscan¡¯tbeforced.¡±

    Life,death,riches,andnobilitywereallhers.

    <b>Of</b>course,shecouldstandhereandpreachnonsense.

    Daphnedidn¡¯tfollowhertolendanumbre.Itwasavictor¡¯schancetomockEmelie!

    Daphnesaid,¡°It¡¯sdestinedforhertomissthischanceandfacedeath.Don¡¯tyouagree,Emelie?¡±

    Thethreadofrationalitysnapped.EmelieraisedherhandtostrikeDaphne¡¯sLace!

    Beforeshecouldreact,someonegrabbedtheumbrefromherandhitDaphneinthefacewithit.

    Monacursedangrily<b>,</b>¡°Saythat<b>again</b>,bitch!¡±

    Theumbre¡¯smetalwiringtoretwogashesacrossDaphne¡¯sface!

    Daphnescreamedinagony,staggeringbackward,Williamcaughtherjustintime.

    Heimmediatelyexaminedherbloody,gastedface.

    AnicychillranthroughWilliamashesnappedhisgazetoEmelie.

    Emelle,stillenraged,staredbackcoldly.

    Daphnesobbedin<b>William¡¯s</b>arms.

    Williamsaidstemly,¡°Apologize.¡±

    Mona refused,cursingloudly.<b>¡°</b>Youshameless<b>slut</b>!Isthisanywaytospeak?Yougotwhatyouwanted,andnowyouactinnocent.

    <b>*</b><b>You</b>stolewhatbelongedtoothersandstillgloatedinfrontofthem.Howtwistedcanyoube?<b>Your</b><b>mind</b>mustbemessedup!¡±

    EmelieheldMonabackandaskedWilliamdirectly:¡°You¡¯rebehindall this.Yougaveherfathertheheartmeantformymom,didn¡¯tyou?

    williamlookedather.¡°Howlongwillyoukeeptalkingnonsense?¡±

    Emellughed.¡°Soyou¡¯retellingmeitwasallcoincidence?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯lldiscussyourmatteter,¡±William<b>nced</b>atMona,

    ¡°Apologizeorfacelegction.Yourchoice.¡±

    Thethreat oflegctionmadeMonahesitate,butsherefusedto<b>back</b>down.

    ¡°Mr.Middleton,you¡¯reabigshot.We<b>can¡¯t</b>affordto<b>offend</b>you.BatEmelle<b>has</b>beenwithyouforthreeyears,followingyouthroughhardships.

    ¡°Torturingherto<b>this</b>state,thenallowingthisbitchtotrampleoverher.Doyouhaveanyconscienceleft?¡±

    ¡°Waitforthwyer¡¯sletter<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>WilliamwastakingDaposeeadoctor.

    Monablurtedoutabruptly.¡°DoyouevenlowthatEmelielostachildbecauseofyou?

 CHAPTER 121

    Chapter121<b>Proof</b>

    Aboltfromtheblue!

    Monablurtedout<b>,</b>andEmellecouldn¡¯tstophetintime.¡°Monal¡±

    Williamhunted<b>,</b>hisdarkeyesstoryastheyfixedonEmelie.

    Downstairs,Samuelwitnessedtheconfrontationastheapproachedfromtheparkedcar.Hecamejustintimetohearthosewords.

    Hefroze,lookingatEmelieaswell.

    WilliamreleasedDaphne,andhereyesflickered.

    ¡°Lostachild?¡±William¡¯semotionsremainedsteady<b>as</b>hequestionedEmelle,¡°Whendidthishappen?¡±

    Emeliefeltalumpinherthroat

    <b>william</b>rapidlyreviewedsecentmonthsinhismind,disbelieving.

    ¡°Liesrequiresomeusibility.Whendidyouhavetimetogetpregnantandmiscarrywithoutmeknowing?¡±

    Ahollow<bugh</b>escapedEmelle.¡°Callitalleifyouwant.¡±

    <b>She</b>grabbedMona¡¯shand,intendingtoleavewithSamuel.

    Williamgrabbedherotherhand.

    ¡°Youwanttoleavewithoutexining?Lookslikeyouwantyourfriendunemployed,too.¡±

    Emeliewhippedaroundas<b>Mona</biditbare

    *I¡¯mnotlying!Ihaveproof!Emelielostachildwhileyou weredotingonthiswhore.

    <b>¡°</b>Shewasaloneinthehospitalforthree<b>days</b>!Shedidn¡¯tevenhavetimetorecoverfrom<b>a</b>miscarriagebeforeyousentherofftoVown¡°It¡¯sallyourfaultshe¡¯sinsuch<b>poor</b>healthnow!¡±

    ¡°Intheprivateroom,youimedEmelleowedyou,shedoesn¡¯toweyouanything.Butyou,you¡¯veowedherfromthestart!¡±

    WilliamlookedatMonaimpassively.¡°Showmetheproot.*

    Monasaid,<b>¡°</b>Idon¡¯thaveitonme.It¡¯sathome¡±

    William¡¯svoicehardened.¡°Thenwe¡¯llgogetit.Don¡¯tyoudaredeceivemeagain¡±

    Emelleclosedhereyesforamoment,thenreopenedthem¡°William,ifyoutarget<b>Mona</b>aftermeandmymother,I¡¯llfightyou.¡±

    Williamcaredlittleforherthreats.¡°Iwantproof.¡±

    Evidenceofthemiscage,proofthattheyhadachild.Atthispoint,everythingcouldonlybidoutonthetable.

    <b>But</b>Emelie didn¡¯tknowwhatevidence<b>Mona</b>couldprovide.

    ¡°IpickedupthemiscarriagereportyoutorefromthetrashThadafeelingitwouleinusetul,¡®

    Monapursedherlips.¡°Emelie,I¡¯msorry.¡±

    Emelieshookherhead

    Daphne¡¯sfacialwoundswerehastilybandaged.SheinsistedonapanyingWilliamtoseetheevidence,sohetookheralong.Emeliedidn¡¯twantto<b>ride</b>inWilliam¡¯s<b>car</b>.SoSamuelopenedthepassengerdoorofhiscarandsaid,¡°IsaidI¡¯dtakeyouhome.¡±

    Williamreplied indifferently,¡°<b>you</b><b>,</b>getinmy<b>car</b><b>.</b>¡±Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelielookedback,realizinghemeantMora,

    Perhapshewas<b>afraid</b>Monawouldtamperwithevidenceonthewaya

    andwantedtokeepaneyeonher.

    Monagittedherteethandgotintohiscar

    Emellefastenedherseatbelt,herexpressiont.

    Samuelspokewhenhestartedthecarandpulledontotheroad.

    i

    Itshouldtakeabout15minutesto gettoyource.Thetissuesareinthedoopartment.¡±

    Emelieunderstoodhisintentionbutsaid,¡°Idon¡¯twanttocry.¡±

    Therewasnothingworthcryingabout.

    Herparentswerebothintrouble<b>,</b>oneinprisonandtheotherbedridden.

    <b>The</b>manshe¡¯dbeenclosetoforthreeyearsstooped<b>so</b>low,cruellysuppressingher.

    Shesuffered<b>a</b>miscarriageandlostherchild.Therewasnothingtocryabout

    SheonlytoldSamuel,¡°Sorry,Imadeyouwitnessanotherface.¡±

    Salshookhishead.

    Emelie,William,Samuel,andDaphnewereallintheapartment¡¯sliving<b>room</b>.

    Thelivingroomneverfelt smallusually.Butwithallthesepeoplepresent,<b>Emelle</b>founditsuffocating-

    Chapter121Proof

    Monarushedintotheroom,rummagingthroughthedrawers.

    Sherememberedtuckingitinsideanotebookinthisdrawerbackthen.

    Butnow,nomatterhowmuch<b>she</b>searched,shecouldn¡¯tfinditanywhere.

 CHAPTER 122

    Chapter<b>122</b>We¡¯reEvent

    Monaemergedfromtheroom<b>,</b>ashen¨Cfacedandstammering.¡°L.Iclippedthatnoteinanotebook.ButIcan¡¯tfind<b>that</b>notebooknow,

    Thisstatementmadethealreadyabsurdsituationevenmoreridiculous.

    She<b>suddenly</b>didn¡¯tdarecontinuespeakingwithsuchcertainty<b>anymore</b>..

    Thatnotebookhadbeentossedaroundatthpany.Shetrulycouldn¡¯tconfirmitthepaper<b>was</b>still<b>inside</b>.

    ¡°shouldwe..gocheckatthpany?¡±

    Williamsaidcoldly,¡°Wheredoyougetthenervetokeeptryingtodeceiveme?¡±

    Histonewasn¡¯tsharp,but Monaknewhisidentityandcapabilitiestoowell.Heralreadyanxiousfacebecameevenmoreflustered.

    MonahadwitnessedfirsthandhowbadlyWilliamcouldmakethingsforEmelle.Andthatwasawomanwhohadbeenintimatewithhimforthreeyears.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Monahadnortionshipwithhimatall,plussheinjuredDaphne,

    Whatwould<b>her</b>fatebe<b>?</b>

    ¡°I¡¯mnot¡­notlying!Ihavenoreasontolieaboutthis!IthappenedafewdaysbeforeyousentEmelietoVown.Shewashospitalizedbecauseofamiscarriage¡­.

    ¡°Mona¡±EmeliecutoffMona¡¯sdesperateattempttoproveherself.

    Itwasalluselesschatter.William<b>never</b>listenedtoexcuses,onlyevidence.

    Thehatred<b>and</b>resentment<b>she</b>feltatthe<b>hospital</b>entrancehaddissipated.

    ¡°Shecalmlynegotiatedwithhim,¡°William,whenwillthisviciouscycleend?Letmemakeasuggestionforyou toconsider.Pleasehearmeout.¡±

    Williamlookedatherindifferently

    Emelieclearedherthroat.¡°MonaisinjuringDaphne,andyou¡¯vegivenmefavorsovertheyears,maybeeventomyparents,

    ¡°We¡¯llcallitevenafteryousnatchedmymom¡¯shearttogivetoDaphne¡¯sdad.

    ¡°Fromnowon,weoweeachothernothingandhavenoties.Wenolongerhaveanyrtionship.Ourpathsdivergehere.Let¡¯spretendwenever<b>knew</b>each<b>other</b>.<b>¡±</b>

    Therainpersistedoutside.

    Darkcloudsloomovertheconcretejungle,heraldinganevengreater<b>storm</b>,justlikethis<b>man¡¯s</b>eyes¨Cdark,profound,<b>calm</b>,dangerous,andreadytobrewaturbulentstorm.

    What<b>a</b>notionofnomore rtionships

    Williamrespondedinachillytone.¡°Emelle,whodoyouthinkyouaretonegotiatetermswithme?

    ¡°Youliedtomeaboutthemiscarriage,and1haven¡¯tevenheldyouountableforthat.

    ¡°Yetyoudaretotalktomeaboutgoingseparateways?Whendidyouevergettodecideanythingbetweenus?¡±

    Foramoment,Emeliewantedtoenditallwithhim!

 CHAPTER 123

    Chapter<b>123</b>RealorFake

    Butno,Emellecouldn¡¯tdothat.

    Itwasnotanoption.

    Shestillhadparents.Shecouldn¡¯tabandoneverything.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    #youtookmymother¡¯sheart,stoleherchancetolive.That¡¯sanondisputedfact.Becauseofyou,Imightlose<b>Mom</b>

    ¡°Ifyouhave evenashredofhumanityleft,you¡¯dstop.Whatgooddoesitdoyoubydrivingmetoextremes?¡±

    ¡°Anundeniablefact,¡±Williamrepeated,mocking¡°YouInsistonbelievingthat¡±

    Emeliewishedshedidn¡¯thavetobelieveit.

    <b>But</b>shebelieveditwasasDaphnehadtoldhertoday.<b>That</b>heartwasnowbeatinginDaphne¡¯sfather¡¯schest!

    Samuelsteadiedhershoulders. Emellewasindeedtremblingwithanger.

    Hesaidinadeepvoice,¡°I<b>have</b>a waytoverifyMs.Hovenhadbeenpregnantor<b>had</b>amiscarriage.¡±

    Alleyestumedtohim.

    ¡°It¡¯ssimple.Checkingherpulsewillmakeitclear.¡±Samuelcontinued.

    ¡°youcanreadpulses?¡±William¡¯stonewasskeptical.

    ¡°HedoubtedSamuel¡¯s capabilityandwhetherhe¡¯dcoverforEmelieifsheweren¡¯ttruthful.

    Samuelrepliedcalmly,¡°Mybrother,Nehemiah<b>,</b><b>is</b>arenownedtraditionalmedicinepractitioner.Mr.Middleton<b>,</b>perhapsyou¡¯veheardofhim.

    ¡°I¡¯velearnedpulse¨Ctaldingfromhim.HepraisedmyskillsenoughtosuggestIcouldrunaclinicmyself.

    ¡°AlthoughIneverdid,it¡¯sstilleasyformetodiagnoseif someonehasbeenpregnantorhadamiscarriagebyreadingtheirpulse.¡±

    William¡¯sgazelingered<b>on</b>Samuel¡¯s<b>hand</b>aroundEmelie¡¯sshoulders.

    Hisexpressionwasicy,buthedidn¡¯tsayanything.

    Itwasprobablyanimplicitconsent.

    SamuelwhisperedtoEmelie,¡°Trustmethistime.¡±

    Emellesigheddeeplyandfollowedhimtothecouch

    Samuelcheckedherpulse,listeningintentlyforafewminutes

    Then,themotionedforhertooffer herotherhand,repeatingtheprocess.

    ¡°Nowonderyourvoicesoundedhoarsetoday,Wereyoucoughingthstcoupleofdays?¡±

    Monaeximed,¡°Youcantellthatfromthepulse?Emeliegotsickfromalltherunningaroundforjobinterviewsrecently.

    ¡°shehad abadcough<b>and</b>onlystartedfeelingbetteryesterday.¡±

    HerwordsweremeantforWilliamto<b>hear</b>,<b>too</b>.

    ButWilliamremainedsilent

    ¡°I¡¯velearnedwell.¡±ThehintofasmilefadedfromSamuel¡¯sexpression

    ¡°Deficienciesinbothenergyandblood.Youmiscarriedbefore<b>reaching</b>onemonthofpregnancy.

    ¡°Theabortionwasn¡¯plete,soyouneededaD&Csurgery.Ithasleftyourbodyweakenedduetonoproperpost¨Coperativecare.

    Emelierecalledthepainofthesurgery,frowning,¡°Yes..¡±

    SammdjustedhisssesandaddressedWilliam.¡°Ms.Hovenmiscarriedthreetofourmonths<b>ago</b>.

    ¡°Mr.Middleton,ifyoudoubtmydiagnosis,feelfreetoseekasecondopinion.ButIamconfidenttheresultwillbethe<b>same</b>.¡±

    WilliamgazedatEmelieonthecouch,hisemotionsinscrutable.

    ¡°ThemiscarriagehasaffectedMs.Hoven¡¯s health.She¡¯sfallenilltwicein<b>just</b><b>a</b>weekNow,withthisdevastatingnewsaboutherfamily,she¡¯s<b>barely</b>holdingon.

    ¡°She¡¯sjustforcingherself.Butifshe letsup,she¡¯ll fallseverelyigain.¡±

    SamuellspokeupforEmelle.¡°Mr.Middleton,asthesayinggoes,¡®toforgiveisasignofstrengthanpassion.¡±

    williamstillremainedsilent.

    Daphne¡¯sgazeshiftedbetweenthetwo<b>,</b><b>biting</b>her<b>lip</b>anxiously.Shecoveredher<b>face</b>andhissedinpain<b>.</b>

    ShetuggedatWilliam¡¯ssleeve.¡°Mr.Middleton,myfacehurts,Canyoutakemebacktothehospital?¡±

    Even<b>as</b>heleft,Williamdidn¡¯t<b>Indicate</b>whetherhebelievedSamuel.

    Emelieguessedheprobablydidn¡¯tbelievethem.

    Hewasn¡¯totrustotherseasily,letaloneSamuel,whomheviewedasher¡°lover.¡±

    ItmadeperfectsenseforSamuelto lietoprotecther.

    Emeliespacedoutforalongwhile.

    Chapter123RealorFake

    Whenshesnappedbacktoreality,shesaid,¡°Mr.Swanson,I<b>haven¡¯t</b>evenotteredyouadrinksinceyou<b>arrived</b>.I¡¯msorry.¡±

    Shegrabbed<b>a</b>disposablecuptopour<b>water</b>,onlytofindthekettleempty-

    Monahurriedtotakeover.

    ¡°I¡¯llbollsomewater.¡±Shedisappearedinto<b>the</b>kitchen.

    Meanwhile,Emelieheadedtothefridge.

    ¡°Letmegetyouadrink,Mr.Swanson<b>.</b>¡±Samueldeclined.¡°Noneed,I¡¯mnotthirsty<b>.</b>¡±

    ButEmelleopenedthefridgeanyway,takingoutabottleofbeer.Asshepoppedthetabandtook<b>a</b><b>sip</b>,Samuelcameoverandsnatchedit.

    ¡°Didn¡¯tyouhear whatIjustsaid?Inyourcurrentcondition,alcoholwillonlydomore<b>ham</b>.¡±

    Leaningagainstthefridge,Emelielookedathim.¡°Mr.Swanson,canyouhonestlytellfrommypulsethatI¡¯vehadamiscarriage?¡±

    ActFast:FreeBonusTimeisRunningOut

 CHAPTER 124

    Chapter124Moon

    ¡°Don¡¯tyoubelieveintraditionalmedicine?Samuelraisedhiseyebrows.

    ¡°Traditionalmedicinehasbeenpasseddownforthousandsofyears.¡±

    ¡°I<b>do</b>,<b>¡±</b>Emeliereplied.¡°Ibelieveintheprofundityof traditionalmedicine.That¡¯swhyIthinkMr.Swansoncouldn¡¯thaveeasilymasteredthisability.¡±

    otherwise,traditionalmedicinewouldbetooeasy.

    Todiscemherphysicalconditionbyreadingherpulse,onewouldhaveto<b>be</b><b>a</b>medicalgenius

    Itwouldbeimpossiblewithoutdecadesofdedicatedstudy.

    Samuelwas<b>a</b>lecturerandcouldnothavedevotedhimselffullytothis.

    Samuelsmiledandadmittedreadily,¡°yes,Icannotreadpulsesatall

    Emeliewhispered,¡°Youlied.¡±

    Samuellookedather.¡°Iliedbecause<b>I</b>believeyouwon¡¯t.¡±

    Enellefrownedinvoluntarily.

    Samuel,someoneshe<b>had</b>knownforlessthanamonth,believedandhelpedher.WhataboutWilliam?

    Heeventhoughtshewouldlieabouthavingamiscantage.

    Emeliestruggledtoswallow,taldingthebeerfromSamuel¡¯s<b>hand</b>.Samueltried<b>to</b>snatchitback.

    Emelieavoidedhim.¡°Iwanttodrinknow,Mr.Swanson,drinkwithme.¡±

    Samueldisapproved.

    ButEmelieneededanoutlettoventherfrustrationsoverthesepastfewdays.

    Fatigued,hergazewasunfocused,addingatouchofcharmasshelookedathim

    ¡°Aren¡¯tyousort of<b>a</b>doctor,Mr.<b>Swanson</b>?Ifanythinghappens,<b>you</b><b>can</b>savethe<b>day</b><b>.</b>¡±

    Whatkindofjokewasthis?Samuelhadnochoice.¡°Threebottles,atmost.¡±

    Theydrankonthesmallbalcony.

    EmelieandMonachosetorentthisceprimarilybecauseofitsgreatviewofthebalcony.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    They<b>each</b><b>had</b><b>a</b>chairwith<b>a</b><b>six</b>¨Cpackofbeersonthefloor.

    Samuelopenedonebutonlytookafewsips:

    Emeliedrankslowlybutsteadily,onebottleafteranotherinsilence,drowningherselt.

    Whenshereachedthefourthbottle,Samuelfrowned.¡°That¡¯senough.¡±

    ButEmeliepointedatabuildingoutsideandsaid,¡°Whenwefirstmovedin,thatbuilding<b>wasn¡¯t</b>there.

    ¡°Fromthisbalcony,wecouldseethemooneverynight.Afteritwentup,themoongotblocked.¡±

    Samuellookedather.¡°ButIcanseethemoon¡±

    Emelie respondedwith<b>a</b>puzzledhum.

    <b>Samuel</b>shiftedcloser.¡°Ifyouwanttoseethemoon,lookintomyeyes.¡±

    Emelielookedathim,slightlyamused.¡°AreyousuggestingIseemyselfreflectedinyoureyes?

    Themoon,hiddenwithin.

    H

    Samueughed.¡°No,lookatthelightsreflectedinmylenses,coundlikethemoon.¡±

    Emelleleanedclosertosee.Indeed,thebalcony¡¯swhitelightswerereflected<b>in</b><b>his</b>lenses.

    Roundspotsoflight,<b>just</b>likethemoon.

    Emellescaredforalongtime.

    WhenthepolicetookRonanaway,shedidn¡¯tfeellikecrying,

    <b>When</b>shesawGreta¡¯seyes,piemingallhopeonher,shestilldidn¡¯tfeellikecrying.

    Evenatthehospital,hearingDaphne¡¯swordsandleamingthetruth,shedidn¡¯tfeellikecrying.

    ButlookingatSamuel¡¯s<b>¡°</b>moon¡®now,asouclumpsuddenlyroseinherthroat.

    Before shecouldreact,tearsspilledfromhereyes.

    Andthen,liketherainoutside,theywouldn¡¯tstopfalling

    Deepdown,shewishedtherewassomeoprotectherthewaysheprotectedothers.

    Tohavesomeonehelpherinsteadofalwaysrelyingsolelyonherself.

    SeringSamuel,shethoughtofMnie.

    renviedher

    Chapter124Moon

    Jealousofthecarefreelivesthosepamperedandprotectedgirlswereliving.

 CHAPTER 125

    tChapter125KissHer

    Emelecriedsilently,andtearsfellcontinuouslyterhowcloseone

    ewastohim.

    Emelie¡¯seyeswerefulloftears,andherpitifullookswouldattractanyone

    Samuelmightbe<b>a</b>gentleman,buthewasstiman.Evenhewouldfindithardtothinkshewasn¡¯tattractive.

    Hegulpedandsaidwithahoarsevoice<b>,</b><b>¡°</b><b>You</b>shouldn¡¯tlookatamanlikethis.Ifyoukeepthisup,I¡¯mgoingtokissyou.¡±

    However,Emeliecontinuedtolookathim.Itwasasifshewasweinghimtodoit

    ItlookedtoSamuelthathecouldn¡¯tbeagentlemanthatnight.Heloweredhisheadandgotclosertoherlips.

    However,<b>his</b><b>sses</b>cameincontactwithEmelie¡¯snosebridge.Hechuckledandturnedhisheadtotakeoffhissses.

    Thatmotionactuallylookedattractive.

    Then,SamuelkissesEmelie.Rightashegotclosetoher,sheshuthereyes

    Then,shemuttered,¡°William,IwishIhadnevermetyou..¡±

    Shehadbeendrank<b>for</b><b>a</b>longtime,andshe<b>had</b>noideawhatshewasdoing.

    Samuelleanedback<b>a</b>little,andEmeliehabituallyfellintohisembrace.

    Samuelscannedtheroom

    Notonlywerethereadozenbeersonthefloorbuttherewereanotherdozenhiddenbehindherchair.Shehadalreadydrunkfourbottlesfromthatdozen.Shehaddrunk<b>a</b>totalofeightbottlesofbeer,andhefiguredshewasdrunk.

    Samuelshookhishead,andthelossfellonhereyelidintheend.

    ¡°Haveanicesleep,EmelieFilcontinuetoprotectyouinthefuture.¡±

    WilliamsentDapothehospital<b>and</b>gotadoctortotreatherwoundsagain.

    Thewoundsweren¡¯tserious,buttheyweren¡¯tlighteither.Sheneededsometimetorecover.

    ayDaphnehadwaswhethertherewouldbeever¨C<bsting</b>scars

    Thedoctorprescribedhersomemedicationand<b>reminded</b>herwhat<b>food</b><b>to</b>avoid.ThebiggestworryContent rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°judgingbyyourwounds,youdefinitelywill<b>have</b><b>a</b>scar.However,technologyisgreatnow.Afteryouundergsertreatmentafewtimes,you¡¯llbeable<b>to</b>getrid

    Daphnebitherlowerlip,andhereyesstartedtotear<b>up</b>again

    Emeliewouldalwaysholdbackhertearsforalongtimebeforefinallycavingin.Ontheotherhand<b>,</b>Daphne¡¯stearswouldalwaysappear

    William<b>said</b>,¡°Don¡¯tworry.I¡¯llfindthebestdoctorintheworldtogetridofthescarsforyou.Youwon¡¯thaveanyscars.¡±

    Daphnefeltaggrieved.¡°Arewelettingthisgojustlikethat?I¡¯venevernnedondoinganythingtoEmelie.Idon¡¯tevenknowherfriend.¡°However,herfriendbeatmeupwithoutholdingback.ArewegoingtoforgetitafterI¡¯minjuredlilethis??

    DaphnewantedManatopay<b>the</b>price.

    However,Williamasked,¡°WhatdidyousaytoEmelie?Whywouldit<b>anger</b>herfriendto thepointwhereshewouldgetphysical<b>?</b>¡±Daphne¡¯seyesshedforamoment.

    ¡°Ididn¡¯tsayanything.I<b>just</b><b>ran</b>intoEmelieatthe<b>hospital</b>.Seeinghowitwasrainingoutside,Iwasworriedshedidn¡¯thaveanumbre¡­¡°Mr.Middleton,I¡¯vetoldyouhowmydad¡¯sconditionworsenedbecausehegotacoldfromthe<b>rain</b>,right?Eversincethen,Igetworriedwhenitrains.¡±Shecontinued<b>,</b><b>¡°</b><b>So</b>IgaveEmelieanumbreandtoldheraboutmydad.Ionlywantedtotellhertotakecareofherselt.

    ¡°Ididn¡¯tknowthepersonwhocausedasceneatthehospitalyesterdaywasherfather.Ineverexpectedhertogetsoemotionfterhearinghearttransntyesterday,

    ¡°Ididn¡¯tknowanythingatall.Afterall,I¡¯vejustreturnedfromabroad..

    d¡­Ifmydadweren¡¯tsick,I<b>probably</b>wouldn¡¯teven<b>have</b>returned¡°HowcouldIpossiblyknoweverything?¡±

    Williamdidn¡¯treacttoherwords.Instead,hejustsaid,¡°Don¡¯tcry.Yourtearscouldgetintoyourwounds<b>and</b>makeithardertorecover.¡°Yourdadshouldn¡¯tbe<b>alone</b>.<b>Go</b>bewithhim.¡±

    aboutmydadhavinga

    Chapter125Her

    etotakeittoofar.

    Daphnestillfeltaggrieved.However,Williamtoldherh

    chewouldhandleit,andshedidn¡¯tdareto

    AfterDaphnelett,Williamleftthehospitswell

    Itwasstillraining.

    Itwasn¡¯tpouring,butitwasn¡¯tdrizzlingeither.TheconstantrainmadeWilliamfeelfrustrated

    Hegotintohiscarandlitupacigarette.Hewasn¡¯taddictedtosmoking,nordidhelikeit.He wouldonlysmokewhenheneededtocontrolhisemotions.

    Williamhadbeensmokingmorethanusualrecently.

    Williamthoughtaboutthemiscarriage,anditremindedhimofsomethinginthepast.

    ItwasthedaywhenEmelleskippedworkforthree<b>days</b>.

    HecalledandtoldhertogotoWestwardClubanddrinkforDaphne.

 CHAPTER 126

    Chapter126KeepinganEyeonHer

    William<b>opened</b>thewindowandflickedthe<b>ashes</b>offthecigantie.

    Then,<b>he</b>saidtoFabian,whowassittinginthefront,¡°Getmethesurveincefootageof thehospital entrance.

    Ofcourse,hewasreferringtothefootageofEmelie<b>and</b>MonabeatingupDaphne.Hedidn¡¯twantittofallintothewronghandsandmakethingsworse.

    Ifthe<b>police</b>lookedintoit,theycouldgetlocked<b>up</b><b>for</b>assaultingsomeone.

    Fabiannodded.

    Then,Williamadded,¡°Bringme<b>the</b>doctorin<b>charge</b>ofEmelle¡¯smother¡¯ssurgeryandthedoctorinchargeofDaphne¡¯sfather¡¯ssurgery.¡±

    Fabiansaid,¡°Understood.¡±

    Coincidentally,thedoctorinchargeofGretaandDaphne¡¯sfatherwasthesame<b>person</b>.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Doctorswhocouldperformhearttransntswereinanotherleague,andtherewereonlytwoofthematLifeLineHospital.

    So,Itwasone<b>doctor</b>ortheother.

    Dr.Sebastianshowwouldalwaysbetreated<b>with</b>respectbythem.

    However<b>,</b>whenitcametoWilliam,hedidn¡¯tevendaretogetintothecar.

    Instead, hejuststoodintherainwithanumbreinhishandasheexinedthesituationseriously.

    ¡±

    ¡°Ageandgenderdon¡¯tmatterwheniestogettingasuitabledonorfortransnts.Itisn¡¯tfirst<be</b>,firstserved<b>,</b>either.

    ¡°Instead,thedoctorswillvoteonwhichpatientgetsto<b>have</b>thesurgeryfirstbasedontheseverityof theircondition.Noonewillbeabletointerfere

    ¡®diretaLowecanstillhangonfor<b>at</b>leastsixmonths.Meanwhile,HaroldBowencanonlysurvivetheweekAlthoughheonlyenteredthesystemtwodaysago,he¡¯sahigherprioritythanGoeta.Thishappensallthetime,

    Basically,itwasalldecidedbymen.

    Williamlistenedsilentlywithhiswristonthewindow.Thesmokeandnoisedispersedintherain.

    ¡°Youactbasedonthepatient¡¯sseverity.Doesthatmeanifthepatient¡¯srecordinthesystemis<b>serious</b><b>,</b>it¡¯llprioritizethepatientfirst?*

    SebastianrealizedwhatWilliammeantafteramoment,andhisfacetumedpale.

    ¡°Mr.Middleton.Ourmedicalrecordsarerecordedbasedonactualresults,andwecan¡¯tchargethemhoweverwewant

    <b>¡°</b>Wewouldnevertamperwiththeseventyoftherecords,andthere¡¯snoreasonforthataswellWhetherit¡¯sGretaorHarold,theyareallpatientstous.Wehavenoconnections tothem!¡±

    Williamonlylooked<b>at</b><b>Sebastian</b>andsaidnothing,butthtter¡¯stacewasextremelypaleinthe<b>rain</b>.

    Afteramoment,Williamlookedaway<b>and</b>pulledback<b>his</b>hand.Hesnuffedoutthefirewithhisfingers

    Then,becalmlyasked,¡°Ifthere¡¯snosuitableheartavable,arethereanyotheroptions?

    Afterleavingthehospital<b>,</b>Williamwent<b>straight</b><b>back</b>toEastbay.

    Itwasalready10:00pm

    Hetookoffhiscoatashewalkedtothebedroom.Then,hecasuallytosseditonthecouch¡¯samnest

    Afterthat,hestartedunbuttoningoneofhiscodi¡¯s.Themirrorstellectedhisemotionlessgaze.

    <b>William¡¯s</b>phone<b>rang</b>,andhe<b>nced</b>atit.ItwasHenrycallinghimm

    Hisnonchnteyesshed,andheanswereditwhileunbuttoningtheothercuft.

    HecouldhearHenrycoldlychucklingfromtheotherendofthecall.¡°Youfinallyansweredmycafteramonth,Mr.Middleton¡±

    Previously,Williamwouldn¡¯tanswerhiscallsortests.However,WilliamansweredHenry¡¯scallrightafterDaphine¡¯srebum.

    Itwasasifhewasworriednooneknewwho hepreferred.

    Williamonlyasked,¡°Whatdoyouwant?**

    ¡°Comehomewhenyouwakeuptomorrow.You<b>can</b>havebreakfasthear.We¡¯ll haveguestsatterthat,¡±Henrysaid.

    ¡°I¡¯mbusytomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯tyouatleastgiveustwo<b>hours</b><b>?</b>¡±Henrywasangryagain.

    ¡°DoyouthinkthatIhavenoideayou¡¯vejustreturnedfromthehospittthishour?You¡¯vebeenbusywith<b>Daphne¡¯s</b>father¡¯ssurgery.Yousurecareabouthimmorethanyourownfather!!!

    williamliftedhisgaze.¡°AreyouspyingonmeorDaphne?¡±

    ¡°Iwasmercifulenoughtoletheeback.Whyshouldn¡¯tIkeepanyone?

    Williamchuckled.¡°Ifyouhavethetimetospyonher,whydon¡¯tyouspyonyourdaughter¨Cinw?¡±

    Henryfrowned,

    ¡°Mydaughter¨Cinw?Areyoureferring toEmelle?Whathappenedtoher?

    ¡°Don¡¯tyouknowshecausedascene,andit¡¯scirclingenlinenow.¡±Williamhungupthe<b>call</b>aftersayingthat,Then,betookathisshitandenteredthebathroom

    Chapter126KeepinganEyeonHer

    withhis<b>pajamas</b>.

    Emeliewasactuallygoodatdrinking.Usually,eightbottlesofbeerwouldn¡¯tbeenough<b>to</b>makeherdrunk.

    However<b>,</b>shewasextremelydrunkthis<b>time</b>.Itmightbebecauseshehadalotonhermind.

    <b>She</b>alsohad beenrunningaroundrecentlyandwasoverworked.

    Thenextmorning,Samuelrangthedoorbell,andMonaopenedthedoor.Shewassurprised.¡°Mr.Swanson?It¡¯searly.HowcanIhelpyou?Emelieisstisleep.¡±

 CHAPTER 127

    Chapter127TheBadGuy

    ¡°Iknowshe¡¯sstisleep.Lethersleep¡±Samuelsaidgently, ¡°Have<b>you</b>hadyourbreakfast?¡±

    Monablinkedinconfusion.¡°Ilgetsomethingtoeatonmywaytoworter.¡±This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Inawhile.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯veboughtsomeingredientsandwillmakesomebreakfasthere.Ifyou¡¯renotina rush,youcan<b>have</b>someinaw

    Monaimmediatelyunderstoodwhatwasgoingon.Hewasn¡¯theretojustmakebreakfast.HewasheretocookforEmeliespecifically.

    <b>She</b>couldn¡¯tbelievetherewerestillmenwhocouldcook,letaloneamanfromawealthyfamily.

    Monaquicklysud,¡°Makeyourselfathome.Thekitchen¡¯soverthere.Feelfreetousewhateveryouneed.

    ¡°I¡¯min<b>a</b><b>rush</b>togettowork,so1won¡¯tbejoiningyoufor<b>breakfast</b>.Youtwo enjoyyourselves.¡±

    Samuelthankedher<b>with</b>asmileandenteredthekitchenwiththeingredientsinhishands.

    Monaquicklytookapicturewithherphoneofhimwashingtheingredientswith<b>his</b>sleevesrolledup.

    Then, shesentthepicturetoEmelie.

    Aftershepackedherbag,sheleftforwork.Meanwhile,Samueldumpedalltheingredientsintoapot.

    Afterhalfanhour,breakfastwasready,andhebroughtthewholepottothedining<b>table</b>.

    Then,he<b>grabbed</b>some<b>sticky</b>notesfromthefridgeandtapedoneonthepotafterwritingamessage.

    HewalkedtothedoortoEmelie¡¯sbedroom.Hehelpedclosethedoorafterhecarriedherintoherroomtheprevious<b>night</b>.

    Itwasn¡¯tlocked,and hecouldopenitwithasimplemadge,Samuel<b>took</b>anceinside.

    Emeliewassleepingonherside.Halfofher<b>face</b><b>was</b>buried<b>in</b>thesoftpillow.

    Samuelclosedthedoor againandleftsilently.

    Hereallydieto<b>cook</b>forEmelle

    Samuelgotintohiscarandreceivedamessage.¡°Howisshefeeling!

    Thesenderdidn¡¯tspecifyaname,buttheyknewwhoitwasabout.

    Samueldidn¡¯treplytothemessageimmediately.Hetappedhisfingeronthesteeringwhendsmiled.

    Inreality,hewasdoingsomeoneelseafavor,andheshouldn¡¯tfeelthatway.

    However,hethoughtabouttheldsstnight<b>and</b><b>decided</b>tobethebadguy.So<b>,</b>hejustreplied:¡°She¡¯sfine.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯lltakecareofwhat¡¯shappeningonline.¡±

    Samuelstoppedreplyingandput<b>his</b>phoneaside.Then,hedrovetoCapebattUniversity.

    Emelleonly wokeupatnoon

    Itwasthefirsttimeinawhileshewasabletosleepsosoundly.

    Theonlydownsidewasthehangover.However,<b>she</b>had todrinkalotwhenshewasat<b>Cloudex</b>Corporation,soshe<b>had</b><b>some</b>experience,

    Emelieenteredthebathroomtowashherself.Whenshecameout,shewassurprisedtofindapotofbreakfastonthediningtable

    ShefiguredMonadidn¡¯thavethetimetomakeitbecausethtterhadtoworkearly.

    Emelietookacloserlookandnoticed<b>a</b>stickynoteonthe<b>lid</b>.Thehandwritingwasneat,soitdefinitelywasn¡¯twrittenbyMona

    <b>¡°</b>I¡¯vemadesomechickensoup.It¡¯sfullofnutrition,Reheatitbeforeyouhaveit.¡±

    Emeliebeldthenotein<b>herband</b>whileshe<b>thought</b><b>about</b>it.However<b>,</b>shecouldn¡¯tfigureoutwhowouldmakeit.

    ShewentbacktotheroomtograbherphoneandsawthepictureofSamuelthatMonahadsentthatmoming.

    ItwasOctober,anditwasgettingcoldinCapebattCity.Hewaswearingawhitesweater.It<b>was</b>loose<b>and</b><b>soft</b>,<b>and</b>itmatchedhiselegance.Itmadehimlookgentler

    Hecasuallyrolleduphissleeves,anditgaveacozyvibe.Hekepthisgazedown<b>as</b>he<b>washed</b>theIngredients

    EmeliefinallyrealizeditwasSamuelwhomadethesoup.

    Shewassurprised<b>and</b>lookedatthenote<b>again</b>.The<b>message</b>didseemlikeitwaswrittenbyaprofessor

    EmeliekeptthenoteinabookandthankedSamoelthrough<b>a</b>test.

    Samueldidn¡¯treplytohermessage,andshefiguredhewasinss.

    Emelie beoughtthesoupbackintothekitchentoreheatit.Then,shewaitedatthesideandcalledAshley.

    Whenshewaswashingupearlier,shethoughtofanIdea.Shewasn¡¯tsureifitwouldwork,soshewantedtoconsultwyer.

    Ashleyansweredthecallquickly.¡°Ms.Haven,<b>I</b>wasjustabouttocallyou!

    BebeknewAshleylikedtogetstraighttothepoint,soshedidn¡¯tbeataroundthebush.

    ¡°Ms.Thomton,1metsomeonefromthehospital yesterdayandgotsomeinformation.Theycared<b>about</b>the discussionsonline.

    ¡°Ihaveanidea,CanImakeapostonlorifythesituationandtum theattentiontome?wouldthatbeillegal?¡±

    Chapter127The BadOuv

    <b>2/2</b>

    Ashleyconectedher.

    ¡°Thatwouldmeanyou¡¯reinstigatingontheIntemet.Youcantellthetruth.Forexample,thehospitaldidcallyoubeforeandtoldyoutobringyourmomtothehospitalforthesurgery.

    ¡°Theyonlytoldyouthesurgerywascanceledwhenyoureachedthehospital,andtheheartwasgiventoanotherpatient

    ¡°However,youcan¡¯tsaysomeonemaniptedthesystemtoletsomeoneelsehavetheheart.You¡¯reonlyassumingthesecondpartanddon¡¯thaveactualproof.

    ¡°Ifyousaythatonpurpose,you¡¯llbecreatingrumors,andthat¡¯sillegal.¡±

    Emelie<b>nodded</b><b>.</b>¡°Iunderstand.I¡¯llwriteoutmymessageandsendittoyoufirst.Ifthere¡¯snoissue<b>,</b><b>I¡¯ll</b>.¡±

    ¡°Holdon,Ms.Hoven.That¡¯swhatIwanttotalktoyouabout.¡±Ashleyinterruptedher.Emeliewasconfused.¡°<b>What</b>?¡±

    ¡°Youjust wokeup,didn¡¯tyou?Haven¡¯tyouseen<b>what¡¯s</b>goingononline?¡±

 CHAPTER 128

    Chapter128HeHelpedThis content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Emeliedidn¡¯tunderstandwhatAshleymeantbythat¡°That¡¯sright.¡±

    Ashleysaid,¡°Takealooktest.Idon¡¯tthinkyouneedtodo<b>much</b>now.Itlookslikethings<b>have</b>talumatumeratly.¡±

    mellewasconfused.

    Sheminimizedthe candcheckedthemosttrendingnews.ItwasLifelineHospitalrification.

    Emelietappedintoit<b>and</b>lookedatthedetails.

    Around10:00amthatday,thehospitalsoddenlymadealongpostexiningwhathadhappenedatthehospitalingreatdetail.

    Thepointwastheyadmittedtheyfailedtmunicateintime.

    Theydidn¡¯ttellthepatient<b>and</b>theirfamilythattheheartwas<b>given</b>tosomeoneelserightafterithappened,andthatcausedthepatient<b>to</b>gotothehospitalfor

    nothing

    Theyalsodidn¡¯texinhowtheprioritysystemworked,whichcausedthepatient¡¯sfamilytogetemotionfterlearningthetruth.

    Thehospitalwasalsoresponsibleforwhathadhappened,andtheysincerelyapologizedtoallthestaff,patients,andfamiliesthatwereaffected.

    withthehospitalsndication,thingsdidtakeatum

    Emeliewasstunnedasshehadn¡¯texpectedthis.Shewastoldthatthehospitalwasn¡¯tdoinganythingtomonitorthediscussiononline.

    Now,theyhadtakentheinitiativetochangethediscussion¡¯sdirectionthemselves.

    Nothingwasmoreeffectivethanavictim¡¯sstatement.ItwasnowonderthatAshleywouldsayEmelledidn¡¯thavetodoanythingaboutthediscussionanymore,

    Emeliewonderedwhytherewouldbea<b>sudden</b>changeinonenight.

    ShegrabbedherphightlyandthoughtofWilliamforsomemas

    Sheknewthehospitalwouldneverdecidetotakethemethemselves.

    Thmentshadstartedtoattackthehospital.Itwasclearthatthisstatementwouldgreatlyaffectthehospitalnegatively.

    So,the hospitalmust¡¯vebeenaskedtodothis.The<b>only</b>personwhohadtheabilitytomakethishappenwouldbeWilliam

    Whenshethoughtof<b>that</b><b>,</b>shereceivedanothercall.ItwasHenry

    Emeliewasstunned,andshequicklysaidtoAshley,¡°I¡¯msorry,Ms.Thornton.I<b>have</b>animportant<b>call</bingin.I¡¯llcallyoubacter.¡±

    Ashewasfinewithit.

    50,EmelleerdHenry¡¯scall

    ¡°Mr.Middleton¡±

    Henryasked,¡°Howareyou,Emelie

    Ml¡¯indoingfine.¡±

    Henrysaid,¡°Ionlylearnedaboutwhathappened<b>to</b>yourfamilyyesterday.Don¡¯tworry.I¡¯vehandleditforyou<b>.</b>¡±

    Tmeliewasstunned.¡°YouYou¡¯vehandleditforme?

    Thehospitalwon¡¯tbotheryouwithtakingtheresponsibilityanymore.Asfortheusewhowashurt,I¡¯vetoldthehospital¡¯s<b>management</b>to<b>take</b><b>care</b>ofit.

    ¡°She<b>asked</b>forthemedicalfeeandsompensationfortheshockshehadsuffered.Afterwegivethemwhattheywant,they¡¯llwriteanapology.¡±

    Emeliefinallyunderstoodwhatwasgoingon¡°Wereyoutheonewho<b>got</b>themtowrite<b>that</b>statement?¡±

    ¡°Ijusttoldthemtostatethetruth.¡±

    Emeliewasspeechless.

    Itwasindeedthetruth

    However,thehospitalwouldn¡¯thaveadmittedinclearlyifhehadneversteppedin.

    ItturnedoutthatHenrywastheonewhodidit.EmeliealmostthoughtitwasWilliam..

    ItmadesensetoheraswellWilliamcaredmoreaboutDaphne¡¯sfather¡¯sheart.

    Hewouldneverbenicetopeoplewhodidn¡¯tmattertohim.TherewasnowayhewouldhelpEmelie.

    ¡°Thankyou,Mr.Middleton¡±Emeliethankedhimfromthe bottomofherheart.

    <b>Henry</b>didn¡¯tcareaboutitatall.¡°It¡¯slikewhatMrsMiddletonhassaid.<b>We¡¯ll</b><b>always</b>rememberwhatyou¡¯redoneforus.Thisisnothing.¡±

    Emellepursedherlips.¡°Nomatterhowmuchthenurse¡¯pensationcost,Ihavetopayforitmyself.¡±

    Henrysaidtherewasnoneedforthat,butEmelle insistedso,hewentwithherrequest.

    Then,hesaid,¡°Afteryou¡¯vehandledeverythingathome,remembertebackandhaveamealwithus.Wefeelbetterwhenweseeyou.

    EmeliethankedHenryagainbeforetheyfinally endedthecall

    Thechicken<b>soup</b>started bubbling,andshetumed<b>off</b>thegas.Thebubblessettleddown,andthesoupreturnedtohowitwasbefore.Emeliehadtoruneverywhereforthepastfewdaysbecauseofwhatsomeoneelsehadsaid.Itwasmoreeffectiveforhertogetsomeone¡¯shelp.

    Chapter 128HeHelped

    Thatwasallittook

    Ofcourse,EmeliewasextremelygratefulforHenry,andshecouldfinallylet out abreathofrelief.

    Aslongasthehospitndnursecouldletitgo,Ronan¡¯spunishmentwouldbemitigated.

    AshleyalsotoldEmeliethatshewasconfidentthatshecouldreducethepunishmentasmuchaspossible.

    Emeliesatatthediningtableanddrankthesoupalone.Thesunshoneatthecornerofthetableandslowlyreachedherf

    Sheturnedherheadandlookedoutthewindow.Shesuddenlyfeltrelieved.The weatherwasgreatthatday.

    Chapter129WhoCouldItBe

    SamuelreturnedtotheofficeafterhissswasoverThen,hesawEmelsethankinghimthroughtext.

    otherthanthat,she<b>also</b>senthimapictureofthentsnexttothewindow,sayinghowthesunlightfeltnice.Hesmiled.¡°Isthatpeppermint?whydidyoudecidetontthat?

    Emeliesaid,¡°It¡¯seasytotakecareof.Besides,ifIneedtoaddsomevortomyfood,Icanjust<b>grab</b>some

    *11looksnice,tastesnice,andsmellsniceaswell.¡±

    Samprl.couldn¡¯thelughing.¡°Thankyou.You¡¯reprouadedme.I¡¯llgetmyselfoneonmywayhomter.¡±

    ¡°Youdon¡¯thavetoburit.TheoneIhaveisprettyhealthy.Teangivepartofittoyou,andyou<b>should</b>haveawholepotinnotime.¡±Fromwhatshehadsaid,Samuelfiguredshewasinagoodmood

    Afterhesitatingforamoment,heasked:¡°What¡¯sgoingon?Haveyoubehappierafterdrinking?¡±

    Emelieuiled.¡°That¡¯snotit.Iwasjustabouttotellyouthatyoudon¡¯thavetoaskyourcolleagueaboutthehospitnymore.¡±

    ¡°Mr.MiddletonSeniorsteppedinandhelpedmehandlethehospitndthediscussion.Ms.Hoopeshasalsodecidedtoletitgo.¡±Samuelexitedthethatandcheckedthesituation<b>online</b>afteradjustinghissses.

    He<b>was</b>surprisedthatHenrywastheonewhohandled<b>it</b>insteadofthepersonhewastalkingtoearlier

    SamuelwonderedifitreallywasHenrywhodidit.

    Twodaysago,heheardfromBryanthatthe<b>project</b>onMapleAvenuehadbeensnatchedbyVertexCapitalHoldings.

    Itwouldn¡¯tbeappropriatetosaythattheysnatchedit.CloudexCorporationhadits<b>eyes</b>setonanotherproject.

    Afteparingthetwo,theydecidedto<b>back</b>outoftheprojectinMapleAver?..

    TheprojectonClodexCorporation¡¯shandwasabigdeal<b>,</b>andHenry<b>had</b>toshowupinpersonandtreattheirclients<b>to</b><b>a</b>meal.SamuelwassurprisedthathestillhadthetimetocareaboutEmmelle¡¯smatters

    Things

    weregettinginteresting.

    HewonderedwhohelpedEmelie

    <b>Was</b>itthepersonwastalkingto?OrwasitreallyHenry?

    CoulditbeWilliam?

    Theincidenttookagreattum,andIngridaskedfor200thousanddorsapensationtowritean apology

    Emeliewaitedpatientlyfortwomonths,andtheywenttocourtforthehospitalincident.

    withAshley¡¯shelp,Ronanwasabletogetthelightestpunishment.Hewouldbelocked<b>up</b>forthreemonths.

    Thetwomonthshespratindetentionwereincludedinhisperiodofimprisonment.Thatmeanthecouldget<b>out</b>afteramonthinjail.

    Thatwasthebestouetheycouldaskfor

    EmeliethankedAshleyoverandoveragain

    Ashleysaid,<b>¡°</b>You¡¯rewee.SinceI¡¯mwyer,I¡¯mnotgoingtohopeforustoworktogether<b>again</b>

    ¡°However,wecangrabacoffeetogetherwhenwe¡¯refreeinthefuture¡±

    Ofcourse,EmelieagreedtoitSheadmiredAshleyaswell.

    Emeliecalledhomeimmediatelytotellhermomaboutthenews.

    Greta<b>was</b>ted.¡°Comebackquickly.TellElianaandBillytehome,too.Let¡¯s haveamealtogetherandcelebrate.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯sdoitanother<b>day</b>.Ihavesomethingelsetoattendtotoday,so1can¡¯tgobackyet¡±

    Gretadidn¡¯tminditata

    EmeliewaspreparingtovisittheMiddletonfamily,

    Shehadn¡¯tseenwilliamfortwomonths,nordidshecontacthim.It<b>was</b><b>as</b>ifwhattheysaidtheotherdayhaetrue.

    ¡°Theywalkedtheirown<b>paths</b>,anditfeltthetheyhadnevermetbefore.

    EmeliewasgoingtotheEmelieresidencetothankHenry

    Afterall,withouthishelp,thecasewould¡¯vebeenmorplicated.

    Otherthanthat,HenryandVanessahadbeenaskinghertojointhem for<b>a</b>meal<b>.</b>So<b>,</b>shehadtorepaythefavor

    Therewasareasonwhyshehadtogothatday.

    ItwasMonday<b>,</b><b>and</b>thatmeantitwasbusyatthe<bpany</b>.Sinceitwasalsoatnoon,therewasnowayshewouldrunintoWilliam.Shedidn¡¯twanttoseehimeveragain,

    WhenEmeliearrivedattheMiddletonresidence,William¡¯sparentswereecstatic.

 CHAPTER 129

    Chapter129

    SamuelreturnedtotheofficeafterhissswasoverThen,hesawEmelsethankinghimthroughtext.

    otherthanthat,she<b>also</b>senthimapictureofthentsnexttothewindow,sayinghowthesunlightfeltnice.Hesmiled.¡°Isthatpeppermint?whydidyoudecidetontthat?

    Emeliesaid,¡°It¡¯seasytotakecareof.Besides,ifIneedtoaddsomevortomyfood,Icanjust<b>grab</b>some

    *11looksnice,tastesnice,andsmellsniceaswell.¡±

    Samprl.couldn¡¯thelughing.¡°Thankyou.You¡¯reprouadedme.I¡¯llgetmyselfoneonmywayhomter.¡±

    ¡°Youdon¡¯thavetoburit.TheoneIhaveisprettyhealthy.Teangivepartofittoyou,andyou<b>should</b>haveawholepotinnotime.¡±Fromwhatshehadsaid,Samuelfiguredshewasinagoodmood

    Afterhesitatingforamoment,heasked:¡°What¡¯sgoingon?Haveyoubehappierafterdrinking?¡±

    Emelieuiled.¡°That¡¯snotit.Iwasjustabouttotellyouthatyoudon¡¯thavetoaskyourcolleagueaboutthehospitnymore.¡±

    ¡°Mr.MiddletonSeniorsteppedinandhelpedmehandlethehospitndthediscussion.Ms.Hoopeshasalsodecidedtoletitgo.¡±Samuelexitedthethatandcheckedthesituation<b>online</b>afteradjustinghissses.

    He<b>was</b>surprisedthatHenrywastheonewhohandled<b>it</b>insteadofthepersonhewastalkingtoearlier

    SamuelwonderedifitreallywasHenrywhodidit.

    Twodaysago,heheardfromBryanthatthe<b>project</b>onMapleAvenuehadbeensnatchedbyVertexCapitalHoldings.

    Itwouldn¡¯tbeappropriatetosaythattheysnatchedit.CloudexCorporationhadits<b>eyes</b>setonanotherproject.

    Afteparingthetwo,theydecidedto<b>back</b>outoftheprojectinMapleAver?..

    TheprojectonClodexCorporation¡¯shandwasabigdeal<b>,</b>andHenry<b>had</b>toshowupinpersonandtreattheirclients<b>to</b><b>a</b>meal.SamuelwassurprisedthathestillhadthetimetocareaboutEmmelle¡¯smatters

    Things

    weregettinginteresting.

    HewonderedwhohelpedEmelie

    <b>Was</b>itthepersonwastalkingto?OrwasitreallyHenry?

    CoulditbeWilliam?

    Theincidenttookagreattum,andIngridaskedfor200thousanddorsapensationtowritean apology

    Emeliewaitedpatientlyfortwomonths,andtheywenttocourtforthehospitalincident.

    withAshley¡¯shelp,Ronanwasabletogetthelightestpunishment.Hewouldbelocked<b>up</b>forthreemonths.

    Thetwomonthshespratindetentionwereincludedinhisperiodofimprisonment.Thatmeanthecouldget<b>out</b>afteramonthinjail.

    Thatwasthebestouetheycouldaskfor

    EmeliethankedAshleyoverandoveragain

    Ashleysaid,<b>¡°</b>You¡¯rewee.SinceI¡¯mwyer,I¡¯mnotgoingtohopeforustoworktogether<b>again</b>

    ¡°However,wecangrabacoffeetogetherwhenwe¡¯refreeinthefuture¡±

    Ofcourse,EmelieagreedtoitSheadmiredAshleyaswell.

    Emeliecalledhomeimmediatelytotellhermomaboutthenews.

    Greta<b>was</b>ted.¡°Comebackquickly.TellElianaandBillytehome,too.Let¡¯s haveamealtogetherandcelebrate.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯sdoitanother<b>day</b>.Ihavesomethingelsetoattendtotoday,so1can¡¯tgobackyet¡±

    Gretadidn¡¯tminditata

    EmeliewaspreparingtovisittheMiddletonfamily,

    Shehadn¡¯tseenwilliamfortwomonths,nordidshecontacthim.It<b>was</b><b>as</b>ifwhattheysaidtheotherdayhaetrue.

    ¡°Theywalkedtheirown<b>paths</b>,anditfeltthetheyhadnevermetbefore.

    EmeliewasgoingtotheEmelieresidencetothankHenry

    Afterall,withouthishelp,thecasewould¡¯vebeenmorplicated.

    Otherthanthat,HenryandVanessahadbeenaskinghertojointhem for<b>a</b>meal<b>.</b>So<b>,</b>shehadtorepaythefavor

    Therewasareasonwhyshehadtogothatday.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ItwasMonday<b>,</b><b>and</b>thatmeantitwasbusyatthe<bpany</b>.Sinceitwasalsoatnoon,therewasnowayshewouldrunintoWilliam.Shedidn¡¯twanttoseehimeveragain,

    WhenEmeliearrivedattheMiddletonresidence,William¡¯sparentswereecstatic.

    CWhoCouldItte

    Emelieevenpreparedsomedishesherselftoshowher<b>appreciation</b>.

    Asshebroughtouttheseafoodchowder,shecalledoutwithasmile,¡°Mr.Middleton,Mrs.Middleton,it¡¯stimetoeat¡­¡±

    Suddenly,shestoppedtalking.

    Thatwasbecauseshesawsomeonewhoshouldn¡¯tbethereatthatmoment.ItwasWilliaminthelivingroom.

 CHAPTER 130

    Chapter130MeetingAgain

    Itwasalmost impossible.

    EmelieworkedasWilliam¡¯ssecretaryforthereyears<b>,</b>andsheknewthatMondaywasthebusiesttimeoftheweekfor<b>him</b><b>.</b>

    Also,he<b>had</b>alwaysbeenunwillingtotamtotheMiddleton residence.So,Emeliecouldn¡¯tunderstandwhyhewouldsuddenlyappearthere.

    Shefrownedinstantly.After twomonthsofnotseeinghim,itdidn¡¯t<b>look</b>likeanythinghadchangedabouthim.

    Itwascurrentlywinter<b>in</b>CapebattCity,andthetemperaturehaddroppedtobelowtoFahrenheit,William<b>was</b>wearingacksultwithacottoncoat.Clearly,hehadjustenteredthehouseandwaspassingthehousekeeperhiscoat.

    WhenEmellecameoutofthchen,Williamlookedup,andhisgazefellonher

    TheylookedateachotherforafewsecondsbeforeWilliamlookedawayfirst.Hecalmlyeptedawarmtowelfromthehousekeeperto<b>clean</b>hishands.

    Meanwhile,Emeliewasalreadyteelingufortable.

    Shebroughtthechowdertothediningtable.Vanessawassettingthetable,andwhenshesawthedish,shplimented,¡°Thisseafoodchowderlooksdelicious.It¡¯sperfect foraweatherlikethis.¡±

    Emeliesmiled

    VanessacouldtellthatEmeliewassmilingforcefully,andsheknewwhatwasthereason.So,shesoftlyexined,¡°Henryhassomework¨C<b>rted</b>stufftodiscusswithWim,sohetoldWilliamtebackforlunch,Williamhadjustanived¡±

    Emelietooktheopportunityandsaid<b>,</b>¡°SinceMr.<b>Middleton</b>needstotalkaboutbusiness<b>my</b><b>leave</b>now

    Vanessaquiddystoppedh

    herandsaid,<b>¡°</b>Howcouldyoulovewhenthefood isready?You¡¯retheonewhopreparedthefeast,soyoumuststayforit.

    At<b>that</b>moment,HenrycamefromtheLivingroomaswell.¡°It¡¯s<b>nothing</b>ssified,EmelieTakeaseatandeatwithus.Lalsowantto askyouaboutyourparents.¡±

    EmelielookedatWilliamandpursedherlips.Shehadnootherchoicebuttositdown

    ShesatwithVanessaononesideofthetablewhileHenrysatontheothersidewithWilliam.

    Thehousekeeperservedeachofthemabowlofchowder,andHenrystartedaskingEmelieaboutthesituationatherhome.Shetoldhimeverythingwasfine.cetahadEmeliebyhersideforthepasttwomonths,soherconditionwasstable,Sheneverhadanother<b>attack</b>whileshewasonhermedication.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

    VanessapattedEmelie¡¯shand<b>and</b>said,¡°Inthatcase,youdon¡¯thavetoworrysomuchanymore,Emelie.<b>The</b>stresswilltakeatollonyourbody.However,fromwhatIcansee,youlookwaybetterthanyoudidtwomonthsago.¡±

    ¡°ThatmightbebecauseIlivedina smalltownwithmymom.Ihadeverymealontimeandlivedahealthylifestyle,<b>Emelle</b>exinedsoftly.

    WastoldEmeliehowshe<b>also</b>likedlivinginasmalltown.WhenEmelieloweredherheadtohaveherchowder,sheidentallynotlordWilliamwasncingat

    However,shedidn¡¯tknowifhewaslookingatheronpurpose.Sincetheywereseatedoppositeofeachother,itwasalso<b>hard</b>forhimtoavoidlookingather.¡°Pleasegivemeanotherbowl.Thechowdertastesgreat.Henrywasgoingto passthehousekeeperhisbowl,butVanessagrabbeditinsteadandfilleditupfor

    himherself.

    Suddenly,shewid,¡°Ifinmembercorrectly,youlikeseafoodchowderaswell.Right,William?Emeliehasalwayslownyourpreferences.

    Emeliehadabadfeeling,<b>and</b>shecalmlysaid,¡°TheingredientswerealreadypreparedinthekitchenAllLoodwascookthemtogether.¡±

    Shewastryingtosaythatshedidn¡¯tpreparethefoodforWilham.Instead,shejustdid<b>what</b>shecould.

    Emeliehadn¡¯tgreetedWilliamsialie.Theynevertalkedaswell.Now,shewastryingtoavoidhavinganythingtodowithhim.Theywerebasicallytreatingatthediningtable,itwouldn¡¯tbeappropriateformetostay.Ishalltake

    eachotherlikestrangers:

    Thistime,<b>William</b>lookedrightatEmeliewithhisdarkeyes

    Emelieloweredhergazeinshameandquietlyateher<b>food</b>

    <b>When</b>VanessapassedHenry<b>his</b>chowder,sheshothimance<b>,</b>tellinghimtofixtheirrtionship.

    TheystillhardhavingEmelie<b>as</b>theirdaughter¨Cinw.

    Vanessapurposelysaid,¡°Youknowhowtocookwell,Emelie.You¡¯vethoughtful.

    Henrynodded.¡°<b>just</b>takealookatEs.Thatguygotmarried<bst</b>month.Eventhoughhiswifelikestowork,hehassomeomissaftertheirmarriage.

    *Someonewouldalwaysthink<b>about</b>himaswell.Thatsurefeelsnic..¡±

    WilliamfrowneddeeplyinannoyanceandinterruptedHenry¡°Whatdidyouwanttotalktomeaboutwhenyoutoldmete<b>home</b><b>?</b>¡±

    <b>Henry</b>hadbeenworkingfor<b>decades</b>,andhehadneverbeeninterruptedbefore.

    Atthatmoment,hefeltthreatened.¡°Isthishowyoushouldtalktome?¡±

    Williamputdownhisspoonandgotup.¡°Ifthere¡¯snothingelse,I¡¯llbegoingbacktothe<bpany</b>.¡°¡±

    Henrywasfurious.¡°You<b>!</b>¡±

    <b>That</b>washowtheyalwayshadbeen.Thefatherandsoncouldrarelyfinishamealinpeace.Theywouldalwayspartwhilefeelingupsetbecauseofonesentence.Thiswasespeciallysowhentheystartedtalkingaboutmarriage.Thingswould<b>always</b>getheated

 CHAPTER 131

    Chapter131ReturntoCloud

    Corporation

    Emeliedidn¡¯ttrytoeasethetensionlikebefore,stead<b>,</b>shechosetobeinvisiblelikeanormalguestwhenthehost¡¯sfamilywasfighting.She<b>just</b>sattherequietly.

    VanessaquicklystoodupandstoppedWilliam¡°Whyareyoufightingagain,william?You¡¯renotevendonewithyourfoodyet.

    ¡°Havesomemorebeforeyouleave.Otherwise,youwon¡¯tgettoeatwhenyou¡¯rebuster,andyourstomachisgoingtoacheagain.¡±

    Williamwasstoppedinhiscracks,andhelookedcold.

    VanessahadnochoicebuttoaskforHenry¡¯shelp.¡°Henry.¡±

    Henryfelttenseforafewseconds.Then<b>,</b>hedecidedtobackoffalittle

    ¡°Ijustwantedtoaskifyouweren¡¯tnningtokeepMr.Ashwood<b>and</b>Mr.Quentinwhenwe changetheboardofdirectorsattheendoftheyear.¡±

    Williamtookaseatagain,buthewasn¡¯teatinganymore

    Henryfrowned.¡°Theyhavebeenwiththpanyforalongtime.¡±

    Williamwasnonchnt.¡°That¡¯swhythey<b>are</b>takingadvantageoftheirsenioritynow.¡±

    ¡°Theyworkedhardforthpany,soit¡¯snormalforthemtoactalittlearrogant.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯vealreadysentyouthereasonwhytheycan¡¯tstay<b>as</b>directorsanymore.Thpanyoperatesthroughasystem,nopassion.

    ¡°DoyouthinktheproofI¡¯vegivenyouisn¡¯tenoughtolockthemout?

    Henrystayedquietforamomentbeforelettingout<b>a</b>sigh.They¡¯restillseniorsinthpany.¡±

    Williamscotted.¡°Theyarejuststeppingdownfromtheboardofdirectorsandnotleavingthpany.Thebonestheyreceive<b>is</b>enoughfortheirretirement.¡±

    Henrystoppedtalking,anditwasbasicallyatacitagreementtowhatWilliamwasnningtodo¡­

    Emeliekepthergazedownandquietlyenjoyedhermeal.However,shecouldn¡¯thelp<b>thinking</b>aboutwhatthey<b>had</b>said,RndAshwoodandHowardQuentinwereHenry¡¯smen.

    Uponhearingwhat William<b>had</b><b>said</b><b>,</b>shewaswonderingifhewastryingtogetridofHenry¡¯s<b>men</b><b>in</b>thpany.

    Then,sherememberedsomething.

    onthesecretary¡¯sdest

    WhenCindyusedherofhavinganinappropriatertionship withJeremy,shesawinformationabouttheboardofdirectorsont

    Shedidn¡¯tunderstandwhyWilliamwanteditbackthen.

    Atthatmoment,itseemedlikehewasalreadynningtogetridofHenry¡¯smen.

    EmeliesectlyncedatHenryandVanessa

    Henrywasstillconsideredthehealthy,buthisagewascatchingupwithhim.Hewouldfeelweaksometimes,

    Forexample,hetook theinitiativetostepdownfromtheargumentthatday.

    Hewaslosinghisauthorityinthpany,andWilliamwasn¡¯tinhiscontrnymore.

    CloudexCorporationbelongedtoWilliam,andtheMiddletonfamilywouldbein<b>his</b><b>control</b>sooneroter.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.

    HenrycouldnolongerthreatenWilliambysayingthathewouldsendDapoa<b>ce</b>wherehissoncouldneverfindher.

    EmeliefeltsadforHenry.However,shewasjustthinkingaboutitcasually.

    Ithadnothingtodowithher.

    Aftershewasdonewithherfood,shewent tothebathroom.Whenshecameout,sherealizedHenryandWimweer¡¯tonthefirstflooranymore.

    Henryprobablywentupstairstorest,andWimmostlikely<b>had</b>retumedtothpany.

    OnlyVanessawasin<b>the</b>livingroom,wavingather.

    ¡°Emelieehaveatasteofmyb

    Emellewasgoingtotakeherleave.However,sinceWilliamwasn¡¯tthereanymore,shewasn¡¯tinaishtoleave.So,shewalkedtoVaresswithasmile.¡°<b>I</b><b>still</b>temembertheroseteathat1drankwithyou.¡±

    ¡°Doyoumissitthatmuch?<b>you</b>don¡¯tevenvisitmeenoughtodothatmoreoften,¡±Vanessined<b>as</b>sheperparedacupofteaforEmelle.

    Emelleeptedtheteawithtwohandsand<b>nced</b>atVanessa¡¯sbelly.

    Sinceitwascold,Vanessaworeasweater.Ithad<b>a</b>slimmingeffect,andherbellylookedt.

    Twomonthsago,EmeliebumpedintoVanessainthemall¡¯sbabysection

    Then,theymetagainoutsidetheultrasoundscanningroom.Emeliethought<b>Vanessa</b>waspregnant,

    Atthatmoment,itseemedlikeitwasherimagination

    ¡°I¡¯lemorefrequentlyifIhavethetimeinthefuture.¡±Emeliewasonlysayingthatcasually.

    However,Vanessalookitseriously.<b>¡°</b><b>That¡¯s</b>apromise.Besuretovisitmoreinthefuture.HenryandIhavealwaystreatedyou<b>as</b>ourown<b>daughter</b>.¡±Einelesaid,¡°Youtwttermedmuch<b>¡±</b>

    Chapter11Hetu

    ClouderCorporation

    ¡°<b>No</b>,we don¡¯tYou¡¯regood<b>at</b>yourworld¡±AsVanessaspoke,shestartedfrowning.

    ¡°Emelie,IknowyourcontractwithCloudexCorporationhaetoanend,but youhaven¡¯tfoundajobyet,right?Ithinkweshouldworkinafamiliarenvironmenttobringoutourfullpotential.

    Emelie neverthoughtthatVanessawouldtrytopersuadehertoretumtoCloudexCorporation

    Withthecuponherknees,she gentlysaid,¡°Mrs.Middleton,I¡¯mnotnningonretumingtoCloudexCorporation.¡±

    ¡°YousawhowWilliamwasgettingridofthpany¡¯sstaff.He¡¯skickingoutHenry¡¯sbestmen.Now,Henryhasnothingelseinthpanyotherthanhistitle.¡±

    Vanessa<b>said</b>softly<b>,</b>¡°Youcanhelphimoutifyoureturntothpany,Emelie.¡±

    Emelie¡¯sevesshed.

    ShewonderedifVanessawasaskinghertobeHenry¡¯seyesinthpany.

    Chapter132ButittofarMe

 CHAPTER 132

    Chapter132 PutItOnforMe

    Entellefrownedsubtly,shewonderedifthiswasVanessa¡¯sideaorHenry¡¯s

    Sinceit<b>was</b><b>a</b>dangeroustopic,Emelieapproacheditcarefully.

    ¡°Mes.Middleton,l¡¯anotsurewhatyou¡¯retryingtosay.However,Idon¡¯tthinkapersonshouldalwaysstaythesame.

    ¡°Iwanttoexploretheworldaswell.Sinceyoutreatmeasyourowndaughter,<b>you</b>shouldletmesear likeagrownbirdandseetheworld,right?

    Emelletookadvantageof<b>their</b>rtionshipandgotoverthetopic.

    Shemanagedtophraseherwordswlessly,andVanessacouldonlysay, ¡°Let¡¯sdrink.<b>¡±</b>Theystoppedtalkingaboutit.

    thoughtsheshouldstay fortoo<b>long</b>,sosheputdownhercupaftert

    finishinghertes

    ¡°It¡¯sgettinte,I¡¯msureyouneedyourrest,right?I¡¯llbetakingmyleavenow.¡±

    Vanessasaid,¡°Henryisinthestudiesupstairs,Youshouldsaygoodbyetohim.Wehaveno<b>idea</b>whenagrownbirdlikeyouisgoingtoreturn<b>for</b><b>a</b>visitagain.¡±

    Emeliethoughtshe<b>should</b>dothat.

    So,<b>she</b>asked,¡°Whereisthestudyroom

    ¡°Headupstairs<b>and</b>takealeftfum.It¡¯sthesecondroom

    <b>¡°</b><b>Alright</b><b>¡±</b>

    EmeliehadbeentotheMiddletonresidenceafewtimes,butsheonlyhadmealsonthefirstfloor.

    Thatwouldbeherfirsttimegoingtothesecondfloor.

    Thehousehadaforeignaesthetic<b>to</b>it.Therewasagrandstaircaseleadingtothesecond floor<b>,</b>andthereweremultipleroomsalongthehallway.

    EmeliefollowedVanessa¡¯sdirectionandwenttothesecondroomontheleft.Thedoorwasn¡¯tshuttight<b>,</b><b>and</b>sheknockedonittwice.

    Aftershemadesurethepersoninsidecouldhearher,sheopenedthedoorrightaway.

    Emeliethought<b>it</b><b>was</b>justastudymomandnotabedroom.Sincethedoorwasn¡¯t shuttight,shefiguredshe<b>could</b>enterafterknocking.

    However,sheneverexpectedtoseeanything butthestudyroomwhensheopenedthedoor.

    Shewasstunned.Then,shesawWilliamstandinginfrontofaminor.Hisshirtwasalreadyunbuttoned,andhisperfectchest<b>and</b><b>abs</b>wereshowing.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.

    Emelieloweredhergazeandnoticedthathehadalsobucldedhisbelt.

    Shesaidnothing<b>,</b>buther mindwasinamess

    Hewasactuallystillinthehouse!

    Williamlookedather withoutanyexpression

    Emeliepanickedandinstinctively<b>said</b><b>,</b>¡°I¡¯m<b>sorry</b>.¡±

    Then,sheturnedaroundandnnedtoclosethedoorbehindherandleave.

    However,Williamcalledouttoher,¡°<b>Emelie</b>.¡±

    Shesubconsciouslystoppedinhertracks.<b>Then</b>,Williamsaidbehindher,¡°Idroppedoneofmy<b>cufflinks</b>atthedoor.Pickitupforme.¡±

    Emelielookeddown,andshedidseeacufflinkswithrubyonit

    However,shewasobligatedtohelp<b>him</b>pickitup.

    Emeliecalmlysaid,¡°Mr.Middleton,ifyoudon¡¯tfeellikewallinghereandpickingitupyourself,youcanaskyourhousekeepertohelpyou.¡±

    Then<b>,</b>shetriedtoleaveagain.

    Williamcalmlysaid,¡°Bringittome.Then,I¡¯lltalkaboutyourmother¡¯sheart condition<b>with</b>you.

    <b>¡°</b>Don¡¯tyouwanttoknowifthere¡¯sanysolutionotherthanpatientlywaitingforadonor?¡±

    Emelie¡¯s<b>breath</b>haltedasshegrabbedthedoorknobtightly

    ItwasgreatnewsthatRonan<b>was</b><b>only</b>sentenced<b>to</b>threemonthsofimprisonment.However,Bronlyhadafewmonthslefttolive,

    Atthatmoment,theystillhadn¡¯treceivedanynewsaboutthetransnt.

    Emeliewasstimdousaboutit.

    However,she<b>wondered</b>ifWilliamwouldtellheranotherwayoutofkindness.

    melsethoughthermomdidn¡¯tlosetheheartbychance.Instead,shefiguredsomeonewasbehindit

    Shewantedtowalkawayfromit,butshewasn¡¯twillingtomissoutonthstrayofhope,

    Emeliegrittedherteeth<b>and</b><b>shot</b>anceatWilliam.Hewasalreadydonedressinghimselfup.

    Emellesighedandopenedthedoorfully.Afterpickingupthecallinkonthefloor,sheapproachedhimWilliamwaschanginghisclothes.

    Hetookoffthesuithewaswearing earlier.Atthatmoment,hewaswearingared<b>suede</b>shirt.

    Itwasmonred.Williamworeanotherckshirtwithacallcorontheinside.

    Chapter132PutItOnforMe

    Theloosecorthatwentuphisneckmadehimlookmoredashing<b>than</b>usual.

    Helookedcasualinthatattire.Itdidn¡¯tlooklikeheneededtogotothpanyintheafternoon.Itwasnowonderhewasn¡¯tinarushtoleave.Emeliegavehimthecufflink.¡°What¡¯sthesolution?¡±

    Williamreached<b>out</b>hiswristtoher.¡°Helpmeputiton.¡±

    Emelleredathim.Hearinghisdemandingtone,shewonderedifhewasgoingtotortureheragain.

    Williamcontinuedwithoutashiftinhisexpression,¡°Haveyoueverheardofanartificialheart?

    Emeliewasstunned.Williamwiggledhishandalittle,hintingathertoputonthecufflink

 CHAPTER 133

    Chapter133LookingGreatTogether

    Emeliepursedherlips.Intheend,shestillhelpedWilliamputonthecufflink

    Therubywasdeepincolor,<b>and</b>itmatchedhisshirt.

    Williamlookeddownather.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Sheusedtohelphimadjusthistie,cufflinks,andcors.She wouldalwaysdoithabitually,

    Atthatmoment,itlookedlikeshewasbeinghumiliatedandburdened.

    Hepursedhislips.

    Thecufflinkwassmall,soitwasn¡¯teasytoput iton.Emeliedidherbesttodoitquickly.

    ¡°Whatdoyoumeanbyanartificialheart,Mr.Middleton?¡±

    Shethoughthewastryingto<b>trick</b>her

    However,heactually wasn¡¯tpullinganytricksthistime.

    Williamcalmlysaid,¡°Thetechnologyismatureabroad<b>,</b><b>and</b>there<b>have</b>beenafewlocalcasessinceafew<b>years</b>ago.However,it¡¯sstillnotwidelyavableyet.¡±

    Aheartwasn¡¯tafruit,anditcouldn¡¯tgrowontrees.

    Comparedtoadonor¡¯s<b>heart</b>,thetechnologywasclearlymoreconvenient.So,Emeliewonderedwhyitwasn¡¯tavableeverywhere.

    Sheaskedaboutit,and<b>William</b>exined,¡°It¡¯sexpensive,andthechances<b>of</b>contaminationarehigh.Besidesthat,<b>an</b>artificialheartcanonlstseven yearsf

    <b>now</b>.

    Asforanorganicheart,itcoulstfortenyears.Sometimes,it<b>could</bstlonger.

    <b>With</b>that<bparison</b>inmind,anartificialheartwasn¡¯tasgreatasanorganiconewhenitcametovalueandsafety,

    Emeliedidn¡¯tsayaword andfinishedputtingonthecutlink.

    Williamreachedouthisotherhandtoher.

    Emeliewasunwillingtohelphimagain.

    Williamlookedatherandslowlysaid,¡°Nooneissayingthatyoucan¡¯tuseanorganicheartafterusingan<b>artificial</b>one.

    Youcanchoosetogowithanartificialheartfornowandbuysometime.Whenanorganicheartbesavable,<b>you</b>canswitchtothat.Therewon¡¯tbeadifference.¡±

    Emeliehadnoknowledgeofthis<b>,</b>soshelookedathimwithsuspicion.<b>¡°</b><b>Can</b>wereallydothat?¡±

    Williamncedathissleeve.

    Emeliecouldonlygrabtheothercufflinkonthetable<b>and</b>continueputtingitonforhim

    Shehadlightmakeupon.Shedidn¡¯tdoher eyshes,andtheygentlycovered<b>her</b>eyeswitha shadow

    <b>William</b><b>asked</b><b>,</b>¡°Insteadofwastingtimeandrxing,haven¡¯tyoudoneanyresearchinthepasttwomonths?

    for

    ¡°<b>You</b><b>have</b><b>no</b>rightcriticizingmylife,Mr.Middleton.¡±Emeliefinishedputtingtheothercufflinkon.¡°Thankyoufortellingmeaboutthissolution,Mr.Middleton

    Afterthat,she<b>was</b>preparedtoleave.

    Wimadjustedthecufflinkshimself<b>and</b>saidwithplicatedtone,¡°Anartificial heartisexpensive:Afterthesurgery,thepatientwouldneedto<b>take</b><b>a</b>lotof

    medicine.

    quiremoney.Howlongcanyostwiththemoneyyoucurrently have?¡±

    ¡°Allofthese require

    Emeliecould tellhewantedhertobeghishelpandreturntoCloudexCorporation

    Sheturnedaround.¡°Aslongasyoudon¡¯t interfereinmyjobhunt<b>,</b><b>I</b>can<b>rely</b>onmyselftosavemymom.¡±

    WhatmakesyouthinkIwouldletyou<b>go</b>?Thelightsintheroomweren¡¯ton,andthesumwasn¡¯tshiningbrightlyinthewinterafternoon

    ¡°William¡¯sfigurelookedblurryashestoodwithhisbackfacingthewindow.

    ¡°I¡¯mtelling<b>you</b>abouttheartificialheartbecauseI<b>want</b>todoagooddeed.Ithasnothingtodowithmelettingyougoornot,¡±

    Emellewasfurious.¡°You!¡±

    She<b>suppressed</b>heremotions.¡°Areyoudoingagooddeed,ordoyoufeel guilty?¡±

    Itshehadn¡¯tlostherheart,hermomwould¡¯vegottenthecure.Then,Gretawouldn¡¯thavetoconsidertheartificialheart.

    William¡¯sgazewentcoldinstantly,andhegrabbedherhandandforcefullypulledhertowardhimself.

    Emellecollidedagainsthischest,andhesaiddeeply,¡°<b>I¡¯m</b>sayingthisonemoretime.Ihavenothingtodowithyourmomlosingherheart.¡±

    Emelle pursedherlipsastheylookedintoeachother¡¯seyes.Hecouldclearlyseetheresentmentandquestionsshehadinhereyes.

    Aminatter,WilliamreachedoutandgrabbedackcoatfromtheclosetbehindEmelie.Then,hesilentlywalkedpastherandwentdownstairswhilepottingit

    Vanessa¡¯svoicesoundeddownstains.¡°Areyourleaving,William?

    Chapli135LackingdieatTeori

    Williamdidn¡¯tanswerheratall.

    Heleftthehouseandgotintohis<b>car</b>,Then,hedroveaway,

    Emeliecansedownstairsaswefterthat,

    ItturnedoutthatVanessareallytrickedEmelleintoseeingWilliam.¡°Inoticedyoutwooweren¡¯ttalkingatalltoday,Iwantedtoputyoutwobacktogetheragain,butitlookslikeit¡¯sallinvain.¡±

    EnsellesolemnlysaidtoVanessa,¡°Mrs.Middleton,Ihavenothingtodowithhimanyinoze.¡±

    Vanessathoughtitwasashame,¡°Youtwolookgreattogether.¡±

 CHAPTER 134

    Chapter134ActingIntimate

    AfterleavingtheMiddleton residence,EmeliewentstraighttoCapebattUniversityinataxi.Meanwhile,shesearchedformoreinformationonartificialheartsontheInte.

    Whenshereachedherdestination<b>,</b>shehadsomebasicknowledgeaboutthetechnology.

    Emeliekeptherphoneandgotpastthesecuritywithherworkpass.Then,shehurriedlywenttothelecturer¡¯soffice.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Emellehadn¡¯t<b>found</b><b>a</b>jobinthepasttwomonths<b>.</b>So,shehadapart¨CtimejobattheuniversityasSamuel¡¯steachingassistant.

    When SamuelfirstaskedEmelietohelphimand<b>paid</b>her,shereallythoughthewasfindingareasontogivehermoney.

    <b>She</b>figuredhewantedtohelpherbecauseshedidn¡¯thaveajobandhadfinancial issues.

    However,Samueldeniedit.Itwastheendofthesemester<b>.</b>

    Otherthanhisjobasalecturer,he<b>had</b>toworkonhisresearchandcouldn¡¯tbeattwocesatonce.

    He<b>said</b>thatifshedidn¡¯tbelievehim,shecouldtryworkingfortwodays.

    Emelietriedtoworkfortwodaysand<b>finally</b>believedthathereallyneededan

    anassistanttohelphim.

    Sheneverknewalecturerwouldhavesomanytasks

    So,thatwashowshespentthsttwomonths

    Ofcourse,Samuelwasalsotryingtohelpher.

    Otherwise,hecould¡¯vefound<b>a</b>morequalifiedteachingassistant.

    Emelienevertookother¡¯shelpforgranted.So,sheworkedextrabandtorepayhisfavor¡­

    WhenSamuelreturnedtotheofficeafterhissswasover,Emellehadalreallyfinishedhertaskfortheday,

    Shewashelpinghimorganizehisresearchmateritthatment

    Hesilentlyapproachedher.Uponseeing<b>how</b>seriousshelooked,hesmiled.

    ¡°I¡¯vealreadygivenyouadayoff,butyoustillcame.Yousurearehardworking,Ms. Hoven.ShouldIincreaseyoursryforit?¡±

    Emelieinstinctivelytumedherhead.

    Samuelwassmilingwhileholdinghisteachingnsinhishand.Atthatmoment<b>,</b>hedidn¡¯tlooklike<b>a</b>lecturer.Instead,hewasthescionoftheSwansonfamilyfromWeston

    ¡°Congrattions.Youfinallyhaveagoodending.¡±

    Emeliesmiledathim.¡°Haveyoufoundoutaboutit,Mr.Swanson?¡±

    ¡°Ikepttrackofyourincidentandsawthenewsonline.¡±

    Hesaidslowly,¡°However,younevertoldmeaboutit,<b>and</b>Iwaitedthewholemoming.It¡¯salimledisappointing-

    ¡°AmInotworthyenoughforyoutoshare<b>the</b>goodnews withme?Now,you¡¯rethefirstpersonIseewhenIreturntotheoffice.Iguessfatedoeshaveitsns

    Itwas<b>an</b>intriguingv

    wayofputtingit, andEmellefoundithardtoanswer<b>him</b>.

    Then,Samuelgotclosertoherandaskedinalightertone,¡°Didyounottell<b>me</b>aboutitthroughamessagebecause youwantedtotellmeinpersonEmeliewasspeechless.

    Therewereonlytwoofthemintheoffice,and thewintersunwasshiningthoughthe<b>window</b>.

    Emeliesubtlybackedawayfromhim.

    ¡°I¡¯mhereto<b>thank</b>youforyourhelpforthepasttwomonths,Mr.Swanson.Nowthateverythingisover,letmebuyyoudinnertonight.¡±

    Uponseeinghowshewasavoidinghim,Samuelraisedaneyebrow.Hedidn¡¯tgetclosertoheragain<b>and</b>stoodupinstead

    ¡°Ican¡¯t<b>make</b>ittonight,solet¡¯stake<b>a</b><b>rain</b>checkI¡¯mmeetinganinvestortonight.¡±

    SinceSamuelwasdoingresearch,heneeded<b>an</b>investortosupporthimuncially.

    Naturally<b>,</b>Emelieagreedtoit.

    Theylefttheuniversitythatafternoontoattendtosomematters.Whentheywerereturningtothecampus,theysawabookshop.

    Samuelrememberedthathewantedtogetafewbooks,sohewentintolookforthem

    Theshop<b>was</b>nexttothestreet,anditlookedquaintandelegant.Itwasapeacefuloasisamongthebusyarea.

    Emeliebrowsedthestorecasuallyandsawabookonartificialheartsinthemedicalsection.So,shepickedituptohavealook

    Samurwalkedtoherandsoftlyaskedhersomething.Eneleansweredsoftlyaswell.

    Theydidn¡¯tnoticesomeonewaswatchingtheirintimateactionsfromupstairs.

    Themanwascold.Evenilhewasn¡¯twearingasuit,hestilllookedgreat.

    Ashewatchedcoldly,hecasuallylitacigaretis

    LielieandSamuelweerboowsingthebookstoreandpickingbooks.

    Chapter134Actingintimate

    Then, theywhisperedtoeachotherandlookedaroundelegantly.

    Meanwhile,theman<b>was</b>theretoseeafriend.Hisfriendhadjustleft,andhewastheonlyoneatthe<b>table</b>.

    Whenoneofthestaffsawhim,theywantedtotell<b>him</b>thathe<b>wasn¡¯t</b>allowedtosmokethere.However,thestoreownerstoppedthem<b>.</b>

    ¡°Shush!¡±Hedidn¡¯tdaretomesswiththeman!

    However,themanonlytook<b>a</b>puffbeforesnuttingoutthecigarettewith<b>his</b>fingers.Then,hegotupandwentdownstairs.

    Thestoreownerapproachedhimandcalledout,¡°Mr.Middleton.¡±

    However<b>,</b>WilliamignoredhimandleftthroughtheaislenexttoEmelleandSamuel.

    Neitherofthemsawhim.

    Williamexitedthestore<b>and</b>gotinthecar.Thedriver,AbelHart,couldclearlytellthatWilliamwasinhisusualmoodthat<b>day</b>.

    EmelieandSamueleachpaidfortheirbooks.

    Astheyleftthebuilding,Samuelsaidafterpondering,¡°<b>You</b>don¡¯thavetojoinmydinnerwiththeinvestortonight.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±Emeliewashisteachingassistant,andhermainjob<b>was</b>tohelphimpreparefortheresearchSamuelhelplesslysaid,¡°Haven¡¯tyounoticed?TheinvestorfortheresearchisCloudexCorporation.¡±

 CHAPTER 135

    Chapter135ProtectingGirlfriend

    Ofcourse,Emelleknewaboutit.

    ShewastheonewhoorganizedSamuel¡¯sdocuments.

    ¦§

    Shelookedup.¡°Soit¡¯snotthatyoudon¡¯tneedmeatwork,right?DoyouthinkIdon¡¯twanttoseethe peoplefromCloudexCorporation?

    Samuelsmiled.¡°You¡¯resayingitlikeI¡¯mpracticingjobbery.¡±

    Wasn¡¯the?

    <b>Emelie</b>hadn¡¯tmetanyonewhowouldratherworkthemselvesbecausetheycaredabouttheiremployee¡¯sfeelings.

    ¡°You¡¯reworryingtoomuch,Mr.SwansonI¡¯llbefine.Onceyou¡¯vefinishedeverythinghere,I¡¯llcontinuelookingforajob.

    ¡°Theworldisn¡¯tthatbig,andI¡¯mboundtomeetpeoplefromCloudexCorporationsometimes.Am1goingtoavoidthemeverytime?¡±

    Emelleaddedcalmly,¡°Theymeannothingtomenow.¡±

    ¡±

    Sinceshewassoopen¨Cmindedabout<b>it</b>,Samuel<b>had</b>nothingtoworryaboutanymore.

    Theyendedupgoingtothedinnerappointmenttogetherthatnight.

    Therewerealotofpeople,andtheywereallfromSamuel¡¯s<b>team</b><b>.</b>

    Theleaderoftheresearchteam,BrandonDrake,ledtheteamastheychatted.

    WhenBrandonopenedthedoortotheroom,Emelielookedupandsaw amanbeingtteredbyagroupofpeople

    Itwasthesecondtimeshesawhimthat<b>day</b>.

    Hehadchangedoutoftheclotheswiththecufflinksshehelpedputon.Atthatmoment,hewaswearinga<b>ck</b><b>suit</b>.

    Brandonintroducedeveryotheman.WhenhementionedEmellewasSammel¡¯steachingassistant, themanshot<b>her</b><b>a</b>coldnce.

    EmeliesuddenlyrememberedwhathesaidbackattheMiddletonresidence.¡°WhatmakesyouthinkIwouldletyou<b>go</b><b>?</b>¡±

    Sheheldherbreathslightly.

    Afterthat,Williamdidn¡¯t<b>look</b>atheranymoreduringthedinner.Everyonewasfocusingonthepartnership.

    Emeliewasresponsiblefortakingnotes oftheirmeeting.Then,sheneededtoorganizetheinformationandturnitintoadocument.

    Basically,CloudexCorporation investedinSamel¡¯sresearchteambecausetheyneededthetechnologythattheteamwasworkingon

    Thecorporationneededittpleteaprojectonitshands.

    Everyonewouldbenefitfromit,anditwasreasonable.

    CloudexCorporation<b>was</b>acapitalistandnotachacity.Ittheycouldn¡¯tbenentfromsomething,theywouldhavenoreasontoinvestthatmuchintoresearch.

    However,thecorporationandresearchteamhadn¡¯tdecidedonthe<b>conditions</b>yes.

    ThatwasbecauseCloudexCorporationlimitedtheresearchteam¡¯sdecision.cights.

    Samuelwasthecoreoftheteam,andhetookpartinthediscussionthemost

    However,hewasstibletotakecareof Emelieatthesametime.

    Whenhenoticedthatthewaiterwasabouttogivehersomewine,hestoppedthewaiter.¡°Pleasegiveherassofwaterinstead.<b>Thank</b>you!

    Emeliewasstunned.Then,shenoddedathimwithasmiletothankhim.

    Thepersonnexttohimteased,¡°Samuelsureloveshisgirlfriendalot.HewouldalwaysprotectMs.Hoveneverytimewegathered<b>and</b>didnotletherdrinkany

    Brandonclearedhisthroat,andthepersonreturnedtohisseIDES.

    Herealizedheshouldn¡¯tjokearoundinthatserioussituationandimmediatelyshathismouth.

    Williamwatchedthescenecoldlyfromtheoppositeandsuddenlysaid,¡°So,Ms.Hoven.Afterallthe<b>discussion</b>,what<b>do</b>youthinkaboutit?

    HehadnoemotionwhenhecalledherMs.HovenHowever<b>,</b>Emeliethoughtitsoundedlikehewasmocdngher¡­

    Inan<b>instant</b><b>,</b>everyonehadtheir<b>gaze</b>onher.

    Samuelfrowned.<b>William</b>wasbasicallyputtingherinadifficultspor,emeliedidn¡¯tneedtospeakatallduringthe dinner,letalonevoiceheropinions.

    Justashewasabouttohelphergetoutofthesituation,tamellecalmlysaid,¡°Personally,thepointofresearching<b>is</b>todiscoversomethingnew,

    ¡°Weneedtofollowtheflowandnotlimitourselves.Alimitislikeapairofhandcuffsthatstopsusfromachievingsomethingnew.¡±

    ¡°Yousoundlikeanoutsiderandnotlikeateachingassistantatall,Ms.Hoven,¡±Williamsaidcoldly.

    ¡°Ateachingassistantinauniversityshouldatleasthaveexperienceinresearchingorpublishingathesis.

    ¡°Theyalsomust<b>have</b>greatgradesandexperienceinrtedinternships.Doyouhaveanyofthose?

    *Ifnot,I¡¯mstartingtodoubtthisresearch<b>team¡¯s</b>professionalismforhavingyouatthistableandwonderingifyouguysareworthmyinvestment.¡±

    statedintohiseyes.

    ShewassuceWilliamwasdoubtingherskillsbecausehewantedtomakeherloseherjobagain

    Chapter135ProtectingGolfnend

    Hedidn¡¯t<b>allow</b>hertogetajoborevenapart¨Ctimejob.Ithadbeentwomonths.Hewas<b>basically</b>cuttingherofffromeverything!

    ¡°It¡¯struethatMs.Hovenisn¡¯t<b>a</b>trachingassistant.Brandongavethe<b>wrong</b><b>idea</b>earlier,andIwasn¡¯tabletoexinitintime.She¡¯smysecretaryatwork¡±Samuelinterrupted.

    100

    SinceMr.Middletonisdoubtingourcapabilities,there¡¯snopoint<b>in</b>thispartnershipanymore.Let¡¯sendithere.We¡¯lltakeourleavenow.¡±

    NooneexpectedSamueltomakeasceneforawoman,andeveryonewassurprised

    SamuelnoddedateveryosayhisgoodbyesandhintedatEmelietoleavewithhim.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Emeliehesitatedfor<b>a</b>momentbeforegettingupandleavingwithhim.

    Aftertheyleft,itturnedawlowardintheroom.Brandontriedtoeasethetensionwith<b>an</b>awkwarugh.

    ¡°Pleasedon¡¯tmindhim,Mr.Middleton.Mr.Swansonisaguywhowouldprotecthisgirlfriend.He¡¯syoungandtough,andtheyareinseparable.Haha¡­¡±William¡¯sfacebecamecolderandcolder<b>.</b>

 CHAPTER 136

    Chapter<b>136</b>ATerribleMood

    Aftertheylefttherestaurant,SamuelgentlylookedbackatEmelle

    ¡°Shallwefindsomewhereelsetohavedinner?Whatdoyouthink<b>about</b>havingstew?¡±

    Hepretendedlikenothinghadhappened.

    <b>Emelie</b>couldn¡¯thelp saying,¡°Canwereallyleavejustlike<b>that</b>?¡±

    Samudjusted<b>his</b>sses.¡°Ofcourse.Whycouldn¡¯twe?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯vehelpedyouprepareforthisresearchfortwo<b>months</b>,andit¡¯simportant.Now,you¡¯regivingitupjustlikethat.Areyoubeingtoo¡­¡±

    ¡°AmIbringtoostubborn?¡±Samuelfinishedthesentencewithasmile.

    Emeliepursedherlipsandspokehermind.

    ¡°EversinceIrealizedyouwereworking<b>with</b>CloodexCorporationonthisresearch,Iexpected<b>this</b>daytoe.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Williamnevernnedonlettingmegoatall.Sinceeverythingisinorder,youdon¡¯tneedmetoshareyour

    irworkanymore,it¡¯sappropriateformetoleavenow.

    <b>¡°</b>Youdon¡¯thavetowasteyourteam¡¯seffortjustforme.Itisn¡¯tworthit.¡±

    Samuelcontinuedsmilingandsaidgently,¡°I<b>was</b>justgoingtoteaseyou.Seeinghowseriousyouare,Ican¡¯tdothisanymore.

    ¡°Honestly,Iwasn¡¯tinterestedinworkingwithCloudexCorporation<b>at</b>all.Didn¡¯tyounoticehowunenthusiasticwasduringdinnerearlier<b>?</b>¡±

    Itseemedtobe<b>true</b>toEmelie.

    Shethoughthejustwasn¡¯tsatisfiedwithCloudexCorporation¡¯sharshconditions.

    ¡°SwansonCorporation alsoinvestedintheprojectthatCloodexCorporationisworkingon.Ionlyforciblyagreedtoworkwiththembecauseofmybrother

    ¡°Myresearchwon¡¯tgotowasteifthepartnershipfails.Thereareotherinterestedinvestors.Youjustgavemeareasontorejectthepartnership.

    Samuelreachedouttotuckherhairbehindherear

    ¡°However,mybrothermightthinkbadlyofyouformakingmecauseascenebecauseofyou.So,I¡¯mtheonewhoshouldapologizetoyou.¡±

    Emeliefeltbetterwhenshebeardthat.Then,shemockedherself,¡°Itrulyamanoutsider.Ithoughtyouhadtoworkwith<b>Cloudex</b>Corporation.¡±

    ¡°They<b>have</b><b>a</b><b>great</b>budget,buttheyaretoodomineering.<b>What</b>yousaidearlierwascorrect.Researchingmeansdiscoveringsomethingnew.

    ¡°Theywantedtoomuchcontrol,andwewerebeinglimited.That¡¯swhyCloudexCorporationisn¡¯tthebestoption¡±

    Samuelcontinuedgently,¡°Besides,<b>I¡¯m</b>yourfriend,andI¡¯vewitnessedhowhebulliedyou.IfIstillchoosetoworkwiththemwhenIhaveotheroptions,<b>I</b>wouldbelettingyoudown,<b>right</b>?¡±

    Emeliecouldn¡¯thelpfeelingtouched

    Eventhoughshewaspartofthereason,Samuelstilltookherintoconsiderationwhen decidingto<b>reject</b>thepartnership.

    Emeliewastouchedbythat¡°Thankyou,Mr.Swanton.¡±

    Samuelhintedathertoleavethece.Then,hesaidastheywalked.¡°Ifyoureallywanttothankme,gohorsebackridingwithmetomorrow,

    ¡°WestonRidingCenterwasrecentlyrenovated,andI¡¯vealwayswantedtogo.However,Icouldn¡¯tfindasuitablefriendtogowithme.¡±

    ¡°ButIdon¡¯tknowhowtoridehorses.

    ¡°Then,it¡¯stheperfectchanceformeto<b>be</b><b>a</b><b>great</b>teacher.<b>You¡¯ve</b>calledmeMr.Swansonfor<b>so</b>long,soIneedtobeyourteacheratleastonce.¡±

    Emeliewasstillhesitant,butsheagreedintheend

    Afterthedinner,<b>William</b>gotintohiscarandreturnedtoEastbay.

    Hereceived<b>a</b>callfromBryanon<b>his</b>waybackBryanwantedtotalkabouttheprojectagain.

    William¡¯sfacereflectedinthewindow,andhe lookedcold.¡°Ihavetimetomorrow.Let¡¯stalkattheridingcenter.¡±

    Abelheldhisbreath,thinkingthesituationwasbad.Itseemedtohimthat<b>William</b>wasinaterriblemood.

    SamuelhadnossesonTuesday,andhe<b>had</b><b>no</b>otherns.ThatwaswhyhehadthetimetoaskEmelieoutforhorseback<b>riding</b>.

    Emellechangedintoridingattireandheldontoahorse¡¯slead.Shelookedatthehorseinitseyeslowardly

    Truthfully,not<b>only</b>didshenotknowhowtoridehorses,butshewaseventerrifiedofthem.

    Almost<b>all</b>oftheCEOslovedsocialsports.WhenshewasworkingatClondexCorporation,sheleamedthebasicsof<b>most</b>sportstosocializewithotherCEOsHorsebackridingwastheonlyexception.Shefellthefirsttimeshetrieditand<b>was</b>almoststompedbythehorse.

    Theneardrabexperiencegavehertrauma.

    Afterthai,wheneveraclientaskedtomeetattheridingcenter,shewouldtryherbesttoavoiditandgetherothertwocolleaguestogoinstead.

 CHAPTER 137

    Chapter<b>137</b>Don¡¯tLetGo

    Emeliedecidedtoconquerherfearthat<b>day</b>.Shegritted herteethandpreparedtogetonthehorse.

    Atthatmoment,thehorsemovedalittle,andsheimmediatelysteppedback

    200

    Samuelwasalreadyonahorse.Seeinghowshewasdramaticallyscared,hugheduntilheleanedonthehorse¡¯shead.

    ¡°Ineverthoughtyouwouldbescaredofsomething,Emelie¡±

    Emeliefelthelpless.¡°AmIthatfearlessinyoureyes,Mr.Swanson?¡±

    Samuelheldinhiughter.¡°Basically.¡±

    sinceheknewher,shedidseeminvincibleandcapableofdoingeverything

    Emeliemadeuphermindtogiveit<b>her</b>bestandgotonthehouse.

    ThehousecooktwostepsandscaredEmellesomuchthatshetightenedherlegsonthehorse.Shegrabbedtheleadtightlyandyelled<b>,</b><b>¡°</b>stopmoving!¡±

    SamuelfoundithriousHegotoffhishorseandapproachedEmelletogivehersometips,

    ¡°Don¡¯t<b>worry</b>.Thehorsesherearetrainedandgentle.It¡¯llstartmovingifyoutugonthelead.¡±

    Emeliepursedherlipsandtaggedthelead.Then,thehorsetooktwomoresteps.

    Suddenly<b>,</b>shefelt<b>like</b>shehadgottenit.

    Beforeshehadthechancetotryitafewmoretimes,she<b>heard</b>horses<b>galloping</b>.

    Eventhoughshewasn¡¯tanexpert,shecouldtelltheyweregreat<b>horses</b>fromthesoundofthemgalloping.

    Emelielookedupinstinctively.

    Then,thesawtwo ckhorsesracingside¨Cby¨C<b>side</b>andapproachingherfrom<b>afar</b>.

    Thetwomenontheboarslookednoble.However,itwashardforEmelienottofocusononeofthemen

    Shewasn¡¯tcaptivated.Instead<b>,</b>shewasfrightened

    Shecouldn¡¯tbelieveitwashimagain

    Hewas<b>in</b>ck¨Cand¨Cwhiteridingattire.Hesatonthehouse,lookingcoldanddomineering.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    NexttohimwasSamuel¡¯sbrother,Bryan

    Emeliefiguredtheyweretheretotalkaboutbusiness

    However,shecouldn¡¯tbelievethattheywouldchoosetogototheridingcenteronthatday.Itwasagreatcoincidence

    Shewouldrun<b>into</b>thepeopleshehatedthemosteverywhere

    Samueldidn¡¯tthinktheywouldseethemthereaswell.He<b>approached</b>themonahorsetosayhiafterlettingEmelieknowaboutit.

    ¡°Bryan,Mr.Middleton, whatacoincidence.¡±

    BryantookanceatEmellebeforelookingathisbrotheragain.¡°wah.Areyoutwoheretohavesometun?¡±

    Emeliebuggedonthelead<b>and</b>triedtoapproachthemonthehomeaswell.SincesheknewBryan,it<b>would</b>berudenottosayhiwhentheymet.

    However,shecouldonlymakethehorsetaketwosteps,anditwasdifferfromridinghomesprofessionally.Shetuggedontheleadnonstop,andthehorseonlypacedaroundinthe<b>same</b>spot

    <b>Emelie</b>wasspeechless.

    Williamsaidnonchntly,¡°Yousureknowhowtoenjoylife,Mr.Swanson<b>.</b>Youevenhave thetimetohavefonduringworkinghours.¡±

    ¡°Naturally,I¡¯mnotasbusyasyou,Mr.MiddletonIcanstillfindthetimetobewithmyfriend.¡±

    Sameldeliberatelystoppedforamomentwhenhementioned whohewaswith.

    Williamaskedcoldly,¡°Yourfriend?¡±

    ¡°she¡¯smysecretaryaswellshestilldoesn¡¯tlowhowtoridehorses,soI¡¯m<b>teaching</b>herrightnow.Emelle..¡±

    Emelle<b>looked</b>up,andSamuelsued.¡°I¡¯msureIdon¡¯tneedtointroduceher.Youtwolower,right?¡±

    <b>William</b>wrappedtheleadaround<b>his</b>handstwotimes.Hedidn¡¯tlookaloofaalunderthewintersun.

    Hesmiledmockingly

    ¡°shedoesseemfamiliar.¡±

    Atthatmoment,EmeliewascalmwhenfacingWilliamShelookedbackatWilliamcalmlyandgreetedpolitely,¡°Mr.Middleton.¡±

    Then,sicklyncedatWilliamandBryan¡¯sposture

    Itseemedtoherthatshewasn¡¯tgrabbingontheendtightenough

    Shewrappedtheleadaroundherwriststwotimesaswendtighteneditaroundthehorse¡¯shead.Then,shegentlykickedthehorse¡¯s body,andthehorsefinally

    Chapter137DontLetGo

    movedforward.

    However,itslowlywentinadifferentdirectionandbroughtEmeliesomewhere else.

    Samuelfounditamusing.Heapproachedheronhishorseandgrabbedherhorse¡¯sleadlikehewas holdingachild¡¯shand.¡°Followme.¡±

    Itwasbumpywhenthehorsewalked,andEmeliewasslightlyafraid.Shecouldn¡¯thelpsaying,¡°Grabittighter,anddon¡¯tletgoyet.¡±BryanncedatWilliam.

    Chapter138SeduceHim

    EmeliefinallyreachedWilliamandBryanwithSamuel¡¯shelp.Theystoodtogetherandexchangedncesonthefourhorses.

    Then,EmelieprerbedBryan.¡°Mr. Swanson.¡±

    <b>Bryan</b><b>nodded</b>.¡°It¡¯sbeenawhile,Ms.Hoven.Iheardyou¡¯redoingagoodjobwithSam.Asexpected,acapablewomenlikeyoucanshineanywhere.¡±

    <b>Emelle</b><b>said</b>humbly,¡°<b>¡®</b><b>s</b>becausehe¡¯sagreatteacher.¡±

    Williamsquintedandlookedcold.

    BryantookanothernceatEmellebeforesayingtoSamuel,¡°Whenwepassedbythestableearlier,wesawthefoalyouadoptedpreviously.

    ¡°Ithinksomethinghashappenedtoitbecausethestaffaresurroundingit.Doyouwantto<b>take</b>alook?¡±

    SamaelwasunwillingtoletEmeliebealonewithWilliam<b>,</b>eveniftheyweminpublic.

    ¡°Inthatcase,I¡¯llcheckitoutwithEmelieandstopInterruptingyoutwoandyourmeeting.¡±

    ¡°Wewerehereearlierthanyou,andwe¡¯realmostdonewiththemeeting.Letmegocheckitoutwithyou.¡±

    Bryanclearlyleftlieoutofit.ItseemedlikehehadsomethingtotalktoSamuboutinprivate.

    Emellecouldreadtheroom.¡°¡°Go<b>have</b>alook,Mr.Swanson.Afealisfragilelikeachild.Iwanttotryridingbymyself,too.¡±

    Herwordsweremore effectivethan<b>Bryan¡¯s</b>,SamuelnoddedIntheendandleftwithhisbrother

    Aftertheyleft,EmeliewasalonewithWilliam..

    Theirhorseshad thesameheight.However<b>,</b>william¡¯sheightwastaller<b>than</b>Emel¡¯s,sohewastallerthanheronthehorse-

    ¡°Itwaseasy<b>to</b>feellikehewasdespisingherwhenhelookedather.

    ¡°Haveyoutakencareof kidsbefore?Howwouldyouknowchildrenarefragile!!!

    Emeliedidn¡¯twanttotalktoWilliamprivately,especiallywhenitcametochildren.¡°Ishan¡¯tdisturbyouhavingfunanymore.¡±

    Then,shewasabouttoleaveonherhorse

    Suddenly,Williamreachedoutandgrabbedherhorse¡¯slead.Emelie¡¯shorselostits<b>bnce</b>alittle,andshewasshocked¡°Whatareyou<b>doing</b>?¡±

    <b>William</b>lookedatherwithoutanyemotion.¡°I¡¯veunderestimatedyou,IthoughtyouwerewastingtimeinAlderbrookinthepasttwomonths.Ittumsoutyou¡¯vebeenwithSamulong.¡±

    alleknewhewouldtalktoher<b>about</b>that¡°So,what<b>?</b>Doyouhaveawaytomakehimficeme?¡±

    Williamced<b>at</b>he.¡°Doyoureallythinkhecanprotectyou?¡±

    ¡°Whatdoyoumean?¡±

    Rightaftersheasked,sherememberedsomething.Previously,Bryanwasabouttohireher

    However,hisattitude<b>changed</b>afterhe<b>had</b><b>a</b>mealwithWilliam.EmeliewonderedifhewasgoingtodoitagainandmakeBryanfinSamuel

    ShefinallyunderstoodwhyBryanwantedtobealonewithSamuel.

    Emelle figuredWilliamwasmakingsureshehadnowhereelsetogo.

    Shecoldlylooked<b>at</b><b>him</b>.Thedesperationandhatredshehadfromtwomonthsagoweringback.

    Williamdidn¡¯t lookambetteraswellwhenhethoughtabouthowhe<b>had</b>seenherwithSamuelthreetimes

    Theyhad beentogetherforthepastfewdays.

    WilliamthoughtabouthowEmellesaidSamuelwas<b>a</b>greatteacher.

    Then,hethoughtabouthowhe treatedherbackthen

    williampulledtheleadtomakeherhorsegetclosertohim,Emellewasforcedtoapproach<b>him</b>aswell

    Then,hecoldlyasked,¡°Haveyoureallyhookedupwithhimsessfully<b>?¡±</b>

    Emeliesaid,¡°I¡¯msurethatyouthoughtthatwe¡¯dalreadyhookedupalongtimeago,right?¡±

    ShewasreferringtothenightshespentontheshipwithSamuel

    Whenshebroughtthatup,William¡¯sgazebecamecolder.Then,heslowlysaid<b>,</b>¡°Ifyouwantmetoletyougo,havearacewith<b>me</b>.¡±

    ¡°Idon¡¯tknowhowtoride.¡±Emellecouldn¡¯tbelievehewouldlethergowhenhepickedsomethingthatshewasn¡¯tgoodat

    Williamlookedathercoldly.¡°Areyouadmittingdefeat?

    ¡°I¡¯mbadatriding<b>,</b><b>and</b>youwon¡¯tevenfeelsatisfiedifyouwin,Mr.Middleton

    ¡°Instead,peoplewillmakefunofyouforbullyingabeginner.HowcouldIpossiblyletthathappentoyou?¡±elledidn¡¯t<b>want</b>totroubleSamuel,soshedecidedtobehumble

    Williamtooktwostepsforwardwithhishorseandcollidedwithherborse¡±yousayingthatI¡¯mbullyingyou?

    Emeliewasspeechless,<b>and</b>shetroumedimmediately.Itfeltlikehewasteasingber..

    Then,Williamgotoffhishouse.¡°Sineryo

 CHAPTER 138

    Chapter<b>138</b>SeduceHimi

    Emeliewasshocked.

    Beforeshecould<b>have</b>thechancetoreact,Williamgrabbedontohersaddleand<b>got</b>onherhorse¡¯sback!

    JustasEmeliewantedtogetoff,William¡¯sarmsreachedpasther,andhegrabbedtheleadinfront ofher.

    Healsoblockedher<b>path</b>andpreventedherfromgettingoff!This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelietumedher<b>head</b>.¡°Mr.Middleton,thisisn¡¯tappropriate!¡±

    ¡°Howisitnotappropriate?¡±

    Hewasextremelyclosetoher.Hischestwas<b>almost</b>touchingherbacpletely.

    Whenyouwereworkingunderme,Iwouldteachyoueverything.

    ¡°Horsebackridingwastheonlythingyouweretooafraidtotryagainaftertryingonce.Now,you¡¯reoutherebeingadisgrace.¡±Emeliethoughthewasmad.Afterall,whatdoesherbeingadisgracehavetodowithhim<b>?</b>

    Chapter139YouWereUnfaithful

    Enellewantedtogetfurtherawayfromhim.Shecouldevenfeelhischest¡¯sslightvibrationwhenhespolur.However,Iwasasinglesaddle,andrrewasn¡¯tinchspace.So,shecouldn¡¯tavoidhimevenifshewantedto.

    ¡°Thankyouforyoundoller,Mr.Middleton.Pleaseletmedown¡±Emellewasalmostgrittingbetterthwhensheaskedtobeletpo.

    However,Williamignoredherandkickedthehorse.¡°Let¡¯sgo!¡±

    Emeliewassucked

    ThehousethattookforevertotaketwostepsunderEmelie¡¯mandsuddenlybecameactivewhenWilliamstookcontul

    kickeditshoovesoftthe<b>ground</b><b>and</b><b>ran</b>wildly.

    Arderwouldknowthatitwouldbehardtobnceenalinese.

    Emeliewasstibegimes,andshehadnochoicebuttograbthesaddle¡¯shandletightly topreventherbodyfromswaying.

    Shefeltsoaggrieved,knowingthatthebastardwasdoingitonpurpour|

    Williamwasgoingtoteachherhowtorideahorse.Hewaspunishingher!

    Theridingcenterwashugeandhadmanybills.Itwas agreatcetoridehorses

    However,therewasn¡¯tmuchgrassinthewinter,sotherewasn¡¯tmuchfrictionforthehorse¡¯slinoves.

    Emeliesuddenlyreachedfortheleadandpulleditbackwithforce.

    Thehorseimmediatelytuneditsheadinthedirectionshepulled<b>and</b>neighed.Williaminstantlyfrowned,andthehorsekickeditsfrontlegsup!

    Everyonewasnervousasthey watchedthissuddenchangeofeventsfrom<b>afar</b>,<b>let</b>alhoseonthehouse¡¯sback

    Williamquicklygrabbedthebeadinmid¨Cair.<b>After</b>afew<b>seconds</b>of calmingit,thehorseputallitslegsontheground.Then,itcircledtwotimesonthespotbeforeitfinallystoppedmoving.

    William<b>scolded</b><b>,</b>¡°Doyou<b>want</b>todie?Whenahorseisgalloping,pullingtheleadwillterrifyit.Ifiweren¡¯there,youwould¡¯vebeenthrownoffitsback!¡±

    Emeliecoldlysaid,¡°Iknow.ThatwashowIfelt previously.Thistime,Iwantedittomakeyoufall!!

    Eversifshehadseeded<b>,</b>shewouldgetinjured,too

    callthetime.

    However,itdidn¡¯tmattertoheranymore.Emeliewastiredofhimfeelinglilehecouldcontrolberall

    Williamscoffed.¡°Aren¡¯tyouboldnow

    ¡°Mr.Middleton,youmightbeusedtohavingpeoplebeggingyou<b>,</b><b>so</b>youhadn¡¯trealizedsomethingyet.¡±

    Emellepursedherlipstightlyandcontinued,¡°WheniestothepartnershipbetweenCloudexCorporationandMr.Swanson¡¯steam,theformerneedsthttermore.We¡¯renotdesperateforyourhelp,¡±

    withthatthought<b>in</b><b>mind</b><b>,</b><b>she</b>thoughthehadnorighttomesswithherlikethat!

    Williamlookeddownslightly.Emelie¡¯s<b>cor</b>wasn¡¯ttall,andshehadherhairtiedup.Thebackofhernecklookedfat

    Heteased,¡°Inthatcase,guesswhy<b>Bryan</b>wantstospeakwithSamuelinprivate.¡±

    Emelleavoidedhisbreathonherneckwhenhespoke.

    ¡°HowamIsupposedtoknowwhat¡¯sonhismind?=

    Williamsaid,¡°Whowoulddareto<b>mess</b>withyouwhenyouwerebesideme?¡±

    Emeliewas<b>nonchnt</b>¡°You¡¯rewrong,Mr.MiddletonOtherthanyou,nootherclientwoulddosomethingthisdespicable,¡±

    Williamsaidnothing.

    Emelledidn¡¯thavetoturnaroundtolow<b>that</b>hisfacehadfallenterribly.

    However,shedidn¡¯tcare.

    ¡°Letmego,Mr.Middleton.¡±

    Suddenly,Williamgrabbedherchin.

    Emellewantedtogetaway,andhecoldlysaid,¡°Atfirst,Iwasgoingtoletyouseewhoeveryouwanted.

    myforbeingunfaithfultome.¡±

    ¡°However,Isuddenlyrememberedyou<b>had</b>alreadysleptwithSamuelwhenyouwerestillwithme.Ihaven¡¯tmadeyoupayThereweresomanythingshewantedhertopayfor,anditwouldneverend.

    Tmellesneered,¡°Whatelsedoyouwant2

    ¡°Don¡¯teventhinkaboutSamuel.Youbetterstaysingleuntilyoudie.Otherwise,preparefortheconsequences,¡±

    Emeliegrittedherteethtightly.¡°You!¡±

    Suddenly,Williamasked,¡°Howdidthemiscarriagehappen?¡®

    Thetoplechangedsosuddenlythatittookafewseconds<b>for</b>Emelietorealizehewasaskingherwhatcaused themiscarriage.

    Shesuddenlythoughtofthebloodysceneandcouldn¡¯thelptrembling-

    Sincetheyweresoclosetoeachother,Williamtelti

 CHAPTER 139

    Chapter139TheLittleDate

    Shewonderedwhatwashappening.Washeteachingherhowtorideahorse?

    Williamkickedhercalves.¡°Youdon¡¯thavetokeepyourfortonthestimup.Itcan¡¯tprotectyou.Ifyouidentallyfalloffthe horse,youmightgetstuck

    <b>*</b>Then,you¡¯llgetinjuredwhilebeingdratedbythehouse.Understood?¡±

    WhetherEmelieunderstoodornot,shewouldsayyes

    ItwasgettinghardertotellifWilliamwasangryorhappy.Onemoment,hewascold.Then,hewouldbenice

    Emeliedidn¡¯twanttotrytoguesshisfeelings.Shejustwantedto<b>get</b>asfarawayfromhimaspossible,thinkinghewascrazy.

    Then,Williamtumedthehorsearoundandheadedback

    Thistime,hedidn¡¯tmakethehorsenunwildlylikebeforetoscaceEmelle.

    Meanwhile,SamundBryanrodetheirhorsesforadistance

    Whentherewasnooneelsearoundthem,Samuelfinallyasked,¡°Whatdoyou<b>want</b>tosaytome,Bryan?I¡¯veneveradoptedafoulherebefore.¡±Bryanpulledtheleadandasked,¡°AreyoudatingMs.Hoven?¡±

    Samuelspokethetruth¡±amconsideringgoingafterher.Didyoucallmeawayjusttotalkaboutthis?¡±

    Ofcourse,thatwasn¡¯titbryansaid,¡°AreyoubackingoutoftheprojectbetweenSwansonCorporationandCloudexCorporation?N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

    Samunswered,¡°Iwanttohelpyou,Bryan,butIneedtothink<b>about</b>myteam.

    ¡°CloudexCorporation¡¯sconditions<b>are</b>tooharsh.The<b>other</bperieshave betterconditions.¡±

    ¡°Thisis<b>a</b><b>big</b>project,andevenZFisinvolved.It¡¯llbeSwansonCorporation¡¯shighlightnextyear.

    ¡°WehavefewersharesthanClodexCorporation.Thatmeanswedon¡¯thaveasmuchpowerasthem,anditworriesme

    ¡°Ifyoucantakepartinthis,youcanhelpmekeepaneyeonthings.Ifsomethingdoeshappen,wecanhavemorepower,andIwon¡¯thavetobe too passive.Samuelfrownedslightly.

    ¡°otherthanwhatyoumentioned,partofthereasonwhyyoudon¡¯twanttoworkwithCloudexCorporation<b>has</b>todowithMs.Howen,right?¡±BryansawrightthroughSamuel.

    ¡°William<b>hasn¡¯t</b>letgoofheryet,andnoothepanydarestohirehrt.However,shecan¡¯tpossiblybeyourteachingassistantforever.

    ¡°I¡¯llgiveyouanotherreasontojointhepartnership.Oncetheprojectisover,Tillet<b>Ms.</b>HovenjoinSwansonCorporation¡±

    Samuelfinallycavedin.¡°<b>I</b>needtoaskherabootit,¡±

    Bryannoddedandgavethemsometimetothinkaboutit.

    Then,heremindedhisbrother<b>,</b>¡°<b>It</b>doesn¡¯tlooklikeWilliamwillletMs.Hovengo.Youtwoshouldwatchout.¡±

    Then,theyreturnedtowheretheywerebefore.WilliamhadalsobroughtEmelieback

    Shewantedtogetoffthehorseimmediately.However,shedidn¡¯tknowifWilliamwaspurposelyholdingontoWhenhenoticedtherewasnooneelse,hesaidsoftly,¡°Don¡¯tsteponmyshoe.¡±

    moherwaist.

    Emelieinstinctivelypulledherlegback

    However,Williamhadhisfeetonthestirrupandwasn¡¯tnningtolethersteponit.Withoutit,shehadnowayofgettingoffthehorsethatwasatleastthreeteet

    <b>tall</b><b>.</b>

    SamuelwalkedrighttoEmelieandreachedhishandouttoher.¡°Emelie¡±

    Shereachedouttohimwithoutbesirationandgotoffthehorserightaway.

    Duetothe

    momentom,shestumbledtowardSamulittle.Hegrabbed herwaist tohelplierbnce.

    BryanlookedatWilliam.¡°<b>Mr.</b>Middleton,let¡¯snotinterrupttheirlittledate.

    I¡¯vemadeareservationattheridingcenter¡¯sstart.Let¡¯shavea<b>drink</b>thereandcontinueourchat.¡±

    ¡°SureWilliamleftwithepeywithoutlookingattheothertwoatall.

    BryanSupportedEmelie.¡°Areyoualright?Ididn¡¯texpectthemtobehereaswell.*

 CHAPTER 140

    Chapter140YouWereUnfaithfull

    However,Emelieonlytrembledforamoment.Then,shesuppressedtheangerinherandcoldlychuckled.¡°Ithoughtyoudidn¡¯tbelieveit.¡°

    Williamsmirked.¡°Idon¡¯t.That¡¯swhyI¡¯m askingyouaboutthedetailsIwanttoseehowyou¡¯regoingtocontinueyourlies.¡±

    ¡°Mr.Middleton,ifyouwantastory,gowatchamovie.¡±Emeliecouldtakeit,and<b>she</b>tumedaway,escapinghisgriponherchin.

    Shedidn¡¯twanttosayanythingelse.

    Williambookedatherforacoupleofseconds,andhisgazedarkened.Hestoppedpryingandgrabbedherhands.

    Then,heheldtheleadwithher.

    Hesaidcoldly,¡°Grabtheleadtightlyanddecidewhereyouwanttogobyturningleftandright.Thetightnesswilldetermhespeed.

    ¡°Don¡¯ckthehoserepeatedly.Thehorsemightgettoousedtoyouractionsandbeinsensitivetothem.¡±

    Emeliewasspeechless.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    Chapter140TheLittleDate

    2/2

    WilliamhadsomethingtosaytoEmelie,andBryanwantedto<b>talk</b>toSamuel,too.ThosereasonswereenoughtomakeEmeliethinkWilliamandBryandidn¡¯tmeetthemtherebychance.

    Shefiguredsomeonehadheardhertalking withSamueloutsidetherestaurantthepreviousnightandhadtoldWilliamaboutit.

    Hewastheretodeliberatelymesswiththem.

    Hepurposelythreatenedher..

    SamulsotoldEmeliewhatBryanhadtold him.

    Emellepursedherlips.¡°AreyouchangingyourmindandgoingtoworkwithCloudexCorporation?¡±

 CHAPTER 141

    Chapter141IsHeNot<b>Coming</b>Back

    Samuelwaswavering.Afterall,Bryanhadanalyzed alltheprosandconsindetail.

    HemightnotbeapartoftheSwansonCorporation,buthewasstillpartoftheSwansonfamily.

    <b>Samuel</b>broughtEmelietopatthehorse¡¯sheadsothatshecouldgetfamiliarwithitandoveeherfear.

    ¡°I¡¯vebeenwantingto makeyoujoinSwansonCorporation.However,youwereunwellfortwomonths

    ¡°Ifyou<b>joined</b>backthen,you¡¯dhavetogetusedtothpanyandalsoworryaboutyourparents.

    ¡°Then,youwouldn¡¯tbeabletotakecareofyourself.ThatwaswhyI<b>made</b>youstaybymy<b>side</b>.¡±

    Bybeingwithhim,shecouldworkandmakesomemoney.Hewouldn¡¯tlether<b>get</b>too<b>busy</b>aswellsothatshecouldbreathe.

    It<b>was</b><b>the</b>bestofbothworlds.

    Emelieknewshehadtorepayhimforbeingsoconsiderate,shehadtohelphimfinishtheprojectproperly.

    Otherthanthat,thewouldhavethe chancetojoinSwansonCorporation<b>as</b>well

    Whenshegotinthere,shewouldhaveastablejob<b>and</b>Ie

    Shedidherresearch.Gettinganartificialheartandhavingsurgerywouldcostatotalof800thousand

    Iftherewereadonorinthefuture,theywouldneedanother1.5million.Shewouldn¡¯thaveenoughmoneyforit.

    ¡°I¡¯vetoldyouthatCloudexCorporationmeansnothingto<b>me</b>now.You¡¯rethecoreoftheresearchteam.

    ¡°Ifyouhavemadeupyourmind,<b>we¡¯ll</b>naturallyfollowinyourfootsteps.¡±

    WilliamandBryantookacartandheadedtotherestaurantintheningcenter.

    Theycasuallytumedtheirheadsandsawaman<b>and</b><b>a</b>womansmilingateachotherwiththesunshiningonthefield

    Theylookedliketheyweregoingthroughthickandthintogether

    William<b>didn¡¯t</b>showanyemotionas<b>usual</b>.However<b>,</b>hecouldfefirecaging<b>in</b>hischest.

    Hecouldn¡¯tbelieveEmellewoulddaretoignorehiswords.

    Aftermellelefttheridingcenter,shewenttothepharmacytogetsomemedication

    ¹Å

    ItwaseasyfornewriderstoinjuretheskinontheirinnerthighsWhenshechanged,shesawherskin<b>was</b>damaged,andithurtalittle.

    <b>She</b>purposelyprovokedthehosetostopWilliam.However,sheonlydaredtoriskherlifebecausesheknewWilliamwasskilledenough tokeepthehorseinmerial

    Shewasabletomesswithhimwithoutbeinginanyrealdanger<b>,</b>anditwasworthittoher,

    Williamknewalotofthings,andhecouldbeunpredictable.HeaskedEmellewhyBryanwantedtotalktoSamuelprivately.

    ThatwasbecausehefiguredBryanwouldholdSamuelbacktomakesureSwansonCorporationstayedinpower.

    AlthoughitseemedlikeCloudexCorporationneededtoworkwith<b>Samuel¡¯s</b><b>team</b>,Williamwasn¡¯tworriedthatSamuelwouldrejectthepartnershipatall.

    Williamhadneverbeenpassiveinthebusinessworld.

    Afterbuyingthemedicationandleavingthepharmacy,EmeliewonderedifsheshouldvisithermotherinAlderbrook.Afterall,Samuelwouldn¡¯tbebusyforthenextfewdays.

    Suddenly,she sawafewmeninsuitsontheother<b>side</b>oftheroad.They<b>came</b>outofavintagerestaurant.

    Thegroup<b>of</b>menlooked<b>charming</b><b>and</b>attractive.Emehecouldn¡¯thelplookingatthem<b>for</b><b>awhile</b>.

    However,sheneverexpectedtosee<b>a</b>familiarfaceamongthem.

    She wasstunned

    Then,shecouldfeelherbloodboilinginsideofher.

    Emeliedidn¡¯tretumtoAlderbrookintheend.

    EmellecalledhomeandlearnedthatEliana<b>and</b>herdaughterwereapanyingGreta athome. So,Emeliedecidednottomakethetripbackhomeanymore.

    Itwasgettingcolder,andhavingsomestewwouldfeelthebest.Monapreparedthefood<b>,</b>andtheyhadamealonthebalcony.

    Thestewwaspipinghot,<b>and</b>thesmokefilledthe<b>air</b><b>,</b>makingthe<b>light</b>lookhazy,Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    MonacasuallyaskedEmeliehowherhorsebackridinglessonwent

    Emeliefilledherstomachandfelzy.SheleanedbackonherchairinherwhiteloosesweaterItwassoft,<b>and</b>itmadeherlookevezier.

    Shewasdistractedwhilecalling,andshedidn¡¯tevenhearwhatMona<b>said</b>toher.¡°What?¡±

    <b>¡°</b><b>I</b><b>said</b>can¡¯tbelievethatbastarddidn¡¯tthrowyouoffthehorsetogettrampledafteryouscolded him

    ¡°Heevensincerelytoughtyouhowtoridethehome.Washeoutofhismind?ThatwashowMonareferredtoWilliamrecently.

    Emeliepurgedherlips.

    Williamwasn¡¯toutofhismind.Sheknewwhatwashappening-

    Chapter141isHeNotComingBack

    212

    Hetaughthereverythingshsewpreviously.However,Samuelwastheonedoingthatnow.

    He<b>was</b>beingpossessive<b>and</b>hadtosnatchher<b>back</b>.Thatwaswhyhehadtoteachherhorsebackriding,too.

    Ofcourse,beingpossessivedidn¡¯tmeanhelikedher

    <b>That</b>washowcruelsomemenare.Evenaftertheypartedwiththeirpartners,theywouldstillthinktheirpartnersbelongedtothem.

    However,mostmenwouldonlythinkaboutitandnotdoanything.Williamwasdifferent.Hewasboldenoughtodemandher tobesingleuntilthedayshedied.

    Emeliedidn¡¯twanttohearhisnameanymore,sosheinterruptedMona.¡°Ifyouhearanynewsintheindustry,letmeknow.¡±

    ¡°What?What<bnd</b>ofnews?¡°!

    Emeliepursedher<b>lips</b>.¡°Gossipsoranyundisclosednews,justtellmeanything,likewhohasretumedtothecountry.¡±

    Monawasinabipany,andher<b>colleagues</b>would<b>always</b>minglewithwealthyscions.

    Previously,Mona¡¯s<b>colleague</b><b>had</b>toldherthatHenry<b>had</b>sentDaphneaway.

    Emeliewantedtousehercolleague toseeifthepersonshesawonthestreetearlierwaswho shethoughtitwas.Shewonderedifhewasreturning.

 CHAPTER 142

    Chapter142TheWorseningCondition

    Thenextmorning,Samuel¡¯steamsigned<b>a</b>contract withCloudexCorporation.Then,theyreceivednewsthatCloudex CorporationwasgoingonabusinesstriptoWinstourCity,andtheyhadtofollow

    Itmadesense.They<b>had</b>togather<b>data</b>on¨Csiteaswellbeforeproceedingwiththeresearch.Samuelhadtogo.Naturally,Emeliehadtofollowaswell.

    Aftertheysignedthecontract,bothpantiespartedways.WhenEmelieleftthemeetingroom,shenoticedshe<b>had</b><b>a</b>missedcall.ItwasfromEna.

    Emeliecalledherbackimmediately.

    ¡°I¡¯mfreenow.What¡¯swrong?

    Elianasaid,¡°IwanttotalktoyouaboutMom.She¡¯sbeensayingthatit¡¯shardtobreatheinthe<b>past</b>coupleofdays.*Shealsodoesn¡¯thaveanyappetiteandlooksawful.I¡¯mworriedthatherheartconditionisgettingworseagain.¡±

    Emeliesaidwithouthesitation,¡°I¡¯llgo<b>back</b>rightnowandbring hertothehospitalfor anexamination.¡±

    Manasaid,Filewithyou.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯snoneedforthat.Youneedtotakecareof<b>Luna</b><b>at</b>home.I¡¯llletyouknowifthere¡¯sanything.¡±

    EnalistenedtoEmelle.

    EmeliefoundSamundborrowedhiscar.

    Samuelgave<b>her</b>thekeyswithouthesitation¡°Hassomethinghappened,Emelic?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯snothing.I¡¯lldrivetotheuniversitytomorrow.¡°¡®

    Emellewasafraidthathemightbewontedaboutherandwouldwanttogotothehospitalwithher.Sheknewhehadotherprioritiesatthatmoment.

    Samuel<b>shook</b>his<b>head</b>.¡°There¡¯snorush.Drivesafe.Letmeknowifyouneedhelp.¡±

    Emelieleftinsh

    inhurry,andWilliamsawit.

    Samaltomedacound,andthetwomen¡¯sgazesmet.Sampelnoddedpolitely.

    Williamnoddedbackandlett

    EmeliereturnedtoAlderbrookandpickedupGreta.Then,theyarrivedatthecityhospital.Theychangedhospitalsatterwhathadhappened<b>previously</b>.

    Theexaminationresultsshowedthatherheartconditionwasworsening

    Thedoctorsaidsolemnly,¡°Wehavetoproceedwiththetransntassoonaspossible.Otherwise,thepatientmightdieatanymoment.¡±

    Emelse¡¯sheartsank!

    Thatwashow<b>it</b>wasforpatientswithsevereheartconditions.

    Although theywerepromised<b>they</b>hadsixmoremonths,itcouldchange<b>and</b>worsenatanymoment,

    Ithadonlybeenlessthanthreemonths,andGreta¡¯sconditionwasn¡¯tlookinggoodanymore.

    ¡°Dr.Chadwick,<b>I</b>askedyouaboutartificialheartsbefore.¡±Emelietriedaskingaboutit..

    KrisChadwicknodded.¡°Whenthere¡¯snodonor,anartificialbeartisaviablechoice.I¡¯vealsosentyousomeinformationaboutit,

    *However,theproblem<b>stays</b>thesame.Artificialheartshaveahighchanceofcontaminatingthebody,

    ¡°Oncethebodyisinfected,thesituationmightbeworse,¡±

    ThatwasthereasonwhyEmeliedidn¡¯tdaretoletGretagothroughthesurgeryyet.

    Kriforted,¡°<b>You</b>don¡¯thavetoworry,Ms.Hoven.Sofar<b>,</b>we<b>can</b>stillstabilizethepatient¡¯sconditionwithrgerdoseofmedication.Youstillhavesometimeto<b>think</b>aboutit.¡±

    Emeliepursedherlips.¡°Isitdangerousfor mymomtoleavethehospitalinherconditionnow?

    BeforeIdecideifwewanttoeptanartificialheart,canshestayinthehospital?¡±

    ¡°Ofcourse,thatgoeswithout<b>saying</b>,Iwasalsogoingtohaveherstayatthehospitalsothatitwouldbeeasierforustomonitorher.

    *However,yourfamilycan¡¯ttaketoolongtodecideontheartificialheart.¡±

    understand.Thank<b>you</b>,Dr.ChadwickN?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

    AfterErisleft,Emeliesatonthebenchinthehallway.

    Sheleanedherbackagainstthewasthesunshhroughthewindow.Itwasbright,butnotbrightenoughtoreach<b>her</b>feet.Itfeltweak likehowshewasfeelingatthemoment

    Emeliethoughtaboutitforal

    alongtimeandstilldidn¡¯thavethecouragetotryit.So,shecalledElianatoaskforsomeopinion.However,Enahadnoopinionasusual.ShesaidshewouldgowithEmelie¡¯sdecision

    ?¡°Greta¡¯sweak,voicecame<b>from</b>theward,andEmeliehurriedlyenteredthe<b>room</b><b>.</b>¡°I¡¯mhere,Mom¡±Gretyonthebedandlookedpale.¡°Eme<b>,</b>tellmethetrails.As<b>not</b>gettinganybetter?¡±

    Chapter142TheWorschingCondition

    ¡°<b>That¡¯s</b>notit.YouwerejusttoohappybecauseDad¡¯ssentence<b>was</b>reduced.So,yourheartwastootired.

    ¡°YouneedtostayhereforafewdaysandcalmdownwithsomeIVdrips.Thedoctorsaidyoushouldcontrolyouremotionsinthefuture andnotgettooexcited.Youcan¡¯tbetoosadorhappy.¡±

    Gretaclosed hereyesandmumbled,¡°Ifesleepjustnowand dreamedaboutourfamilyfromthegoodolddays¡­¡±

    Chapter11TheMindWasDidArquintance

    =

 CHAPTER 143

    Chapter143TheMastermindWasanOldAcquaintanceN?velDrama.Org holds ? this.

    ¡°Iopenedasmallgrocerystorewithyourdad.You,Eli,<b>and</b>Ashwerestillyoungandwouldheadtothesnacksectionrightafterschool,¡±Goetasaid,reminiscing.Shecontinued,¡°Yourdadwouldscoldyouthereforeatingthestoreaway.Then,youwouldhidebehindmeashetriedtopunishyouthree.Iprotectedyouguys,andyouranoutsideinjoy.

    ¡°yourdaddidn¡¯treallywanttopushyouguys.Heletitgoafter1stoppedhim.Hedidn¡¯twantyouthreetoeattoomuch<b>because</b>hewantedtosurpriseyouguyswithprawnsfordinner.Ah,thosewerethegoodolddays¡±

    Indeed,thosewerethegoodolddays.

    Beforeeverythingthathadhappened,theirlivesweresimpleyetfulfilled.Itwasthetrapthattoretheirfamilyapart.

    Emeliestill<b>had</b>noideahowthingsturnedoutthewayitdid.

    Aftershemadesomefriends,shetriedtoinvestigate.However,thosepeoplefrombackthendisappearedwithoutatrace.

    Sometimes,shewouldwonderifherlifewouldbpletelydifferentifitweren¡¯tforthetrap.

    ¡°Eme,promisemesomething.IfIcan¡¯tbesavedanymore,<b>don¡¯t</b>wastemoneyonme.Idon¡¯twantyoutolosemoneyandme<b>at</b>thesametime.Idon¡¯twanttoburden<b>you</b>,evenindeath.¡±

    Emelietearedupandsilentlyshookherhead.Shewouldn¡¯t let thathappen

    youhavetofindAshandbringherback,Eme.Shewastricked¡­¡±

    ¡°However,yu

    Forthenexttwodays,SamuelhadnojobforEmelle,soshetookcareofhermomatthehospital.

    Gretawasgreatatknittingscarves.Shewantedto<b>knit</b>oneforEmeliebecause<b>it</b>waswinter,andsheknewEmeliedidn¡¯tlikethecold.

    Emeliethoughtknittingwouldn¡¯tbetootiring.Plus,itwould be<b>nice</b>forhermomtohavesomethingtodo.Gretawouldn¡¯tkeepthinkingaboutgivingupontreatmentaswell.

    Thus,Emelieboughtsomeyam<b>and</b><b>a</b>pairofknittingn

    She heldthe<b>yamas</b>Gretakattedthescarf.Theyworkedtogether,andhalfofthestartwasdonesoon.

    However,thepeacedidn¡¯st<b>long</b><b>,</b>andEmeliereceivedsomemessages.

    TheywerefromMona

    ¡°Emelle<b>,</b>someone<b>snapped</b><b>a</b>videoofyouhorsebackridingwithWilham.You¡¯retrendingon theintemet again.¡±

    TherewasaLinkaswell<b>.</b>

    EmelietappedonitandsawthatitwasavideoofWilliamridingahomewithher.Shecouldn¡¯thandleitanymore,soshepulledtheleadandmadethehorserearup.

    Itwas<b>most</b>likelytakenbyoneof<b>the</b>visitorsattheridingcenter.

    Thevideowasn¡¯tpostedwithillintent.<b>Instead</b>,theywerefocusingonhowdashingthemanlookedandhowprettyshewas.

    Emeliereadthments.Theyweremostlplimentingtheirlooksaswell.TheyalsosaldhowWilliamwasgreatathorsebackridingandhowitlookedlike<b>a</b>show.

    Emeliebrowsedthroughthments,anditwasnothingserious.So,shedidn¡¯tcareaboutit.

    Eversinceshort¨Cformvideosbecamepopr,itwaseasyforanyobeviral.However,thefamewasshort¨Clived,likeafirework

    Emelleguardthatthewholethingwouldbeforgottenbeforethenextday.However,thingsprogressedtheoppositewaytheywentoutofherexpectations

    Thatnight,apostappearedonline.Itpointedoutthatthe<b>female</b><b>horseback</b>riderwasafamilymemberofthepersoncausing<b>a</b>sceneatthehospitaltwomonths

    ¡°Recently,herdad<b>was</b>sentencedtoonlythreemonthsinjail.Atfirst,Iwas<b>in</b>disbelief.Now,everythingmakessense.Itturnsoutthatshehasfoundherselfagreatbacking¡±

    Afterthepost appeared,thmentsstartedgoinginadifferentdirection¨CtheybeganattackingEmelie.

    Whatwasweirder<b>was</b>thattheyonlytargetedher.NoonementionedWilliam,<b>even</b>thoughhewasaleadcharacterinthestory.

    Emeliedidn¡¯tlookintoittoomuchandjusttookaquicknce.However,shestillmanagedtocatchsomepeoplecalling<b>her</b>nastynames,likeaslut<b>or</b>anescort.

    Shewasnonchntaboutit,butMonawasinfuriated

    ¡°Whataloadofnonsense!Where¡¯stheirproof?You¡¯venever<b>been</b><b>a</b><b>slut</b>oranescort!Whatabunchofkeyboardwarriorsinlingyoubehindtheirscreens.They¡¯recrazy

    Emellesaid,¡°There¡¯snoneedtobeangry.It¡¯sallnonsenseanyway.¡°.

    Monathoughtitwasn¡¯tright.

    ¡°Ithinkthefirstpersonwhomadethefirstposthasbeentargetingyou.<b>They</b>areeveninteractingwiththmenters.Justlookatthem.They¡¯resayinghowyou¡¯resnatchingsomeoneelse¡¯sboyfriend

    ¡°Also,theperson¡¯sIPaddressislocatedinCapebattCity,WhydoIhaveafeeling<b>it¡¯s</b>someoneknow?I¡¯mgoingto<b>find</b>outwhothey<b>are</b>!¡±

    EmeliethoughtMonawasjusteallysayingit.Sheneverexpectedhertrendtobeserious

    Monawentthroughtheperson¡¯spreviousposts,mutualfriends<b>,</b>anments.Sheactuallygottothebottomofitandfoundthemastermind!Themastermindwastrulyanoldacquaintance.

    Jaydenfeltgenerousaswell,andhegaveout giftsinjoy.Afterawholeday<b>of</b>yinggolf,hespentatleastamilliondors.

    Williamwasinck¨Cand¨Cwhiteattire.HelookedthroughhissunssesattheholeonabillThen,heswunghisclub.

 CHAPTER 144

    ¡°Ms.Hovensurecan¡¯t

    Chapter144TheMiscarriage

    Thesunwasshiningbrightlyforonceduringthewinter.WilliamwasyinggolfwithJaydenandtherest.

    Jaydenwasfeelingluckythatday,andhewashitting<b>great</b>shots.Hekeptgettinghole-in-ones,andtheotherswerepraisinghim.

    ¡°Youdon¡¯thavetoworryaboutspendingmoneyonme.I¡¯vehadmy eyessetonthatbottleofBrandyofyoursforalongtime.Justgivemethat,hmented.Jaydenjokinglyscoldedhim,¡°I¡¯mkeepingthatformywedding.Don¡¯tyoudarethinkaboutit!¡±

    Lylewasn¡¯tinterestedinthesport.Hewasonlytheretojoininthefim.¡°EvenEliasismarried.<b>When</b>areyougettingmarried,Jayden?You¡¯vebeenwithyourgirlfriendformanyyearsnow<b>,</b>right

    TH

    ¡°Yelenaisbusythisyear,andwe¡¯lltalkaboutmarriagenextyear,¡±Jaydenexined.

    Then,heturnedtoWilliam¡°Bytheway,I¡¯veheardthatMs.HovenisnowSamuel¡¯ssecretary.Isthattrue?¡±

    <b>¡°</b><b>I</b>guess,¡±Williamrepliedcurtly.Then,hewalkedtotheballhehadjusthit,indifferenttothequestion.

    Ashestartedwalking,JaydenandLylefollowedhim.Then,Jaydenasked,¡°Didyoufindoutalongtimeago?Don¡¯tyoufenythingaboutit?HallofWilliam¡¯sfacewascovered byhissunsses.Itwasalreadyhardtotellhowhewas<b>feeling</b>.Atthatmoment,itwasevenhardertodoso.

    Williamhitthebagain,anditflew.Theyapproacheditoncemoreandputinagtomarkitslocation.

    ¡°Whatfeelingsshouldhave?¡±Williamaskedcalmly.¡°I¡¯mtoobusywiththeprojectinWimstourCitynow.Ican¡¯taffordtobedistractedbyher.¡±jaydentuggedWilliam¡¯ssleeveandhestratedforamoment.Then,hesaidwithhiseyebrowsraised,<b>¡°</b>Youstillbelievethatshehad<b>a</b>miscarriage,right?¡±Lyle<b>wasn¡¯t</b>takingpartintheconversationandwasonhisphoneatfirst.WhenheheardwhatJaydensaid,heimmediatelylookedup.¡°Whatmiscarriage?¡±Jaydenexined,¡°Ms.Hovenhadamanageaboutsixmonthsago.Will,youdidn¡¯tstopherfromlookingforanewjobbecauseyouweregoingsoftonher,right?

    Lylehad<b>a</b>conflictedlookonhisface.¡°Ms.Hovenhad<b>a</b>miscantage?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯reoverthinkingit.There¡¯snoreasonformyactions.Ihaveherinmyhold<b>,</b><b>and</b>mymooddecidesherfate.I¡¯mignoringhernowbecauseI¡¯mbusy,¡°William

    said.

    Thingsmightbedifferentafterhewasdonewiththeproject.Therewasnosuchthingasgoingsofttohim.

    HethoughtEmelieshouldlistentotheiisation.

    Williamdidn¡¯t<b>look</b>likehewasinterestedinthe conversation.Hewalkedtothehillrightaway.Then,hehitanothershot,andtheballwentrightintothehole.

    Hegottheballintotheholeinthreeshots,whichcouldbeconsideredagreatSeatContent rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    Jaydenshookhishead.Lyleputhis<b>phone</b><b>away</b>and<b>asked</b>withafrown,¡°Jayden,whydoyouthinkWilliamisgoingsoftjustbecauseheon¡¯tstoppingMs.Hovenfromfindinganewjob?¡±

    Ms.Hovengotpregnantbecause<b>of</b>him.Shouldn¡¯thebegoingsoft?¡±Jaydenasked.

    ¡°Whyshouldhegosodt?Lylepursedhislips.¡°Whynotjuspensateherandgetitoverwith?¡±

    Jaydenshotyle nce.¡°That¡¯sbecauseyouwereneverinterestedin<b>aary</b>ofthewomenyouwerewithbefore.¡±

    Lylehuffed.<b>¡°</b><b>You¡¯re</b>sayingitlikeWilliamisactuallyinterestedinMs.Hoven.¡±

    Jaydensmiled.¡°Ms.Bovenisactuallygoodat<b>ying</b>golfaswell.¡±

    LylewasconfusedandwonderedwhyJaydenwouldsuddenlythinkthatway.

    JaydenpointedhischintowardWilliamandsaid,¡°Williamwastheonewhotaughther

    Hackthen,EmelieknewnothingwhenshefirstgotwithWilliam.Hewouldteachherhowtodoeverything.

    Amanlikehimwouldneverbepatientlikethat.Emellewastheonlyexception

    Wimfeltsomething<b>special</b>forher.ThatwaswhyJaydenkeptthinkingtheywouldbetogetherandend<b>up</b>married.

    However,thingshadgottenoutofcontrol.Jaydenwonderedwhentheir<b>rtionship</b>starteditsdownwardspiral.

    Hecouldn¡¯tremember.

    <b>Jayden</b>couldonlyrememberhowWilliamseemedto bein<b>a</b>terriblemoodonarainynight.HewasdrinkingtheentirenightinWestward<b>Club</b>alone.

    Thebartenderwasshockedbyhim<b>and</b><b>called</b>Jaydeninaberry,

    WhenJaydenarrived,hesawwilliamlyingon thecouch.Themanwhohadalwaysbeenindifferentanddidn¡¯t<b>care</b>aboutanythingintheworldwasclearlymiserablethatnight.

    It<b>looked</b>likehe<b>was</b>hurt.

    Atthatmoment,Jaydenhadagutfeeling<b>that</b>ithadsomethingtodowithEmelle

    LyfescrolledthroughhisphoneandnowthevideoofEmelieandWilliamhorsebackriding.Henarrowed<b>his</b>eyesatthenegativments.

    catchabreakforevenaday,¡±hesaid,clickinghistongue.Then,hecalledWilliam¡¯sname.

    Williamturnedtowardhim,andLylepassedhimthephone.

    Hencedthroughthepostthroughhissunssesexpressionlessly.

    Lyleobservedhisreaction andasked,¡°Shouldwehandlethis?<b>¡±</b>

 CHAPTER 145

    Chapter145DaphneChanged

    WhenElianavisitedGreta,Emelielefttheirmotherinhercareandleftthehospital.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Mona saidshehadfoundthepersonwhostartedtherumor.¡°DoyoustillrememberCecileZiegler?¡±

    Emeliethoughtthenamesoundedfamiliar.¡°Isitthegirlwho<b>shared</b>aroomwithusback inuniversity?¡±sheasked.

    ¡°Yes!That¡¯sher!Shewastheonewhohadherdirtysockseverywhere.Wheneveritwasherturntoclean,she¡¯dstayoutsideandnoteback.Shewastheweirdowhowouldleavehertissuesinthetoiletandnotflushitaway!¡±

    Emeliewassurprised.¡°Wasshetheonewhomadethepost?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯mcertainofit!Inhetestpost,she<b>said</b>shewasmeetingafriendforlunch.Shetaggedacaf¨¦inapost.Ibetshe¡¯sstillthere.Let¡¯sgotherenow.¡±

    Emeliehalled<b>a</b><b>cab</b>andcalledAshleyinthevehicle.Shesimplyrecountedthestoryandaskedifshewasavabletovisitthecaf¨¦withthem.

    Itinvolvedthw,andEmeliewasworriedshemightsaythewrongthing.Itfeltsafer<b>with</b><b>a</bwyerthere.

    SinceAshleywasfree,sheagreed.Then,thethreewomendepartedfromtheirrespectivelocationsandarrivedatthecaf¨¦aroundthesametime.Monaledthegroupandrushedinsidefirst.

    Atthatmoment,thereweren¡¯tmanypeopleinthecaf¨¦.MonawasabletolockhergazeonCecile.¡°CecileZiegler!WhyareyouspreadingliesaboutEmelieontheinte?¡±

    Meanwhile,EmelielookedatthewomansittingoppositeCecileandthoughther<b>back</b>lookedfamiliar.

    BeforeEmeliefiguredoutwhothewomanwas,sheturnedtowardthem.

    It wasDaphne!

    Monaimmediatelyscoldedthem,¡°Isee!Youtwoare worldingtogether!IwaswonderingwhyCecilewouldtalkaboutEmelielikethatfornoreason.<b>So</b>,you¡¯rethemastermind,bitch!Snakes!¡±

    Cecilewasclearlyanxiouswhen<b>they</b>foundher.However,shewasstillstubbornlydenyingit.¡°Ihavenoideawhatyou¡¯retallingabout.I¡¯mjustmeetingwithafriendandhavingsomecoffee.¡±

    ¡°Ms.Hardy,isn¡¯titinappropriateforyoutostartscoldingpeoplerightafterenteringthecate?¡±Daphneasked.

    Monahuffed.¡°Thisismebeingpolitewithyou,youbitch<b>!</b>¡±

    Then,Daphnestartedarecordingonherphone.¡°Thisis<b>a</bw¨Cabidingsociety,<b>and</b>weneedprooftospeakIfyou continuethrowingInsultsatme,I¡¯llhirewyer.Then,I¡¯llgetyoutoapologizeforusingme.¡±

    EmellethoughtthatDaphinehadchangedalot.ShewasnolongerthefragilewomanEmelieremembered.Atthatmoment,Daphne<b>was</b><b>calm</b>andcollected.

    <b>Only</b>achangeinherenvironmentorpersonallifewouldcausesuchagreatchangeinas

    ashorttime.Shewasmoreconfidentnow.

    Emeliedidn¡¯tdaretothinkaboutwhereDaphnegothercouragefrom.

    ShewalkedtowardDaphne,andthttersmiledfaintly<b>.</b>¡°Emelie.¡±

    Emellethoughtshe<b>had</b>masteredthe skilltostaposed.However,itseemedtoherthatDaphnewasstillbetteratit.IfEmeliewerein<b>Daphne¡¯s</b>shoes,shewouldneverbe<b>this</b>calmand politeafterthey<b>had</b>afallout.

    Sincewewereabletofindyou,thatmeanswehaveourproof.We¡¯vebrought<b>a</b><bwyer</b>.Ms.ZieglerandMs.Bowen,feelfreetoaskanylegalquestions,andmwyercanansweryou,¡±Emeliesaidcalmly.

    Monascoffed.¡°You¡¯reTheDarkMoon,right?YouweretheonewhospreadtherumorsaboutEmelie.I¡¯vetakenascreenshotofeverything,andI¡¯llhandthemovertoouwyer.Let¡¯sseehowyou¡¯regoingtodefendyourselfnext.

    Cecilewasanxious.¡°Iwasjuststatingthetruth!¡±shesaidthrough grittedteeth.ThatmanwasDaphne¡¯sboyfriend.Weren¡¯tyouseducinghimbyridingsoclose

    tohim?¡±

    Ashleysaidcalmly,¡°Let¡¯sforgetaboutyouformingyourownopinionsafterseeingthe<b>footage</b>fornow.Ihopeyoucangethingstraight.Evenifthere¡¯ssomethingbetweenthem,itisn¡¯tsomethingthatyoucanusetomaketheInteattackMs.Hoven

    Wecansueyouforinvadingher<b>private</b>lifeandrightswheneverwewant.Then,you¡¯llbeaskedtoapologizeanpensateforcausingmyclient¡¯sdistress.¡±

    CecilepanickedandquicklylookedatDaphne.

    Dapluestoodupandgentlyasked,¡°Inthat<b>case</b>,Ihavesomethingtoaskyou.Whatisthepunishmentforhurtinganddisfiguringsomeoneintentionally?¡±

    Chapter16HisWife

 CHAPTER 146

    Chapter146HisWife

    Ashleyfrowned.

    DapurnedtoMona¡°Ms.Hardyhurtmebefore.Althoughmywoundshavehealed,Ihavescarsbecauseofit.Istillhavephotosandthereportofmyinjuries.If<b>1</b>postthemonlineandtelltheintemetwhathappened,itwouldn¡¯tbeanusation,right?¡±

    <b>Emelie</b>hadnever<b>shared</b>thatinformationwithAshley,andthwyer<b>was</b>takenaback.Then,shelookedatEmelie.

    MonawasinDaphne¡¯sgrasp,andshewasinstantlystunned

    However,Eneliewasstillcalm.

    ¡°Sure.Goaheadandposteverything.I¡¯mquitefamousnow,andeveryoneknowsmeasthedaughterofthemanwhocaused<b>a</b>sceneatthehospital.Ifyoubringuptheincidentagain,the intewillfindoutyourfamilyreceivedtheheart.They<b>can</b>evenfindoutwebothusedtoworkinCloudexCorporation.¡±

    <b>Daphne</b>pursedherlips.¡°So,what?¡±

    ¡°Idon¡¯tknowwhatwillhappenbecausetheinteisunpredictable.Whoknowswhatdisasteritcouldbring?Let¡¯sseewhosuffersthegreaterlossaftereverythingunfolded.¡±

    DaphnewasstunnedbywhatEmeliehad<b>said</b>.

    Then,EmellelookedatCecileagain.¡°I¡¯mnotinterestedinwhatyou¡¯vesaidaboutmeonlineorthereasonbehindit.Bytheendoftheday,Idon¡¯twanttoseethosepostsinyourprofileanymore.

    ¡°Youalsoneedtoapologizetomepubliclyonyourount<b>and</b>clearmyname.Otherwise,I¡¯llsueyou.Icanpromiseyouthat.¡±

    Withthat,EmeliegrabbedMona¡¯shandandnoddedat Ashley.Then,theyleft

    Astheywalkedaway,Monawasstillcursing.¡°Ican¡¯tbelievethosetwoareworkingtogether!Ah,Iknownow!TherewasanountnamedDaffywithDaffyDuckasherprofilepicture.ThatwasDaphne!SheinteractswithCecileonInstagramthemost!¡±

    MonaimmediatelypulledupDaphne¡¯sInstagramount andshowedittoEmelle.Emelietookca<b>nce</b><b>and</b><b>saw</b>apostthatDaphnepostedpreviously.

    ¡°Isaidyouweremygiftfromtheheavens.YousaidIwasyourtreasure.<b>¡±</b>

    Thepictureinthepostshowedtwocupsofcoffee<b>,</b>andtherewasn¡¯tanyoneinit.However,therewas<b>a</b>handinthecornerofthepicture,andthehandhadamoleonit.ItwasWilliamThis content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelieretractedhergazewithoutfeelinganything.Then,sheturnedtoAshleyandsaid,¡°Thankyou,Ms.Thornton.Sorryforthetroublestoday.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯vewastedhalfanhour.Afteraquickcalction.It¡¯llcostyou30thousanddors,¡±Ashleysaidcalmly.

    Emeliewasspeechless.

    ¡°However,I¡¯mhungry,andI¡¯mmoreinterestedinfood<b>than</b>moneynow.Iwon¡¯tchargeifyoucantreatmetoameal.¡±

    EmeliefinallyrealizedAshleywasjustmessingwithher.Shecouldn¡¯thelughing,¡°Alright.I¡¯lltreatyoubothtodinnertoday¡±

    Whentheycameoutoftherestaurantaftertheirdinner,<b>it</b>starteddrizzling.

    Ashleyaskedthemtowaitforherasshedrovehercarover.Asshespoke,Ashleysuddenlylockedhereyesonsomewherefar,andhergazeturnedcold.

    EmeliefollowedhergazeandsawEliasgrabbingan adorableyoungwoman¡¯sarm.Theylefttherestauranttogetherandgotintoasportscar.

    EmeliethoughtofthetimeshesawEliasbackatAshley¡¯soffice.Ifsherememberedcorrectly,heseemedtobelookingforAshleybackthen.

    ¡°Elias?Didn¡¯thegetmarriestmonth<b>?</b>¡±<b>Mona</b>muttered.¡°I<b>think</b>thewomanhewaswithwasaninfluencer.¡±

    Henryhadmentioneditbeforeaswell.However,Emeliedidn¡¯tknowwhoEliasgotmarriedto.

    ¡°Yeah,I¡¯mhiswife,¡±Ashelysaidunexpectedly.

    EmelleandMonalookedatherinshock.

    ItseemedthatElias<b>was</b>cheatingatthemoment,

    Ashleystayed<b>calm</b>anddrovehercaroverbeforesendingthemhome.

    WhileMonawasapplyinghermask,shebeganhertirade,¡°<b>As</b>expected,mencan¡¯tbetrusted<b>at</b><b>all</b>!They¡¯reallthesame!Ofcourse,mydearHugoisthe exception.¡°Howcouldhebetrayabeautifnd<b>capable</b>womanlikeMs.Thomton?He¡¯shavinganaffairafter<b>a</b>monthofmarriage.Whatabastard!¡±

 CHAPTER 147

    Chapter147WhoDidItThisTime

    Emelledidn¡¯tsayanything.ShewasbusypickingacaretakerforGreta

    ShewasgoingonabusnesstripwithSamuelthatweekend<b>,</b>andshedidn¡¯tknowwhenshewouldbe<b>back</b>

    Itcould<b>take</b>aweek.Itcouldevenbeamonth.SinceEnaneededtotakecareofhertwo¨Cmonth¨Colddaughter,shewouldn¡¯thave<b>much</b>timetospendatthehospital.

    MonascrolledthroughInstagrammenting.¡°ThatCecilesureisacoward.Shecouldn¡¯tevenadmitshewrotethepost.ShejustheardgossipandspreadliesonInstagram.Shenever expectedthingstogetoutofhand.Now,everyoneontheinteisscoldingher.¡±

    Afterawhile,MonasaidthatCecilehaddisabledthmentsection.Twohourter,shesaidthatCecilehaddeactivatedherount.

    ¡°Inthat<b>case</b>,let¡¯sforgetitandenditthere.¡±Emeliewasn¡¯tinthemoodtodwellonthematter.

    Intheend,Monsmattered,¡°Everythinghappenedsofast.IfIhadn¡¯tseenitformyself,Iwould¡¯vethoughtsomeoneelsewas behindit¡±

    Usually,evenifthepersonbehindanonlinediscussionlikethiscameouttomakethingsclear,theIntewouldsuspectthattheywerebeingpaidtodoso.However<b>,</b>thatwasn¡¯tthecasewithCecile.

    Infact,beforeshemadeanyrifications,peoplehadalreadychangedtheiropiniononthematter.

    MusicstedinthehallofWestwardClub

    Lyleleanedonthebarcounterandcasuallyenjoyeda<b>ss</b>ofbees.Hesentamessagefromhisphone:¡°William,I¡¯vetakencareofeverythingonline.¡±

    William¡°Alright.¡±

    Then,Lylelefttheclubtosmolbythe<b>road</b><b>.</b><b>When</b>hecasuallylookedup,heunexpectedlysawsomeonefamiliar.ItwasSamuel.

    was.HecouldSamueljustcameoutfrom theoppositerestaurant.Therewasaman<b>in</b>asuitnexttohim.Sincethelightsweredim,Lylecouldn¡¯tseewhothemany<b>only</b>tellthatthemanlookedtall

    Samundthemangotinto<b>a</b>car.Lyleflickedhiscigarette

    andbegantowonder

    Inthe<b>car</b><b>,</b>Samuel lookedathisphone.EverydiscussionaboutEmelie<b>was</b>gone.Helookedatthemanandasked,¡°Didyougetsomeone<b>to</b>handlethis?¡±

    Hewasresponsibleforittoo.

    Samuelwonderedwhoshouldtakethecreditthistime.

    Regardless,theyallthoughteverythingwasoverandhadreturnedtonormal.However,thingsblewupagainthenextday,anditwas outofcontroll

    EmeliehadjustreachedCapebattUniversityandsawSamuel;Beforeshecouldgreethim,herphonestartedsinging.

    Uponansweringthecall,sheheardMonacrying¡°EmelieComepick me upatthpanynow!

    Emeliefrowned.Then,sheimmediatelyturnedandlefttheuniversity.¡°Whathappened?¡±sheasked.

    AsMonastuttered,Emeliefinallyleamedwhathadhappened.

    SomeoneleakedthefootageofLeontearingMona¡¯sclothesandsentittohepany¡¯sgroupchat.TheyevensaidMonawasassaultedbyagroupofmen!

    Thematterblewupinthpany,causingaterribleimpact.Mona¡¯ssuperiorhadsuspendedher.

    Emelleneverwould¡¯veexpectedsomeodosuchavileact,andhermoodplummeted.Asshetriedtohacab,hermindraced,<b>thinking</b>aboutwhowasbehind

    OnlyahandfulofpeopleknewthatEmelieandMonawerealmosttakenadvantageofbyLeon.Otherthanhim,onlyWilliam,Lyle,andLyle¡¯smenwereinthecoom

    <b>backthen</b>

    AsforthefootagefromWestwardClub,onlyaninsidercouldgettheirhandsonit.

    TheywerebasicallytargetingMonabysendingittohepany.Thequestionremained:whowastheculprit?

    Suddenly,anameappearedinEmelie¡¯smind¨CDaphne!

    JudgingbyhowDaphneactedtheprevious<b>day</b>,shewasclearlystingryatMonsfordisfiguringher.Shediditforrevenge.

    ¡°Emelie.¡±

    Emelieturned,andSamuelwasbyherside.Itsurprisedher.¡°Whyareyouhere?Don¡¯tyoustill<b>have</b><b>ss</b>?¡±

    Samuelsaidgentlyandfirmly,¡°Iexchangedmysessionwiththenextlecturer,soI¡¯mfreefortwohoursnow.What happened?Letmehandleitwithyou.¡±

    Henoticedshelookedslightlyoffandfiguredhe<b>couldn¡¯t</b>letherleavebyherself

    EmeliewasinanashtogotoMona¡¯pany;shecouldn¡¯twaitforacab.Thinkingitover,she decidedtoletSamueldriveherthere.

    Whiletheywereinthecar,Emeliewasstill<b>thinking</b>aboutit.<b>She</b>wonderedhowDaphnegotthefootageinWestwardClub.

    LylewastheownerofWestwardClub,socoulditbehim?becoulditbeWilliamwhogaveittoDaphne?,

    Therewereonlyafewpeoplethere.So,EmeliefiguredWilliammist¡¯vetoldher.

    Theretrulyshoulder¡¯tbeaanysecretsbetweencouples.However,Emeliewasdisgustedandfuriouswhenshethoughtabouthowtheyweaponizedwhathad

    Chapter17Who DiditThisTime

    It

    happenedtoherandMona.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

 CHAPTER 148

    Chapter<b>148</b>Backed<b>by</b>William

    UponarrivingatMona¡¯pany,EmeliesawMonawithHugoin front ofthebuilding.

    MonawasgrabbingHugo¡¯shandwhilecrying,andHugolookedannoyedandfrustrated.Heswungherhandaway.

    Meanwhile,Mona¡¯scolleagueswerewatchingandsnappingpictures<b>.</b>Someweredoingitfromthewindows,andsomeweresurroundingthecouple.

    Monafelltotheground,andHugoleftinhiscar.Shecriedher eyesout.

    Shehadalwaysbeenconfidentandcheerful.Now<b>,</b>shehadbeajokeinthpany.

    Emelie<b>got</b>outofthecarwithouthesitation.ShetookoffhercoatandcoveredMona¡¯sheadwithit.

    Samuelparkedthecarnexttothem,andEmeliehelpedMonagetintothevehicle.

    Monaleaned intoEmelie¡¯sembraceandsobbed,¡°Hugo¡­Hugobrokeupwithme!WhenhepickedmeupatWestwardClubthatnight andsawthestateIwasin,hekeptaskingwhathappened<b>to</b>me.

    ¡°Ididn¡¯tdaretotellhimthetruth,soIsaidIgottoodrunkandranintosomethugsonthestreet.Then,Itoldhimthatnothinghappenedtomebecauseyouwerethereaswell.

    ¡°Hereceivedthosepicturestoday.HecameafterIaskedhimtopickmeup.However,hestartedcallingmeabitchrightafterhearrived¡­¡±

    ¡°What¡¯stheretocryaboutwhenyoubreakupwithamanwhocallsyouabitch?Youshouldbehappytoleaveabastardlikehim,¡±Emeliesaidinanattempttforther.

    The carstoppedataredlight.EmeliegrabbedsomenapkinstowipeMona¡¯stears.

    Suddenly,MonasawDaphneonthestreet.¡°Shedefinitelydidthis!¡±shesaidangrily.

    Then,sheopenedthedoorandrushedout.

    Emeliecouldn¡¯treactintime.Sheknewtherewouldbetrouble.

    Thereweremanypeopleandsurveincecamerasonthestreet.IfMonawererecordedbeatingDaphneupinpublic,itwouldbeusedasevidenceagainsther.

    Emeliequicklygotoutofthecar.Shedidn¡¯tcheckbothsidesof<b>the</b>road,andacarsuddenly came towardher.

    WilliamwasinthebackofthecarwhenAbelmmedonthebrakes.Hisbodyjoltedforwardduetothemomentum.

    Fortunately<b>,</b>he grabbedthefrontseatanddidn¡¯tinjurehimself.

    Hefrowned,andAbel¡¯sface wentpaleinshock.¡°Mr.Middleton,itwasn¡¯tmyfault¡­Someonesuddenlyrushedout.I-¡±

    Samuelhurriedlycameoutofhiscar.JustastheothercarwasabouttohitEmelie,hegrabbedherhandandpulledherintohisembrace.

    ThatwaswhywhenWilliamlookedup,hesawamanandawomanhugginginfrontofhiscarliketheywereinamovie.

    Atthatmoment,hethoughtAbelshould¡¯vejustrunthemover.

    Williamlookedicy,andAbelcouldn¡¯ttellifthemanwasupsetbecausehealmosthitapedestrianorforsomeotherreason.

    <b>¡°</b>DoIhavetoteachyouhowtohorn?¡±Williamaskedsarcastically.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    Abelgulpedandhonkedthe horn.

    ThenoisemadeEmeliereturntohersenses.ShelookedatSamundthankedhim.

    Then,sherememberedMonaandrantoherwithoutacareintheworld.

    Williamfollowedherwithhisgazeassherushedacrosstheroad.

    <b>¡°</b>M¨CMr Middleton,youstillhaveanappointment¡­¡±Abelhesitantlysaid.

    SeeingSamuelrunningafterEmelie,Williamlooked awayandloosenedhistie.Heignoredtherageboilinginsidehim.

    <b>¡°</b><b>Go</b>,¡±hesaidcoldly.

    Thecardroveoff,andWilliamdidn¡¯tnoticeDaphnewasthere,whereEmeliewasheaded.

    <b>Mona</b>raisedherhandandwasabouttop Daphne.However,Emeliegrabbedherhandintime.

    ¡°Mona!<b>¡±</b><b>she</b>eximed.

    Mona wanted<b>to</b>pounceonDaphnelikeamadwoman.<b>¡°</b>Ithastobeyou!Youbitch!I¡¯mgoing<b>to</b>killyou!¡±

    Therewasalreadyacrowdwatching.EmeliepushedMonatowardSamundquicklysaid,¡°Mr.Swanson<b>,</b>pleasebringmyfriendbacktothecar.<b>¡±</b>

    Samuelrealizedtheseriousness<b>of</b>the situation<b>,</b>andhequicklydraggedMonaaway<b>.</b>

    EmelieturnedtoDaphneandasked straightaway,¡°Wasityou?¡±

    Daphnesmiledfaintly.¡°Whatdoyoumean?Idon¡¯tunderstandwhatyou¡¯re<b>saying</b><b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    ¡°Whether<b>it¡¯s</b>youornot,I¡¯ll callthepoliceandfindwyer.Then<b>,</b>I¡¯llmakewhoever¡¯sresponsible payforit!¡±Emeliesaidcoldly,

    Daphneshrugged.¡°GuessI¡¯llwaitforitthen.¡±

    Uponseeinghowfearless shewas<b>,</b>EmeliefiguredWilliamwasbacking<b>her</b>up.

    WhenMonareturnedtotheapartment,shelocked<b>herself</b>upinherroomandcriedhereyesout.

    EmelieaskedSamueltoleavefirst.

    Chapter148BackedbyWilliam

    ¡°Callmeifyouneedme,¡±hesaidtoherbeforeleaving.

    Exhaustedfromcrying,Monaquicklyfesleep.

    She wascalmwhenshewokeup.Shesaidshewantedtocallthepoliceandfindwyer.

    Shewanted Dapopaythepriceforleakingthephotos.

 CHAPTER 149

    Chapter<b>149</b>CallMeHoney

    EanelieapaniedMonatothepolice stationtomakeareport.

    <b>The</b>ountusedtosendthepictures<b>to</b>Mona¡¯panygroupchatleftthegrouprightaftersendingthem.Whentheytrackedit,theyrealizeditwasn¡¯tfroma<b>local</b>IPaddress.

    Thatmadeithardertotrack the personwhodidit.

    EmelieandMonalookedforAshley,andshetoldthemthetruth.¡°Thepolicearen¡¯tgoingtolookintothisfurtherunlessyoutwocanprovidemorehelpfulinformation.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.

    Itwasn¡¯tamajorincident,anditdidn¡¯taffectsocietygreatly.Nooneactuallygothurtaswell.

    Itwould costthepolicealottobringtheirinvestigationoverseas.Thatwaswhyitwasnormalforthem<b>to</b>ignoreit.

    Emeliewasstilltryingtofigureouttheirnextstep.However,Monalookedlikeshewasexhausted.

    Shekeptherheaddown<b>,</b>devastated.Suddenly,shesaid,¡°Then,let¡¯sforgetaboutit¡­¡±

    ¡°Forgetaboutit?Don¡¯tyouwanttogettothebottomofthis?¡±Emelieasked.Thatwasn¡¯thowMonawouldusuallyact.

    Monalookedmiserableasshesaidwithherheaddown,¡°Thpanyjustmessagedmeandaskedmetoquit.¡±

    Afterlosingher<b>job</b>andboyfriend,Monalostallherprideanddignity.Shewastiredandfelttherewasnothinginlifetolookforwardto.Shehadnointentiontocontinuefighting.

    Monamockedherself,¡°Besides,WilliamwilldefinitelyhelpDaphne.Howisanordinarypersonlikemegoingtowin?

    ¡°IfImanagetoangerhim,that¡¯llbetheendforme.WhatifIcan¡¯tfindanotherjob?IguessI¡¯mjustunluckythistime.I¡¯lllearnfromitandavoidDaphneinthe

    future.¡±

    Emeliesaidnothing,frustratedbywhatwashappening.

    MonaonlyoffendedDaphnebecauseshewantedtogetjusticeforEmelie.Plus<b>,</b>shewasalmosttakenadvantageofbyLeonbecauseshewantedtohelpEmeliegetajob.

    N

    Meanwhile,WilliamwasbackingDaphne.HewasalsothereasonEmeliecouldn¡¯tgetajob.

    Emeliefeltsuffocated,buttherewasnothingshecoulddo.

    Shecouldn¡¯tpersuadeorfortMonaanymore.However,shewouldholditagainstWilliamandDaphne.

    AftersayinggoodbyetoAshley,sheleftthwyer¡¯sofficewithMona.

    Whentheycamedownstairs,theysawElias.

    ¡°Ms.Hoven.¡±

    Emeliewasn¡¯tinthemoodtotalktoWilliam¡¯sfriCo,sheignoredhimandleftwithMona.

    Eliasstrokedhischinandscoffed.Then,hewentuptoseeAshley.

    AshleyfrownedwhenshesawEliaingin.¡°Didn¡¯tItellyounot<b>to</b>seemeatmyoffice<b>?</b>¡±

    ¡°Iwenthome,and Momaskedmeto bringyousomesupplements.Ithinkit¡¯llbebetterforyourbodyifyoustarthavingthemnow<b>,</b><b>so</b>I¡¯vebroughtthemhere foryoustraightaway,¡±Elias saidwith<b>a</b>smile.

    ¡°Icareaboutyou,Honey.Whyaren¡¯tyoueptingmykindness<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>

    Hecalledhersweetlywithoutanyhesitation.

    Ashleylookedatthebackofthesupplementsandsawthattheyweresupposedtohelphergetpregnant.Sheputitdowncoldly.¡°I¡¯mnothavingthem.Takethem

    <b>back</b><b>.</b>¡±

    Eliassaidmeaningfully,¡°That¡¯showparentsare.Theywanttheir childrentogetmarriedandhavebabies.

    ¡°We¡¯veonlybeenmarriedforamonthandareinnorush.ButMomprobablythinksyouaren¡¯tyounganymoreandyou¡¯llpasstheperfectagetohavekids.That¡¯swhyshe¡¯srushingyou.¡±

    Ashleywasnonchnt.¡°Ifthere¡¯snothingelse,youmayleavenow.¡±

    Eliasstaredather<b>icy</b>expressionashestoodup.However,hewasn¡¯tleaving.Instead,hewentuptoherandpickedherupfromherseat.

    ¡°Whatareyoudoing?¡±Ashleyfelt disgustedandwantedtogetoutofhishold.

    Eliaslooked handsome,andhesmiledenergetically.¡°Idon¡¯tthink<b>you</b>needthemaswell.Icanmake<b>you</b>pregnantinnotime.¡±

    Ashleyunderstoodwhathewasimplying.Beforeshecouldsayanything,hewasalreadykissingher.

    ¡°Let<b>me</b><b>go</b><b>!¡±</b>sheshouted.

    Elias ignoredher andpushedherdocumentsaway.Hermouse<b>,</b>pen<b>,</b>calendar,and<b>even</b>thesupplements<b>fell</b>tothefloor.

    Afternearlyanhour,Ashleywascleaningherself<b>up</b><b>in</b>therestroom.She coldlylookedather soiledclothes.

    El¨ªasonlyhadapairofpantson;hisupperbodywasnaked<b>,</b>showingoffhismuscles.

    ¡°Whywon¡¯tyoucallme<b>¡®</b><b>Honey</b><b>?</b><b>¡®</b><b>You¡¯re</b>notcruellysaving<b>that</b>nicknameforsomeoneelse<b>,</b>right?¡±

    Chapter149Call<b>Me</b>Honey

    1/1

    EmelieapaniedMonatothepolicestation<b>to</b>makeareport.

    Theountused<b>to</b><b>send</b><b>the</b>picturesto Mona¡¯panygroupchatleftthegrouprightaftersendingthem.When<b>they</b>trackedit,theyrealized it<b>wasn¡¯t</b>from<b>a</b><b>local</b><b>IP</b><b>address</b><b>.</b>

    That<b>made</b><b>it</b>harder<b>to</b>trackthepersonwhodid it.

    EmelieandMonalookedforAshley,andshetoldthem<b>the</b>truth<b>.</b><b>¡°</b>Thepolicearen¡¯tgoingtolookintothisfurtherunlessyoutwocanprovidemorehelpfulinformation<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    Itwasn¡¯tamajorincident,anditdidn¡¯taffectsociety greatly.Nooneactuallygot hurtaswell.

    It<b>would</b>costthepolicealottobringtheirinvestigationoverseas.Thatwaswhyitwasnormalforthemtoignoreit.

    Emeliewasstilltryingtofigureouttheirnextstep.However,Monalookedlikeshewasexhausted.

    Shekeptherheaddown,devastated.Suddenly,shesaid,¡°Then,let¡¯sforgetaboutit¡­¡±

    <b>¡°</b>Forgetaboutit?Don¡¯tyouwanttogettothebottomofthis?¡±Emelieasked.Thatwasn¡¯thowMonawouldusuallyact.

    Monalookedmiserableasshesaidwithherheaddown,¡°Thpanyjustmessagedmeandaskedmetoquit.¡±

    Afterlosing herjobandboyfriend,Monalostallherprideanddignity.Shewastiredandfelttherewasnothinginlifetolookforwardto.Shehadnointentiontocontinuefighting.

    Monamockedherself,¡°Besides,WilliamwilldefinitelyhelpDaphne.Howisanordinarypersonlikemegoingtowin?

    ¡°IfImanagetoangerhim,that¡¯llbetheendforme.What<b>if</b><b>I</b>can¡¯tfindanotherjob?IguessI¡¯mjustunluckythistime.I¡¯lllearnfromitandavoid Daphneinthefuture.¡±

    Emeliesaidnothing,frustratedbywhat washappening.

    MonaonlyoffendedDaphnebecauseshewantedtogetjusticeforEmelie.Plus,shewasalmosttakenadvantage ofbyLeonbecauseshewantedtohelpEmeliegetajob.

    Meanwhile,WilliamwasbackingDaphne.HewasalsothereasonEmeliecouldn¡¯tgetajob.

    Emeliefeltsuffocated,buttherewasnothingshecoulddo.

    Shecouldn¡¯tpersuadeofortMonaanymore.However,shewouldholditagainstWilliamandDaphne.

    AftersayinggoodbyetoAshley,sheleftthwyer¡¯sofficewithMona.

    Whenthey came downstairs,theysawElias.

    ¡°Ms.Hoven.¡±

    Emeliewasn¡¯tinthemoodtotalktoWilliam¡¯sfriend.So,sheignoredhimandleftwithMona.

    Eliasstrokedhischinandscoffed.Then,hewentuptoseeAshley.

    AshleyfrownedwhenshesawEliaingin.¡°Didn¡¯tItellyounot<b>to</b>seemeatmyoffice?¡±

    ¡°Iwenthome,andMomaskedmetobringyousomesupplements<b>.</b>Ithinkit¡¯llbebetterforyourbodyif<b>you</b>starthavingthemnow<b>,</b><b>so</b>I¡¯vebrought themhereforyoustraightaway,¡±Eliassaidwithasmile.

    ¡°Icareaboutyou,Honey.Whyaren¡¯tyou eptingmykindness?<b>¡±</b>

    Hecalledhersweetlywithoutanyhesitation.

    Ashleylookedatthebackofthesupplementsandsawthattheyweresupposedtohelphergetpregnant.Sheputitdowncoldly.¡°I¡¯mnothavingthem.Takethemback¡±

    Eliassaidmeaningfully,¡°That¡¯showparentsare.Theywanttheirchildrentogetmarriedandhavebabies.

    ¡°We¡¯veonlybeenmarriedforamonthandareinnorush.ButMomprobablythinksyouaren¡¯tyounganymoreandyou¡¯llpasstheperfectagetohavekids.That¡¯swhyshe¡¯srushingyou.<b>¡±</b>

    Ashleywasnonchnt.<b>¡°</b>Ifthere¡¯snothingelse<b>,</b>youmayleavenow.¡±

    Eliasstaredathericyexpressionashestoodup.However,hewasn¡¯tleaving.Instead,hewent uptoherandpickedherupfromherseat.

    ¡°Whatareyou doing?¡±Ashleyfeltdisgustedandwantedtogetoutofhishold.

    Eliaslookedhandsome,andhesmiledenergetically<b>.</b><b>¡°</b><b>I</b>don¡¯tthinkyouneedthemaswell.Icanmakeyoupregnantin notime.¡±

    Ashleyunderstoodwhathewasimplying.Beforeshecouldsayanything,hewasalreadykissingher.

    ¡°Letmego!<b>¡±</b>sheshouted.

    Eliasignoredherandpushedherdocumentsaway.Hermouse,pen,calendar,andeventhesupplementsfelltothefloor.

    Afternearlyanhour,Ashleywascleaningherselfupintherestroom.Shecoldlylookedathersoiledclothes.

    Eliasonlyhadapairofpants<b>on</b><b>;</b>hisupperbodywasnaked,showingoffhismuscles.

    ¡°Whywon¡¯tyoucallme¡®Honey?You¡¯renotcruellysavin

 CHAPTER 150

    Chapter<b>150</b>EmelieorDaphne

    ¡°<b>It¡¯s</b>just<b>a</b>nickname,¡±Ashleysaid.Shepickedupherphoneandaskedhersecretarytobuysomeclothes,

    Eliasgrabbedherwaistagain.¡°Trycallingmethatnexttime.¡±

    Ashleypulledherhandawayfrom hisgripandsaid,¡°Ifthere¡¯snothingelse,leave.¡±

    Eliasscoffedandputonhisshirt.Then,headjustedhiscorinthemirrorandcasuallysaid,¡°<b>I</b>sawMs.Hovendownstairsearlier.What¡¯swrongwithherand<b>her</b>friend?Theylookedmiserable.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯snothing.<b>¡±</b><b>As</b>wyer,shecouldn¡¯tleakherclient¡¯sinformation.

    ¡°Isawitonyourphonejustnow.Herfriend¡¯sexplicitphotosweresenttothpanygroupchat.That¡¯shorrible.¡±

    Uponhearinghiswords,Ashley<b>got</b>evenmoreupset.¡°Did<b>you</b><b>go</b>throughmyphone?DoIneedtotellyou aboutprivacy<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>

    Eliazilyshotherance.¡°Ijustpickedupthewrongphone.Besides,ourphoneslookthesameanddon¡¯thaveany passwordsorcases.<b>¡±</b>

    Ashleywasfurious.

    Eliasstoppedmessingwithherandgrabbedhisphone.<b>¡°</b>I¡¯mleaving,Honey.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯msayingthisonsttime. Don¡¯tlookfor meatmyoffice,¡±Ashleywarned.

    Eliasgaveheraslightsmile.Hemessedaround becausehe didn¡¯twanttoholditagainsther.However,hewastiredofbeingbossedaroundforsolong.

    ¡°That<b>won¡¯t</b>do.We¡¯reamarriedcouplenow.Youhaven¡¯tbeenhomefortwodays,andImissyou.That¡¯swhy<b>I</b>cameheretoseeyou.Remembertehometonight.Otherwise,I¡¯leagaintomorrow.¡±

    EvensinceAshleysawEliaswiththeinfluencer theotherday<b>,</b>shehadbeenstayinginahotel.

    Eliaslikedtobringupherage.¡°Youmightnotunderstanditatyourage<b>,</b>butaguymyagehasneeds.¡±

    Then,heeyedheragain.<b>¡°</b>However,thatshouldn¡¯tbethecase.I¡¯msure youhaveneedstoo,right?¡±

    Ashleydidn¡¯treacttohisteasing.¡°I¡¯vebeenpreparingapostnuptigreementthesepasttwodays.I¡¯llsendthedocumenttoyouwyer.Basically,ifoneofushasanaffair,they¡¯llloseeverything.¡±

    Eliasstaredatherforafewsecondsandpretendedtosaynicely,¡°Sure.Sendittomwyer.¡±

    Abeater,headded,¡°Let¡¯sseeifI¡¯llsignit.¡±

    Then,heleft.

    Ashleyheaved outadeepsigh.

    SherememberedhowEliassneakilykissedherwhileshewasasleep.Hewasyoungerbackthen.WhenAshleycaughthim,heblushedbutlookedserious.

    ¡°Ash,Ilike<b>you</b><b>.</b>Don¡¯tworry.I¡¯llprotectyou.I¡¯llgetstrongerwhenI¡¯molder.Then,I¡¯llprotecteverythingyou careabout.¡°.

    Now,theonlypersonwhohadhiseyessetonherassetswasElias.

    Eliasdidn¡¯tgohomeafterleavingAshley¡¯soffice.Instead,hewenttoWestwardClub<b>.</b>Unexpectedly,Williamwasthereaswell.

    EliasmentionedhowhesawEmelieatAshley¡¯soffice.

    Lyleasked,¡°WhathappenedtoMs.Hoventhistime?Ijusttookcareofwhatwashappeningonline.¡±

    Then,Eliastoldthemwhathesawearlier.Then,hescannedtheroom.¡°Judgingbyhowtheroomlookedinthephoto,itseemedtobetakeninthisclub.¡±

    LylenarrowedhiseyesandlookedatWilliam,¡°Wasitthatincident,William?I¡¯veneverleaked thefootage<b>.</b>Iheardthatyouhaderasedipletely.¡±

    Williamopenedhiseyes.¡°Didyoutenyoneaboutit?¡±

    ¡°I<b>don¡¯t</b>gossip.¡±Lylefrowned.¡°However,Ihadamanwhohandleditwithme.HeseemstobeclosetoMs.Bowen.Maybehewastheonewholeakedit.¡±

    Henever forbadeanyonefromtalking aboutit<b>,</b>sohismenmighthavebeengossipingaboutit.

    Williampickeduphisdrinkandwasabouttotakeasip.Then,hefrownedandputitbackdownbeforeleaving.

    EliasandLyleexchangednces,andEliasjoked,¡°DoyouthinkWillisgoingtoseeMs.HovenorMs.Bowen?¡±

    Lyleleanedagainstthecouczily.¡°I¡¯mbettingonMs.Hoven.She¡¯sdefinitelyinabadmoodbecausesomethingterriblehashappenedtoherfriend.Williamisgoingtotaketheopportunitytforther.¡±

    Halfanhouter,William¡¯scarstoppedatthe entrancetoDaphne¡¯sresidence.

    Chapter151IntimacyN?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

    41

 CHAPTER 151

    <b>151</b>Intimacy

    Daphnerushed<b>out</b>ofherhomeandasked,<b>¡°</b><b>What</b>areyoudoinghere,Mr.Middleton?Whyaren¡¯tyoingin?¡±This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Daphnewasinherpajamas,andsheChapterhadasweateron.Itlookedthin,showinghowshecouldn¡¯twaittoseeWilliam.

    Williamgesturedforhertogetinsidethecar.

    Daphnequicklygotintothepassengerseat.¡°Whatisit,Mr.Middleton?¡±

    Williamstarteddriving,andtheycircledaroundtheneighborhood.

    Daphnecouldn¡¯tfigureoutwhyhewouldvisitheratthishour,soshe calledhisnameagain.

    Williamsaid inaconflicted tone,¡°SomethinghappenedtoEmelie¡¯sfriend.<b>Did</b><b>you</b>doit?Also,didyouposttheusationsaboutEmelieonline?¡±

    <b>Of</b>course,Daphne¡¯sfirstreactionwastodenyit.¡°Whathappened?Whatposts?Mr.Middleton,whatareyoutalkingabout?¡±

    ¡°Doyounotknowaboutit?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    Williamsaidcalmly,¡°Iftherewerenotracesofclues,Iwouldn¡¯thavehere.¡±

    Daphnewasspeechlessassheremembered Emelie sayingsomethingsimrto her.¡°Sincewewereabletofindyou,thatmeanswehaveproof.¡±Daphneclenchedhersweatertightlyandhadaweirdlookonherface.

    Throughoutthethreeyearsoftheirrtionship,eveniftheywereseparated,theywouldstillfesenseofintimacy.

    Shewasdistractedwhenthecarreturnedto theentrance.

    ¡°Getout,¡±Williamsaid.

    Daphnereturnedtohersensesandrealizedhewasgivingherachancetoexinherself.Thewayshedenieditwastheworstresponseshecouldgive.Then,thedoorsunlocked.

    Suddenly,tearsrolleddownDaphne¡¯sface.Shegrabbedhisarmandsaid,¡°Mr.Middleton,lookatmyface.¡±

    Shehadnomakeupon,andthereweretwofaintscarson<b>her</b>fairskin.

    ¡°Thedoctoryoufoundsaidthiswasthebesthecoulddo.Monadisfiguredmeandneverapologized forit.SheevenusedmeofsomethingIneverdid.

    ¡°Iwenthomecryingthatday.Whenmymomsawme,sheknewMonabulliedmeagainandgotrevengeforme.¡±

    Williamhadstopped driving,buthealsodidn¡¯tsayanything.Itwashardtodiscemhisfeelings.

    Daphnecontinued,¡°Ididn¡¯tknowmymomwoulddothat.IfIdid,Idefinitelywould¡¯vestoppedher.Ilistenedtoyou.Youtoldmeyou¡¯dhandleit,<b>so</b>Istayedput.IfIwantedtodoit,Iwould¡¯vedoneittwomonthsago.WhywouldIwaituntilnow?¡±

    Williamdidn¡¯tsayifhebelievedherornot.Instead,heasked,¡°Whataboutthepostonline?¡±

    ¡°Myfriendthoughtyouweremyboyfriendandthatotherwomenshouldn¡¯tgetthatclosetoyou.Shewasonlystatingheropinionsonline,¡±Daphneexined.¡±Shedidn¡¯tthinkit¡¯dgetsomuchattention.¡±

    Sheadded,¡°I¡¯vealreadyaskedhertodeletethepost.Sheevendeletedherount.Ifyouthinkthat¡¯snotenough<b>,</b>I¡¯pologizetoEmelie.<b>I</b>candoanything,sopleasedon¡¯tbeangryatme.¡±

    Thetreesbytheroad swayedinthewind.

    Then,Williamfinallysaid,¡°Tellyourfriendandyourmomnottodoanythingstupidagain.Whenthmentsgowild,itbringsbadnewstoCloudexCorporationandmyfamily.¡±

    Daphnebitherlip.¡°Areyousaying thatyou¡¯reaffectedbythments?Isthatwhyyoucamelookingforme?Areyounotseekingrevengeforherbecauseshe¡¯shurt?¡±

    Williamdidn¡¯tdenyorconfirmit.Instead,hegrabbedatissueforher.

    Daphnesmiledwith tears inhereyes.¡°Mr.Middleton,I¡¯vetoldyouthatI¡¯veneverbeeninartionshipbefore,andIdon¡¯tknowalotofthings.PleaseletmeknowifIdoanythingtoupsetyouinthefuture.I¡¯llchange.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯sgettingte.Gobackandrest<b>.</b>¡±

    Beforegettingoutofthecar,shesaid,¡°Mr.Middleton,let¡¯svisitMadamCruzinSentnd.Shemessagedmeyesterdayandsaidshemissedme.¡±

    ByMadamCruz<b>,</b>DaphnewasreferringtoWhitney,William¡¯sbiologicalmother.

    AfterleavingDaphne¡¯sneighborhood,Williamdrovearoundthecityaimlessly.Then,hewent<b>to</b>Emelie¡¯sapartment.

    Coincidentally,hesaw Emelieinherpajamasandhadasweateronaswell.ShewashuggingSamuelinfrontof thebuilding.

    Williamwasalreadyinaterriblemood.At thesight<b>of</b>them,hebecamecold.

    Heturnedthecararoundrightaway.Then,hesteppedonthebrakesandgasatthesametime.Theluxuriouscarthatwasworthtensofmillionsroaredlikeabeast.

 CHAPTER 152

    Chapter<b>152</b><b>Blocked</b>

    EmelieInstinctivelylookedinWilliam¡¯s<b>direction</b><b>.</b>However<b>,</b>she<b>only</b>sawacar<b>leaving</b><b>in</b>thedark.

    Samuelloweredhisgazeandlookedatherfoot.<b>¡°</b><b>You¡¯re</b>nothurt,areyou?¡±

    WhenEmeliewentdownstairs<b>to</b>throwawaythetrash<b>,</b>sheraninto Samuel. Hewasworriedabouther and<b>Mona</b><b>,</b>sohecameafterss<b>.</b>

    AsEmeliewalkedtowardhim<b>,</b>sheidentallysteppedintoasmallpit.Fortunately<b>,</b>Samuelcaught<b>her</b>intime<b>.</b><b>¡°</b><b>I¡¯m</b>fine.I¡¯mnotwearingheels.<b>¡±</b>

    ¡°How¡¯syourfriend?¡±

    <b>¡°</b>She¡¯sbeenasked<b>to</b>quitherjob.Thepoliceanwyerscan¡¯tfindagood solution<b>,</b><b>so</b>shedecidedtodropthe<b>case</b><b>.</b>¡±

    Samuel¡¯s<b>sses</b>shoneunderthe<b>lights</b><b>.</b>¡°Areyoureallygoingtodothat?¡±

    Emelieshookherhead.Theyknewwhodid it,buttheycouldn¡¯tdoanythingaboutit.Itwouldonlytirethemout.

    Samuellookedintohereyes.¡°Canyouletitgojustlikethat?¡±

    Emelie¡¯sgazewascold.¡°No.I¡¯llrememberthis.¡±

    Oneday<b>,</b>shewouldgetherrevenge.

    WilliamreturnedtoWestwardClub.EliasandLylewerestillthere,andtheyaskedwherehehadgone.Hesaidnothingandquietlydrankassofwine.

    Asthealcoholwarmeduphisbody,thefireinhischest wasgettingstronger.Hestartedtolosehispatience.

    Suddenly,hereceivedamessagefromanunfamiliarnumber.Hecasuallytappeditandsawtwopictures.

    Theyweren¡¯tclearandlookedliketheyweretakenafewyearsago.However,itwaseasytotellwhowasinthepictures.

    ItwasDaphne.Shewaskissingayoungman.

    Williamnarrowedhis<b>eyes</b>.

    Thenumberthatsentthemessagewasavirtualphonenumber,andhecouldn¡¯tcallit.HeforwardedthenumbertoLyle.

    ¡°Lyle,helpmetracethisnumber.¡±

    Lylereceiveditandaskednothing.¡°Sure,¡±hesaid.

    Then,WilliamreceivedamessagefromDaphne,askingifhehadreachedhishouse.

    Heblockedherrightaway.

    AlthoughMonasaidshewouldletitgo,shecouldn¡¯tdothesametoherrtionship.Thenextday,shewenttoHugo¡¯panyandlookedforhim.However,itseemedlikeprivacywasathingofthepast<b>.</b>Mona¡¯spictureshadleakedfromhepanyandspreadto Hugo¡¯pany.

    Monawaspassionateandbeautiful,andHugowouldalwaysbringhertomeethiscolleagues.<b>So,</b>theyallcouldtellitwasMona.TheypurposelybroughtitupandaskedHugoaboutit.

    Hugodidn¡¯twanthiscolleaguestosayhewascheatedon<b>,</b>sohesaidhewasjustmessingwithMona.<b>He</b>evensharedpicturesofhimandMonawith them,asifitcouldstophimfrombeinghumiliated.

    Monawenttheretosaveherrtionship.Afterlearningwhathadhappened,shefoughtwithhimathipany.Someonecalledthepolice,andtheywerebroughttothestation.WhenEmeliegotthecall,sherushedtoseeMona.

    AtthesightofEmelie,Monajumpedintoherembraceandcried.ShekeptscoldingHugoandcalledhimabastard.

    MonahadscratchedHugo¡¯sface.Hesaid calmlyandcruelly,¡°I¡¯mnotmakingpeacewithher.Lockthiscrazybitchup!Jailher!¡±

    Emeliecoldlylookedathim,¡°Let¡¯sask thepoliceifdefamingothersthroughfakepicturesorgettinginafighthastheworstpunishment.¡±This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Noonewasfightingher.Shewastheonlyonehittingme.Also,whatfakepictures?Thosewerereal!Itwasher!¡±

    ¡°Oh,really<b>?</b>Iftheyweren¡¯tfake,thatmeansyou¡¯re publiclysharingrealpicturestotarnishherimage.Officer,<b>if</b>Iremembercorrectly,thepunishmentforthatisworse,right?

    ¡°Plus,heinvadedmyfriend¡¯sprivacy.Not onlyisthatacrime,but<b>I</b>canevensueyouforit.¡±

    Emelieknewalotaboutthw.

    Hugo wasspeechless.Hedidn¡¯texpectEmelietobesosmart.Intheend,hedecidedtomakepeaceandsaidhewouldn¡¯tpursuethematterfurther.Hewantedtoforgetabouteverything.

    However,Monawasn¡¯thavingitanymore.Shelookedatthemansheoncelovedandyelled,¡°EvenifIgetlockedupforbeatingyouup,Istillwant<b>to</b><b>sue</b><b>you</b>!Iwantyoutobejailedtoo!¡±

    Finally,Hugowaslockedupforspreadingthepictures.

    EmeliehadHugoinhergrasp.Ifhedidn¡¯tletgoofMonaforbeatinghimup,Emeliewouldsuehim.So,hehad nochoicebuttogrithisteethandsignanagreementtoenditamicably.

    Monawaslecturedatthepolicestationandcouldleaveafterthat.

    Afterleavingthestation<b>,</b>shecrouchedbythesideoftheroadandburiedherheadbetweenherknees.Then,shestartedcryingsilently.

    Chapter152Blocked

    <b>For</b>alongtime,Emeliehad<b>a</b>feelingthatHugowasn¡¯treliable.However,Monawasdeeplyinlove.Ofcourse,Emeliewouldn¡¯tsayanythingaboutitnowanfortherfriend.

    Monalooked<b>up</b><b>at</b>Emelieandsaidself¨Cmockingly,¡°Whatamess.¡®

    Emeliewasstunnedforamomentandheldher tongue.

    Herending withWilliamwas<b>a</b>messaswell.

    11

    EmeliebroughtMonaback<b>to</b>theirapartment.Beforetheywentupstairs,shesawafamiliarcarbytheroad.

    ShequietlysentMonabacktoherroomfirstbeforeheadingbackdownagain.

    Emeliegotclosertothecarandlookedatthenumberte.Asexpected,itwasWilliam.Hewasclearlywaitingforher.

    Sheapproachedthecar,and thewindowrolleddown,showingaman¡¯scoldface.

    ¡°CanIhelpyou,Mr.Middleton?¡±

    SpintoimYourSurpriseReward!

 CHAPTER 153

    Chapter<b>153</b>The<b>Best</b><b>Pupil</b>

    ¡°Didyousendmethepictures<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>Williamwentstraight<b>to</b><b>the</b>pointandaskedaboutthepicturesofDaphnekissinganotherman.

    ¡°Whatpictures<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>Emelieasked.

    Shethenturnedtheconversationaround.¡°Sincewe¡¯retalkingaboutpictures,Iwanttoaskyou<b>to</b>watchyourwoman.

    <b>¡°</b><b>If</b><b>you</b><b>don¡¯t</b>wantanyone<b>to</b>knowyourpast<b>,</b>then<b>don¡¯t</b>sharewhatothers<b>did</b><b>.</b>DoesDaphinkshecould<b>do</b>allthatwithoutleaving<b>a</b>singletrace?¡±

    Williamsmirked.¡°<b>What</b>can<b>you</b>doevenifthere¡¯satrace?¡±This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Iknowyou¡¯rehelpingher,andyoucanremovealltraces<b>of</b>whatshehasdone.However,evenarabbitwillgoberserkifyoucornerit.

    ¡°Idon¡¯thavemuchexceptformyfriendsandfamily.I¡¯lldoanything toprotectthem.Comerme,and<b>I¡¯ll</b>makesuretogetmyrevenge<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    Williamcoldlystaredat her.¡°I¡¯mjustworried youmightloseeverythingintheend.¡±

    Helookedaloofandfearless.Herthreatswerenothingtohim.

    Emeliesaidsoftly,¡°Youmightnotknowthis,Mr.Middleton.EversinceIleftyoupany,there havebeenmanpaniesthat wouldliketobuytradesecretsfromme.¡±

    Williamwasindifferent.¡°So?Do<b>you</b>daretosellthem?¡±

    Ifshedaredtoleakeven atinybitofssifiedinformationfromCloudexCorporation,hewouldgetherlockedupforever.

    Emelie calmlysaid,¡°Iwon¡¯tdaretodothatnowbecauseIstillhavepeoplethatIcarefor.Iwanttolive.However,ifyouandyourmencontinuetocornermeandthepeopleIcarethemostinto<b>a</b>deadend,I¡¯llmakesureeveryonedieswithme.

    <b>¡°</b><b>You</b>taughtmethat,Mr.Middleton<b>.</b>Wehavetogiveothersachance,orwe¡¯llsuffer terribleconsequences.<b>¡±</b>

    Therewasonlyasingledimlylimponthatstreet,andthatwaswhereWilliam¡¯scarwasparked.Hisexpressioncouldn¡¯t<b>be</b>seenclearly.

    ¡°EveniftheinformationIleakisn¡¯tenoughtoshutCloudexCorporationdown,I¡¯msureit¡¯llgiveyoualongstingheadache.

    ¡°Theindustrywillshiftimmediately,andyoupetitorswillbetargetingyou.Whoknowswhattomorrowmightbring?Youjusthavetoletusgomercifully.¡°Itmightmeannothingmuchto<b>you</b><b>,</b>butit¡¯sbetterthanworryingaboutwhatI¡¯lldointhefuture,right?¡±

    Suddenly,Williaughed.¡°<b>You</b>reallyare mybestpupil.¡±

    Whenhewasaloof,theairwouldfeeltense.However,Emeliehadgottenused<b>to</b>itafterbeingwithhimfor<b>so</b>long.She wasn¡¯tscaredbyhisicyexpression.Ontheotherhand,hissuddeughterwasmorefrightening.Afterall,hehadalwaysbeenamanwithoutemotions.

    Willianrestedhiselbowonthewindowandsaidmockingly,¡°You¡¯vealwaysregardedSamusyourteacher,butwhyhaven¡¯tyoudone thesamewithme?I¡¯vetaughtyouwaymorethings.¡®

    Emeliethoughthewascrazy<b>.</b>¡°Mr.Middleton<b>,</b>ifyouhavethatkindoffetish,youcanaskMs.Bowentosatisfyyou.Afterall,she¡¯syourstudenttoo.¡±Williampursedhislips.¡°Mercifully,huh?IfIhadn¡¯tbeen mercifultoyou,Monawouldn¡¯thavebeentheonlyoneinthatfootage.¡±

    Thatday,Monawasn¡¯ttheonlyonebeingbulliedintheroom.Emeliewasthereaswell.However,Emeliehadherheaddunked inthefishtankinstead.

    Evenso<b>,</b>itmadenodifference.Ifpeopleknewshewasinthemess,therumorswouldcirctearoundheraswell,notjustMona.Peoplewouldsayshewasassaultedtoo.

    Thefootagethatwasspreadingnowonlyhad Monainit.EmeliethoughtitwasweirdandwonderedwhyDaphnewouldonlytargetMona.AfterhearingwhatWilliamsaid,shewonderedifhe haderasedthefootageofher.

    SinceWilliambroughtthatup,Emeliefiguredhewapromisingaftershehadthreatenedhim.

    ¡°Inthatcase,pleaseyniceuntiltheend,Mr.Middleton.ErasethefootageofMonaaswell,¡±shesaid.Williamdidn¡¯teptorrejectherrequest.Emeliehadnothingelse<b>to</b><b>say</b>,sosheturned<b>to</b>leave.

    ¡°Tellmethedetailsofthemiscarriage.¡±Williamcoldlysaid,¡°Then,I¡¯llconsiderbeingmerciful.¡±

    Althoughhesaidhe didn¡¯t believeher,thiswasthesecondtime heaskedheraboutit.

    Emeliewasn¡¯tinterestedinansweringhim.Shefiguredhecouldinvestigate thematterhimselfsincehewasthat capable.So,shewentupstairsstraightaway.Williamstaredatherrecedingfigure.Hewantedtosmoke,butwhenhetouchedhispocket,herealizedhehadforgottenhiscigarettes.

    <b>¡°</b>Drive,¡±hesaidcoldly.

    Abelstarteddrivingimmediately.HehadbeenwithWilliamformany yearsandcouldroughlyguesswhatwasonWilliam¡¯smind.

    Atthatmoment,AbelwonderedifWilliamhaebecausehewantedtoaskaboutthepictures.OrdidhetocheckonEmelieafterhearingaboutherandherfriendbeingdetained atthestationforcausingascene?

 CHAPTER 154

    Chapter<b>154</b>Patricia

    WilliamhadCapebattCity<b>in</b>hisgrasp.SincehehadcutoffEmeliefromeverything<b>, everyone</b>thoughtshewashisenemy.

    Wheneversomethingbadhappenedtoher<b>,</b>William wouldn¡¯thavetoaskaboutit.Someonewouldbringhimthenewstotterhim.

    Thatday,hewashaving<b>a</b>mealwithhisclient.TheclienttoldWilliamhowhismansawEmelieandMonaat thepolicestationwhileattendingsomebusinessthere.Itseemed<b>to</b>himthatthewomenwerebroughtthereduetosomeconflicts.

    William<b>didn¡¯t</b>sayanythingbackthen.However<b>,</b>hecamestraighttoherapartmentbuildingafterhismeal.

    WilliamtookouthisphoneandsentLyleamessage.

    <b>¡°</b><b>I</b>wantyoutolookintohowEmeliehadamiscarriagesixmonthsago.¡±

    Monadecided<b>to</b>returntoherparents¡®housefortwomonths.ShewouldreturntoCapebattCityandlookfora newjobaftertheNewYearandonceeverythinghadsettleddown.

    ThatFriday,Monapackedherbelongings,andEmeliesenthertothehigh¨Cspeedrailstation.Afterseeingherfriendgetpastthecheckpoint,EmeliewenttoCloudexCorporation.

    ShewouldgoonabusinesstriptoWinstour City thenextday,<b>so</b>everyoneinvolvedintheprojecthadtoattendameetingthere.

    EmelieandSamugreedtomeetatCloudexCorporation¡¯sentrance.WhenEmeliewasonherway,shereceivedamessage fromSamuel,sayingthathehadanemergencyandcouldn¡¯tmakeit.

    Shepursedherlipsandreplied,¡°Alright.I¡¯llgobymyselfthen.¡±

    Samuel:¡°I¡¯skCharlietoapanyyou.¡±

    Emelie:¡°There¡¯snoneedforthat.Thereshouldn¡¯tbeanythingimportant.They¡¯reprobablygoingtotalkaboutsomethingstokeepinmindforthetrip.I¡¯llnoteitdown andtellyouaboutitwhenIgetback.¡±

    Samuelgaveitsomethoughtsandagreed.

    EmelieenteredCloudexCorporationwithsomedocumentsinherhands.Aftertakingafewsteps,shecouldn¡¯thelpbutturnandlookattheentrance.

    Thingshadchanged. Thistime,shewasenteringthebuildingtorepresentthe researchteam.

    Sinceshewasearly,theCEOhadn¡¯tarrivedyet.Therewereonlyafewemployeesgettingreadyinthehugemeetingroom.

    Afewmorepeopleenteredtheroom<b>,</b>andEmelienoticedoneofthemwasJayden¡¯sassistant.Jayden¡¯panyhadtakenpartintheprojectaswell.

    Theirgazemet,andtheygreetedeach otherwithanod.

    After that,Emelie¡¯sgazenaturallyfellonthewomanthatthesecretaryhadbrought.

    Uponseeingher,Emeliewasstunned.

    Thewomanwasn¡¯twearingtheusualbusinessattire.Instead,sheworearedblousethatshowedoffherslenderneckandwell¨Cdefinedcorbones.Shewasalsowearingackdresswithapairofboots.Itlookefortableand.

    Herhairwas curled,andwhensheenteredtheroom<b>,</b>shemadethecold roomfelive.

    ItwasPatricia,thewomanBryanbroughttothecruiseship.

    WhenEmeliesawher,shecouldn¡¯thelpbutrememberhowWillianleftherwithBryanandleftwithPatricia.

    Thenextday<b>,</b>shenoticedPatriciaflirtingwithWilliamunderthetableintherestaurant.

    Sheinstinctivelyfrownedandthoughtaboutwhathadhappenedontheship.Shecouldn¡¯tkeepcalmanymore.

    EmeliewonderedwhyPatriciawasthere.WasshepartoftheSwansonCorporation?

    Afterashortwhile,WilliamandJaydenenteredtheroom,deepinaconversation.

    Emeliestoodupwitheveryoneelse.Williampaidnoattentiontoher. AsforJayden<b>,</b>hisgazewasonPatricia.

    ¡°ThisisMs.May,SwansonCorporation¡¯sbusinessdevelopmentmanager.¡±

    Asexpected,shewaspartofthem.

    EmeliepreviouslythoughtPatriciawasjustoneofBryan¡¯swomen.Itturnedoutthatshewasabusinessdevelopmentmanager.PatriciaconfidentiallywalkedtowardWilliam.Shelookedalluring,andwhen shesmiled,shewasevenmoreflirtatious<b>.</b>

    ¡°Hello,Mr.Middleton<b>.</b>Longtimenosee.¡±Forsomereason,shesoundedflirty.

    Williamshookherhand.

    IfEmeliedidn¡¯tseeitwrong,Patriciaevenusedherpinkyfinger<b>to</b>caresshispalm.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

 CHAPTER 155

    <b>¡¯</b>

    Samuel<b>,</b>lookingconfused,asked,<b>¡°</b><b>What</bmotion?¡±

    Emelierepliedcalmly,<b>¡°</b>I¡¯mnotsure.¡±

    <b>¡°</b>Youbetter not,¡±Williamsaidashesetasidethenewspaper.<b>¡°</b>Whydidn¡¯tyoupickupwhenIcalledyouafterthemeetingyesterday?<b>¡±</b>

    Emeliecasuallypulledoutherphone,pretendingtobepuzzled.¡°Idon¡¯tremember seeinganymissedcalls,Mr.Middleton.Whattimedidyoucall?Letmecheck.¡±

    Shewantedtoseeifhehadthenervetosayhecalledat8:00pm.

    Williamsimplylookedatherwithoutsayingaword.

    Sensingthetension,Jaydentriedtolightenthemoodandchangedthesubject<b>.</b>¡°Finally,heresMs.May.¡±

    ¡°Hey,butIboughtyouguyssmoothies!¡±Patriciaprotested.¡°HaveyouheardaboutthatfamoussmoothiespotfromCapebattCityneartheairport?<b>I</b>spotteditwhilepassingbyandcouldn¡¯tresistjoiningthequeue.¡±

    ItwasclearthatPatriciahadathingforred.ShelookedstunninginherredknitteddresswithaV¨Cneck,givingoffanairofsophisticationandallure.Despitethechillyweather,sheseemedfinewithjustabeigewoolcoatthrownoverit.

    EmelieandSamuelmovedaside.

    Patriciasetthesmoothiedownonthesmall tableandpassedcupstoeveryoneexceptWilliam,saying,¡°Iknowyou¡¯renotafanofthis<b>,</b>Mr.Middleton<b>,</b>soIdidn¡¯tgetyouone.¡±

    Hertonewascasual.

    Williamjustnoddedinresponse.

    Jaydenchimedinwithasmile,¡°I¡¯mnotafan,either.Yodiesenjoy.¡±HenoddedtowardAlexis,hissecretary.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.

    Alexistookthe smoothiefromPatriciaandoffereda politethankyou.

    PatriciathenhandedanothercuptoEmelie,saying,¡°Thisone¡¯stheirspecialblend,Ms.Hoven.Giveitatry.¡±

    Emeliethankedher.AsPatriciapassedherthedrink,shegaveEmelieaquickonce¨Cover.

    Emelie¡¯smakeupwaslight.Buthernaturallyprettyface madeherlookgorgeousnomatterwhat.

    Astheboardingannouncementremindedpassengerstogetonboard,theymadetheirway<b>onto</b>thene.

    Theyhadallchosenbusiness¨Cssseats<b>,</b>withEmelieandSamuelseatedtogetherinonerow.

    Assoonastheysettledintotheirseats,PatriciacameovertoSamundasked,¡°Mr.Swanson,couldyoudomeafavorandswitchseatswithme?I¡¯dliketohavea

    chatwithMs.Hoven.¡±

    SamuelcheckedwithEmeliefirst.Withhernodofapproval,hegotuptoswitchseatswithPatricia.PatriciasettledintoSamuel¡¯s seafortablyandfastenedher

    seatbelt.

    TurningtoEmelie,Patriciaasked,¡°Ms.Hoven,howdidyoudoyourhair?<b>It</b>looksreallynice.¡±

    Emeliehadherhairtiedupinaloosebun,whichhadgottenabitmessyfromthehustleearlier.SincePatriciaasked,Emeliecasuallyuntieditandshowedherhow

    shedidit.

    ¡°It¡¯sactuallyquitesimple,¡±shesaid.¡°Justwatchafewtutorialsonline,andyou¡¯llgetthehang<b>of</b>it.¡±

    Patriciplimented,¡°Well,havinghairasfundsmoothasyours,Ms.Hoven,certainlyhelpswithstyling.¡±

    Emeliepolitelyreplied,¡°Youlookstunningevenwithoutstylingyourhair,Ms.May.¡±

    Patricialetoutasoftchuckle.¡°Idon¡¯tbotherstylingmyhairbecausethemanIlikeprefershiswomenwiththeirhairdown.I¡¯mjustamodatinghispreferences,youknow.Afterall,Istilldependonhimforaliving.¡±

    Emeliesaidnothingtoherremarks.Shecouldn¡¯thelpbutwonderifWilliamstillinsistedonhiswomenkeepingtheirhairdown.

    NowonderDaphnealwayshadsleek,straighthair.

    Themorepowerfman<b>,</b>themoreheseemedtoenjoymoldinghiswomenordingtohispreferences.

    ¡°Ms.Hoven,we¡¯reonthesamesidehere,¡±Patriciasuddenlysaid.

    <b>¡°</b>Thesameside?¡±

    ¡°Exactly.Mr. SamuelisMr.Bryan¡¯sbrother,andIrepresentSwansonCorporation<b>.</b>So,aren¡¯twe essentiallyonthesameside?Movingforward,weshouldsupporteachother.¡±

    EmeliefoundthelogicinPatricia¡¯swordsandnodded.¡°Absolutely,Ms.May.¡±

    Astheneascendedandfounditssmoothflightpath,Emeliereachedforanketanddrapeditoverherknees.

    <b>¡°</b><b>It¡¯s</b><b>almost</b>closingtime<b>,</b>andthere¡¯shardlyanyonearound.Ms.Hoven<b>,</b>why areyouhereste?¡±

    Emeliestayedsilent<b>,</b>soDaphnepressedon,¡°Areyouworkingaroundherenow?Whichpany?¡±

    Daphne¡¯spersistentquestioningrevealedhersuspicionthatEmeliemighthaveulteriormotives,especiallywithCloudexCorporationnearby.ShefearedEmeliemightbetheretoseeWilliam.

    Finally,Emeliefinishedherfoodandlooked atDaphnedirectly.¡°You¡¯rehereforWilliam,right?Whywait?Youmightgettoseesomelivmotion.¡±

    Daphneimmediatelyasked,¡°Whamotion?¡±

    Onceagain,Emelie<b>stayed</b>silent.Shedrankfromherbottle<b>of</b>water.

    Clutchingherskirttightly,Daphnecouldn¡¯tshakeheruneasyfeeling.ShequicklylefttheconveniencestoreandheadedstraightforCloudexCorporation.

    Emeliehadnnedthis.IfDaphneshowedup,shewoulefacetofacewithWilliam¡¯sintimatemomentsinhisoffice.

    PoorWilliammust¡¯vehadaheadachedealingwithbothwomepetingforhisattention.

    ConsideritEmelie¡¯swayofgivinghimataste ofhisownmedicineformakingherwaitforovertwohours.

    Withallthedramabetweenthethreeofthem,itwasonlyfairforher tosettleonescoreatatime.

    Emeliefinishedherdrink,threwawaythetrash,andlefttheconveniencestore.

    ShecalledSamueltogivehimaquickupdateonthemeetingwhilewalkingacrossthestreettohacab.

    Asshewaitedforaride,shencedupandcaughtsightofWilliamrushingoutofCloudexCorporation.Thoughhewastoodistantforhertoreadhisexpression,itappearedhewassearchingforsomeone.

    Emelie,notreally intoit,saidtoSamueloverthephone,¡°Shouldwejustmeetattheairporttomorrow?¡±

    ¡°Sinceyoudon¡¯thaveacarandit¡¯sinconvenienttohacabwhileluggingyourluggage,I¡¯llswingbyyourcetomorrowtopickyouup,¡±Samuel offered.

    ¡°Okay,¡±Emelieagreed.

    Afterhangingup,Emeliehailedacab.

    Insteadofheadingstraighttoherapartment,Emeliedecidedtostopatthehospital.

    Withabusinesstripnnedfortomorrow,shecouldn¡¯tshakeherworriesabouthermom,Greta.

    ButknowingthatGretawasingoodhandswiththemedicalteam and caregiverslikethenurseandEliana,Emeliefeltabitmorereassuredthateverythingwouldbeokay.

    Shedecidedtoholdoffonmakinganydecisionsabouttheartificialheartuntfterherreturnfromthetrip.

    Whethertogothroughwithitornot,sheknewshehadtomakeadecisionsoon.

    Thenextmorning,Emeliewentdownstairswithhersuitcase,andshewassurprisedtoseeSamuel¡¯scaralreadywaiting.

    ¡°<b>Wow</b>,thinkingImightkeepyouwaiting,Icamedown15minutesearly.Butyou¡¯realreadyhere.You weren¡¯twaitingforlong,wereyou?¡±Emelieasked,takenaback.

    Samuelwaslookingquitehandsomewithhissilver¨Cframedsses.Handingherbreakfast,hereplied,¡°<b>I</b>wasn¡¯twaiting.It¡¯sjustmyhabittobeearly.¡±

    Gettingalongwith someonelike Samuelwas adelight.Hewascaringandattentive.InthetwomonthsEmeliehadbeenworkingwithhim<b>,</b>shehadn¡¯tdiscoveredasinglew.

    Heseemedalmost tooperfecttobereal.

    Butasluckwouldhaveit,eventhoughtheyleftearly,theygotstuckintrafficduetoacaridentonthehighway.Theywaitedforthepolicetocleartheroadandbarelymadeittotheairportontime.

    EmeliehurriedintotheVIPlounge,breathless,and tooka moment<b>to</b>catchherbreath.

    Jaydenhandedherabottleofmineralwater.<b>¡°</b>Takeiteasy,Ms.Hoven<b>.</b>Don¡¯tbenervous.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,Mr.Gleamfield,¡±Emeliereplied.¡°I¡¯mnot.¡±

    Williamloungedon<b>the</b>couchwithhislegscrossed,anewspaperrestingonhisknee.

    ¡°Ofcourse,you¡¯renot<b>.</b>Youwerekindenoughtosuggestthatothersseethmotiostnight<b>,</b>Howcouldyoubenervous?¡±

    Chapter157ChangingSeats

 CHAPTER 156

    Chapter156Commotion

    Truth<b>be</b>told<b>,</b>EmelletrulyadmiredDaphne<b>.</b><b>Despite</b>theirfrequentshes<b>,</b>Daphnealwaysmanagedtoactasifnothinghadhappenedeverytimethey<b>met</b>.

    But<b>it</b>made sense.Afterall,withoutsometacticsupher<b>sleeve</b><b>,</b>Daphnewouldn¡¯tbeabletoholdontoWilliam.

    ¡°Ms.Hoven,whatareyoudoinghere?¡±

    AlthoughEmeliewasthe<b>first</b><b>to</b><b>¡°</b>greet¡±her<b>,</b>onceDaphneentered,Emeliedidn¡¯tevennceather.Shejustkeptsnackingaway.

    Daphne<b>wasn¡¯t</b><b>quite</b>surewhattomakeofEmelie¡¯sstandoffishdemeanor,soshetriedagain.

    <b>¡°</b><b>It¡¯s</b><b>almost</b>closingtime<b>,</b>andthere¡¯shardlyanyonearound.Ms.Hoven<b>,</b>why areyouhereste?¡±

    Emeliestayedsilent<b>,</b>soDaphnepressedon,¡°Areyouworkingaroundherenow?Whichpany?¡±Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    Daphne¡¯spersistentquestioningrevealedhersuspicionthatEmeliemighthaveulteriormotives,especiallywithCloudexCorporationnearby.ShefearedEmeliemightbetheretoseeWilliam.

    Finally,Emeliefinishedherfoodandlooked atDaphnedirectly.¡°You¡¯rehereforWilliam,right?Whywait?Youmightgettoseesomelivmotion.¡±

    Daphneimmediatelyasked,¡°Whamotion?¡±

    Onceagain,Emelie<b>stayed</b>silent.Shedrankfromherbottle<b>of</b>water.

    Clutchingherskirttightly,Daphnecouldn¡¯tshakeheruneasyfeeling.ShequicklylefttheconveniencestoreandheadedstraightforCloudexCorporation.

    Emeliehadnnedthis.IfDaphneshowedup,shewoulefacetofacewithWilliam¡¯sintimatemomentsinhisoffice.

    PoorWilliammust¡¯vehadaheadachedealingwithbothwomepetingforhisattention.

    ConsideritEmelie¡¯swayofgivinghimataste ofhisownmedicineformakingherwaitforovertwohours.

    Withallthedramabetweenthethreeofthem,itwasonlyfairforher tosettleonescoreatatime.

    Emeliefinishedherdrink,threwawaythetrash,andlefttheconveniencestore.

    ShecalledSamueltogivehimaquickupdateonthemeetingwhilewalkingacrossthestreettohacab.

    Asshewaitedforaride,shencedupandcaughtsightofWilliamrushingoutofCloudexCorporation.Thoughhewastoodistantforhertoreadhisexpression,itappearedhewassearchingforsomeone.

    Emelie,notreally intoit,saidtoSamueloverthephone,¡°Shouldwejustmeetattheairporttomorrow?¡±

    ¡°Sinceyoudon¡¯thaveacarandit¡¯sinconvenienttohacabwhileluggingyourluggage,I¡¯llswingbyyourcetomorrowtopickyouup,¡±Samuel offered.

    ¡°Okay,¡±Emelieagreed.

    Afterhangingup,Emeliehailedacab.

    Insteadofheadingstraighttoherapartment,Emeliedecidedtostopatthehospital.

    Withabusinesstripnnedfortomorrow,shecouldn¡¯tshakeherworriesabouthermom,Greta.

    ButknowingthatGretawasingoodhandswiththemedicalteam and caregiverslikethenurseandEliana,Emeliefeltabitmorereassuredthateverythingwouldbeokay.

    Shedecidedtoholdoffonmakinganydecisionsabouttheartificialheartuntfterherreturnfromthetrip.

    Whethertogothroughwithitornot,sheknewshehadtomakeadecisionsoon.

    Thenextmorning,Emeliewentdownstairswithhersuitcase,andshewassurprisedtoseeSamuel¡¯scaralreadywaiting.

    ¡°<b>Wow</b>,thinkingImightkeepyouwaiting,Icamedown15minutesearly.Butyou¡¯realreadyhere.You weren¡¯twaitingforlong,wereyou?¡±Emelieasked,takenaback.

    Samuelwaslookingquitehandsomewithhissilver¨Cframedsses.Handingherbreakfast,hereplied,¡°<b>I</b>wasn¡¯twaiting.It¡¯sjustmyhabittobeearly.¡±

    Gettingalongwith someonelike Samuelwas adelight.Hewascaringandattentive.InthetwomonthsEmeliehadbeenworkingwithhim<b>,</b>shehadn¡¯tdiscoveredasinglew.

    Heseemedalmost tooperfecttobereal.

    Butasluckwouldhaveit,eventhoughtheyleftearly,theygotstuckintrafficduetoacaridentonthehighway.Theywaitedforthepolicetocleartheroadandbarelymadeittotheairportontime.

    EmeliehurriedintotheVIPlounge,breathless,and tooka moment<b>to</b>catchherbreath.

    Jaydenhandedherabottleofmineralwater.<b>¡°</b>Takeiteasy,Ms.Hoven<b>.</b>Don¡¯tbenervous.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,Mr.Gleamfield,¡±Emeliereplied.¡°I¡¯mnot.¡±

    Williamloungedon<b>the</b>couchwithhislegscrossed,anewspaperrestingonhisknee.

    ¡°Ofcourse,you¡¯renot<b>.</b>Youwerekindenoughtosuggestthatothersseethmotiostnight<b>,</b>Howcouldyoubenervous?¡±

    Chapter157ChangingSeats

 CHAPTER 157

    Chapter<b>157</b>ChangingSeats

    EmeliencedatWilliam,thenthought ofDaphne.ShewonderedifDaphnehadalreadybriefedhimoneverything.

    Samuel<b>,</b>lookingconfused,asked,<b>¡°</b><b>What</bmotion?¡±

    Emelierepliedcalmly,<b>¡°</b>I¡¯mnotsure.¡±

    <b>¡°</b>Youbetter not,¡±Williamsaidashesetasidethenewspaper.<b>¡°</b>Whydidn¡¯tyoupickupwhenIcalledyouafterthemeetingyesterday?<b>¡±</b>

    Emeliecasuallypulledoutherphone,pretendingtobepuzzled.¡°Idon¡¯tremember seeinganymissedcalls,Mr.Middleton.Whattimedidyoucall?Letmecheck.¡±

    Shewantedtoseeifhehadthenervetosayhecalledat8:00pm.

    Williamsimplylookedatherwithoutsayingaword.

    Sensingthetension,Jaydentriedtolightenthemoodandchangedthesubject<b>.</b>¡°Finally,heresMs.May.¡±

    ¡°Hey,butIboughtyouguyssmoothies!¡±Patriciaprotested.¡°HaveyouheardaboutthatfamoussmoothiespotfromCapebattCityneartheairport?<b>I</b>spotteditwhilepassingbyandcouldn¡¯tresistjoiningthequeue.¡±

    ItwasclearthatPatriciahadathingforred.ShelookedstunninginherredknitteddresswithaV¨Cneck,givingoffanairofsophisticationandallure.Despitethechillyweather,sheseemedfinewithjustabeigewoolcoatthrownoverit.

    EmelieandSamuelmovedaside.

    Patriciasetthesmoothiedownonthesmall tableandpassedcupstoeveryoneexceptWilliam,saying,¡°Iknowyou¡¯renotafanofthis<b>,</b>Mr.Middleton<b>,</b>soIdidn¡¯tgetyouone.¡±

    Hertonewascasual.

    Williamjustnoddedinresponse.

    Jaydenchimedinwithasmile,¡°I¡¯mnotafan,either.Yodiesenjoy.¡±HenoddedtowardAlexis,hissecretary.

    Alexistookthe smoothiefromPatriciaandoffereda politethankyou.

    PatriciathenhandedanothercuptoEmelie,saying,¡°Thisone¡¯stheirspecialblend,Ms.Hoven.Giveitatry.¡±

    Emeliethankedher.AsPatriciapassedherthedrink,shegaveEmelieaquickonce¨Cover.

    Emelie¡¯smakeupwaslight.Buthernaturallyprettyface madeherlookgorgeousnomatterwhat.

    Astheboardingannouncementremindedpassengerstogetonboard,theymadetheirway<b>onto</b>thene.

    Theyhadallchosenbusiness¨Cssseats<b>,</b>withEmelieandSamuelseatedtogetherinonerow.

    Assoonastheysettledintotheirseats,PatriciacameovertoSamundasked,¡°Mr.Swanson,couldyoudomeafavorandswitchseatswithme?I¡¯dliketohavea

    chatwithMs.Hoven.¡±

    SamuelcheckedwithEmeliefirst.Withhernodofapproval,hegotuptoswitchseatswithPatricia.PatriciasettledintoSamuel¡¯s seafortablyandfastenedher

    seatbelt.

    TurningtoEmelie,Patriciaasked,¡°Ms.Hoven,howdidyoudoyourhair?<b>It</b>looksreallynice.¡±

    Emeliehadherhairtiedupinaloosebun,whichhadgottenabitmessyfromthehustleearlier.SincePatriciaasked,Emeliecasuallyuntieditandshowedherhow

    shedidit.

    ¡°It¡¯sactuallyquitesimple,¡±shesaid.¡°Justwatchafewtutorialsonline,andyou¡¯llgetthehang<b>of</b>it.¡±

    Patriciplimented,¡°Well,havinghairasfundsmoothasyours,Ms.Hoven,certainlyhelpswithstyling.¡±

    Emeliepolitelyreplied,¡°Youlookstunningevenwithoutstylingyourhair,Ms.May.¡±

    Patricialetoutasoftchuckle.¡°Idon¡¯tbotherstylingmyhairbecausethemanIlikeprefershiswomenwiththeirhairdown.I¡¯mjustamodatinghispreferences,youknow.Afterall,Istilldependonhimforaliving.¡±

    Emeliesaidnothingtoherremarks.Shecouldn¡¯thelpbutwonderifWilliamstillinsistedonhiswomenkeepingtheirhairdown.

    NowonderDaphnealwayshadsleek,straighthair.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.

    Themorepowerfman<b>,</b>themoreheseemedtoenjoymoldinghiswomenordingtohispreferences.

    ¡°Ms.Hoven,we¡¯reonthesamesidehere,¡±Patriciasuddenlysaid.

    <b>¡°</b>Thesameside?¡±

    ¡°Exactly.Mr. SamuelisMr.Bryan¡¯sbrother,andIrepresentSwansonCorporation<b>.</b>So,aren¡¯twe essentiallyonthesameside?Movingforward,weshouldsupporteachother.¡±

    EmeliefoundthelogicinPatricia¡¯swordsandnodded.¡°Absolutely,Ms.May.¡±

    Astheneascendedandfounditssmoothflightpath,Emeliereachedforanketanddrapeditoverherknees.

    Leaningonthearmrestwithherheadproppedup,PatriciaturnedtoEmelieandsuddenlyremarked,¡°Youknow,Ms. Hoven,<b>I</b>believeyourmost remarkableskill,beyondhairstylingorwork<b>,</b>isknowinghowtousesomeoneelsetodothedirtywork.¡±

    Uponhearingthis,EmeliesensedthatPatricia¡¯sapproachwasn¡¯tjustforcasualchat.

    11

 CHAPTER 158

    Chapter<b>158</b>DetectiveHoven

    Patricia<bmented</b><b>,</b><b>¡°</b><b>You</b>almostcausedasceneyesterday<b>by</b>bringingMs.BowentotheofficetofindMr.Middletonandme.¡±

    Emelieturnedherhead<b>slightly</b>andlowered<b>the</b>sunshade.

    <b>Still</b>smiling,Patriciasaid,¡°Iwasabitsurprised.Afterwhathappenedonthe<b>ship</b>andwithyounolonger<b>at</b>CloudexCorporation,Ididn¡¯texpectyoutostillbesopossessiveofMr.Middleton.JustasIwascatching<b>up</b>withhim,itfeltlikeyouwerereadytointerrupt.¡±

    Interrupt<b>?</b>

    Emeliewondered<b>if</b>whenDaphneshowedup,sheonlysawwhat happenedafterward,orifsheinterruptedtheintimacyinthemiddleofit.

    Shepicturedthatscenarioandfurrowed herbrow.

    Aflightattendantcameoverandaskedpolitely,¡°Wouldyodieslikesomethingtodrink?¡±

    ¡°Half<b>a</b>ssof lemonwater,please,¡±Emelierequested,feelingabitqueasy.

    Theflightattendantpouredassandhandedittoher,andEmeliedrankitdown.

    <b>Patricia¡¯s</b>voicewassofterthantheflightattendant¡¯s.¡°Ms.Hoven,youseemprettybotheredbymyrtionshipwithMr.Middleton,don¡¯tyou¡­Orareyouperhapsfeelingabitjealous?¡±

    EmelieopenedthedisposableeyemaskprovidedinthebusinessssandfinallyturnedtoPatricia,saying,¡°Sorry<b>,</b>I¡¯mabittiredandneedtogetsomesleep.¡±Patriciawascaughtoffguard byEmelie¡¯ssuddenstatement.

    ButEmeliehadalreadyputontheeyemaskandadjustedherseat.Foldingherhandsonherabdomen,sheappearedasifshewasgettingreadytodozeoffpeacefully.

    Patriciafoundherselfsimultaneouslyirritatedandamused.

    Afterallthetalk,Emeliedidn¡¯treplyatall.Shejustmentionedwantingtosleepandwasbasicallytelling Patriciatoshutupsubtly.

    Patriciacouldn¡¯thelpbutfindEmelietobepoisedandunppable.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    Threehourter,thenndedinWimstourCity.

    Theirridewaswaitingoutsidetheairport,andtheirluggagewasalreadybeinghandled.EmelieandSamuelwalkedtogether.Samuelswitchedoffairnemodeonhisphoneandcasuallyopenedhisphotoalbum,saying,¡°Checkthisout.¡±

    William,whowastrailingbehindthem,liftedhisheadandncedat EmelieandSamuheadwithankexpression.

    EmeliencedatSamuel¡¯sphone.

    Itshowedapictureofantstandwithfourorfivepotsofmintnts.Sheeximed,¡°Havetheyallgrownthismuch?¡±

    Samuelchuckled,¡°Youonlygavemeafew,andnowthey¡¯realmosttakingovermyntstand.¡±

    Withhissharpeyesight,WilliamnoticedSamuel¡¯sscreenwasfilledwithlushgreenery.

    RememberingEmelie¡¯spotofmintnts,hewonderedifshehadgiventhemtoSamuel.

    Williampressedhislipstogether.

    Emeliesawrightthroughit.¡°Idon¡¯tbelieveit.Youmusthaveboughtsomeyourself.¡±

    Samuelchuckled,¡°You¡¯requitethedetective,aren¡¯tyou,Sherlock Hoven?Ishould¡¯vetakenyourwordforit.Mintntsdothrive,soIshouldn¡¯thaveboughtmore<b>.</b>Nowmyntstandisoverrunwiththeir¡®descendants.¡°¡±

    Emeliesighed,¡°Mr.Swanson,asadistinguishedprofessor,youshouldn¡¯tbethrowingaroundnicknames.¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡±Samupologized withasmirk

    Lockinghisphoneandncingatherhair,hmented,¡°Idon¡¯tusuallyseeyouwithyour hairtiedup.Itlooksnice.¡±

    EmeliewastakenabackwhenshenoticedsomethingshintherofSamuel¡¯sphonescreen.Itwaslikeacamerasnappingaphotoofher.

    Shequicklyturnedherheadtolookinthatdirectionbutfoundnothingthere.

    Frowning,shencedaroundagainbutstillfoundnothing.

    Williamcalmlyapproachedfrombehindthemandsaid,¡°Moveaside.¡±

    SinceEmeliedidn¡¯tnoticeanythingstrange,shehurriedtocatchupwithSamuel.

    WilliamwatchedEmeliegowithindifference.Henoticedthebunonthebackofherheadbobbedasshejogged.

    ¡°Looksnice?Morelikeshejustrolledoutofbedwithoutbotheringtofixherhair.Howmessy,¡±Williamthought.

    Theywerepickedupbyaprivatecarandwentstraighttothehotel.

    WhilethetwoCEOsandSamueltalkedinthelobby,Emelieandafewsecretariescheckedin<b>at</b>thefrontdesk.WithSwansonCorporationonlysendingPatriciathistime,shehadtohandlethecheck¨Cinherself.

    EmelieoverheardPatriciaaskingAshton,¡°WhichfloorisMr.Middletonon?¡±

    Chapter158DetectiveHoven

    ¡°The19thfloor,¡±Ashtonreplied.

    Withasmile,Patriciaturnedtothehotelreceptionistandsaid,<b>¡°</b>I¡¯d liketobeonthe19thflooras well.¡±

 CHAPTER 159

    Chapter<b>159</b>PersonalNurse

    ArrivinginWimustourCity,EneliewassurprisedbyhowmuchcolderitwaparedtoCapebatt City.Sherealizedherclothesweren¡¯t warmenough,<b>so</b>shedecidedtogoshoppingforadownjacketatthenearestmall.

    Coincidentally,shemetSamuelinthehotellobby.Theyjokedaboutnotbringingenoughwarmclothesanddecidedto<b>go</b>tothemalltogether.

    Emeliepickedoutabeigedownjacket,whileSamuelchosethesamestyleinck.

    ShewasworriedthatSamuelmighttrytopayforherjacket,soshequicklypaidforherswhilehewasbusylookingatotherthings.

    ¡°Emelie,¡±Samuelcalledouttoherfrombehind.

    Sheturned,andhewrappedascarfaroundherneck.¡°Here,addingascarfwillkeepyouevenwarmer.¡±

    AsSamuelhelpedEmeliefixherscarf,shenoticedherhairwasgettingloose.Withoutmuchthought,shequicklytieditagain.Shewasunawareoftheintimategesturethatmadethemseemlikea coupledeeplyinlove.

    Meanwhile,WilliamandPatricia,whowerealsoshoppingatthemall,happenedtowitnessthescene.

    Afterobservingforawhile,Patriciachuckledandremarked,¡°LookslikeIcanteaseMr.Bryanaboutthis.Hemagbehind Nehemiahinhislovelife<b>,</b>butnowhecan¡¯tevenkeepupwithSamuel.¡±

    EmelieandSamuelncedover together.TheyspottedWilliaminasuit,pushingashoppingcart,whilePatricia,inareddress<b>,</b>heldontohis arm.

    Samuelsmiled.¡°Whatacoincidence.Mr.MiddletonandMs.May,areyoualsohereforsomeshopping?¡±

    Emelie,notwantinganypersonalinteractionwithWilliam<b>,</b>politelysmiledandsaid,¡°We¡¯realldonehere,sowe¡¯llheadoutfirst.¡±

    ¡°Comeon,let¡¯sleavetogether.We¡¯refinishedtoo,¡±Patriciasuggested.ItleftEmeliewithnooptionbuttoapanythemtothecheckout.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    Patriciaboughtsomeeverydayitemsandsnacks.William¡¯spresenceonamereshoppingtrip addedanintriguingdynamictohisrtionshipwithPatricia.

    Bythecounter,therewerecondomsondisy,andPatricianudgedWilliamteasinglywithherelbow.¡°Hey,Will,areyougettinganyofthese?¡±

    Williamgaveheranindifferentnce.

    Thewayshesaidhisnamecarriedaflirtatiousundertone.

    TurningbacktoEmelieandSamuel,Patriciaasked,¡°Mr.SwansonandMs.Hoven,doyoutwoneedthese?¡±

    Samudjustedhissses,hisexpressionremainingcalm.Butgivenhistypicallygood¨Cnatureddemeanor,thissubtlechangeindicatedhisannoyance.¡°Pleaserefrainfromsuchjokes,Ms.May.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯stheretobeshyabout?Weallknoweachother¡¯srtionships,¡±Patriciasaidcasually.

    Shewasreferringtothecruisepartyincident.Duringthecruise,EmeliespentthenightwithSamuel,whilePatriciaspentitwithWilliam.

    William¡¯sstarepiercedEmelielikeanarrowmadeofice.Itinstantlybroughtbackmemoriesofhiswarningattheracetrack.

    Hewouldmakeherpayforher¡°betrayal¡°.

    Emelieavoidedhisgaze.

    Afterpayingthebill,theyheadedbacktothehoteltogether.EmelieandSamuelwerestayingonthe17thfloor,whileWilliamandPatriciawereonthe19th,sotheygotofftheelevatorfirst.

    Thus,bothPatriciaandWilliamwitnessedEmelieenteringSamuel¡¯sroom.

    Hummingatune,Patriciaremarked,¡°Wouldn¡¯titbeeasieriftheyjustbookedoneroominthefirstce?¡±

    Williamremainedsilent,buthiseyesbetrayedaweightyfrostiness.

    ¨C

    EmelieandSamuel neededtodiscusssomework¨Crtedmatters.

    Intheworldofresearch,itwasoftencrucialtoconducton¨Csiteinvestigationstouncoverproblems.Forinstance,thecoldertemperaturesinWimstourCitycouldbeamajor factor.

    Theirdiscussionscontinueduntildinnertime,promptingthemtochooseroomservice.Afterenjoyingtheir foodandconversation<b>,</b>theybidfarewell,onlytorealizeitwasalreadypast9:00pm.

    EmelieendedupspendingmorethanthreehoursinSamuel¡¯sroomwithoutevenrealizingit.

    Thoughtheirroomswereonthesamefloor,theyweren¡¯tnexttoeachother.

    Navigatingthroughthehotelcorridors,shefollowedthesignsonthewallsanddidn¡¯tencounter anyone alongtheway<b>.</b>

    However,atthatmoment,sheexperiencedthatunsettlingsensationagain.Itwasasifshewasbeingwatched,perhapsevenphotographed.

    Emeliequicklyturnedherhead,onlytofindnothingthere.

    Ifithappenedonce,itcouldbedismissedasatrickofthemind,buttwice?Shecouldn¡¯tignorethefeelinganylonger.Shewassuresomeonewastailing her.Insteadofrushingbacktoherroom<b>,</b>Emeliechosetoconfrontthetracker.

    Thefeelingofbeingwatchedwasn¡¯texclusivetoWimstourCity.EmelieexperienceditafewtimesbackinCapebattCitytoo.

    Ifitturnedouttobetrue,itwouldbeabsolutelyterrifying.Ifshe<b>didn¡¯t</b>catchthepersonnow,sheknewshe¡¯dbeconstantlyonedgeinthefuture.

    Emeliegrabbedherpeppersprayfromherbagandcautiouslymovedtowardthehallway¡¯er.

    Chapter159PersonalNurse

    Asshegotcloser,shenoticedashadowontheground.

    Withherlipspressedtogether,Emelietightenedhergriponthepeppersprayandchargedforwardwithoutasecondthought,aimingitdirectlyattheperson-

    Thesuddenactionstartledtheperson,whoswiftlygrabbedherhandandraiseditabovetheirhead,causingthespraytoshoottowardtheceiling.

    Despitethis,apotentstinginggasstilllingeredintheair.

    Themanwastednotimeinpullingheraside.Takingafewstepsback,hepressedherhandsagainstthewall.

    Emelieinstinctivelyfoughtback,butheeffortlesslypinnedherdown.

    Loweringhishead,heasked,¡°Howmany timesareyounningtousethesametacticonme?¡±

    Thevoicesoundedeerilyfamiliar.

    ¡°Ormaybeyou¡¯reupforanothernightofbeingmypersonalnurse?¡±hejoked.

    Emelielookedupinastonishment.William?

    Sheblurtedout,¡°Whyisityou?¡±

 CHAPTER 160

    Chapter160<b>Good</b>Taste

    <b>¡°</b>Whoelsewoulditbe?<b>¡±</b>William¡¯sexpressionturnedfrosty.<b>¡°</b>Doyouthinkmesendingamessagehereis<b>getting</b>inyour<b>way</b><b>?</b><b>¡±</b>

    EmelieTellsilent.

    Itdidn¡¯tmakesense.JaydenandAlexiswereonthe20thfloor.WilliamandAshton,<b>along</b>withPatricia<b>,</b>wereonthe19thfloor<b>,</b>andshewaswith Samuelonthe17th

    floor.

    Whyonearthwouldhebeonthe17thfloor?Isheactuallyhere<b>to</b>meetSamuel?Hecan¡¯t possiblybe<b>here</b>forher<b>,</b>couldhe?

    Emelle¡¯seyesbrieflyflickered<b>,</b><b>but</b>thosedetailsdidn¡¯tmattermuchatthemoment.Sherealizedtheircurrent<b>position</b>wasimproper,andshealsonoticedastrongsmell<b>of</b>alcoholon<b>him</b>,

    Shecouldn¡¯t help butwonder<b>if</b>he went<b>out</b>drinkingafterreturningfromthemall.

    <b>¡°</b>Mr.Middleton,pleaseletmego,¡±Emelierequested.

    William¡¯sfocuslingeredonthescarfadorningherneck.ItwastheveryoneSamuelhadhelpedherputon.

    AsherecalledthevariousincidentsbetweenherandSamuel,hisexpressiongrewincreasinglyfrosty.Hisgazethenshifteddownwardonceagain.

    Thebagshe¡¯dbeencarryingamomentagoslippedfromhergrasp,scatteringitscontentsonthefloor.Atthetoyabra.Itwaspinkandadornedwitce.

    Seeinghisgazeonherclothes,Emeliegrittedherteethandsnapped,¡°Mr.Middleton!Letmego!¡±

    Williamncedatherfaceandremarked,¡°You¡¯renotgettinganyyounger,yetyoustilldresslikeateenager.ButIhavetoadmit,you¡¯vegotgoodtaste<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    Emelie,clearlyangry,shotback,¡°Mr.Middleton,verbalharassmentisstillharassment.Showsomerespect<b>!</b>¡±

    ¡°Howdoyoudefineharassment? I¡¯mjustsayingyouhavegoodtaste,¡±William¡¯sexpressionremainedserious,thoughhistoneheldahintofmalice.

    Hecontinued,¡°Whenotherplimentyou,it¡¯spraise.ButwhenIdoit,suddenlyit¡¯sharassment?¡±

    Emelierefusedtounderstandhislogic.ShetriedtofreeherselffromWilliam¡¯sgrip,butheheldontight.

    ¡°YouwentshoppingwithSamuel,gotmatchingoutfits,andevenboughtunderwear?Thenyoutwospentthreehoursaloneintheroom?¡±

    Emeliepressedherlipstogether.

    SheboughttheunderwearbecausesheknewWimstourCity¡¯sweathercouldbechillywithlittlesunlight,makingithard<b>for</b>clothestodry.Shehadn¡¯tpackedmanychanges,soshegotthemjustincase.Andwhenshedid,Samuelwasbusycheckingoutotherstuff.

    Butshedidn¡¯tfeeltheneedtoexinallofthistoWilliam.Outoftheblue,sheshouted,¡°Mr.Swanson,¡±<b>from</b>behindhim.

    William¡¯sattentionfalteredforamoment,allowingEmelietoslipaway.Swiftly,shegrabbedtheclothesfromthegroundandhurriedoff.

    Herexpressionwasicycold.

    Shewasalready sickenedbyhisrtionshipwithDaphneandPatricia¨Canyonewithaspeckofdecencywould feelthesame¨Candyet,hestillwentthroughwithit.

    <b>It</b>onlyintensifiedherdisgust.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    William¡¯svoicecamefrombehindher,¡°IfmyrtionshipwithPatriciabothersyou,whynoeandaskmeaboutit?¡±

    Emeliefoundthissituationincrediblybaffling.

    Whendidsheeverindicatethatshecared?

    Shechosetoignoreitandtookouttheroomkeycardtoopenthedoor.

    AshadowfelloverWilliam¡¯sgaze<b>.</b>

    Emeliesuddenlyfelthimclosinginfast.Justassheturnedbackwarily,Williamwasalreadybehindher.

    Beforeshecouldreact,hepushedherintotheroom.Andthen,thedoormmedshut.

    Theroomwasplungedintodarkness,withnolightsilluminatingthespace.

    Emeliecouldn¡¯tseeathing.Shedidn¡¯tknowwherehewas,butshecouldfeelhimaroundher.Suddenly,hehadherpinnedagainstthewall.

    She felthimyankoffherscarfandtossitaway,followedbyhimpullingoutthehairtie.

    <b>¡°</b>Howmessy!¡±hesneered.

    Emelie¡¯smindinstantlyshedbacktowhatPatriciahadsaidonthene.

    <b>To</b>Emelie,howWilliamchosetotreathiswomenwashisbusiness.Whyshouldshe bedraggedintoit?Didhereallythinkshehadanythingtodowithhim?Emelieclenchedherteeth,silentlystrugglinginthedarkness.

    Herphonesuddenlyrang.Shehadleftitinhercoatpocket.Williamreachedinandpulleditout.

    ¡°William!<b>¡±</b>Emelieeximed.Shewassurprisedbyhickofrespect.

    ItwasSamuelcalling.

    ¡°Someone¡¯scallingright afteryoulefthisroom.Ms.Hoven,you¡¯requiteclosewithyour newboss,¡±William said.

    <b>He</b>clearlyimpliedthatwhenshewashissecretary,shewasalsovery¡°close¡±tohimasherboss.

    Emeliewaslivid.¡°Mr.Middleton,mindyourownbusiness<b>!</b>¡±

    Williamchuckled,thensuddenlyletgoofherandsteppedbackwithherphone<b>in</b>hand.

    Chapter160GoodTaste

    AfraidofwhatWilliammight sayifheansweredthecall,Emelierushedafterhimanddemanded,¡°Givethatbacktome!¡±

 CHAPTER 161

    Chapter161Despicable

    williamhungupthecandsmoothly<b>dodged</b>Emelle¡¯sattempttoreachhim.

    withthecurtainsdrawnshut,theroomwaspitchck.Emellestumbledinthedarkness.Shetrippedovertheedge<b>of</b>thecarpetandstruggledto<b>regain</b>her

    <b>bnce</b>.

    Beforeshecouldsteadyherself,WimpushedheragainstthewallfrombehindandfirmlyheldherImce.

    Hewasmaniptingherwiththe dexterityofaskilledpuppeteerand effortlesslycontrollinghermovements.Itwasalmostasifshewerenothingmore<b>than</b>apawninhisgame.

    Frustrated,Emelia¡¯sbreathquickened<b>as</b>shestruggledagainstherrestrained hands.

    ¡°William!Getoutofmyroomrightnow!Orelse

    ¡°orelsewhat<b>?</b>¡±William¡¯stone,dulledby<b>alcohol</b>,waschillinglyindifferent.¡°WhatwillyoudoifI¡¯ve actuallydonesomething?Willyou<b>have</b>thenervetocause a

    AchillrandownEmelie¡¯sspine.Herentirebodytensedathiswords.

    ¡°Letmetrytofigurethisout.WhatexactlydidBryanpromiseyouguys?SamuelhopsontotheprojecttohelpSwansonCorporation<b>gain</b>moreinfluence.Inreturn,oncethe<b>project</b>wrapsup,yougetaticketinto<b>Swanson</b>Corporation,amright?

    ¡°Now,howaboutyouguess?Doyoureallythink<b>I</b><b>don¡¯t</b>haveanywaytokickSwansonCorporationoutofthisproject?Iftheprojecttanksbecauseofyou,willSwansonCorporationstilltake youin?Your<b>only</b>jobwouldbegoo,wouldn¡¯tit?¡±

    EmelierealizedWilliam¡¯swordswereatant,unvanishedformofcknall.Hewasusinghisauthoritytomanipteher.

    ¡°So,whatexactly areyouupto?¡°,furiousbutoddlyamusedughedbitterly.

    ¡°Isthisapowery?IfIrefusetosleepwithyou,you¡¯llkickSwansonCorporationout,leavingmewithoutajob?¡±

    William¡¯sfingers<b>dug</b>intoherhand¡°AmIreallythat<b>despleable</b>inyoureyes?!N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.

    Emelieretortedsharply.¡°Areyounot?!

    Whatwashedoingnowthatwasn¡¯tdespicable?

    ¡°Wheniestobeingdespicable,I¡¯mnowherenearyourdearSail¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯tdragothersdownjustbecauseyouremessed up!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯redefendinghimdespitehavingafianc¨¦e,he¡¯sstillseeingyoujusttomaniptey

    <b>you</b>intobeinghismistress

    Isn¡¯tthatmessedup

    William¡¯stenewascold.Heonlycameafteryou<b>because</b>ofyourlooks.Doyouhonestlythinkhe¡¯sagood<b>guy</b>?¡°MyrtionshipwithSamuelisnoneofyourbusiness,William.YouretheCEOofClondexCorporation,the<b>heir</b>oftheMiddletonfamily.Stoopingtocoercewomeniswaybeneath<b>your</b>status,isn¡¯t?¡±

    Emeliefoundherselfinasituationwhereshewas<b>clearly</b>atadisadvantageandcouldonlyholdbackherwordstemporarilybeforegivingin.

    However,deepinside,herchestfeltlikeitwasintingwithanger,pushingagainstitslimits.Shewasonthebrinkofexplodingandteeteringontheedge<b>of</b>control

    Suddenly,Williamchuckledcoldly.¡°FirstWesley,nowSamuel.Areyoureallythatdesperateforaman?IfIcankeepsomeonelikeyouaroundforthreeyears,whatelsecouldpossiblytamishmyreputationmorethanthat?¡±

    Eventhemostpatientpersonhastheirlimits<b>,</b>andEmellereachedhers.¡°Whythe<b>are</b>youbringingupWesleynow?¡±shesnapped.

    SonowitseemeditwasforbiddentoevenmentionWesley¡¯sname.

    William¡¯seyesgleamedwithmaliceinthedarkness.

    Emelie¡¯s angerhadjust<b>begun</b>toswelllikeaballoon<b>.</b>Butthefieryresentimentinhischesthadbeensimmeringsincetheincidentsattheracetrack.Fueledbyherrepeatedintimacywithothermen,itwasfinallybuilingover.

    HishandswiftlymovedinfrontofEmelie,graspingher<b>chin</b><b>and</b>forcefullytiltingherheadback

    Emeliebarelyhadtimetoreactbeforehislips,amellingofalcohol,<b>crashed</b>ontohers

    Hereyeswidenedinshock.Shewantedtopuwayimmediately,butshecouldn¡¯tresist inthisposition.There<b>was</b>simplynowaytoescape,

    Williamaggressivelybitintoherlips,andwithinseconds,Emelietastedthemetallic<b>tang</b>ofherownblood.

    TrappedbetweenthewandWilliam,Emelledeltutterlypowerless.Hereyesbamedredwithamixofpain,anger,andresentment.

    ¡°Emelie,¡±hesaidwithaheavyvoice,¡°haven¡¯tmywordssunkin?You¡¯redestined<b>to</b>endupalone.Don¡¯tyoudarefindanotherman,¡±¡°Whatamotherfuckingsonofabastant!EmelleconsedInwardly.

    Herthroatfeltpatchedandconstricted.Inthenextinstant,theforcefullyjeledherheadtothesideandtoreherselfawayfromhislips.williamreleasedherjustbeforehesensedherintention.Hewasfeelingsomewhatsurprisedbyherdetermination

    Butasheconsideredherdefiance,stemmingeitherfromWesleyorSamuel,somethingchurned<b>in</b>hisgut.

    Returnedheraroundandpushedherontothecouch

    (ittakestoendyou?¡±WilliamgazeddownatEmeliebeneath<b>him</b>whilereminiscingabouttheinereintimatemomentstheyhadshared.uneliesimplycuuddictstandevenhisproximityanymore.Itwasaqui¨Clevelrejection,purerepulsion,evendisgust.

    Chapter161Despicable

    Finally,shepulledherhand<b>back</b>andppedWilliamacrossthefacewithoutasecondthought.

 CHAPTER 162

    Chapter162Powerless

    Thesoundofasharppechoedthroughthedimlylitroom,piercingthesilence.

    At28yearsold,williamlikelyhadn¡¯tbeenppedsinceEmelie<bst</b>hithimafewmonths<b>back</b>whenhecalledheratool.

    Butthistime,itseemedEmelie¡¯spwasalotharder.

    TOOM.

    Emeliewassprawledonthecouch.Herchestwasheavingwithangerwhiletheireyesmetinthedimlylitro

    Theckoutcurtainsobscuredalllight,leavingWilliam¡¯sexpressionconcealedfromEmelle¡¯svieweventhoughtheyweremereinchesapart.William¡¯sbreathingwascalm,buttherewasa colddeterminationineachexhale.

    Engagedinashowdownthatseemeddestinedtodragonforever,theywereliketwoanimalstrapped<b>in</b><b>a</b>cage,neitherwillingtobackdown.

    Suddenly,amechanicalbeepechoedfromthedoorwayassomeoneswipedakeycardtoentertheroom.

    EmeliewastednotimeinshovingWilliamaside.Shehastilysatupandfixedherclothes,allthe<b>while</b>wonderingwhocouldbeentering.Shewassupposedtobetheonlypersonstayinginthisroom.

    Inaninstant,thelivingroomfloodedwithlightassomeoneswitchedontheoverheamp

    Thesuddenbrightnesswasblinding,makingEmeliesquintbeforeshecouldadjusthereyesandncetowardthedoorway.

    Twohotttendants,JamesandArthur,enteredtheroomandweretakenabackbythesightofWilliamandEmelie.

    Afteramoment¡¯spause,theyrealizedwhatwashappeningandquicklyapologized,¡°Sorryforbargingin¡­

    ¡°We

    gotacabout<b>a</b>faultydoorinRoom1702,soweused<b>a</b>keycardtocheck.Wedidn¡¯texpecttofindanyonehere.We¡¯resincerelysorryfortheinconvenience!We¡¯llleaveimmediately!=

    Emelieshotthemapuzzled look¡°<b>Who</b>calledaboutadoorissue<b>?</b>I¡¯mtheonlyone<b>staying</b>inthisroom,andIhaven¡¯tcalledanyone.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­Wegotacallfrom<b>a</b>man,imingtobeaguestinRoom1702,withthstnameHoven¡±

    WhileJamesand Arthurcontinuedtoexin,<b>William</b>hadalreadystraightenedhisshirt.

    HencedatEmelieindifferently,butsheavoidedhisgaze.Withoutsayingaword,hepassedby<b>James</b>andArthurandexitedtheroom.

    AsWilliamleftRoom1702,someonequickdysnapped<b>a</b>photoofthedoorwiththeirphoneandsentitwithamessage:¡°Stopped.¡±

    Thesuddenintrusionseemedlikeamereprank<b>,</b>soEmeliedecidednottopursueit.Jamesand Arthur,relievedbyherunderstanding,thankedherandleft,closingthedoorbehindthem.

    Tronically,Emeliefoundherselfgratefulfortheinterruption.Otherwise,Williammighthavestayedevenlonger.

    Sheheadedtothebathroom.

    Inahotellikethis,therewasanabundanceofmakeupremoverandskincareproducts.Emelle<b>grabbed</b>acotton<b>pad</b>,squeezedsomeremoverontoit,andscrubbed<b>her</b>lipsvigorously.

    Herlipsstungfromtheremover, yerthescentofWilliamlingeredlike ashadowthatrefusedtodissipate.

    Emeliediscardedthecottonpad,pouredwaterinto<b>a</b>disposablecup,andgrabbedatoothbrush.Shestartedbrushingherteeth.

    ¡°You¡¯redestinedtoendupalone.¡±

    <b>William¡¯s</b>remark<b>raced</b>throughhermind

    Despiteherabilities,shefeltlikeasmallfish<b>in</b><b>a</b>bigpond.She couldn¡¯petewithhisstrengthorinfluence.

    InWilliam¡¯seyes,herattemptstoresistseemedutterlyfutile.

    Butwhatoptionsdidshehavetochangehersituation?Howcouldsheprevent<b>William</b>fromdictatingherlife?Howcouldsheensurethesafetyofherselfandherfamily?

    None.Therewerenone.

    TheballoonoffrustrationinEmelie¡¯s chestfinallyburst,andsheangrilyhurledthedisposablecuptothefloor.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

    Therewas<b>a</b>loudcrashasthessshatteredintopieces.

    ShehatedfeelingpowerlessanddespisedWilliam¡¯scoldnessanckofempathy.

    Eversincetwomonthsago,whenshestruggledtofind<b>a</b>job<b>and</b>hermothersufferedaheartattack,shehadbeenconsumedbyhatred.

 CHAPTER 163

    Chapter163Attention

    Thankfully,Emelle,beingself¨Creliant,didn¡¯trequireanyobabyherorofferconstion.

    Evenwhenheremotionshitabreakingpoint,shewouldletthemflowfreely.Oncethosepent¨Cup emotionswerereleased,shemoveden

    Shetookadeepbreathandslowlycalmedherselfdown.

    sheknewtherewasnoneedtopush.She¡¯dgiveitanothershotandwoulddefinitelygetbackonher feet.

    Williamdidn¡¯tfeellikereturningtohisroom,sohedecidedtoheaddownstairs.Hepressedthebuttonforthelowerdoors.

    Whentheelevatorreachedhisfloor,andthedoorsopened,he<b>found</b>jaydeninside.

    JaydenquicklynoticedtheredmarlonWilliam¡¯s<b>face</b>andthefloornumber.Hiseyebrowsraisedslightly.¡°DidyougotoseeMs.Hoven?¡±WilliamcallingEmelie¡°Ms.Hoven¡±wasintendedtomockher,whereasJayden¡¯suseofthesametermwas<b>simply</b>outofhabit.

    Why<b>did</b>thishabitdevelop?ItwasbecauseEmeliehadbeenbyWilliam¡¯ssideforthreeyears.

    Asthisrealizationdawned<b>on</b><b>him</b>,william¡¯sexpressiontumedevencolderashesteppedintotheelevator.Jayden,beinghisbestfriend<b>,</b>couldreadhimlike<b>a</b>book¡°Things gotheated?DidMs.Howendthep?¡±Williamremainedstoic¡°Seemslikeshe<b>thought</b>shecouldclimbthesociadderandforgotwhoshereallyis.¡±JaydenwonderedifWilliamwastalkingaboutEmelieandSamuel,Herubbedhisnose.¡°Will,haveyounoticed.

    ¡°HaveyounoticedthatsinceMs.Hovenleft,ormoreprecisely<b>,</b>sinceshestartedgettingclosertoSamuel,you¡¯vebeenpayingmoreattentiontoher?¡±Williamreplied,¡°Ijust<b>find</b>thembothannoying.¡±

    Haydenshook<b>his</b>headknowingly.HebelieveditwasbecauseWilliamusedtobecertainthatEmeliewouldn¡¯tleavehim.Hewasconvincedshe<b>only</b>hadeyesforhim,so<b>he</b>feltmulnerable.

    Butnow,withEmelie¡¯sactions,itwascrystalclear¨Cshe<b>not</b><b>only</b>leftbutalsofoundherselfanother<b>man</b>.

    William¡¯sever¨Cthe¨Ctopattentionandbehaviorweresignsofbeingcalledandlost.

    ButWilliamjustthoughtJaydenwasbeinglovesickAlovesickpersonwouldseeromancein everything.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    WilliamsawEmelieassomeonewhoowedhim,believingshewouldn¡¯tfindpeaceuntilshesettledwhateverdebtheimaginedshehad.

    However,whenitcame<b>to</b>Samuel,hebegrudginglyadmitted,¡°He¡¯sreallygettingon<b>my</b>nerves.¡±

    Jayden¡¯seyelidstwitched¡°Who?Samael?What¡¯syourn?Youcan¡¯tjustactimpulsively.Remember,he¡¯sthe<b>son</b>oftheSwansonfamilyfromWeston.¡±AmarkingsmarkyedonWilliam¡¯slips.

    aboutanincidentattheCapebattCitboratory,andhehadtorushback

    Thefollowingmorning,SamuelinformedEmelleab

    Hurwiththeprojectstartingthatdayandthetechteamreadytocollectdata,Emellecouldn¡¯tgowithhim.

    Emeliecouldn¡¯tshakethefeelingthatthiswasn¡¯tjustacoincidence.Itseemedorchestratedby<b>William</b>withthesolepurposeofdelvingSamuway.

    Hehadstartedtomeddleinhersociallife.Himentaboutherbeingdestinedtoendupalonewasdeadserious

    Emeliegrittedherteeth,butthesituationhadunfolded,leavingonlySamueltoreturntoCapttCitytohandlethboratory.Emeliehadtostaybehindtorecorddata,ensuringworkproceededwithout<b>dy</b>,

    ¡°It¡¯salright,youheadbackI¡¯vegot thingscoveredhere,¡±Emeliereassuredhim.

    Samuel furrowedhisbrow,<b>¡°</b><b>Are</b>yousureyou¡¯llbeokay?¡±

    NotwantingSamueltogetinvolvedinhersituationwithWilliam,Emelieforcedasmile.¡°Ofcourse,it¡¯sjustrecordingdata.I¡¯vealwaysmanagedthatwell,haven112

    Samuel¡¯sexpressiondarkened.Itwasanumonsighttobehold.¡°OnceI¡¯vetakencareofthingsatthboratory,I¡¯llberightback.¡±

    ¡°Alright<b>,</b>¡±Emellereplied.

    OnceSamuelwasonhisway,Emelietumed andsawWilliamwalkingoutofthehotelwithAshton

    EventhoughWilliamdidn¡¯tlookherway<b>,</b>Emeliecouldn¡¯tshaketheeasyfeelingenvelopingher.

    Shecouldn¡¯tquiteexinit,butitfeltlikehis<b>timely</b>arrivalwasanattempttoassertpower.Itwasasifhewassilentlysaying,¡°See,I<b>have</b>waystomakeyotentome.¡±

    Afterstandingstillforfiveminutestohotelmanager.

    gatherherself,Emelie

    <b>regained</b>heposure.Shecalmlyapproachedthefrontdeskandaskedtospeak<b>with</b>the

    Melvin,thehotelmanager,promptlyarrived.HewasawareoftheImportanceoftheirguests.

    ¡°Hello,Ms.Hoven.Whatcandoforyoutoday?¡±hegreeted.

    Emellegotstraighttothepoint.¡°Iwastalledinyourhotel.¡±

    Chapter163Attention

    Melvinwasvisiblysurprised.¡°Tailed?¡±

    ¡°Yes,ithappenestnightatnine.Iwasrecordedinthe17th¨Cfloorcorridor.¡±

    ¡°That¡­<b>that can¡¯t</b><b>be</b>true,canit?¡±

    Emelieprovidedadetailedount.

    <b>¡°</b><b>The</b>personevenpretendedtobeaguestinroom1702,sayingtheirkeydidn¡¯tworkandaskingthehotttendantstoopenthethetime.Otherwise,Idon¡¯twanttoimaginewhatmight havehappenedifhehadentered.¡±

    Melvinpromptlycheckedwiththehotttendants,JamesandArthur,whoconfirmedtheincident.

    Melvinofferedagenuineapology,saying,¡°Ms.Hoven,I¡¯mtrulysorryforyourunpleasantexperienceduringyourstaywithus.

    ¡°However,ourelevatorsrequirearoomkeytoessfloors.Withoutakey,onecannotreachthatfloor.Coulditbepossiblethat

    ¡°I¡¯mnotsure,whichiswhyI¡¯maskingyoutoretrievethecorridorsurveincefootagefromthattimeandshow itto<b>me</b>.¡±

    ThatwasEmelie¡¯sobjective.Sheneededto<b>find</b>outifsomeonewasreallytailingher.

    Andifso,whocoulditbe?

 CHAPTER 164

    Chapter164TooFast

    Melvinhesitated,saying,¡°Um,thissituation.It¡¯sabittricky.Thereareotherguestsonthat<b>floor</b><b>,</b>andwemustconsidertheirprivacytoo.Ican¡¯tjustmakethecallmyself,Imighthavetocheckwiththehigher¨Cups.¡±

    ¡°Youcandothat,butjustsoyouknow,Icanalwayscallthepolice.Beingtailedisaseriousmatter,andI¡¯msuretheyhavethepowertoesssurveincefootage,don¡¯tthey?¡®Emelierespondedcalmly.

    Melvinchackledslylyand<b>said</b>,¡°Well,youhaven¡¯treallybeenharmed,haveyou?Beingcalledisjustyourhunch.

    ¡°Evenifthepoliceshowup,they mightnotevenopenacasewithoutsolidevidence.Andwithoutasearchwarrant,we¡¯renotobligedtohandoversurveince<b>footage</b>.¡±

    Emelieresponded<b>,</b><b>¡°</b><b>Oh</b>,Isee.Butyesterday,Mr.Middletonfromthe19thfloor wasonthe17thandalmostgothurtbythatperson¡±

    AssoonasMelvinheardWilliam¡¯sname,<b>his</b>expressionchanged.HeturnedtoJamesandArthurforconfirmation.

    Altre<b>a</b>briefexchangewith<b>James</b>and Arthur,Melvin¡¯sexpressionturnedserious.HeaskedEmelietowaitandsteppedouttomakeacall,briefinghissuperioron

    thesituation

    So,that¡¯swhat¡¯sgoingon,Mr.Inning.¡±

    mayill¡¯sinvolvedtoo?¡±Lyle,ontheotherendofthephone,soundedpuzzled.

    Melvinrepliedin<b>a</b>lowvoice,¡°Yeah,that¡¯swhyI¡¯maskingShouldweletherarethesurvelliancefootage?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s<b>a</b>woman?What¡¯shername?¡±

    <b>¡°</b>Hestname¡¯sHoven,butIhaven¡¯tgottenherfestnameyet.Wantmetocheck?N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

    Lylesuddenlychackled,¡°Hoven<b>?</b>EmelleHoven?It¡¯sher.¡±

    Melvindidn¡¯tquiteunderstandwhyLyle¡¯stonesuddenly becameyful,

    ¡°Ifit¡¯sher,justletherseeitifshe<b>wants</b>.¡±

    ¡°Gotit.¡±

    Afterhangingup,Lyletossedhisphoneaside.Hedivedintotheprivatevi¡¯sswimmingpondenjoyedacoupleops.

    <b>Melvin</b>returnedtotellEmelie,¡°Oursuperior saidorhotel¡¯sservicephilosophyisaboutputtingthecustomerfirst.Sinceyou¡¯vegot thisrequest,we¡¯llmakeithappen.¡±

    Emeliesimplynoddedinresponseto hisgrandiosewords.

    Asthefootageappearedonthescreen,Emelieleanedin foracloserlook.Indeed,therewas amantrailingher.

    Hehadamaskandacapon.Themanwasdressedinalooseckhoodie,nderinghisfigureandfaceindistinguishable.

    <b>Emelie</b>quicklyrecordedthevideowithherphone.

    ¡°Thisguycamethroughthesecurepassage.We¡¯lltightensecuritytheretopreventanymoreslip¨Cups,¡±Melvinassuredherseriously.

    ¡°<b>Is</b><b>there</b>anywaytotrackdownwherethismanwent<b>?</b>¡±EmelleInquired

    Thestartshooktheirheadsandledupanotherfootage.¡°Onceheleftthehotel,wsttrackofhim.¡±

    Sincethatwasthecase,EmelleabsentmindedlyfinishedupwithMelvinandbeftthesurveinceroom

    Itwasclearhergutfeelingwasright.Someonewasdefinitelytallingher

    <b>She</b><b>probably</b>didn¡¯tknowthisperson,buttherewassomethingaboutthecameraheheld<b>that</b>seemedfamiliar.Wherehadsheseenitbefore?Shecouldn¡¯tquiteremember

    <b>Jayden</b>treatedeveryolunchatthehotelrestaurant,offeringarichvarietyofdishes.

    However,Emelie,whohadn¡¯teatenbreakfast,foundherselfwithlittleappetiteashermindwanderedtothemaskedman¡¯sidentity

    Rightatthatmoment,herphonerang.ItwasElianacalling

    ThinkingitmighthavetodowithGreta,Emeliegotabitworried.Sincetheywerejust<b>having</b>acasualmealwithoutdiscussingwork,Emelleexcusedherselfandwentoutsidetocalethe<b>call</b>.

    Acrossthetable,William¡¯seyesfollowedher.

    ¡°IsitSamugain!¡±hewondered.Hebarelyleft,andnowhe¡¯scallingher?¡±

    Hetook<b>a</b>sipfromhisss,looking somewhatloot.

    Then,<b>his</b>phonechimedwithamessagefrom<b>Lyle</b>,showing<b>a</b>picture.Itwasofawoman¡¯ssilhouette,

    Scrunchinguphisface,WilliamrealizeditwasEmelie.Herepliedwithaquestionmark

    Lyle¡¯smessagecamesoonafter.¡°Will,Ms.Howewent tothehotel¡¯s surveinceroomtocheckthefootage.Melvinsnapped<b>this</b>forme.¡±

    Options,Williamasked,¡°Whatfootage?¡±

    Shortly<b>after</b><b>,</b>Lylesentavideo<b>clip</b>showingthemaskedmantallingEmelle

    Lyle,beingtozytotype,jestsentavoicemessage.AsWilliamlistened,hisvoicesoundedprettyrxed,highlightinghisent,

    ¨CChapterIMTooFast

    ¡°HeyWill,thesurveincefootagecaughtyoumakingmovesonMs.Hoven.Nexttime,waittillyou¡¯reintheroombeforedoingthat.

    ¡°Ifeltkindaawkwardseeingitatfirst,andmybad,youdidgointotherooter.Justthat,you¡¯reabittoo<b>fast</b>.Youcamebackoutinlessthan<b>half</b><b>an</b>hour.¡±

    williamwasleftspeechless.

    Maintaininghispokerface,heasked,¡°Anyupdates<b>on</b>whatcausedEmelie¡¯smiscarriage?¡±

 CHAPTER 165

    Chapter165clingy

    ¡°Notyet,¡±Lylereplied.

    ¡°Haveyoutrackeddownthatvirtualnumber?Williamasked.HewasreferringtotheonesendingDaphne¡¯skissingphoto.

    ¡°I¡¯mstildigingVirtualnumbersarearealheadache,butI¡¯mworkingonit.¡±

    ¡°Well,ifyouquitpolting aroundineveryoneelse¡¯sbusinessandputthattimeintothe<b>search</b>,you¡¯d<b>find</b>everything.¡±This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Lylechuckledandmutteredacurseunderhisbreath.

    Emelieslippedintotherestroomtotakethecall¡°Hey,Ell¡±

    ¡°Emelle,areyoufindup<b>right</b>now?na¡¯svoicesoundedrxed,notindicatinganyurgency

    Emeltefelt<b>hertension</b>dissipate.¡°Notreally,what¡¯sgoingon?¡±

    ¡°Momfinishedknittingthescarfforyouandwantstoknitglovestoo.She¡¯saskingwhatcoloryou¡¯dlike.¡±

    Emeliewasrebred.Shechuckled,¡°IsMomtherewithyounow?

    ¡°Yeah,I¡¯llpassherthephone<b>,</b><b>so</b>go aheadand<b>chat</b>Seriously,Mom¡¯sgettingmoreimpatientbytheday. Isuggestedwewaituntiltonighttoaskyou,butshewouldn¡¯thearof¡±Elianasounded<b>annoyed</b>.

    <b>Greta¡¯s</b>voicecamethroughtheline,Idon¡¯tevenknowhowmuchtimeIhavelett.WhileIcanstilldothings,needtomakethemostofit.¡±

    Emerecouldn¡¯thelpbut febingeofsadnessatthosewords.

    Thephonewashandedto<b>Greta</b><b>,</b><b>who</b>calledout,¡°Eme.¡±

    ¡°Mom,¡±Emekeresponded.

    Gretacalledout<b>again</b>.¡°Emelie¡±

    ¡°Mom,I¡¯mhere.¡±

    ¡°Eme,I¡¯vefinishedknittingthescarfforyou.Now,Iwanttoknitglovestoo.Whatcolordoyouprefer?¡±

    ¡°anycolor¡¯sfineaslongasitgoeswiththescard,Emeliesaid.¡°Mom,take yourtime.Don¡¯tstressyourselfout.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯mnot<b>pushing</b>too<b>hard</b>.<b>I¡¯ll</b>itthisafternoon.It¡¯squick,¡±Gretareplied.¡°Mr.Petergavemesamecamgren.Whenyoeback,I¡¯llmakeyousomejelly¡±

    Jellywasusually<b>made</b><b>for</b><b>Thanksgiving</b>.It<b>was</b>still<b>winter</b>now,andGretawasreallyanxious.Shewas<b>afraid</b>shewon¡¯t makeituntilthen.

    Emelie¡¯s throattightened,¡°okay,butI¡¯dratherskipthemsses1preferusingwhitesugar

    ¡°Mssesarehealthier,¡±Gretainsisted.

    <b>¡°</b><b>But</b>mssescanbe<b>a</b>bitbitter.¡±

    ¡°Thenlet¡¯susehoney.Your<b>dad</b>got<b>a</b>jarfromthelocalboekeeper,¡±Orrtasuggested,

    Emelie¡¯snosetingledwith<b>a</b>sourfeeling.<b>¡°</b>Alright¡±

    Followingtheshortexchange,Emelleendedthecallwithhermother.Feelingmorposed<b>,</b>shesteppedoutoftherestroom.

    But<b>just</b>asshesteppedintothehallway,shebumpedintoWilliam.

    Hewasalsoholding hisphone.Shewasn¡¯tsureifhecameouttotakeacallorifhewaswaitingforher.

    Williamancedatherreddenedeyesandsaidcoldly,¡°Areyouthatupset?!

    <b>Samuel</b><b>had</b>barelyleft<b>,</b><b>and</b><b>she</b>was<b>already</b>intears.Howhadbenevernoticedshewasthisclingybefore?

    Emeledidn¡¯treplyandjusttriedtowalkaway.ButWim,usedtobeingobeyed,grabbedherhandfirmle

    Emleshot<b>him</b><b>a</b>look.¡°Mr.Middleton,areyounningtogetphysicgain?¡±

    Wiliamgaveheradisdainfullook.¡°DoyouthinkI¡¯dletyou<b>p</b><b>me</b><b>a</b>thirdtime?¡±

    Emeliepressedherlipstogether.¡°Iremembertellingyou,Mr.<b>Middleton</b>,<b>that</b>whenpushed,Icandoanything.¡±

    Wimchuckled¡°Areyoutryingtointimidatemeagain?¡±

    Emellereplied,¡°Whocouldpossiblyintimidate<b>you</b>,Mr.Middleton?<b>just</b>awordfrom<b>you</b><b>,</b><b>and</b>someone¡¯bmysteriouslycatchesfire¡±

    Williamsteppedcloser.¡°Emelie,wereyoupretendingwhile<b>you</b>werebymysidebefore,<b>or</b><b>are</b>youpertendingnow?Ineverrealizedyoucouldbe<b>so</b>sarcastic.¡±

    Emeliehadnointerestinmgagingwithhim<b>.</b>Shejustwanted<b>to</b>distanceherselffromhim.ButWilliamdidn¡¯treleaseherarm,andEmeltefelt<b>a</b><b>pang</b>inherstomach.

    Havingskippedbothbreakfastand<b>lunch</b>,shewasstartingtofeelufortable.

    <b>During</b>hertimeassecretaryatClouderCorporation<b>,</b>Irregrmeals<b>or</b>evenskippingthemaltogetherwermunion.

    However,inthepasttwomonths,assheregainedherhealth,her<b>stomach</b>hadbeparticrlysensitive.

    Emelieteasharpspesandinstinctivelybentover,holdingherstomach.

    Lookingdownthat,willneered,¡°You¡¯retryingadifferentapproachnow?!

    Hewonderedifherintentionhadshiftedfromthreateningorphysicallyattackinghimtosettinghimupforassault.

    Takingamomenttoregainheposure,Emelieremainedsilent.Willumstudiedherforafewseconds,questioningthereaction<b>was</b>genuine.

    <b>Ercole</b>wasadamantaboutnotshowinganyvulnerabilityinhispresence.Leaningagainstthewallforsupport,sheforcedherselftostandup,intendingtoheadbacktotheroom<b>to</b><b>grab</b>somethingtoeat.

    Chapter165Clingy

    Suddenly,Williampushedopenthedoortoanemptyroomnearbyanddragged herinside.Startled,Emelieeximed,¡°William!Whatareyouuptonow?¡±

 CHAPTER 166

    Chapter166Kidnapped

    William¡¯svoiceturnedslightlycold.¡°JaydenorderedallthespecialtydishesfromWimstourCity.They¡¯reheavyonondspice.Canyouhandlethat?¡±N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.

    nellecouldn¡¯thandleit,whichwaswhyshebarelytouchedherfood.Butwhywashesoconcernedanyway?

    Winwastednotimeandmade<b>a</b><b>call</b>.¡°Sendsomelighterdishes to<b>private</b>room888.We¡¯llneedthemintenminutes.¡±

    Emeliecouldn¡¯t<b>help</b><b>but</b>stareathim.Washedeliberatelyarrangingfoodforher?

    <b>¡°</b>Mr.Middleton,youtrulyknowhowtosurpriseme,¡±she said.Hewasevenmoreunpredictablethanshehadimagined.

    Aftertheirargumenstnight,it<b>was</b>unexpectedforhimto<b>suddenly</b>showconcernaboutwhethershecouldeatornot.

    Wimshotherance.¡°Noneedtobesurprised.Youhavetostayalivetoanswermyquestions.¡±

    Itbecameclearthattherewasamotivebehindhisactions.

    Emellecouldn¡¯tmove,soshegaveupandsatatthetablewhileholdingherstomach.

    Theprivatediningroominthehigh¨Cendhotelexudedanindescribableyetdelightfulfragrance.

    Williamdidn¡¯twasteanytime.Regardlessofwhethershe<b>had</b>recoveredornot,thequestionskeping.¡°Howdidthemiscarriagehappen?¡±

    ¡°Andherewegoagain,¡±thoughtEmelie.

    Quirkingherlips,sheasked,¡°Mr.Middleton,areyousuddenlychoosingtobelievemenow?

    ¡°DidIgiveyoupermissiontointerrogateme?Williamshotback

    Emelielookedupathim.Afterafewseconds,<b>she</b>gave himadubiousexnation.¡°Iwaskidnapped.¡±

    Williamfrownedquickly.¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Iwaskidnapped.Thekidnapperswantedransom.Itriedcallingyou,Mr.Middleton,butyouhunguponme.So,theypushedmeontotheread,and1gothitbyacar.¡±

    Williamhesitatedvisibly.Then,hisexpressiongrewcoldashestaredatEmelie¡¯snkface.

    Aftera<b>moment</b>,hespokeagain,<b>his</b>voicecolder,¡°That¡¯simpossible.Ineverhunguponyourcall

    Emellefoundhisstatementabsurd.¡°Mr.Middleton,don¡¯tactlikeI¡¯msospecialtoyou.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯mtellingyouthatIneverhunguponyourcalls,¡±<b>William</b>insistedfirmly

    Emelieletoutasigh.¡±yousayso,fine¡±

    <b>To</b>William,Emeliewaslikeathornontherose.Thoughseeminglyobedient,everywoodshespokewaslikeaprick

    Williamwalkeduptoher.¡°Emele,you¡¯re<b>ying</b>gameswithme¡±

    Hedidn¡¯t<b>bellow</b>her.

    ¡°Whatnow?Areyoutryingtoshiftthemeforthemergeontome,hopingtoguilt¨Ctripme?

    ¡°Thetenminutesareup.Itlookslikeyoumandsaren¡¯taseffectiveasyouthought,Mr.Middleton,¡±Emelieremarkedasthefoodhadn¡¯tarrivedyet.

    <b>But</b>justasshefinished speaking,therewasaknockatthedoor.Thefoodindeedcamerightontime

    Awaiterwheeled<b>in</b><b>a</b>cartwithdishes¨Cchickennoodle<b>soup</b><b>,</b><b>a</b>sdwithvinaigrettedressing,andassortedfruitslices,alllightandsuitableforsomeonewithgastricpain¡°Mr.Middleton,areyoueating?¡±sheaskedcasually,justas anafterthoughtEmeliegrabbedher<b>spoon</b>anddugin

    Shewasreallyhungry,andhergastricpainwasactingup<b>.</b><b>But</b><b>she</b>feltbetterafterhavingsomethingwarm.

    SamuelsentheravoicemessageonWhatsApp.Emelleclickedonitabsentmindedly,forgettingherphone¡¯svolume,soitredout<b>loud</b>.

    ¡°Emelle,I¡¯vnded.Totallyforgottoremindyou<b>,</b><b>but</b><b>don¡¯t</b>forgettoeatthree<b>meals</b>aday,nomatterhowhecticthingsgetTakecareofyourself.It¡¯dbeashameformetogoallthewaytomybrother¡¯sforthoseherbalremediesifyou¡¯renotlookingafteryourself¡±

    Emelierepliedwithaquick,¡°Gotit¡±

    ¡°SeemslikeMr.Swanson<b>is</b>quiteclingy.Areyouokaywithcheckingin<b>with</b>himlikethat?Williamchuckled softly, ¡°Can¡¯tsayIrememberyouupdatingmelikethatbefore.¡±Emeliesetherphonedown.¡°Well,maybeIwasn¡¯tcrgenoughtoyou,Mr.Middleton,soIdidn¡¯tmeetyourexpectations.Mybad.¡±

    Williamalmostinstantlyunderstoodwhatshemeant.Asmirkcurvedatthecornerof<b>his</b>lips,buthismockerywascolderthanmereindifference.¡°Ididn¡¯t neglectyoubecauseyouweren¡¯tclingyenough.¡±

    Emebedidn¡¯tsayanything else.Earlier,shewasfeelingunwell,whichmadeherabitshort¨Ctempered.Butaftersomefood,shewasbacktoherusualself.

    Shefinishedabowlofchickennoodlesoupandlefteverythingelseuntouched.¡°I haveworkthis<b>afternoon</b>,¡±shesaid,gettingup¡°SoIneedtogobackandprepare.Mr.Middleton

    Williamseemedevenlessinterestedinspendingtimewithher.Beforeshecouldfinish,hehadalreadylefttheprivateroom.

    Emelie¡¯sexpressionremaineasshewalkedbacktoherroomtoretrieveherthings.

    Intheelevator,shetookabouttosecondstothink

    Wasitreallybecauseshewasn¡¯tclingyenoughthathehadbedistantandsoughtoutDaphne?Whatelsewastherebetweenthem?

 CHAPTER 167

    Chapter167YouCareAboutMe

    Intheafternoon,Emeliewasengrossedinhertablet.Shewasmeticulously<b>organizing</b>datawhenPatriciasuddenlycameupbesideher.

    ¡°Hmm,<b>looks</b>likesomething¡¯snotrighthere,¡±Patricimentedcasually,pointingatthescreen.

    Emelie,<b>taking</b>Patricia¡¯s<b>word</b>forit,lookedover.¡°oh?Where¡¯sthemistake?

    Patriciagestured<b>vaguely</b>,usingitasaseguetochatandgossip

    Leaningin,shecasuallyasked,¡°So,you¡¯retheonewholeftthatmarkonMr.Middleton¡¯sfacstnight,huh?¡±

    SensingPatricia¡¯srealintention,Emeliechosenottoindulgeherfurther

    Speakingsoftly,Patriciapersisted,¡°What madeyouthinkyoucoulddothat?

    Emeliedidn¡¯thaveanyjustification.ItwasWilliamwholostcontrfterafewdrinks.

    Patriciasnorted,saying,¡°You¡¯requitebold.¡±

    EmeliencedatWilliamacrosstheroom.Despiteitonlybeingthenextday,therewasnosignofthealtercationonhisface.

    Heseemeposedandsobernow.Dressedsharplyinacksust,hewapletelydifferentfrostnight

    WhenWilliamcaughthereye,Emeliequicklyreturnedherattentiontoherwork.

    ButitalsohintedthatPatriciahadseenWilliamthepreviousnight,leavingroomforspectionaboutwhethertheyspentthenighttogether.

    Feeling<b>unsure</b>herself,Emeliecouldn¡¯thelpbutthink thatothersmightbeinthesameboat.

    Theprojectwasquiteextensive.Withmanydifferenponents,noteveryoneworkedcloselytogether.

    Forexample,Emelie,whowasresponsiblefordatadetection,andrecurding,onlyjoinedtheteambrieflyatthebeginningtomeetMrs. ParkerfromZI¡¯sside.

    Throughouttheentireafternoon,shedidnLencounterWilliamagain.Itaffordedherasenseofort,

    Laterthatnight,backatthehotel,sheorganizedthe dataintotablesandpromptlysentitback totheteam.Samuelmessagedherprivately,expressinggratitudeforherhardwork

    Emelietookthechancetoaskhimaboutthboratory

    ¡°Therewasafire,andwelostsomedata.Theyreworkingonsalvagingwhattheycan,¡±Samuelreplied.

    Emmeliecouldn¡¯thelpbutthinkWilliamhadgoofarN?velDrama.Org holds ? this.

    Samuelcheckedinonce<b>more</b><b>,</b>asking,¡°Mr.Middletondidn¡¯tgiveyouahardtime,didhe?¡±

    Readinghismessage,EmelierecalledWilliam¡¯swordsfromthepreviousnightanddecidedtoaddresstheissuedirectly.¡°Areyouengaged?¡±sheasked.

    Thoughsheinitiallytoyedwithamoresubtleapproach,EmeliefeltthatbeingstraightforwardwasasignofrespectforSamuel¡¯susualsincerity.

    Ifhedid<b>have</b>nc¨¦e,itwouldbebestforthemtomaintainsomedistance.EmelieunderstoodtheimportanceofboundariesfortheirfutureinteractionsSamoeldidn¡¯treply,butafter fiveminutes,hecalledher.Emellequicklyanswered.

    ¡°Howdidyoufindoutaboutthefancething?¡±Samusked

    Emeliereplied,¡°Justheardsomerumors.Sinceyou¡¯venevermentioneditbefore,Iwasabitsurprised.I¡¯mjustasking casually.Ifyou¡¯renofortableanswering,forgebroughtit<b>up</b>

    ¡°No,it¡¯sfine¡±Samuel¡¯svoiceremainedgentle,reflectinghisamiablenature.Idohaveone!

    <b>Emelie</b>stayedsilent

    Samuelchuckledlightlyasherified.Butit¡¯sjustanarrangementmadebyourfamilies.So<b>,</b><b>it¡¯s</b><b>not</b>reallyabigdeal.

    ¡°Neitherofushasanyfeelingsforeachotheranyway.Thatwomanactually<b>has</b>athingformyolderbrother,BryanThey¡¯vegottenprettyclostely,<b>so</b>it¡¯sevenlessofapossibilitybetweenus,¡±

    ¡°Ah,Isee.¡±EmeliewasreassuredthatSamuelwasn¡¯tthepersonWilliamhadportrayedhimtobe.

    Her<b>mind</b>driftedtoPatricia.IturredtoherthatBryanmighthaveotherwomenbesidesPatriciainhislife,

    Alternatively,perhapsPatriciawasinsignificanttoBryan,sohepassedherofftoWilliamwithoutmuchthought.

    Whileshemused<b>,</b>Samuelchuckedsoftlyontheotherend,asifseeingtheseedshehadntedfinallybeginningtosprout

    ¡°<b>Emelie</b>,I¡¯mactuallydyouaskedmeaboutthis,¡±he<b>said</b>

    Emeliewaspuzzled¡°Huh¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Itshows<b>you</b>careaboutme.¡±

 CHAPTER 168

    Chapter168OurWives

    Emelleimmediatelyexined,<b>¡°</b>Mr.<b>Swanson</b>,pleasedon¡¯tmisunderstand.I¡¯mnot..¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯twannahearaboutit,¡±Samuelsaid.¡°Iwilltakeitasitis.Ifyouhaveotherthingstosay,thenexintomeaftersettlethemattershere.I¡¯llpickyouupfromWinstourCity.¡±

    Emeliefelthelpless.

    Samuel<b>added</b>,¡°It¡¯te.Restwell.Bye.¡±

    Then,hehungupwithoutevengivingherachancetosayanything.

    Sampelswungopenthebalconydoorwithasprayerinhishand,tendingtohismintnts.Hismoodwasliftedbythesimplepleasureofitall

    Memoriesfloodedbackfromearlieratschoolduringbreak,catchingsnatchesofconversationfromagroupofcollegeguys.¡°Tyler,yourgriend¡¯s<b>a</b><b>stunner</b>,Whycan¡¯twelookather..¡±

    Sammelcouldn¡¯thelpbutsmileattheiraudacity.

    Theywerereally<b>trying</b>totesthisfriend¡¯sloyalty.Butthenagain,whocouldmethem?

    Afterallthistime,thatcertainsomeonestillhadn¡¯tshownup.

    <b>Couldn¡¯t</b>reallymethem

    Thenextmorning,EmeliecalledSamugain

    Samuelpickedup,hisvoicesoundingevensofterwithahintofamusementasheasked,¡°AreyouinsuchahurrytosayIwaswrong?¡±

    Emeliepausedforamomentsherealizedhethoughtthiscallwasa<b>continuation</b>oftheirconversationfrostnight.Heassumedshe waseagertorefutetheideathatshecaredabouthim

    Inahushedtone,Samuelmurmured,¡°Well,nowI¡¯mfeeling<b>a</b>bithart¡±

    Emeinstinctivelyreplied,¡°No,it¡¯snotthatIdon¡¯tcareaboutyou.Imean_¡±

    Wait,thatwaswrong!Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    ButSamuelcaughtonquickly,hissmilegrowingwiderashesaid,¡°Soyoudocareaboutme?¡±

    Nothavingexperienceinrtionshipswasreallyadisadvantage¨Citwassoeasytogetcaughtupinmisunderstandin

    Samuel,whoalwaysactedsoprofessionally,wasactuallyquiteskilledinteasing

    Emeliedecidedtosmoothlychangethesubject.¡°Ireally<b>do</b>havesomethingimportanttodiscuss.¡±

    Samuelunderstoodtheneedtodroptheyfulbanter.<b>¡°</b><b>Alright</b>,nomorejokes.What¡¯sthematter?

    ¡°Yesterday,whileIwasworking,Ioverheardthemsaying<b>that</b>Mrs.ParkerwenttoworkinCapebattCity.¡±

    <b>¡°</b>Alright.¡±

    ¡°yousellMr.Swansontofindawaytomother.¡±

    ¡°Andthen?

    Theyspentanhouronthephonediscessingit.Beforeendingthecall,Samuelsaid<b>,</b>¡°Ifthispensout,I¡¯llhavemybrothersendyouanofferrightaway¡±

    Emeliesmiled,feelingpleased.

    However,hermoodwasn¡¯taspleasantduringtheafternoon¡¯s<b>work</b>.<b>This</b>time,she hadtoworkwithWilliamandJayden

    <b>They</b>wenttoinspectthebaseunderconstruction,withWilliamandJaydenleadingthewayandnegotiatingwiththebase¡¯smanager.

    EmelieandPatriciafollowedbehind.

    Patriciawasdinaredmaxidresspairedwithheels,Itwasn¡¯tthat<b>she</b>couldn¡¯tdressthatway,butnavigatingtheuneventerrainoftheconstructionsiteinheelswasabitinconvenient

    Ofcourse,Emeliewouldn¡¯tsayanythingaboutit.Hermaintaskwasstilltorecorddata.Asshewaswriting,shesuddenlyheardsomeoneshout,¡°Watchout!¡±

    Everyoneinstinctivelylookedupandsawathicksteel<b>rod</bingcrashingdown,coincidentallyrightaboveEmelieandPatricia¡¯sheads.

    Emellereactedswiftly,pushingPatricksoutofharm¡¯swayjustintime.

    Duetoher<b>pushing</b>Patriciaaway,Emeliewasabeatslower,anditseemedlikeshewasabouttobehit.

    Butjustthen,someonelungedforward,shieldingEmilieunderneath them.

    Withaloudthat,thesteelrodhittheground,andeveryonerushedout.

    Emeliewasstunned.Afterregeringhersenses,sheimmediatelyturnedtoseewhohadprotectedher.

 CHAPTER 169

    Chapter169JumpingofftheBuilding

    Theperson<b>had</b>ataplexion.

    Emeliewasstunned.¡°You¡±

    Heseemedtobeaworkerfromthesite.Heaskedin<b>a</b>lowtone,¡°Areyouokay<b>?</b>¡±

    ¡°I¡¯mfine,whataboutyou?¡±Areyouokay?<b>Thanks</b>forsavingme.What¡¯syourname?¡±Emeliequicklyasked

    Hisshoulderwasinjured.Someonehadalreadycalledforthedoctorwhiletheothershelpedhimout.

    Emeliewasstillinshock,andtheotherswereaskingherifshewasfine.

    williamstoodnotfaraway<b>.</b>

    Hesawthesteelroingdownandtookafewhurriedstepsback,buthewastoofarawaytointervene.Herecalledasimrincidentattheculturalheritageboatfactory,whereaboutcamecrashingdown

    Backthen,hehadactuallycaught<b>a</b>glimpseofEmeliemovingtopullhimoutofharm¡¯sway.Butatthatmoment,hehadlungedtowardDaphne.

    Hedidn¡¯tthinkmuchofitatthetime.Butnow,observingfromthesidelinesandconsideringEmelie¡¯s reaction,shecould¡¯veeasilyavoidedtheboat.She<b>only</b>didn¡¯tbecauseshewent topullhimaway.

    Justliketheincidentthistime,shecould¡¯vedodgedthesteelrod,butshechosetopushPatriciaoutofharm¡¯swayfirst

    Thistime,shewasprotectedbyaworkerandescapedinjury.However,herlegwasinjuredbackthen,andshetooka<b>month</b>torecover

    Suddenly,Williamfeltadiforthecouldn¡¯tquitece.

    Thiswomanwasseeminglyintelligent,yetsofoolish.Clearly<b>capable</b>ofavoidingharmherself,yetwillingtogethurtforothers.Wasshetryingtobethehero<b>?</b>

    Patriciawascryingbecauseshetwistedherankleinherheels.Williamhurriedoverandscoopedherupinhisarms.

    AsEmelieturnedherhead<b>,</b>shecaughtsightofWilliamcarryingPatricia away.

    Shealsoheardmurmursfromthecrowd.¡°Don¡¯tyouthinkMr.MiddletontreatsMs.<b>May</b>differently?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯venoticedthatforawhile.Otherwise,whywouldbeconcernhimselfwithher?It¡¯snotjustMs.Maywhogothurthere.¡±

    Duetothisident,workforthedayhadtobetemporarilyhalted.

    Emeliewasuninjuredanddidn¡¯twanttorest.Afterall,thesoonershefinisheddocumenting,thesoonershecouldwrapupworkandreturntoCapebuttCity.Thus,shestayedaloneatthebasetorecord

    Bythetimeshefinished,itwasalreadydarkoutside,althoughitwasonlyfiveintheafternoon.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

    <b>Winter</b>dayswereusuallyshort

    Emellewalkedtotherooftop,gazingatthemyriadoflights<b>below</b>.

    Inthedistance,therewasacircrinterchange.Thestreetlightstwinkled,andthetrafficonthebridgeresembledgoldendotsconvergingbackandforth.Lostinthought,Emeliesuddenlyleapedofftheedge.

    Outofnowhere<b>,</b>afigureappearedandgrabbedEmelle¡¯shandjustin time,

    Emelleraisedaneyebrow.

    Themanrealizedtherewasrgetformbelow,sotherewasnodangeratall.

    Realizinghe¡¯dbeen<b>fooled</b>,he<b>panicked</b>.HewasabouttoletgoofEmelleandflee,butshegrabbedhiswrist,preventinghisescape.

    Emehehadthatfamiliarfeelingofbeingwatched<b>again</b>.Sheknewthatthepersonwasnearby.Thatwaswhysheusedthismethodtohiretheperson<b>out</b>.Nowthatshehadcaughthim,shehadtofindoutwhohewas.

    Sheimmediatelyreachedfortheman¡¯smask,butheinstinctively<b>covered</b>it.Missinghertarget,Emelieswiftlywentfor<b>the</b>cameraslungoverhisshoulder!ThemanwrestledEmelie¡¯shandaway<b>.</b>¡°Stop!¡±

    Emeliegrippedthecameratightlyandcedathim.¡°Whoareyou?Whyareyoufollowingmeandtakingpicturesofme?¡±

    Themandidn¡¯tanswer.Instead,hetriedto<b>snatch</b>thecameraback.

    Emelietookafewquickstepsback.¡°Ifyoukeepthisup<b>,</b>I¡¯llreallyjump!¡±

    Thetformhadnoguardrails,andshewas<b>already</b>closetotheedge.Thatnight¡¯swindwasstrongenoughtoblowsomeoneoff<b>a</b>tallbuilding.

    Themanhesitated,notdaring<b>to</b>makeanysuddenmoves.¡°Okay,okay,Iwon¡¯tjusehere!¡±

    Ifsomethinghappenedtoher,howwouldheexinhimself?

    Chapter170AskWesleytoCompensate

 CHAPTER 170

    Chapter170AskWesleytoCompensate

    Emeliewentstraighttotippingthroughthephotoalbum,pressingtherewindbuttonrepeatedly.

    countlessclickter,shestillhadn¡¯treachedthe<b>end</b><b>.</b>Allshesawwereherownphotoscapturedinvarioussetting

    Shepressedafewmoretimesandwasshockedtofindseveralpicturesfromtheculturalheritageboatfactory.

    IfinallyclickedforEmeliewhereshehadseenthiscamerabefore.Shelookedupatthemasked<b>man</b>.

    ¡°Afewmonthsago,attheculturalheritageboatfactory,youlentme thiscameratoserveasmy<b>witness</b>,right?¡±

    ItwasfromtheincidentwhereDaphnefalselyusedherofcausingthe<b>ident</b>bypullingtheropetoohard.

    Afterward,shehandedthecameratothefactorymanager,askinghimtoreturnittothe¡°kindperson¡°.Sheevencalledthemanageter,whosaidthe camerahadalreadybeenimedbyablogger

    She<b>hadn¡¯t</b>thoughtmuchofitsince.Butnow.

    <b>¡°</b><b>You¡¯ve</b>beentrackingandphotographingmesincethen?Emelieheldupthecamera¡°Whoareyou<b>?</b>¡±

    Themumadjustedhismaskbut didn¡¯tanswer.

    melestaredathim.<b>¡°</b>YouweretheonewhosavedmeatthesitetodayIno,Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    o,weren¡¯tyou?Irememberyoureyes,butI¡¯m<b>sure</b>Idon¡¯tknowyou.You¡¯rebeingorderedbysomeone.Whosentyoutophotographme?

    Anamepoppedintoherheadoutofnowhere.Sheaskedsharply.¡°IsitWesley?¡±

    Themanquicklyraisedhis<b>head</b>,thenjustasswiftlyloweredagainEmeliecouldtellfromthisreactionthatherguesswasprobably<b>spot</b>on.

    Foramoment,itseemedlikethewindhadceasedinherears.The<b>chill</b>windfrom<b>above</b>wasbitingharsh<b>on</b>her lungs,almostunbearable.

    ¡°IthoughtIsawhimatthecade<b>that</b><b>day</b>.Didhereturnto thecountry?Ifhe¡¯sback,why!¡°thetoseeme?¡±Emeliegrittedherteeth..

    Sheadded,¡°Andifhedoesn¡¯twanttoseeme,whysendyou<b>to</b>photographme?DoeshewanttoknowhowI¡¯mdoing?Whatdoesitmatterto<b>him</b>howI¡¯mdoingwhen<b>he</b>doesn¡¯tevenbother<b>to</b><b>see</b>me?¡±

    Shetightenedhergriponthecamera,thensuddenlyburnedandhurledafaraway!

    ThemanwasdumbfoundedasEmeleclimbedbackontothetformwithanicyexpression.¡°GoaskWesleyfopensation.¡±

    Imelethenhailedacabandlett

    Themanlookeddown<b>at</b>thegroundbelow.Therewasnodoubtthecamerawasnowshatteredtopieces.

    Hisheartached.Hehadghroughsomuchtroubletopurchasethatcamera,onlyforittoenduplikethis

    Hetookouthisphoneand madea<b>call</b>¡°Shefoundout.¡±

    Therewassilenceontheotherendforamoment,thenasoftsigh.

    Thatsighseemedtoconveyeverythingabouthisstation,

    Backatthehotel,letoldherselfnortodwellonthosematters,sosheforcedherselftogetbusytoprepareforthedocumentsthenextday.Then,shetookashowerandtreshenedherselfup

    Shewas<b>so</b>busythatsheevenforgottocallbackhome

    However,ifsomethinghappened,hersisterwouldtellher.Sinceitwasalreadte,shedidn¡¯t<b>call</b>hermotheraswell<b>and</b>wenttobed.

    Emelieseemed<b>to</b>havehadadreaminthedeat,shewentbacktothatyear,chasingafterthefigureinthewhiteshirt,afigurethatgraduallymovedfurtherawayandneverlookedback.

    Thedream<b>eventually</b>fadedintodarkness,andshewokeuptofindthemorninglightstreamingin

    Afterfresheningupandchanging,Drebepreparedtoleave..

    Butassoonassheopened thedoor,shesawJaydenstandingoutside,justabouttoringthebell.Bothofthemwerecaughtoffguard,andtheystaredateachotherforamoment.

    Jaydensmiledgently¡°Ms.Hoven¡±

    Emelenodded.¡°Mr.GleamieldIstheresomethingyouneed?¡±

    ¡°Notparticrly,butyoualmostgethurtyesterday,didn¡¯tyou?So<b>I</b>cametocheckonyou.Areyoualright?Jaydenaskedwithconcern.

    ¡°I¡¯mfinefinishedrecordingallthe<b>data</b>yesterday,¡±Emeliereplied.

    Jaydenchuckled.¡°Yes,IheardfromthesitemanagerGoodtohearyou¡¯reokay.Workcanwait.¡±

    Emeliethen<b>asked</b>,¡°HowisMs.May¡¯sleginjury?¡±¡±

    ¡°Goodtohearshe¡¯salright.Luckily,youpushedheraway.Shejusttwistedher<b>ankle</b>slightly,butthere¡¯s<b>no</b>seriousinjury.Anotherday¡¯srestshoulddothetrick,soworkwillbepostponedfortodayaswell¡±

    Emelienoddedinunderstanding,andJaydenleft.

    JaydentrulywasararegentlemanamongWilliam¡¯sgroupoffriends.Emellefoundherselfmorewillingtointeract withhimthanwithothers.

    elitelevator,Jaydenpressedthefloorbuttonandsentamessage.¡°I¡¯vecheckedonherforyou.She¡¯sfineandstilleagertoworktoday,butI¡¯veconvincedhertotakeaday

 CHAPTER 171

    Chapter171ThatPersonAppeared

    WilliamwasatthehospitalwithPatriciawhenhereceivedthemessagefrom<b>Jayden</b>.

    ¡°okay,¡±hewroteinreplybeforeacallpoppeduponhisscreen.

    ncingatitbriefly,hepromptlydeclinedthecall.

    Patricia,who wasnearby,noticedthatthecallwasfromDapline.

    Givinghimameaningfullook,shesaidyfully,¡°You¡¯requitethecharacter.You¡¯rehere withme,yetyousendyourbuddytoseeMs.Hoven.Now,yourphone¡¯sbuzzingwitha<b>call</b>fromMs.Bowen.¡±

    Williamncedatherandretorted,<b>¡°</b>Thenyoucanstayhereyourself.¡±

    Patriciapleadedandgrabbedhissleeve.¡°Amanisn¡¯tworthmuchifhe¡¯snotalittlebad,andawomanwon¡¯tlovehimifheisn¡¯t.Theworseyouact,themoreI<b>find</b>youcharming,andthemoreIloveyou.¡±

    William,growingimpatient,asked,¡°You¡¯refine,<b>so</b>whyhangaroundthehospital?

    Patriciascrolledthroughberphoneemotionlessly.¡°ButIwaswaitingfora<b>call</b>thatnevercame.Nowthatyou¡¯rehere,you¡¯llhavetohelpmewhen itfinallydoes.¡±

    Williamrespondedinannoyance,¡°You¡¯renotbored,areyou?¡±

    ¡°youdon¡¯tknow,peopleinloveare alwaysthis<b>bored</b><b>.</b>Whetherinjuredorsick,theyallhopethatpersonknowssotheycaeand<b>care</b>forthem,¡±Patriciaexinedwithasigh.

    Uponhearingherwords,herecalledwhenEmeliehadamiscarriageandstayedinthehospitloneforthreedays.

    However,Emelieneverbroughtthatupwithhim.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

    Asothershadsuggested,ifshetrulycaredabouthim, how<b>could</b>shekeepsuchabigthingfromhim?Atthattime,therewasnoDaphnebyhisside,andthingswerefinebetweenthem.

    meupwithastr

    Patriciacame

    astrokeofinsight,saying,¡°Ifshedoesn¡¯tsayanything,itmeansshe¡¯sgivenuphopeonthep

    William<b>stood</b>upcoldlyand<b>said</b>,¡°<b>You</b><b>can</b>stayherealone.¡±

    -guy.¡±

    Havingalreadyspentaday<b>and a</b>nightinthehospital,Patriciacouldn¡¯tignorethefactthathemustknow.

    <b>No</b>callmeanthedidn¡¯tcare,andshedidn¡¯tneedtostayinthehospitnylonger.

    ¡°Forgetit.I¡¯llgetmyselfdischargedfromthehospitndheadoutwithyou.¡±Patriciaheldout<b>a</b>handtowardhimandsaid,¡°justcarrymeout,won¡¯tyou?¡±

    Withnowork,Emelierelishedherfreetime.Intheafternoon,sheexploredWimstourCitywithAlexis,buyinggiftsforher<b>mom</b>,sister,andniece.

    Herfavoritepurchasewasapuregoldneforherniece,whichcouldbringluck.

    Afterdiningout,theyreturnedtothehotel.

    Jayden¡¯ssecretary<b>was</b>calledawayforwork,leavingEmeliefeelingstuffed fromdinner.Shedecidedtotake<b>a</b>strollinthehotelgarden.

    Absorbedinherphone,shedidn¡¯tnoticeasshewanderedintoasecludedspotwherenooneelsewasaround.

    However,withthebrightlightsandbeingatthehotel,Enellewasn¡¯tworried.Shewasreadytoturnback.

    Thensheheard<b>a</b>sharpclick.Itwasthesoundofalighterflickingopen.Themetallicqualityofitsentashiverdownherspine.

    Emelieliftedherheadtoseeamanstandingunderthemoonlight.

    Asthemelickedthecigarette,itbrieflyilluminatedthesideofhisfacebeforefading backintodarkness.

    Inafive¨Cstarhotelfilledwithbrightlights,itwassurprisinghehadfoundsuchasecludedcorner.Yet,itwasn¡¯tquitedarkenough asthemoonlightgentlyoutlined hisprofile

    AfaintscentofpinewaftedtowardEmelieonthebreeze.Suddenly,sheremembered.Shehad<b>caught</b>thisscentbefore<b>,</b>backonthecruiseship

    Themanw

    whoblindfoldedherforthedance¡­Itwasindeedhim.

    Emeliestaredathim.Neitherofthemtook<b>a</b>steptowardtheother,andsilencelingeredbetweenthemuntilthemanfinishedhiscigarette.

    Then,Emelleturnedandwalkedaway.

    Sincehehadn¡¯tbothered tofindherafterallthesetimeingback,therewasnoneedtoseehimnow.

 CHAPTER 172

    Chapter172ComeBacktoMe

    Emeliehurriedfromthebackofthe gardentothehotel¡¯satrium.Shefeltuneasy,butatthatmoment,sheheardthesoundoftheningfromthehotel.

    Shetiltedherheadandwalkedintothehotel,wheresomeonewasyingpiano.Itwasmelodious.Everyoneppedtheirhandsastheywalkedpast,<b>and</b>theyeventookpictures.

    Thepersonwasying<b>F¨¹r</b>Elise,whichwas<b>a</b>piecesheliked.

    Backinhighschool,there<b>was</b>atimeshewenttotheseniorbuildingtofindwesley.Passingbythemusicroom,sheheardthispieceforthe<b>first</b><b>time</b>andwasinstantlycaptivated

    However,shewasinahurrytofindWesley,soshedidn¡¯tpayattentiontowhowasyingthepiano.

    Now,shepushedthroughthecrowdtogetabetterlookatthepianist.There,shesawWilliamseatedatthepianobench

    Emeliewasspeechless.

    Heseemedtobeinadifferentmood,yingthepianoinpublicwitheyeshalf¨Cclosed,hishesshadinghisgaze.

    Hisdemeanorwasunlikebisusulootself.Hisslenderfingersdancedacrossthekeys,weavingtogethersmoothmelodies.

    Emeliehaltedforamoment,thenturnedto<b>leave</b>.Ifitwashim,shewouldn¡¯thavebeeninthemoodtolistentohimy.

    However,Williamhadalreadyseenher.¡°Emelieehere,¡±hecalledouttoher,

    Shouldshegoover?Emeliespokesoftly,¡°Excuseme,couldyouletmethrough?¡±

    Thecrowdmadewayforher.Shewantedto<b>leave</b>,butWilliamsaid,¡°It¡¯saboutwork¡±

    Emeliedidn¡¯tknowwhattosay.Theywereinpublic,sohecouldn¡¯tdoanythingtoher.Sheparsedher<b>lips</b>andturnedtowardhim.¡°Mr.Middleton,what¡¯sthematter?¡±Williamsstoppedyingthepiano.Astheonlookersnoticedhimstopping,theygraduallydispersed.

    Inasubduedtone,williamsaid,¡°Mrs.ParkerwenttoCapebattCitythedaybeforeyesterday.Bryanseizedtheopportunitytoinviteherto<b>dinner</b>.

    ¡°Duringthe<b>meal</b>,theydiscussedsomething.Asaresult,SwansonCorporation¡¯sstake inthisprojectsuddenlyincreasedfrom20to35 percent,onparwithCloudexCorporation.¡±Emelleremainedimpassive.¡°Isee.¡±

    ¡°Mrs.Parker¡¯sItinerarywaskeptconfidential.TheonlytimesheidentallyrevealeditwasduringourconversationthedaybeforeyesterdaywhenshecasuallymentionedthatshewasgoingtoCapebattCityContent rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    ¡°Shealsomentionedbeingdissatisfiedwithcertainaspectsoftheproject.Youwerepresentatthetimeaswell.¡±

    Williamcontinued,¡°Youdiscreetlytooknote<b>of</b>itandtheninformedBryan,allowinghimtotaketheleadandimpressMrs.Parker,therebyincreasingSwansonCorporation¡¯sstake,correct?

    William¡¯sstatementwasn¡¯taquestion¨CItwasa certainty,

    Emelieremainednomittal¡°Ifthat¡¯showyouseeit,thenIcan¡¯tdoanythingaboutit.¡±

    Seatedonthepianobench,Williamdidn¡¯tstandup.Heliftedhisheadslightlytolookather,thecrystallightsinthehotellobbycastinghisfaceinanunyieldingyetundeniablyhandsomelight.

    ¡°Afterachievingsuchasignificantfear,SwansonCorporation¡¯soffermust<b>have</b>beenextendedtoyou<b>,</b>right?¡±heremarked.

    Emeliesmirked,casuallytappingthepianokeys.¡°Ididindeedreceiveaneweminmyinboxthisafternoon.¡±

    William¡¯sexpressionwasinscrutable,¡°You¡¯requitecunning.¡±

    *Afterlearningfrompastexperiencesandbenefitingfrom youradviceonnumerousasions,couldn¡¯tremainoblivious,Mr.Middleton,¡±Emeliesaid.

    Shecontinued,¡°Giventhecurrentsituation<b>,</b>itseemsyoucan¡¯tkickSwansonCorporationoutofthegameanymore.Meanwhile,I¡¯vesecuredmyjob.Youcan¡¯tkeepmeunemployedanymore<b>.</b>¡±

    Herfirststeptowardprotectingherselfwassessful.

    Emelieforcedafalsesmile.¡°Ifthere¡¯snothingurgent,Mr.Middleton,I¡¯llretiretomyroomforrest.There¡¯sworktobedomorrow.¡±

    Shetookacoupleofsteps,butthesoundofthepianoresumedbehindher.Thistime,itwasslowandmelodious,devoidofanyemotion,muchlikehisvoice.¡°Emelieebacktome,¡±Williamsaid.

    ¡°Whatdid

    yousay

    Emeledoubtedifshemisbeardamidstthe ne¡¯s melodyandturnedtolookathim.¡±

    saidebacktome,¡±Williamreplied,hiseyeshalf¨Cclosedashisfingersdancedacrosstheckandwhitekeys.¡°Anyconditionsyouset,Icanmeetthem

    ¡±

    SpintoimYourSurpriseReward

 CHAPTER 173

    Chapter173Lapdog

    Emeliecould<b>ask</b>foranythingifshewentbacktoWilliam?

    ¡°Likewhat?¡±sheasked.

    Theckandwhitekeyswerepressedrhythmically,creatingamelodioustaneWilliamspokeslowly,¡°ThepositionofChiefSecretaryisstillyours.¡±

    Emelieaskedagain,¡°Istheremore?¡±

    ¡°Sryincrease,plusbonuses.¡±

    ¡°Anythingelse?¡±

    Willumncedather,hiseyesnarrowedslightly.<b>The</b>Emelieherememberedwasn¡¯tthisgreedy.

    However,her willingnesstonegotiateindicatedherwillingnesstoreturn.Hepausedhis<b>no</b>yingandsaid<b>,</b>¡°Doyoustillnothaveacar?Inconvenienttransportation.¡±

    Emeliechuckledsoftly.Duringtheirthreeyearstogether<b>,</b>shedidn¡¯tevenhavejewelryorhandbags,letaloneahouseoracar.Now,hewasofferingthemfreely.

    Butshestisked,¡°Anythingelse?

    ¡°I¡¯lltakecareofyourmother¡¯ssurgerytotheend.¡±Williamraisedhischinslightly.¡°Shouldn¡¯tthatbeenough?¡±

    Takingresponsibility forthesurgerywashistrumpcardbecauseheknewit waswhatshecared<b>about</b>themost.Ofcourse,heknew.Heknewbetterthananyonewheretohurtherthemost.

    Emeliesmirked.¡°Youaren¡¯tdrinkingtoday,yetyou¡¯restisdelusionsthatnight?Aftereverythingyou¡¯vedone tome,howcouldyoustillthinkI¡¯ebacktoyou?Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    William¡¯s expressiondarkenedinaninstant..

    Hewasprobablyabouttoarguethathermother¡¯sheartconditionhadnothingtodowithhim.Buttheirissuesrantardeeperthanthat

    ¡°Onthecruiseship,youweretheonewhotradedmeforthatproject,right?Youweretheonewhokeptblockingmefromfindinganewjob,yingwithmelikeitwasagame,right?

    ¡°You¡¯veconsistently, repeatedlysuppressedme.NowyouthinkIshouldjuserunningbackbecauseyousayso?William,amIyoupdog?¡±

    Emelleknewsheshould¡¯vestayedcalmandunbothered

    ButwhetheritwasthesightofWesleyinthegardenorhearingWilliam¡¯sabsurdrequest,shecouldn¡¯tcontainherangerassherecountedthepasttwomonthsofhismaniption.

    William¡¯slipspressedintoahardline.

    Emeliesneered.¡°Yousuredidtreatmelikeadog,butIcanbemyownperson.WhywouldIstickaroundtobeyourdog?¡±

    Thepianowasckandwhite,justlikeWilliam,withhiscksweaterand whitetrenchcoat.Thesetwostarklycontrasting colorsmadehimstandout,crystalclearunderthechandeller¡¯sglow.

    Astheylockedeyesforamoment,afaintsmirkappearedatthecornerofhismouth.Heresumedyingthepianopletingtheendingofthemusicwithzy,nonchntstyle

    ¡°Iwasjustmakinganoffhandsuggestion.Ifyoudon¡¯twantit,sobeit.Whyareyousoworkedup?¡±

    Emeliefeltshe¡¯d beenpunchedinthegut.Itwasasifherangerhitasoftcushioninsteadoftheintendedtarget.

    Hisresponsefeltlikehewastoyingwithheragain.Hervoicetightened,shereplied,¡°Ifyou finditamusingtojokearound,Mr.Middleton,Idon¡¯thavetimeforit.Excuseme.¡±

    Sheturnedtoleave.William¡¯svoice followedherishesaid,¡°DusyspreadingDaphne¡¯sphotos,right?Ofcourse,youdon¡¯thavetime.¡±

    Emeliepausedbriefly,thenhurriedintotheelevatorwithoutaword.

    Wam¡¯smooddarkenedashisannoyancegrew.Itseemedthathewasn¡¯tentirelyunaffectedbyEmelie¡¯srejection.

    Hereachedforacigarette,butwhenhesawtheno¨Csmokingsignonthepiano,hedecidedagainstit.

    Afewminutesofstillnessdidn¡¯tcalmhim.Withafrown,hepulledouthisphoneandcalledJayden.¡°Drinkstonight?¡±

    ¡°Now?Ican¡¯tYelenaisinterestedinanantiquevaseupforauctioninWimstourCity,soIneed tohelpher getit¡±

    Williamhungupabruptly,annoyanceshingacrosshisface.

    Hethenmadeanothercall.¡°Beinmyroomintenminutes.¡±

 CHAPTER 174

    Chapter174DaphneIsNothing

    Patriciaendedthecandfreshenedherselfbefore<b>knocking</b>onthedooroftheroombesidehers.

    Itwasn¡¯tlocked,soshecouldenterwithaslightpush.

    ShewalkedinandsawWilliamonthecouch<b>with</b>abottleofwhiskeyonthetable.

    Raisinganeyebrow,sheasked,¡°Youaskedmehere<b>to</b>drinkwithyou?Ievenputonsomemakeupandsprayedsomeperfume. Lookatmylittledress!Ithoughtyouwanted

    tohavearomanticdate.

    Williamlookedupandsawhermessyhairandbareface.Itdidn¡¯tevenwanttospireanothernceatthethickjacketwrappingaroundherbody.

    Withoutsayingaword<b>,</b>hetookanothersipofwhiskey.

    Patricia¡¯srtionshipwithhimwaplicated.

    <b>She</b>sat onanothercouch,crossingherlegs.Proppingherchinupwithherhands,shelookedatWilliam.

    ¡°You¡¯reinabadmood.Why?DidMs.Howen<b>upset</b>you?WhenIwentdowntoeat,Isawyounochatting bythepiano<b>.</b>¡±

    Williamlookedat heremotionlessly.

    ¡°Itshouldn¡¯tbeher,then,¡±Patriciasurmised.¡°Whois<b>she</b>toaffectyouremotions<b>?</b>IsitMs.Bowen?¡±

    Williamsuddenlysneeredandsaid,¡°Daphneisreallyjustanobody.¡±

    Patriciagavehimaconfusedlook.Shedidn¡¯tknowwhatcameoverWilliamforhimtosaythat.Washeserious?

    GivenhispreviousbehaviortowardDaphine,Patriciathoughthisattitudewasmorecadeoftoughness.

    Itwasn¡¯tasecretthatDaphnehadalwaysimed she wasnewtolove,thatWilliamwasherfirstboyfriend,andshehadneverbeenwithanotherman.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    ButsomeoneanonymouslysentphotosofDaphnekissinganothermantoWilliam.Ipletelyexposedherlie,andthelusionofasweetandinnocentgirlcrumbledinstantly.

    Wimwasunabletoeptthereality.Hereacted<b>by</b>blockingher,notansweringhercalls,andleaving<b>on</b>abusinesstrip.

    Hisreactionwassointense.ItactuallyhighlightedhowmuchDaphnematteredtohimdespitehisattemptstoseemindifferent.

    Patriciapouredherselfadrinkandsaid,¡°Still,if<b>you¡¯re</b>reallydonewithMs.Bowen,Mr.MiddletonSeniorwouldbethrilled.Maybeyoushouldtakethisopportunitytopatchthingsupwith<b>Ms.</b>Hoven.¡±

    Wium¡¯sreflectioninthewinesswasdevoidofemotion,hiseyesdistantandcold.Theyshowednotraceoftheconflictbrewingwithinhim.

    Patriciaknewthatit wasbecauseEmelle wasn¡¯twillingtodoso.

    Shedrummedherlingersonhercheek<b>,</b><b>a</b>slysmilespreadingacrossherlipsasanideaformed.

    ¡°Letmegiveyouahand,¡±shesaidwithayfulgrin.¡°Consideritathankyouforallyourhelpthesepastfewdays.¡±

    Withthat,shepickeduptheroomphoneanddialedthefrontdesk.¡°Hello,canyousendaboxorgecondomstoroom1901?Yes,Mr.Middletonneedsthem.Pleasehurry.¡±

    Williamfrownedandwasutterlypuzzled.¡°<b>What</b>?¡±

    Parrwinkedathim:Sheputanindexfingeronherlips,signalinghimtobequiet.¡°Shhh,you¡¯llfindouttomorrow

    Thenextdaywasaworkday.Tospeedthings up,theteamdividedinto several

    EmelieandPatriciawereassignedtoworktogether.

    groups

    m.Emele

    Thenwastogooutthatday,andEmeliehadalreadyarrangedtomeetPatriciaataspecifictime.Butwhen15minateshadpassed,and Patriciastillhadn¡¯tshownup,startedtogetconcerned.

    ShetriedcallingPatricia,butthephonerangwithoutanyoneanswering

    Justasshebeganfeelingperplexed,Alexiscamedownstairsandwalledthroughthelobby.ShenoticedEmelieandwalkedover.¡°AreyouwaitingforMs.May?¡±

    Emelienodded,andAlexiswhispered,¡°She spentthenightinMr.Middleton¡¯sroom.¡±

    Emelieraisedaneyebrow,curiousabouthowAlexisknew.

    ¡°YouwanttoknowhowIfoundout?¡±Alexisleanedincloserandloweredhervulce.¡°Loverheardsomehotelstaffgossipingaboutit.Theysaidroom1901orderedroom<b>service</b>threetimestnight!¡±

    Emeliewasspeechless.

    Alexissighedwithasmirkandsald,¡°Mr.Middletonsurelivesuptohisreputation.¡±

    ?

 CHAPTER 175

    Chapter175Ridiculous

    Emelicfrownedandasked,¡°ThenshouldIgoaloneorwait?!

    Alexisshrugged,shewasn¡¯t<b>sure</b>either.She<b>mentioned</b>shehadtogoout<b>for</b>workwithJayden,soshequicklyheadedoff,notwantingtodyany<b>longer</b>.

    EmellemadeanothercalltoPatricia,decidingthatifshedidn¡¯tanswer<b>,</b>she¡¯djustgobyherself.Afterall,Patricia¡¯ckof punctualitywasholdingherback.

    Thistime,however,Patriciapickedup.Hervoicegrewlouderassheapproached. ¡°Ms.Haven<b>,</b>I¡¯mhere,Sorryforbeinte,¡±she<b>said</b>,walkinguptoher<b>and</b>hangingupthephone

    Withasmile,sheadded,¡°Theldbackforsomany days,thenIlostcontrostnight.<b>Almost</b>couldn¡¯tmakeittoworkontime!!

    Emelienoddedandreplied,¡°sinceyou¡¯rehere,let¡¯sgetmoving.Wehave<b>a</b>lottodotoday¡±

    Theprojectteamhadarrangedacarforthem.

    GhentheworkloadandPatricia¡¯sdy,timewastight.Assoonastheygotin<b>the</b>car,EmellestarteddiscussingworkwithPatriciatomakethemostoftheirtraveltime.

    Emeliefeltitwasbesttodividethetasks,witheach<b>person</b>focusingonadifferentareato savetime,

    However,Patriciaseemedquitedistracted.Sheconstantlyshiftedinherseat,<b>requested</b>acushionforherback,andstretchedherlegs.Shinedaboutherbackpainandlegdifort,movingaroundeveryfewseconds.

    ¡°Ms.<b>May</b>,areyouevenlisteningtowhatI¡¯msaying?¡±Emelieasked,herpatiencethinning

    <b>¡°</b><b>I¡¯m</b>notdeaf,heardyou,¡±Patriciarepliedwithasmile,¡°ButIthinkit¡¯sbetterifwesticktogetherit¡¯smoreefficientwhentwopeopleworkonaskandmoveontothenext.It¡¯seasiertokeeptrackofeverythingthatway.¡±

    Emelieconsideredthesuggestionand agreed itmadesense.

    However,Patriciadidn¡¯tseemtocontributemuchoncetheyarrivedatthesite.Shemostlysatdownorleanedagainst<b>a</b>wall,actinglikeabystanderwhileEmebehandledthediscussionswiththeprojectcontect

    Patricia¡¯sbodnguagescreameddifort,whichElecourtignore.Giventhethreeguestservicerequeststhenightbefore,itmadesenseshewouldbefeelingthe

    aftermath.

    Emellesighedinwardly,thinkingitwouldhavebeenbetterifshe¡¯ealone.It<b>would</b>havesavedtimeandavoidedhavingtoconstantlyintroducePatriciatoeveryone.

    TheonlytimePatriciaspokeduringthemeetingwastoasktheprojectcontact,¡°Isthere<b>a</b>pharmacy<b>nearby</b>?Ineedtobuysomepainreliefcream.

    Emelierolledhereyesinternallyandwasspeechless.

    TheprojectBaison¡¯sexpressiontwistedwithamixofconfusionandcontemptasPatriciaaskedfordirectionstothenearestpharmacy.Hechuckleddrylyandpointedherintherightdirection.

    ¡°<b>She¡¯s</b>reallythebusinessdevelopmentmanager?¡±heasked,disbeliefclearinhisvoiceText content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Shedidn¡¯tnonbargingin andconfrontingthem.Thatwouldonlymakeherjobhardeter.A

    <b>warning</b>wasenough.

    Shelefttheoffice,headingtotheentrance.There,sheranintoPatricia,whowasreturningfrombuyingmedicine.

    Emeliencedather.¡°Let¡¯sheadtothenextce.¡±

    Patriciatuggedonhersleeve.¡°It¡¯salmostnoon,Shouldn¡¯tweeatfirst?I¡¯mexhaustedfrostnight.Hardly<b>got</b>anysleep¡±

    Emeliepulledherarmback.¡°I¡¯mnothungry.Ifyou¡¯rehungry,grabsomethingonyourown.Wecanmeetuter.¡±

    Patriciaprecedather. ¡°Ms.Howen,youseeminabadmoodtodayDidIdosomethingtoupsetyou?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯reoverthinking.I¡¯mjustanxioustogetworkdone,¡±

    Patriciasmirked.¡°Really?Ithoughtitwas<b>because</b>ofwhathappenedbetweenMr.Middletonandmstnightwemight¡¯vegottenabircarriedaway¡±

    ¡°Ms.May,¡±Emelie cutheroff,liftinghergazetomostPatricia¡¯s.¡°Ifindyouquiteridiculous.¡±

    Patrkistajyedaneyebrow,Interested¡°ch?Whatmakesyousaythat?¡±

    Chapter176LingeringFrelings

 Chapter 176

    ?Chapter 176 Lingering Feelings

    Emelie said, "You seem to like sharing your personal affairs with me. Ever since we were on the ne, you''ve been telling me everything."

    She added, "I thought people usually like being private, yet you seem to like sharing about it. Do you have any weird kinks?"

    Patricia smirked. "Does it bother you? Because of what happened with Mr. Middleton? Are you jealous?

    "Deep down, you still have feelings for him, don''t you? After all, you did spend three years with him. It''s not easy to just cut ties like that."

    Emelie didn''t take the bait. She replied with her own point, "If you do have a condition, I suggest you see a psychologist. Not everyone enjoys hearing about someone''s personal life all the time.

    "It can be ufortable. But if you consider me a rival and talk about your rtionships to show off or irk me, then you''re wasting your time."

    Patricia''s smirk began to fade.

    Emelie continued, "I''m upset, yes, but not for the reasons you think. I''m annoyed because yourck of professionalism has put us both in a difficult position.

    "I spent all night preparing the project ns for today so we could work efficiently, not be gossiped about or have our reputations questioned. Now people think I''m like you, relying on rtionships with men to get ahead."

    Emelie didn''t sugarcoat her words, leaving Patricia nowhere to hide.

    Patricia''s face, which usually carried a seductive and charming smile, now showed no expression. But if she hadn''t repeatedly overstepped her bounds, Emelie wouldn''t have feltpelled to say these things.

    Emelie offered onest piece of advice, "I have no interest in Mr. Middleton. Whatever you two do is none of my business.

    "What you treasure might be worthless to someone else¡ªnot everyone finds it appealing. A person should value self-respect, Ms. May. So maybe try loving yourself a bit more."

    "Self-respect..." Patricia muttered, and she smirked. However, her eyes remained cold." Yes, to you, I''m just an undignified, flirtatious woman, right?"

    Emelie hadn''t quite meant it that way, but she chose not to rify.

    Patricia''s gaze shifted back to her.

    Emelie had a well-defined bone structure, and her features were bold and bnced. She could pull off any makeup style, be it heavy or subtle. People would say she was the kind of

    beauty with a "face made for the screen".

    Patricia had noticed her the first time they met on the cruise ship, watching how she yed poker with a group of executives on the second floor.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

    She had navigated through the situation and eventually secured her safety. Even Bryan had praised her for turning a bad hand into a sessful escape. It was a testament to her capability.

    Emelie had beauty, but it seemed like her looks were the least remarkable thing about her. It was much unlike Patricia, who now had to rely on her looks, weaving through a sea of men. "You''ve got quite a talent for lecturing, Ms. Hoven," Patricia said nonchntly. "You should consider a career as a morals and ethics teacher. I have some contacts in that field if you''re interested."

    "No thanks," Emelie replied curtly, having had enough of her, and turned to get into the car.

    Patricia turned her head. "Ms. Hoven, I know it''s not easy for you, but why don''t you just take the easy way? Isn''t Cloudex Corporation a nice ce? Wouldn''t it be great to go back to William? It''s rare for him to lower his head to someone."

    So, e back to me" meant William was humbling himself. Emelie had thought it was amand.

    She didn''t respond. She got into the car and saw Patricia walk away, but she didn''t know where to. Not wanting to waste more time on Patricia, she told the driver, "Let''s go to the next location."

    Patricia went to the office where she''d heard the gossipers. They were all still there. She kicked over the trash can, and it fell with a loud crash, startling everyone inside.

    She leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, her red dress catching everyone''s eye. Her smile was seductive, but her eyes were cold and dangerous.

    "Was it you guys who said I got my job by sleeping with men?" she asked.

    The people in the office nced at each other, unsure how to respond.

    Patricia''s lips curled into a dangerous smile. She was like a brightly colored snake- beautiful but deadly.

    "You''re not wrong," she said. "I do rely on men. It''s my skill to get where I am by relying on them, and it''s also my skill to make sure a few gossipy men like you don''t keep your jobs.

    "So, what''ll it be? You hand in your resignation yourselves, or should I ask my man to do it for you?"

    In the afternoon, Emelie visited three locations back-to-back,pleting all the work alone. Patricia was absent from start to finish, never showing up again.

    By the time Emelie returned to the hotel, it was already 7:00 pm.

    She needed to report to the meeting room, but her outfit had gotten dirty during the day at the base. She didn''t look presentable.

    Since she had a few minutes to spare, she decided to go back to her room and change. After changing, she headed down to the meeting room on the 6th floor.

    As she stepped into the elevator, William was coincidentally inside,ing down from the

    19th floor.

 CHAPTER 178

    Chapter178doBacktoHim

    Boullewasstartledandstaredathan ¡°Sowhat?It¡¯snotscarymajorhospitalhasin¡±

    ¡°pillerentbrands,andlevelsofdoctorsthedifferentresults.<b>What</b>didyourdoctortellyouabouttheinfectionrate?50percent?¡±Williamspokewithindifference.¡°Mydoctorsayskeitpeterit.<b>¡±</b>

    Emellehellerbirali.Tenpercent

    Hermother¡¯scurrentdoctorwasabrallyrenownedinCapebatcity,andhecouldonlyholdtheinfectionrateatabout50percent.

    Yetwilliamherehad<b>a</b>doctorwhocouldlowerthepossibilityofinfectiontotenpercent.Itseanthecouldraisehermother¡¯ssurvivalchancefromfifty¨C<b>fifty</b>tonypercent.¡°panelic,l¡¯ounotthreateningyouthistime,noram1blockingyou.I¡¯mevenofferingyouanotherpath,¡±Williamreleasedher,gesturingtowardtheelevatordoors.¡°Thechoiceis

    FtestoodinsidetheelevatorwithherhandclenchingIntoalist.Heseemedtogiveherachoice,butinreality,therewasn¡¯tanychoiceatall.

    Sometimes,shefoundWimbysunseating

    WhilehewasatoddswithDaphineononehand,heseamlesslymovedontoPatricia

    Thepreviousnight,hetoldhertebackjusttoteasebet.Now,he¡¯dcedanewchiptocontrolber

    ngthisandthat,arence.

    Theelevator<b>suddenly</b>descended<b>,</b>andEnclelookedatthedisyscreen.Someonemusthavepressedtheelevatordownstairs.

    Thatwasgood.Shecouldusethistimetosortoutheremotions.

    ShemessagedEliana,askingabouttheirmother¡¯scondition.

    Thereplycame,¡°Everything¡¯sstable.¡±

    Emelierxedslightly.

    Astheelevatorreachedthefirstfloor,someoneentered,andEmeliepressedthebottonforthe6thfloor

    SheopenedherchatscreenwithSamuel<b>,</b>contemtingwhattowrite

    ¡°Mr.Swanson,<b>Capebatt</b>University¡¯sMedicalDepartmentistop¨Cnotch,andyourbrotherisarenownedtraditionalmedicinepractitioner.Doyouhappentoknowanyexceptional<b>cardiac</b>specialists?¡±

    Thecurentdirectorwasthebestdoctorshecouldfindwithinher<b>means</b>,Samuel,withahigherstatus,shouldhaveesstoevenbetterdoctors.

    <b>But</b>beforesendingthemessage,theelevator reachedthe6thooAfteramoment<b>of</b>hesitation,shedeletedit.

    Workfirstandaddresstherester,itwastopreventdistractionsandensurethe<b>best</b>possibleouesfrombothsides

    Assheexitedtheelevator,Emelie¡¯semotionsreturnedtonormssheheadedtowardtheconferenceroom

    Thenextday,<b>Emelie</b><b>and</b>Patrick<b>were</b><b>again</b>inateam.

    ShethoughtPatriciawouldbethesame,doingnothingandrelyingsolelyonherself.Tohersurprise,Patriciawasworkinghardthatday.

    Theyvisitedseveralsitestogether,<b>cross</b><b>¨C</b>checkingprojectdataonebyone.ThankstoPatricia¡¯scooperation,Emelie¡¯sworkloadteltmuchlighter.

    Patriciahadreachedthepositionofbusinessdevelopmentmanagerwithsomerealtalentand<b>skill</b>.

    Afterfinishing<b>up</b><b>and</b>preparingtoreturntothehotel,PatriciaapologizedtoEmelieinthecarforherabruptdeparture<b>the</b><b>previous</b>day.Sheexinedthatshewasupset

    ¡°It¡¯sokay,¡±Emelierepliedsimply.

    ¡°Speakingofyesterday¡¯swork,Emelie,couldyousendmeacopyofthereportwediscussedinthemeeting?Ifeelsomething¡¯snotquiteright.¡±

    <b>¡°</b>Whichone?¡±Emelietookoutherphoopenthedocument,butPatriciasnatchedit<b>away</b>beforeshecouldreact

    ¡°Myphonesuddenlycan¡¯tconnecttotheinte<b>,</b>so1¡¯lluseyours.It¡¯shere.¡±

    Emeliencedoutthewindow,noticingitwasalreadyevening¨C6:00pm.Daylightwasshortduringwinter,andthecityappearedbright<b>due</b>tostreetlightsand<b>shops</b>.

    Yetoutsidethiswindow,itwaspitch<b>¨C</b>ck.Itseemedthey<b>had</b>entered<b>a</b>forest.Thetreeshadobscuredtheview.

    Entrefrowned.¡°Didwetakethewrongroad?isthisthewaybacktothehotel?¡±

    <b>¡°</b>Yes,¡°¡±thedriverreplied.

    ¡°Idon¡¯trecallpassingthroughaforesttogetbacktothehotel.Emelledeltsomethingwasamiss.

    Patricia<b>also</b>peeredoutside¡°Yeah,Irememberwedon¡¯tneedtogothroughaforest.Mister,couldyoustop?Wewanttocheck.¡±

    Thedriverstopped,andPatriciaopenedherdoorwhileEmeliedidthesame.Theyconfirmedtheywereindeedinaforest

    Shebarelyhadtimetorealizesomethingwaswrongwhenthecardoormmedshut.

    Emelierushedtograbthedoor,butthevehiclespedoff.

    EnellerealizedPatriciahadnnedthisalong.Herse

    worktoday,alongwiththeapology,hadbeenanactN?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

    Telemachedforherplume,onlytofinditmissing.SherecalledPatriciahadtaken<b>it</b><b>as</b><b>an</b>excine,

 CHAPTER 177

    Chapter 177 You Posted It

    Finele paused in front of the elevator

    Wimether gaze. He was on <strong>a </strong>call, <strong>and </strong>his tone was stem and cold. Figure out withet j

    Then, he hung u

    dearly, he wasn¡¯t in a great mood, and he took it out on her. ¡°Don¡¯t waste my time if you¡¯re noting i

    Empressed the burn to hold the esctor

    She didn¡¯t want to take the same elevator,

    rbetare calling me back¡±

    iting for the next one would make thing hadde

    The elevate space wasted. Even though she tried to keep some distance, she could roll med bar

    Neither of them spoke as they descended. In just a moute, kis phone rang novice, but he didn¡¯t pick

    Emele didn¡¯t care about it at first, but she caught a glimpse of the car. Dephine

    Was be on <strong>the </strong>phone with Daphne?

    Emelie cared about this because she suspected their agent stemmed from the wing phot Just as expected, William asked, ¡°Are you happy now?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean,¡± she replied as the elevati reached the tho

    Without yielding, while Emelle was about to leave the elevator further.

    Emelle found herselfered, and she said coldly,

    ¡°What do you think I¡¯m going to do?

    Elle pused her lips.

    Sem ruddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her back. The elevator dosed a bede

    what are you doing?

    ¡®stone camed

    of mischief ¡°don there a hoody of doing things de

    ¡°You think I won¡¯t be able to mace a virtual number? w lowered t aplish? Makes Eight

    Emelie didn¡¯t deny it and replied calmly. ¡°This is not to make you fight but to show the tru

    Emotionlessly will asked ¡°Where did you get those photos?¡±

    Certainly not by legal means.

    You sentima mose kissing photos of pneu

    They couldn¡¯t make Daphne pay for what she had done through the police or by doing thing ¨C Although Mona said to

    That night, Willem recalled that Monarold ber she found Diphne¡¯s instagram ount.

    It was easy to leave things in a private ount, so shered to Finde

    ¡°Hey, I don¡¯t want to braak op wit you

    She stumbled upon ament under Daphne¡¯s post four years ago that said. ¡°Hop

    Emelle came to think of Daphne iming to be

    stilov So, how did ¡°honey¡± and ¡°break¡± to the pictza)

    Following the thread, she clicked on that ount bath been updated in a long, but the previous posts were she dough, she two kissing photos.

    Shefound it ridiculous at the time.

    What did Williamsay about Daphine again? He said she was conservative and weN?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

    And what persona had Daphne always matamed? Innocent and inexperienced, never be

    Was that really the case? Their tongues could even be seen in the phones

    30, she saved those to photos and sent them to William eating a virtual numb

    Didn¡¯t Daphine like sharing other people¡¯s photos? Well, she returned the taver

    William bold her chin, his thumb ambiguously caressing her skin. ¡°You have quite the vindictive streak

    Emelie frowned. She was unable to tolerate his touch and moved away.

    She only sent Dephine¡¯s photos to William if he didn¡¯t care, those photos would be meaningless. But clearly, he did

    This was even better. Daphne would have to pay a price for what she did for her.

    Wiliam said solemnly. ¡°That move struck a nerve with me, reminding me of your past betrayal melle, are you prepared to be a lonely

    mele didn¡¯t take his words at all. How ridiculous. Why should she listen to him?

    ¡°William, why should I stem to you? You¡±

    you still have a second option,¡± will cut her off ¡°Come back to me

    Febe tried to control herself and said, ¡°I thought I made myself clean ¡°I have a way to obtain an artificial hearTM

 CHAPTER 179

    Chapter179Missing

    Patriciareturnedtothehotndhurriedtotheconferenceroom.Shepushedthedooropenandshouted<b>.</b>¡°Ohno!Emeliehasgonemissing!¡±

    Everyonewhowaspreparingtosummarizetheday¡¯sworkturnedtolookather.

    Samuel stoodupabruptly.Hehadjustfinished dealingwithmattersinthbandreturnedtoWimstourCity.HehopedtoseeEmellereturnfromwork.Instead,hwiththe dreadfulnews.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.

    ¡°Whatdidyousay?¡±Samuelshouted.

    <b>Patricia¡¯s</b>actingskillswereimpable.¡°Today,we wenttoseveralsitestocollectdata.Afterfinishing,wepreparedtoreturntothehotel.

    ¡°<b>Emelie</b>suddenlysaidshewantedtousethe restroom.Butafterhalfanhourofwaitingwiththe<b>driver</b>,<b>she</b>didn¡¯treturn.

    ¡°Ifeltsomethingwaswrong,soIwenttochecktherestroom,butshewasn¡¯tthereatall!Herphoneisswitchedofftool

    ¡°Isearchednearbybutcouldn¡¯tfindher,soIhurriedbacktofindyou.Let¡¯sorganizeasearchpartytofindher!¡±Patriciaurged.

    Samuel<b>asked</b>,¡°Whichlocation?¡±

    ¡°ThesiteatOpulentRoad.¡±

    Samuelleftimmediately.

    WilliamfrownedandstaredatPatricia,seeminglylostinthought

    Jaydenalsofrowned.¡°Thisissuspicious<b>.</b>Emeliewouldn¡¯twanderwhenshehadwormitments.Let¡¯sorganizeasearchpartyfirstAlexis,youhandleit.¡±

    Alexis,beingJayden¡¯ssecretary,tookcharge

    Williamthensaid,¡°Ashton,goandhelparrangeforit.¡±

    Withothershandlingthesearch,Jayden,William,andPatriciastayedatthehotwaitingnews.

    Almostanhouter,therewasstillnowordfrom anyarchteams.

    Regardlessoftheirpersonalrtionshipsorsimply beingcolleagues,a<b>woman</b>goingmissingwasundoubtedlyacauseforconcem.

    ¡°Let¡¯scallthepolice,¡±Jaydensuggested.

    hewasgreeted

    William,seatedattheheadofthetablewithhishandonhisforehead,respondedindifferently,¡°Noneed.Let¡¯sfindherfirstEmelieisanadultwithbasicself¨Cdefensecapabilities.

    Jaydenfrowned<b>.</b>¡°Whatif<b>she¡¯s</b>beenkidnapped?¡±!

    Williamcounteredbysaying,¡°<b>What</b>valuedoesshehavetowarrantsomeonegoingthroughallthetroubleofkidnapping<b>her</b>?¡±

    Jaydencouldn¡¯thelpbutnceatWilliam.

    Emeliehadbeensoclosetohim.Theywere practicallymarriedbefore.Nowthatshewasmissing,whywasn¡¯theconcernedforhersafety?Wasn¡¯thedeeplyconcernedjustafewdaysago<b>?</b>

    Patriciawasseatedinanotherspotandsaid,¡°Besides,ifan<b>adult</b>goesmissingforlessthan24hours,thepolicewon¡¯tstartasearch,right?¡±

    Jaydenpickeduphisphone.¡°I¡¯llhaveAlexisgathermorepeoplefromthe sitetoassistinthesearch.¡±

    Patriciaalsograbbedherphone.¡°I¡¯llmakesomecallstoo,seeifanyonecanlendahand¡­¡±

    Asshestooduptoleave,Williamrosefromhisseat.¡°Comewithme.¡±

    Patriciapaused.Shecouldn¡¯tleaveanymore,soshebitherlipandobedientlyfollowedhim

    Williamlefttheconferenceroom,andhisexpressionsuddenlyturnedcold.Stepping intothecorridor,heheadedstraightforthesecurepassage.

    Heforcefullypushedopenthedoor,withPatriciatrailingbehindhim.¡°Mr.Middleton,whatarewedoinghere¡­

    Beforeshecouldfinishhersentence,Williamgrabbedherarmand flungherintoaco

    <ol>

    <li>a.<ber</b></li>

    </ol>

    Patriciastaggeredbackafewstepsandnearlyfell.Assheregainedherbnce,William¡¯ssharpwordshither.¡°WhereisEmelle?¡±

    Patricia¡¯seyesflickered,butsheactedcalmandsaid,¡°Idon¡¯tknow.¡±

    Williamstaredatherwithasharpgaze,leavingFatriciabreathless.

    ¡°Intheforestto the<b>east</b>,¡±Patriciafinallyadmitted.

    William¡¯sexpressiontumedstem.¡°Youleftheraloneinthewoods?¡±

    <b>Patricia</b>shruggednonchntly.¡°Taskedthelocals.Thereareno venomoussnakesorinsects<b>in</b>thewoodsthisseason.

    ¡°It¡¯sonlybeenanhour.She¡¯llbefineevenforanotherhour¨CWhyareyoulookingatmelikethat?I¡¯mjustgivingyouachance tobethehero.¡±

 CHAPTER 180

    Chapter180<b>Samuel¡¯s</b>OtherSide

    ¡°SincewhendoIneedyouforthat?¡±Williamdidn¡¯thavetimetoentertam herandquicklyleftthroughthesecuritycheckpoint

    Hedialedhisdriver¡¯snumberonhisphone.

    Patriciacaughtupwithhim.¡°Youknow,womenloveheroicacts.Ifyouwaitanotherhourandshowupwhenshe¡¯sfeelingvulnerableandscared,she¡¯llsurelysoftenupandreconcilewithyou.¡®

    ¡°Meetmeatthehotelentrance,¡±Williesaidbeforeendingthecall

    HepushedpastPatricia,andpressedtheelevator button¡°Youclearlyneedsomedisciplinerightnow.Tomorrow,you¡¯regoingbacktoyourparents.¡±

    Patricia¡¯sexpression<b>changed</b>.¡°I¡¯mdoingthistohelpyou!Howcanyoubesoungrateful?

    Williamstaredattheelevatorwithoutahintofemotion.

    Afraidthathewouldreallyvendheraway,Patriciapleadedbysaying,¡°I¡¯monlygoingthroughallthistroubletohelpyou!¡±

    Theelevatorarrived,andWilliamignoredher.Heheadedstraighttothelobby

    ¡°Gotothewoodsontheeastside.¡±

    Meanwhile<b>,</b>SamurrivedatthesiteonOpulentRoad.Heimmediatelyessedtheparkinglotsurveince.ThefootageclearlyshowedthatEmellegotintothecarbeforeshe

    wentmissi

    ThisconfinedthatPatriciahaded.Elledidn¡¯tdisappearbeforegettingintothecarbutafterward.

    Hedidn¡¯thavetimetogobackandquestionPatriciaCoincidentally,thedriverwhohadbroughthimtothe<b>site</b>wasthesameonewhohaddrivenEmilieintheafternoon.

    Thedriverwasthrownintoadarkalley.Beforehecouldgetup,Samuel¡¯ssharp wordshit<b>him</b>.¡°WherehaveyoutakenEmelle?!

    ThedriverstaredindisbeliefatSamuel,whohadalwaysbeengenteelinpublic.Hecouldn¡¯tbelievethismanwouldresorttoviolence.¡°L.Idon¡¯tknow,Ididn¡¯ttakeher..¡±

    Samuelpemovedhissses<b>and</b>pocketedthem

    Thenextmoment,hisleather¨Cdfootstampeddownonthedriver¡¯schestwithoutmercy,nearlybreaking hisribs.Thedriverinstinctivelystruggledbutcouldn¡¯t<b>break</b>free.

    Theusuallypoliteandgentlemanseemedlikeadifferentpersonwithouthissses.Hisgazewascold,asifhewaslookingattrash.

    ¡°Answerme,wherehaveyoutakenEmelie?¡±

    1.she

    atskull

    Hisshoemovedtowardthedriver¡¯shead.¡°Ifyoudon¡¯tspeak,I¡¯llerashyours

    Samuel¡¯svoicewentslowandcold,showingthathewasn¡¯tbluffs

    Terrified,thedriverscreamed¡°No!I¡¯lltellyou!She¡¯sinthewoodstothe<b>east</b>!¡±

    Aftergettingtheanswer,Samuelsteppedbackandwarned,¡°You¡¯dbetterprayshe¡¯ssafe

    Hethen<b>briskdy</b>walkedoutof thealley.

    Samuelinitiallynnedtosearchhimself,but atthatmoment,acarpulledupinfrontofhim

    Thewindowrolleddown,revealingthefaceofthemaskedman,MarcelReyes,whohadbeentakingcandidsnapshotsofEmelle. ¡°DamniWhereisshe?

    Knowingthatspecializationwaskey,SamuelfeltMarcelwasbettersuitedforfindingpeople,sohesaid,¡°She¡¯sinthewoodstotheeast.I¡¯llgowithyou.¡±

    Hemedtogetinthecar,butthenMarcelsaid,¡°No,waitforourmessage.¡±Then,hespedoff

    Samuelnarrowedhiseyes.

    Our?Who<b>?</b>

    Withthat<b>thought</b>,heheardfootstepsandturnedtoseethedrivercautiouslyapproachingh

    Samuelhadnointentionoftalkingwithhimfurther.Hepulledout<b>his</b>sses,putthembackon,andhookedthesseschainwithhislittlefinger

    Hewasback tohisharmlesspersonasMr.SamuelSwanson

    Themaninthemaskeleratedtowardthe eastwardwoods,speakingashedrove

    ¡°ImfamrwithButarea.It¡¯smaintainedbytheForestryDepartmenttopreventfloodingandsanderosion,withasignificantbudgetallocatedforsoilnourishment.However,the<b>vigers</b>livingnearbyoftenillegally<b>dig</b><b>and</b>cuttrees<b>,</b><b>causing a</b>lotofchaos.¡±

    Therewasmore

    morethanonepersoninthecarseatedin<b>the</b><b>passenger</b>seatwasawoman¡ª

    atwasawoman¡ªhisassistant.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    Theassistant,JodieNoble,furrowedherbrow.<b>¡°</b><b>Are</b><b>you</b>sayingthatvigersnormallygotheretodigupsandcutdowntrees?¡±¡±

    ¡°Yes,despiterepeatedbans,theypersist,oftensneakinginatnight.¡±

    Jodiepursedher<b>lips</b>.Thesedoingsuchactswereundoubtedlyuncivilized.

    Agroupofmenengaginginmischieteatnightencounteringalot,beautifulwomeninthewoods.

    Shedarednotto<b>think</b>aboutwhatmighthappennext.

    ¡°Fullthese!¡±

    Jodiewasstunned,realizingthatthewordshaefromthebackst

    Indeed,therewassomeoneelseinthebackseat

 CHAPTER 181

    Chapter181TheMan

    Jodielookedbackasthecarenteredthetunnel,buttheman¡¯sfacevanishedinthedarkness.

    Allshecouldseewashishandonhisknee,repeatedlyflickingalighter.

    Itwasasilverlighterwithoutanydecorativepatterns.Itwasn¡¯t<b>a</b>famous brand,nordidithaveanydesignir.Justain,old¨Cfashionedlighter.

    Despiteitssimplicity,itborean<b>orange</b>gematitsbase,resemblingthesunset.

    Thelighterseemedoutofceforsomeoneofhisstature,yethecarrieditfaithfullyeverydayforyears.

    Asthe<b>vehicle</b>exitedthetunnel,Marcelncedatthnesonbothsides.Seeingnootherears,hesteppedontheelerator,speedingofftowardtheeasternwoods.

    However,theirjourneywashaltedbydensetreesandundergrowth,forcingthemtoleavethecarbehindandwalk.

    Jodie,inherleatherjacket,pants,<b>and</b>shortboots,lookedsharpwithhershorthair.

    Sheand<b>Marcel</b>grabbedanemergencyshlightfromthecar¡¯partment.Theyquicklyinsertedbatteriesandraisedthemtoshineintothewoods.

    Sheturnedtothemanandsaid,¡°<b>Sic</b>,Mad1willgolookforher.Pleasewaitforusinthecar.¡±

    Asshespoke,themanswiftlytooktheemergencyshlightfromherhandandsteppedintothewoodsahead.

    Marcelshrugged,thenfollowedintothewoods,stayingclosetohim.

    Thewoodsweredark.Thelightonlybrightenedthepath,leavingtheman¡¯sfaceinshadow.

    Withswillstrides,benavigatedthroughthedenselypackedtrees.Hiscoatsweptthroughthebushesontheground,buthe paidnoattentiontoit.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

    Jodiestruggledtokeeppacewithhim.Hisusuallposeddemeanorwapletelydifferentnow.

    Butthen<b>again</b>,itwasEmelle.

    Astheman steppedoverasmallditch,herememberedwhatEmellehadtoldhimbeforehewentabroad.

    ¡°Ifyouleavethistime,Iwon¡¯tpursueyouanymore.¡±

    Acoldgustofnightwindpiercedthroughhim,chillinghimdeeply.Helookedaheadwithasenseofforeboding

    Itfeltemeliewasrightthere,waiting.

    Thedenseforestblockedouttheskyandanymoonlightorstarlight.

    Emeliewalked throughthewoodslikeablindperson,unabletoseeanything.Notonlycouldshenotsee,butshewasalsoverycold.

    Shehadtakenoffhercoatwhenshegotintothecar,leavingheronlyinaloose¨Cknitsweater.Thewindcutthroughthesweater¡¯sseams,makinghershiveruncontrobly.Asshestumbledforward,relyingonmemory,thecknessseemedendless.Therewerenosignsofcivilization.Unabletofindanexit,shedecidedtostopmovingforward.<b>She</b>returned<b>to</b>whereshewasleftbythecarandfoundatreewith afaintlight.Shecrouchedbesideit,huggingher kneestokeepwarm.

    EmeliewassucePatriciawouldn¡¯tactuallyleaveherhereorharmher<b>.</b>Shedidn¡¯t<b>have</b>thenerveforit.

    Someonewoulddefiniteletopickherup<b>in</b>afewhours.

    Hypothetically,JaydenandtheotherswouldaskPatriciaandthedriveraboutherwhereaboutsiftheydidn¡¯tseeherreturn

    Inanycase,shewouldsurelyberescued

    So,ratherthanblindlywanderingaround,itwasbestforhertowaitwhereshewas.Thisway,therescuerscouldeasilyfindher,andbothsideswouldn¡¯twastetimesearchinginthewoods.

    Emeliedidn¡¯tcareaboutwhyPatriciadidit.Itshedaredtoactthatway,Emeliewasdeterminedtomakeherfacetheconsequences.

    Asherlegsgrewnumbfromcrouching,<b>she</b>satonthe ground.

    Luckily, itwaswinter,somostanimalswerehibernatingOtherwise,snakesandpoisonousinsectswouldlikelybeintheruggedforest.

    However,asshethoughtaboutit,sheheardrustlinginthebushes,asifsomethingwasmovingquicklypast.

 CHAPTER 182

    Chapter182Eme

    Emeliequicklystoodupandgrabbedanearbytreebranch.Shestartedswattingatthebushes.

    Buttherewasnothingthere.

    Thenightwindrustedtheleaves,makingashushingsound.Emelielookedupandsawthetreeshadowstwistedintoeerieshapesinthedarkness,likeswayinghands.

    Afterstaringatsuchabizarresightforawhile<b>,</b>eventhesoundofthewindseemedlikeawoman¡¯smournfulscream.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

    Hermindwassuddenlyfilledwithcountlesshorrormovies.Eventhoughsheknewtheywerepoorlymadeandfake,theystillgaveherachillingthrill.

    Stayinginthis environmentfortoolong,evenwithoutfacingrealdanger,couldstillmakeoneanxious

    Emelletriedagaintohugthetreeinfrontofher,hopingtoclimbupforabetterviewandspotalitareainthedistancetoshowherawayout.

    However,thetreeshepickedwasatandslenderredcedartree,withoutanybranchestograsponto.Despitemanagingtoclimbaboutameterhigh,heckofstrengthledtoafall,hurtingherback.

    Surprisingly,as<b>she</b>focusedonthepain,herfearsubsided.Emellechuckledtoherself,thinkingthefallwasn¡¯tfornothing.

    Itwasthenthatshefaintlyheardvoicesnearby.

    ¡°Overhere,dighere_¡±

    Enellelookedcloselyandsawflickeringlightsinthe<b>woods</b>,

    ¡°Arethosepeople?shethoughttoherself.

    Emeliewasinitiallyrelievedandwantedtogooverandseekhelp.Butthensherealizeditdidn¡¯tmakesense.

    Inthe middleofthenight,intheforest<b>,</b>howcouldtherebe<b>people</b>?

    Sensingtrouble,Emelietriedtohide.However,hermovementcaughttheattentionof thepeoplenearby,whothenshoneashlighttowardher.

    ¡°Who¡¯sthere?

    ThebrightEightmadeEmeliecloseher eyes<b>and</b>turnherhead.

    Oneofthemenvoiced,¡°Oh?Who¡¯sthidy<b>?</b>¡±

    Emellewas unsurewhattodowhenthetwomenapproachedher

    Theshorter,chubbymanusedhisshlighttoinspectEmellefromheadtotoe.¡°Itisreallyawoman.Lostinthemiddleofthenightouthere,aren¡¯tyou?¡±

    Emelienoticedtheirdirtyclothesandtheearlierwords.<b>Were</b>theydigging?Diggingahole?

    Diggingaholeatthishour.Thesinisterimplicationsentshiversdownher<b>spine</b>

    Ifthatwastrue<b>,</b>thentherewasahighchancetheyweretryingtocover upamurder.

    ¡°Damn,she¡¯spretty.<b>¡±</b>The<b>shorter</b>,chubbyman¡¯sexpressionchangedsubtly.

    Theothertall,thinmanchuckled<b>and</b><b>scolded</b>,¡°Areyoulosingit<b>again</b>?¡±

    Theshorter,chubbymanlicked<b>his</b>lips.Nighttallfueleddarkdesires<b>,</b>andbeingalonewithabeautifulwomanwastoo tempting

    ¡°She¡¯sreallypretty¡­We¡¯vebeenexhaustedfromdiggingthedirtallnightAndnow,abeautywasgiftedtous.Let¡¯snotwastethisopportunity.It¡¯saperfectchancetorxandhavesomefun!¡±

    Emelieinstantlyrealizedtheirintentionsandsaidcoldly,¡°youdare,Iwon¡¯tletyougetawaywithit.¡±

    ¡°Thidyhasquitetheattitude.Grabher!

    Thetwomenrushedather.Emeliekickedtheshorter,chubbymaninthegroinandranoff

    ¡°Staythere,bitch!¡±

    Emelieknewtherewasnoonearound,butthemenbehindherchasedherrelentlessly.Inapank,shescreamed,¡°Help!<b>Is</b>anyhere?Help!¡±

    Allthreeofthemsearchingheardhercry.

    Marcelrecognizeditrightaway.¡°It¡¯sEmelie!¡±

    Withouthesitation,themanquicklymovedtowardthesound.Hewouldreachherinjustafewsteps.

 CHAPTER 183

    Chapter183Him

    Atthesametime,alouderEmelledrownedouthisvoice,haltinghisfootstepsabruptlyinthedarkness.

    AsEmelleraninapanic,shelookeduphastlyWasitjustherimagination?Didshehearsomeonecallher¡°Eine¡°?

    ¡°Indie!*

    Sheheardsomeonecallher<b>name</b>,both¡°Eme¡±and¡°melle.¡±

    Emelieabruptlystoppedasshesawtheheadlightsgettingcloser.Inthenextmoment,theyswitchedtohigh beams,shiningdirectlyather from<b>a</b>distanceofseveraldosen

    Itwasas ifabeamoflightfellfromabove.

    Thevastnessoftheforestmeantthatfindingtherightpathwasagameofchancewithoutanysignsoralocalguide

    Fortunately,William¡¯sluckheld,leadinghimtothemainread.Heparkedthecarabouttwentytothirtymeters<b>away</b>fromEmelie.

    Seeingsomeoneapproaching,thetwomenexchangedncesbeforeswiftlyretreatingintothewoods.

    Emellejustrealizedhowcloseshewastotherightpath.Whenshewasgroping herwayforwardearlier,shehadbeenheadingintheoppositedirection.

    Willgetoutofthecarandrushedtowardher.Thewind<b>touched</b>hisshorthairandsenthiscoatflutteringShesimplywatchedinsilence.

    She<b>was</b><b>stunned to</b><b>see</b>himbeingthefirsttoarrive

    Emelie watchedasWilliamapproached,hisfeaturesgraduallybingclearer.Hermixedemotionsoffearanduncertaintyleft<b>her</b>feeling<b>unsettled</b>.

    AsWilliamreachedherandfeltachillupongraspingherarm,hequicklyremovedhiscoatanddrapeditoverhershoulders.

    ¡°Areyouhurt?¡±heaskedboarsely.

    Hearrivedjustintime.

    Anivingnightbeforetheworst happenedText content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Wim¡¯stonewassomewhatindistinguishable.¡°Luckily,¡±<b>he</b>said.

    Hetriedtoleadheraway,butEmelerealizedherfearbadn¡¯tfaded.Herlegsfeltweak,almostbuckdingwith<b>each</b>step.

    Withouthesitation,Williamliftedherintohisarms.

    Emelledeloverwhelmedbyhispresence.Shehesitatedforamoment,thenswirlypushedhimaway,cratingsomedistancebetweenthem.¡°Noneedjustneedamoment.Icanwalkonmyown.¡±

    Emelle,cold,hungry,scared,andstartled,wasslowtoreact.Withjustastemand,sheforgottoresist.

    Williamncedather,noticing herpaleface.¡°Wassomethinginthewoodsscaringyou?¡±heasked.

    Emelie<b>was</b>surehehadn¡¯tseenthewomenchasingher.

    HecarriedhertowardthecarwhileAshtonopenedthedoor.

    Suddenly,Emelieburnedherheadtolookinadirection,butshedidn¡¯tseeanything.

    However,inthelightwhereshestood,allthreepeopleinthewoodssawhertetolook.Theyexchanged<b>a</b><b>look</b>,bettheyknewEmeliewasn¡¯tawareoftheirpresence.

    Jodiewhispered,¡°Sir,they¡¯releavingWeshouldgotoo

    H

    Themanhumedandretracedhissteps

    Suddenly,thewoodswereilluminatedbynumerousshlights,apaniedbyacacophonyoffootsteps.

    ¡°Here!They¡¯re here!¡±

    Williamtumedwith Emelieinhisarmsto<b>look</b>inthat<b>direction</b>

    Thethreepeopleinthewoods,whowereabouttoleave,<b>also</b>haltedtowatchwhatwashappening

    Thevigers<b>surrounded</b>them,pointingatWim.¡°at¡¯sthem!¡±

    Themiddle¨Caged<b>man</b>,likelytheirvigehead,askedWilliam,¡°Whoareyou?Whatbringsyouhereatthitehour?

    Williamdidn¡¯tfeeltheneedtoanswerthem.

    Ashtoncountered,¡°Andwhoareyou?Whatdoyouwant?¡±

    ¡°Wedidn¡¯tintendanyharm,¡±thevigehead<b>said</b>¡°justpromisenottomentionwhatyousawtonight,andwe¡¯lllet<b>you</b>go.¡±

    Wimthoughtitwasweird.Hedidn¡¯tknowwhattheyweretalkingabout

    Emelieobservedthetwomenearlierinthecrowd,<b>one</b>shortandchubby,theothertandthin.Sheguessedthatwhatevertheywantedthemtokeepquietabout<b>was</b>rtedto

    thehole.

    The<b>vigers</b><b>saw</b>William¡¯suncooperativeattitudeasarefusaltocooperate.Severalyoungmenwithsticksexchangedlooksandsaid,¡°Getthem!¡±

    ¡°okay¡±

    ¡°Charge!¡±

    Chapter184Takeho

 Chapter 184

    Chapter 184 Take It off

    A strange group of people rushed in without warning, startling Ashton, who was just a regr secretary

    "What are you doing? I''ll call the police!"

    When they heard she was going to call the police, the vigers rushed in even faster.

    "Get them!" they shouted.

    Emelie felt uneasy and tried to break free from William''s hold, but he held her tightly. With a swift kick, he pushed away one of the vigers charging reward them "Wim, let me go, quicld!" Emelie urged anxiously.

    "Do you think I can''t get you out of here?" william asked, dodging a stick as he spoke.

    She knew none of them would be able to get out of there if things continued like that.

    Ashton held the door and shouted, "Get in the car!"

    Willken shoved aside a viger and swiftly ced Emelie in the back seat of the car. Ashton also hurried into the car

    As William set Emelie down, she saw a stick swinging toward them. "William!" she cried out, her eyes widening.

    A stick mmed into William''s back, making him grunt in pain. With a determined look, he kicked away the viger and quickly got into the car.

    As he tried to shut the door, a viger clung to it like a zombie

    "Achool Drivel'' Emelle shouted,

    Despite her fear, Ashton maintained her professionalism and followed the orders. She hit the gas, skilfully evading the vigers, while Will mmed the door shat Ourmembered by determined vigers, they found their path blocked

    As a car and a group of people faced off, neither side backed down.

    Suddenly, a siren red from somewhere, causing the vigers to panic and scatter

    "Police? It''s the police!"

    "Turn left," said Wim.

    Ashton quickly turned the steering wheel left, smoothly driving the car through the gap and speeding away

    In the woods, the man raised his hand, signaling Marcel and Jodie to turn off the sirens on their phones Without hesitation, the there of them vanished into the forest.

    The car emerged from the woods and onto the busy main road, surrounded by bright streetlights and bustling traffic.

    Ashton felt a sense of reed that they had returned to modem civixations

    She let out a long breath, calming herself after what happened, then checked the rearview mirror. "Mr. Middleton, how are you feeling? Do you need to go to the hospital? Wim pressed his shoulder and moved his arm. Then, he asked melle, "Do you need to go to the hospital

    Emelie pursed her lips. "I''m okay. But your back."

    Wiltem replied. "Then let''s go back to the hotel

    Ashton headed toward the hotel. Emelle frowned sightly and asked, "is your back okay?"

    Ignoring her question, William tumed to Ashton. "These people must be from blossom dow." Ashton asked, "ts it about what Mrs. Parker mentioned?"

    "Most likely. When you get back, make sure to confirm. Iris, it''s a good starting point"

    Ashton modded and replied, "Understood."

    Unaware of what they were discussing, melle assumed it was rted to cloudes Corporation, Grateful to William for rescuing her, she decided to share what she knew.

    "It seems they were digging holes in the woods, but I''m not sure why. That''s Ekely what they warned us not to talk about." Emelie said.

    William simply bummed in sponse, likely having a clue.

    Emelie didn''t say more, just asking him, ¡°Are you sure your back is okay?!

    She asked three times.

    William''s lips curled slightly, and he nced at her. "Are you worried about me?" he asked, tilting his head.

    At that moment, Ashton drove with single-minded focus, tuning out themsation between William and Emelie in the backseat

    Emelie could ignore the fact that William, as the only son of the Middletons from Capebatt City, held a valuable status. If his help led to any injury orsting consequences, she could bear the responsibility. She asked onest time, "Are you sure you don''t need to go to the hospital?

    William didn''t think much of the minor injury

    Telly removed the wristwatch, shattered from blocking the blow earlier, and tossed it into the rear center console.

    "Worried? Lat''s head back to the hotel take off my shirt, and you can check," Will suggestedN?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

 Chapter 185

    Chapter 185 Suspect

    The night grew colder, forming a thin mist under the streetlights, creating blurry shadows.

    Famelle stayedposed. "I''m not a doctor. Even if I examine you, I can''t treat you Mr. Middleton, you should see a doctor," she said calmly.

    She didn''t entertain has ambiguous remark.

    William chuckled, watching Emelie''s face flickering in the light and shadow by the window.

    Wrapped in his oversized coal, she appeared even more delicate, her slender frame entuated

    She looked disheveled, with messy hair and a lingering paleness on her face. There was still a hint of redness, along with a faint bruise, reminiscent of her appearance on that rainy night three years ago. He turned his head away and sald, "Sill the same as before!

    Emelie knew he was referring to her, but she didn''t ask further. She simply stated, "Today''s incident was caused by Ms. May."

    "So, do you want me to help you get justice? William asked casually, turning up the heat to emit aforting warmth mixed with the scent of wood, easing their tension "No, I just wanted to let you know! He probably wouldn''t help even if it were a stranger, let alone Patricia. Emelie simply told him about the situation to keep him informed.

    Given how precisely Wam found her, it was highly Ekely Patricia informed him.

    Emelie had a thought and suddenly asked, "Mr. Middleton, did you and Patricia n this together?"

    The juul position was stark-one person left her, and another found her.

    William''s expression hardened in an instant "What did you say?"

    Emelie quickly realized her thought was baseless. "Forget it," she said, dismissing the idea

    There was no reason for him to do that

    Williamughed coldly. "Do you think 1 teamed up with Patricia to put you in danger, just to y the hero and save you?"

    Patricia may have had that n, but he had no idea before she acted. If he had known, he definitely wouldn''t have agreed.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

    Now, Emelle believed he would conspire with Patricia in such a scheme.

    "What do I gain from spending so much time on this? past a thank you from you? Emelle, is your gratitude really that precious? Or am I hoping it will move you, and bring you back to me?" Emelie pursed her lips. "No, I was overthinking it

    soften

    1 your heart,

    William chuckded. "You really are overthinking. Do i really need to go through all this trouble just for you? In the end, won''t youe back to me for your mother''s 10 percent chance anyway? It''s an inevitable oue."

    H

    Emelie had enough. "William, don''t be too confident"

    But William had the confidence to ask, "Can you find someone with better resources than me?

    The ho remained sent until they reached the hotel.

    Emelte got out of the car, and William was about to carry her again.

    However, Emelle''s mind cleared, and she resisted strongly "Mr. Middleton, Tean walk on

    Williams nced at her and shrugged, then walked into the hotel without waiting for her.

    Emelle returned to her room first. She washed her hands and face Then, the doorbell rang. Upon opening the door, she saw William standing there.

    She paused brieflybefore Samuel and Jayden, along with the others, arrived behind him. They knew she had returned and came to see her.

    Emelie stepped aside to let them in and offered then seats, Samuel held her arm, looking serious. "Are you hurt? Do you need to go to the hospital? We can go to the emergency

    room now,"

    "No injuries, no hospital needed," Emelie said, her lips pressed together. "Thanks for searching for me all night and dying your work." "Don''t mention it, as long as you''re okay," Jayden said. ¡°I''ve already sent Alexis to get you some chicken noodle soup. It''ll warm you up." William didn''t mention the vigers'' incident, so Emelie didn''t bring it up either.

    "Thank you, Mr. Gleamfield"

    William sat on the sofa, looking at her apathetically. "No thanks for me? Wasn''t it me who brought you back?"

    Emelie didn''t think he would be bothered by this. She remembered him saying he wasn''t expecting a thank you from ber

    With everyone watching, Emelie feltpelled to express her gratitude, "Thank you, Mr. Middleton."

    Witham looked at Samuel holding her arm, but she didn''t resist. He smirked and called out to the person outside, "Are you noting in?"

 Chapter 186

    Chapter 186 Look Alike

    As everyone burned to look outside, Patricia entered the room.

    She walked up to Emelle and said sincerely, "Ms. Howen, I''m sorry for the prank earlier. Mr. Middleton talked to me about it, and I''m relieved you''re okay." Emelie echoed, "I''m okay?"

    But the truth was she wasn''t. Who knew what might have happened to her if William hadn''t shown up?

    Emelie didn''t talk about it, but Patricia shouldn''t just call it a prank

    Suddenly, Patricia raised her hand and pped herself.

    Everyone was surprised, even Emelie, who hadn''t anticipated Patricia''s action. She nced at William, whose expression stayed calm.

    The force of Patricia''s p left a noticeable red mark on her face. She repeated, "I''m really sorry, Ms. Hoven. I didn''t think it through, What can I do for you to forgive me?"

    "I ept your apology, but I''m not ready to forgive you," Emelie said. "I''ve consulted mywyer, and what you did put me in danger intentionally, I can take legal action against

    you."

    Since everyone else there wasn''t involved with the incident, they stayed quiet. They lett Emelie and Patricia to sort things out on their own.

    Patricianodded. "I admit my mistake, but I believe we can settle this privately. If you needpensation, just name a figure.

    "We''re both busy, so why waste time and energy on something that can be settled quickly? Simplify matters, shall we?"Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelle obliged her, saying so thousand dors, but you must specify that it''s a settlement fee."

    Patricia agreed without hesitation. "okay"

    "I will inform Swanson Corporation about this matter. We can''t work together anymore. Finally, please leave my room," Emelie stated firmly

    Patricia pursed her lips and walked out, silently mouthing an apology to William as she left. Hecouldn''t threaten to send her back to her parents anymore. After Patricia left, Alexis brought in some hot chicken noodle soup.

    Along with the food, Alexis also set down a humidifier "use this one myself, with calming essential oils. Emelie, after what happened tonight, it II help you rx." Emelie was thankful Thanks, Alexis."

    "Ms. Hoven, enjoy your meal while it''s hot. We''re leaving now. Take your time to rest. There''s no rush with work. You''ve done a great job these past few days, so it''s okay break tomorrow, Jayden said as he stood up.

    Emelle nodded and said, "Thank you, Mr. Gleamiek?

    Jayden and William were leaving, but Samuel had no intention of leaving.

    Before leaving, William nced briefly at Samuel and said, "She''s had a scare. Let her rest"

    to take a

    Samuel kept his gaze straight ahead. "No need to worry, Mr. Middleton. Perhaps it''s best to focus on managing your own woman when you have the time," he replied calmly.

    In his eyes, Patricia hurt Emelie because of Wm

    William scoffed. "Go tell that to Brian."

    Samuel frowned and named as William left

    Emelle reassured him, saying, ¡°I''m fine, Mr. Swanson. You came all the way from Capebart City and spent the whole night looking for me. Please go to your room and rest. "I''m not tired, Samuel said, walling up to her and opening the takeout box.

    The chicken noodle soup was best served immediately after cooking. If left for a while, they be mushy and unappetizing.

    Samuel frowned. Unfortunately, there was no kitchen or ingredients avable. Otherwise, he would have cooked another meal for Emelie

    "Give it a try. If you don''t like, I''ll order something else for you"

    Emelie wasn''t very hungry, possibly due to thete hour and long wait. However, she made an effort to finish it, not wanting to waste food.

    Jayden and Wim entered the elevator together. Jayden turned to William. "What''s your rtionship with Ms. May?"

    "What do you mean?"

    Jayden smirked. "The fact that you called room service three times in one night has already spread throughout the hotel Lyle even called me to ask if it''s true and if you''re involved

    with Ms. HovEIL"

    William had no interest in discussing personal matters and frowned. "Do you guys not have better things to do?"

    "If I hadn''t seen Ms. May exchanging nces with you just now, I wouldn''t have asked," Jayden said. He wasn''t usually nosy, but since he''d already asked, he wanted an answer. Alter Ms. Haven left you, you''ve been with one woman after another. What''s going on?"

    Daphine, Cindy, Mnie, Patrick

    With his hands in his pockets, Wilham didn''t offer an exnation. Instead, he asked, "Don''t you think Patricia looks like someone?"

 Chapter 187

    Chapter 187 It Stings

    Jayden thought about Patricia''s face and didn''t think much of it at first. But after he mentioned it, her face started to remind him of someone

    As the elevator doors opened, pryden looked up and saw they were on the ground floor

    "why are we on the ground Boot?" he asked. They needed to go back to the 19th and 20th floors

    William stepped out of the elevator. "I''m going to the front desk to get something"

    Thinking William would return shortly since he was just fetching something, Jayden held the door open and waited. Soon, he returned with a small medicine box in hand.

    "Are you injured?" Then he saw William press the 17th-door button and chuckled, "ts Ms. Hoven hurt? Are you going to help bandage her up?"

    William sumply nced at him and said nothing

    Jeyden''s words stung "With Samuel around, Ms. Hoven might not need you."

    "So, chase him away." William sid.

    It felt like helping a friend, but they were crossing boundaries with someone else''s girlfriend

    On the 17th floor, Jayden kindly advised William, "If you''re really going after someone, you should work on your attitude.!!N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.

    Wiam replied, "I''m not into that. Not everyone wants to be tied down by one woman for a decade like you." I

    Jayden felt a mix of frustration and amusement at William''s response.

    Reflecting further, he couldn''t recall ever seeing William deeply in love with someone. He brieflyconsidered Daphne but concluded it wasn''t quite the same. William''s demeanor toward Daphne always appeared somewhat reservedpared to the passion he once showed for Emelte, at least in Jayden''s view. After watching Emehe finish her chicken noodle soup, Samuel said, "If you want to continue holding Patricia-ountable, I''ll take full responsibility." "She''s with Swanson Corporation, Bryan''s business development manager. Emelle expressed concern that escting things might not end well in the long run. Samuel passed her a tissue. "These aren''t our concern," he said. "We need to deal with what''s at hand. If she''s harmed you, she needs to face the consequences.'' After thinking for a while, Emelie shook her head. "Forget it," she said. "She apologized and even pped herself. Once she transters thepensation to me, we can move on from this."

    Samuel''s expression softened slightly. "Only Mr. Middleton went to look for you?"

    "Did Marcel and the others not find Emelie Samuel wondered.

    Just then, the doorbell rang. Emelie moved to answer it, but Samuel stood up first "I''ll get it," he offered

    Pryden stood outside as the door opened.

    "Do you need Emelie for something?

    "No, I just remembered I need to talk to you about something." Jayden coughed softly.

    "Why don''t we talk about it tomorrow?!

    "Tomorrow..sounds good," Jayden said. He wasn''t ustomed to these tasks and nearly jeopardized their n.

    "Mr. Swanson, I''m okay now and could use some rest," Emelle chimed in.

    *Rest up, see you tomorrow." Samuel agreed with a nod. Then, he turned to Jayden and said, "Mr.Gleamfield, let''s chat in my room!

    Emelie was about to take a shower when the doorbell rang again.

    Thinking it was Samuel, she opened the door. Instead, she found William standing there

    And he was alone.

    "Yes?" Emelie asked.

    Wim ceplied, "I left my phone here."

    Emelie nced at the sofa and spotted William''s phone on the small table next to it. She sighed, "I''ll go get it."

    William entered right behind her.

    After the previous incident, Emelie was very cautious. "Mr. Middleton, it''ste at night. It''s not appropriate for a man a woman to be alone in a room together, I?" "You know it''s inappropriate too, so why didn''t you ask Samuel to leave earlier? Wim ignored her protest and sat down on the sofa, opening the medicine box.

    "Come here," he said

    Emelie held her breath, standing finaly at the doorway, not moving an inch

    William nerd at her. "Are you that afraid of me?¡°¡±

    Frede reluctantly approached, considering his help earlier in the evening. "What do you want, Mr. Middleton Chapter 13 He Didit

 Chapter 188

    Chapter 188 He Didn''t

    William grabbed her hand. As Emelie tried to pull away, he used tweezers to hold a cotton ball soaked in lodine solution against her palm

    Emelie took a sharp breath.

    With a mocking nce, William persisted in treating the scraped skin on her palm from when she fell out of the tree.

    The scratches were neither too deep nor shallow. Since she didn''t bandage them and washed her hands, the skin was slightly raised and pale. Dmelie wondered when he saw it. Even Samuel, who stayed for so long, didn''t notice at all.

    William said, "At least put on a Band-Aid "

    "It''s just a scratch. It II heal in a few days."

    William applied ointment to the wound with a cotton swab. "You''ll see if it heals when you die from tetanus," he said.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    Indeed, Emelie thought to herself that a leopard couldn''t change its spot.

    After treating one hand, William went to take her other hand. However, Emelie had already taken charge, handling the tweezers and cotton balls herself. "It''s okay, Mr. Middleton, I can do it myself."

    Unfazed, William wiped his hands with a tissue and said in a calm voce, "just stay still and let someone else help you. Why trouble yourself?" "I''ve always relied on myself."

    "You do know you''re not likable."

    Emelie got his point, sensing his disapproval of her independence. She smirked and said, "I don''t need to please anyone."

    Under themplight, William''s face looked fair and handsome, with calm, dark eyes.

    Emelle focused on her wound, not caring about his reaction. Atter applying the cintment, she politely suggested he go back and rest.

    "Thanks for the first aid lot, Mr. Middleton. I''m enow. You should rest"

    Williams casually undid a button, saying "You''re fine, but I''m not."

    Emelle realized he wanted her to help him with the wound on his back.

    She calmly declined, saying, "I asked you three times in the car if you needed to go to the hospital, and you said no. If you need help now, ask Mr. Gleamfieldor Mr. Swanson."

    Wim raised an eyebrow. "Was 1 injured while trying to save Jayden or Samuel?"

    "I didn''t cause your injury, Mr. Middleton," Emelle rified. "I saw it clearly. You didn''t shield me from the blow; you just didn''t dodge it in time. And a reminded you to let me go, but you thought you could handle it''

    William huffed and said, "Didn''t e to find

    Emelie objectively analyzed, "Without Ms. May, I wouldn''t be in this trouble. And she targeted me because of you. So, ultimately, it''s you who caused me harm." William chuckled coldly.

    Emelie was certainly clear-headed, rational, and logical.

    He suddenly held her chin. "Emehe, have you heard this saying?

    Emelie frowned.

    William''s voice was chilly and low. "What you believe isn''t always the truth.

    "What?" Emelie was puzzled.

    "This isn''t the first time you''ve been a smartass-who told you I was going to trade you for the project?"

    Emelie went over his words in her mind but still didn''t understand, and she wondered why he suddenly mentioned the trade.

    "What do you mean, Mr. Middleton?"

    The conversation began with him, but suddenly William lost interest.

    He released her chin and stood up. Tll transfer zoo thousand dors to cover Patricia''s 80 thousand dors. Don''t involve Swanson Corporation in this."

    Then he left her room without another word

    Emelie sat quietly in the living room for a few minutes before slowly understanding.

    Was he suggesting that what she believed wasn''t true? But what was it about?

    Regarding the incident on the cruise ship, she thought he was going to trade her for the project, but he wasn''t actually nning to?

 Chapter 189

    Chapter 189 The Same Person

    Emelie took a deep breath it had only been two months since the incident, not two years, so her memory was still clear.

    He had clearly wanted to use her as leverage for the project back then. Was he now trying to hit the truth, thinking time would change things? Emelle abruptly stopped her train of thought, realizing William had unconsciously influenced her. Quietly, she collected the medicine box from the table. Emelie took the humidifier Alexis gave her to her room, plugged it in, and was study greeted by a finemist carrying a soothing range scent. William was ready to offer double thepensation to convince her to spare Patricia. He assured any woman with him would receive his protection. However, she was the only one who ended up being taken achantage of white being with

    Emelle checked the time it was past 11:00 pm. She called Eliana to ask about Greta''s day.

    Elona  mallyake at this time she always answered her calls, but that day; her call was declined.

    Emelie frowned and wondered what happened.

    AtCapebelt Hospital.

    In a calm hospital room, the heart monitor suddenly beeped loudly, and doctors and nurses hurried in One person lid Greta down while another quickly checked her, yelling, "Get the defibrto The nurse hurried in with a machine, yelling, "Family, stepaside!"

    na hurriedly moved aside, retreating to aer, staring nkly

    ,clearText content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    As the nurse activated the machine, the doctor picked up two from-like devices, saying, "200 joules, o

    The devices were ced on Greta''s chest, and her body jolted up with the shock. There was a thud, but her heartbeat stayed t

    Undeterred, the doctor shouted, "Again!"

    The defibritor was activated again and ced on Greta''s chest.

    After another loud thud, the heart monitor finally showed waves again. The doctor and nurses allbreathed a sigh of rele

    The doctor walked up to Eliana and said seriously, "she''s back, but her condition isn''t good. Have you thought about the surgery?

    na''s mind was in turmed. "I don''t know"

    na relied on others'' guidance throughout her life, and herck of confidence paralyzed her in moments of cri

    She wanted to call Emelie, but Greta had asked her not to, ewn if things got worse. But didn''t want to burden Emelle further. Al''s call came through again, Elma held her phone tehty with tear. She couldn''t bring herself to answer, knowing Emelle would definitely notice something was wrong.

    She hang up the phone and sent Emelie a text "Luna''s sleep next to me. I don''t want to wake her."

    Emelie ceplied, "I see. Did you take Luna to the hospital? How''s Mom?"

    Eliana trembled as she typed, staring at Greta in the hospital bed with an oxyken mask on "Mom''s okay. She''s asleep now."

    As William returned to the 19th floor, he saw Abel at the door. He approached him, and asked, "What''s going on?"

    Abel lowered his head "Mr.Middleton, what happened today was Ms. May''s idea. She said it was for you, to 1... I just.."

    He confessed as he was afraid William would me him.

    William looked at him calmly. "Is that all you wanted to say?!

    "Also, Mr. Swanson asked me about Ms. Hoven''s whereabouts."

    William''s demeanor shifted abruptly. "And then?"

    e masked man drove off right away.

    "Then I saw him tell a masked man," Abel recounted, sharing everything he had witnessed. "Then

    It suggested someone else went to the eastern wooh to look for Emelie.

    William''s expression tumed serious. "Got it. You may leave now.""

    He swiped his card to enter the room, imbuttoning his shirt as he pondered.

    *Amasked man?"

    That day, Emelie said she was being followed. They checked the hotel''s cameras and found amasked man.

    Could it be the same person?

    His expression turned determined as he realized something. Then, he opened the door again and went out, taking the elevator downstales. Another elevator stopped on the 17th floor.

    Aman in a long trench coat stepped out of the elevator, his glossy ck shoes moving forward. The sharp grass leaves cut a gash in the coat''s hem. He hadn''t had time to change since kuring the woods.

    Using his room card, he swiped open the door to room

 Chapter 190

    Chapter 190 An Encounter

    Wesley sat beside her on the bed, lifting the covers without wrying about waking her. His actions flowed erioctlessly, conveying a sense of natural intimacy hetween them.

    Emelie to the cold, wore a long-sleeved cotton pajama set. Wesley checked her over, then took her hand.

    She had arge bandage on her palm Wesleyghtly brushed his thumb over its edge.

    After awhile, he put her hand back and adjusted the nket.

    "me," besofthecalled

    Wesley didn''t linger in Emelie''s room. After about ten minutes, he closed the door and lett 1302. He pressed the elevator button and went down

    As the elevator descended, the doors parted before him

    Hemet William''s gaze, their eyes locking

    Emelie slept in the next morning. She woke up toeling rxed, stretching lely andfortably.

    it had been a while since she had such a peaceful sleep. She turned off the humidifier, nning to ask Alexister about the brand of the essential odContent rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    She also wanted to buy some for herself. It really helped her sleep

    Emelie checked her phone. It was already past tooo am. She saw a text from the bank indicating a 200 thousand-dor deposit

    There was no doubt it was from Wim.

    She asked Patricia for money because the incident had already happened. She couldn''t confront her physically, and there was no other legal way to hold her ountable. Moneypensation seemed the most practical solution.

    Wilham proposed doubling Patricia''spensation, and Emele agreed pter 190 An Encounter

    The bedroom humidifier released a time mist, adding a hint of orange scent to the air.

    without hesitation.

    Emelie checked WhatsApp and found a message from Samuel sent around 4:00 am

    "Patricia told Swanson Corporation she wasn''t feeling well and needed to leave. They''ve arranged for some to take over her work."

    That led Emelie to abandon any thoughts of reporting herpletely

    As the saying goes, "Let bygones be bygones."

    Although Jayden suggested she take the day off, Emelie belt a morning''s rest was enough. She messaged Samuel, asking where he was.

    Samuel: "I''m at the base on Nesciton Road. Are youing

    Emelie: "It feels a bit awkward to juste for a meal without wording, so finish eating before heading over."

    Samuel then sent her the location.

    Enelle ordered takeout and recalled William''s words from the carst night.

    She opened herptop and searched for local experts known for their expertise in artificial heart technology, a tople she had searched many times before.

    While she found a few, securing appointments with these top physicians proved challenging, especially for ordinary people without connections.

    Emelie didn''t want to seek Samuel for help

    In the past two months, he had helped her alot. She believed that money debts were easy to repay, but debts of kindness were harder. She had no reason to keep asking him for So, she didn''t want to trouble Samuel unless absolutely necessary

    Emelle spent an hour searching but found nothing useful. When the delivery person called, she went downstairs to collect her meal, grabbing her room key on the way out Coincidentally, she ran into William or her way back

    Embe quickly saw that William was in a bad mood and avoided any contact they passed each other in the hotel''s revolving door without making eye contact.

    Out of nowhere, William asked, "Who was the man wearing the mask?"

    Emelie tensed up and asked, "Mr. Middleton, are you talking to me? What man?"

    "You don''t know! Let me tell you." They both stopped in their tracks, and the revolving door froze.

    Though in the same space, they were separated by the folding ss.

    "He''s Wesley''s associate. He''s been active in Capebatt Cry for months and even followed you here. He also protected you at the base that day." Emelie pursed her Eps.

    Wam''s tome was cold. "Looks like he still has feelings for you."

    Emelle was unsure how to reply William nced at her before walking away.

    That nce made Emelie''s heart race. She couldn''t shake the feeling that he was about to do something

 Chapter 191

    Chapter 191 Between Them

    wum stepped out through the rearing door, and Emelle followed as it pushed her out She looked back at him until the delivery min intermpled her thoughts. "Last digits 2055) Emeleten withdrew her pr and said "Yes, that''s me."

    tanele''s good mood had vanished by the time she returned to her room with the takeout.

    She couldn''t help but notice Win''s evident dislike for Wesley, leaving her puzzled. Weren''t they high school ssmates?

    Moreover, during the cruise, Will seemed to have a good rtionship with Norman, closer even with Henry So why did he have a problem with Wesley?

    Eldin''t think she was the reason for the conflict between Wim and Wesley

    Even if there were reasons rted to her, they''d only be a small part of it. There were definitely other reasons behind the conflict between them.

    Emelie andered as She had enjoyed them at the bated before, but now, feeling down, they didn''t taste as good.

    After finishing hered, she headed to the base on Nesciton Road to met up with Samuel

    It was their seventh day working in Wintour City. They had nearly finished collecting all the necessary data. At this rate, they would be able to return to Capeliant Cryintwoor three more days. Onstaged busy the whole attemoon. Feeling warm, she nosened her scart

    Samueloped a bottle of mineral water and offered it to her. As he was about to speak, he noticed two men in police uniforms walking over.

    "Are you Emre Hoven?"

    Emelle turned around, surproud to see them "es,Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    "We''re from Wimstour City Police Department. There''s something we need to talk to you about," thepexined.

    Samwel stepped forward "May Thelp you?!

    The police asked, "And you ?"

    "Tmher boss."

    The police locused on Emelie "Ms. Haven, did you visit the eastside for at night?"

    cheated before answering, "Wes

    "Could we talk for a moment?"

    After a moment''s thought, le tugged at Sammel''s sleeve. Talk to the officer," she said.

    Samuel insisted on staying. Since the police were just asking questions and had no reason to stop him, they agreed.

    Due to the crowd, they had to move to the car to continue theerstion.

    The police officer switched on his body camera. "Ms. Howen, don''t be nervous," he said

    Emelie shook her head. "I''m not, what do you want to ask?"

    The police officer''s gaze sharpened. "Why did you go to the east side forest sote?

    timele responded with a question, "Why are you asking this? youe to me out of the blue, I have the right to know what''s going on, don''t I? Otherwise, I wouldn''t know how to cooperate with you." Was it because Patricia letter in the woods, and they came to investigate But then, they didn''t even report it to the police.

    The two police officers looked at each other. Then, one of them sud, "We have a colleague missing. His hair was found in a pit in the east side forest"

    Emelie was shocked for a while. "He.. he''s been murdered? Daried?"

    The police officer''s expression was serious. "We can''t share details of the case..Middleton mentioned he was looking for you. What were you doing at that Emelie never imagined she''d be involved in something like this.

    After a brief silence, she exined, "My colleague yed a prank on me, lening me in the woods to scare me. I heard voices in the forest. A man said, "Here, dig here

    "Easy it waste at night, and I wondered why there were people in the woods. I tried to hide, but two men, one short and fat, the other tall and skin, who were dieting a pit, foundine. They even had inappropriate intentions toward me.

    "In the end, Mr. Middleton arrived just in time and saved me, so they didn''t seed."

    The police were recording "Is there anything else?"

    "When we tried to leave, a group of vigers, led by an elder who seemed to be their leader, confronted us. They insisted we kop quiet about what we that night, threating to stop if we didn''tply. We had to use force to the away and escape in our cm."

    Emelie concluded, "That''s all I know. I''m not sure about anything else."

    "okay, thank you for your cooperation," said the police with no further questions

    As they stepped out of the ear, Emelie couldn''t resist saying. "They only found hat is that pit? But if there''s hair, doesn''t it prove he was buried there? Maybe the vigers moved thebody because they were scared we''d indout."

    The police used her implications but didn''t the need to discuss them with mele

    "Thanks for your help, Ms. Howen Wetch out if we need anything else"

    After the police lett, farbe, who had just felt a bit warm, felt a chilli nun down her spine.

    Chapter 191 Between Them

    Last night, she casually entertained the idea ofmitting murder and burying the body. She never expected it to be a reality. When she told William about it in the car, he didn''t react much. Emelie thought he had probably guessed it

    Charlow Mary Men

    Wition at Asha hatuulest about something sker melloned. That suggested she suspected there was a under

    Aktusmalbe, Hinele mentioned them digging a hole, which bell William to conclude that the person was dead and went to report U to the police today. That was why the poder

    Samleklenerused and asked, "Tonalist got taken advantage of sight? Whedain''t you say anthing!

    Free Evelhet seat around her neck and sand, "They didn''t toshme. Tuan assay an soon as trevlized their intentions

    *

    Samari spoke tomby, "de wa sure you want to dogter attica?

    mdude, telle was inclined to let it slide it it was just a prank. Hut became of the serious ident that allowed, even though mele wanted to let it pass,

    Not wanting to escte matters further, Tanelle stated, "I''ve received the settlement lee Let''s first leave it?"

    She then asked, "Where is Blossom devel

    "It''s thest ce we suvel, a vige beurath Blossom Heights. All I know is that they''ve resistant to the development n and unwilling to locate, Samuel said, looking at hat "Turthat''s not within our

    She shape asked to change the topk

    (Wiminer jawken attended the evening meeting, Instead, they each sent their secretary.

    Tele pressed they were probably busy with the matters rted to Blossom Cave.

    The representative from suamson Corporation, respoble i Particia''s transition, hl. He was the deputy manager of themence department.

    Fiore was surpised to see Mniee along with him.

    She hadn''t seen Mne since she left cloudes Corporation, it send Mnie wstring at Season Coperation as thesistant to the deputy manager. But Mnie still had feelings for Wim Her face showed clear disappoint when he didn''t appear.

    Samne noticed too. After the meeting, he polled Meble de remind her. "You''re not child woe, Mnie. You need to be aware of what you''re doing."

    Mnie pental and replied, know."

    "just two months, you''ve switched jobs three times. Whored to help you get a job with Bryan, what did you promiseme?" Samuel reprimanded. Mniebtherp. I''m working hard I came to Timson City with Courtneytown," shesaid.

    "you better be," Samuel added, "Atleast say

    Emelle stood beside them. They got along well at cloudes Corporation, and Euclience saved Mnie

    How Mnie had been ignoring Elie since earlier. Even when Samuel called her, she just lett, aying, "Courtney''s calling me, bye Samuel!"

    Samuel, feeling helpless, apologized to Emelie. "I''ve spoiled her. Sorry about that.¡±

    The following days at work made Emelie feel even more distant from Mnie. She felt somewhat disappointed.

    Although they hadn''t worked together for long, they had helped each other out thought they could be considered minds,

    Entele admired Mall''s innocence and naivety, finding treteshingpared to the curning individuals she had encountered before

    This admiration also sparked a sense of envy within Emilie,

    After work that day, cloudes Corporation and Friedenhaus Corporation expectedly canceled their ming, long with some free time

    Mnie suggested everyone go to the famous bar street in our Cry for fun.

    The team, mostly consisting of young people, had been too busy with work. Now that they had some free tane, almost everyone eagerly agreed to Mnie''s suggestion.

    However, Emelie was interested and wanted to go back to the hotel

    Mnie noticed her reluctance, reached out and linked arms with her. "Emelle, don''t be so antisocial. Come and have fun with everyone. Samuel, you''reing too, righthi Samuel thought Emelie was always serious and could esame time to rx in a schile. He tried toce Emele, saying, "Let''s go together.¡±

    With everyone excited, Emelle didn''t want to spoil the mood and armi.

    Some in the group teased, "Ms. Hoven to Me Swanson the most."

    "ar''s probably the other way around 11 Ms. Haven decides not to po, Mr. Swanson poobably won''t go either," someone said.

    Samul pushed sses up slightly and chuckled softly. "Let''s not make assumptions.""

    The group went to the bar together, and Mnie ordered several bottles of dinks.

    Saulexpressed his dissatisfaction, "Did give you too much freedom? We have work tow. "These drinks aren''t too strong. Let''s y some games," Mnie segrested early The others were quick to agree. "Sore, what should we y?"

    "How about Spin the Battle? Whoever the bottle points to bas to choose truth or dare!" With reeryone agtering, the game began in the first round, the buttle pointed to Emelie

 Chapter 192

    Chapter 192 How Many Men

    Emelie and Samuel exchanged smiles, ready to y along.

    Mnie asked, "Truth or dare?"

    Emelie thought for a moment. "Truth," she decided.

    Mnie stared at her and asked, "How many men have you been with?"

    The representative from suamson Corporation, respoble i Particia''s transition, hl. He was the deputy manager of themence department.

    Fiore was surpised to see Mniee along with him.

    She hadn''t seen Mne since she left cloudes Corporation, it send Mnie wstring at Season Coperation as thesistant to the deputy manager. But Mnie still had feelings for Wim Her face showed clear disappoint when he didn''t appear.

    Samne noticed too. After the meeting, he polled Meble de remind her. "You''re not child woe, Mnie. You need to be aware of what you''re doing."

    Mnie pental and replied, know."

    "just two months, you''ve switched jobs three times. Whored to help you get a job with Bryan, what did you promiseme?" Samuel reprimanded. Mniebtherp. I''m working hard I came to Timson City with Courtneytown," shesaid.

    "you better be," Samuel added, "Atleast say "

    Emelle stood beside them. They got along well at cloudes Corporation, and Euclience saved Mnie

    How Mnie had been ignoring Elie since earlier. Even when Samuel called her, she just lett, aying, "Courtney''s calling me, bye Samuel!" Samuel, feeling helpless, apologized to Emelie. "I''ve spoiled her. Sorry about that."

    The following days at work made Emelie feel even more distant from Mnie. She felt somewhat disappointed.

    Although they hadn''t worked together for long, they had helped each other out thought they could be considered minds,

    Entele admired Mall''s innocence and naivety, finding treteshingpared to the curning individuals she had encountered before

    This admiration also sparked a sense of envy within Emilie,

    After work that day, cloudes Corporation and Friedenhaus Corporation expectedly canceled their ming, long with some free time

    Mnie suggested everyone go to the famous bar street in our Cry for fun.

    The team, mostly consisting of young people, had been too busy with work. Now that they had some free tane, almost everyone eagerly agreed to Mnie''s suggestion.

    However, Emelie was interested and wanted to go back to the hotel

    Mnie noticed her reluctance, reached out and linked arms with her. "Emelle, don''t be so antisocial. Come and have fun with everyone. Samuel, you''reing too, righthi Samuel thought Emelie was always serious and could esame time to rx in a schile. He tried toce Emele, saying, "Let''s go together."

    With everyone excited, Emelle didn''t want to spoil the mood and armi.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.

    Some in the group teased, "Ms. Hoven to Me Swanson the most."

    "ar''s probably the other way around 11 Ms. Haven decides not to po, Mr. Swanson poobably won''t go either," someone said.

    Samul pushed sses up slightly and chuckled softly. "Let''s not make assumptions.""

    The group went to the bar together, and Mnie ordered several bottles of dinks.

    Saulexpressed his dissatisfaction, "Did give you too much freedom? We have work tow. "These drinks aren''t too strong. Let''s y some games," Mnie segrested early The others were quick to agree. "Sore, what should we y?"

    "How about Spin the Battle? Whoever the bottle points to bas to choose truth or dare!" With reeryone agtering, the game began in the first round, the buttle pointed to Emelie

 Chapter 193

    Chapter 193 A Slut

    Emelie paused for a moment.

    Samuel frowned. "Mnie."

    Mnie innocently asked, "What''s wrong? It''s normal to ask such questions while ying games at a bar. It spices things up just ask anyone it you don''t believe me"

    Emelle remainedposed. "I don''t know the rules of the game. IfTchoose dare, what would I have to do?!

    Mnie chuckled softly. "Well, for a dare, you''d have to kiss the man on your right for ten seconds."Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    The person on Emelie''s right side was the liaison from the base they visited earlier that day.

    When they mentioned going to the bar street, the liaison, being a local, offered to take them to the most known bar. That was why he went with them.

    However, Samuel was seated on Emelie''s left side.

    Even if the dare was to kiss someone, it would have made more sense to suggest kissing the man on her left, given the earlier teasing about Samuel and Emelie

    Yet, Mnie deliberately mentioned the man on the right

    Samuel''s expression darkened. "Have I spoiled you? You''ve gone to college, but you don''t even know the basic respect for others."

    Mnie responded with a cold chuckle. Seeing Emelie in the queue sincest night, she had had enough.

    "I reserve my respect selectively. What''s there to respect for a woman like her, who''s unclear with her boss as a secretary, unclear with professors as a teaching assistant, and always ambiguous with male superiors?"

    Emelie remembered when Mnie''s attitude toward her shifted. It was the day Cindy falsely used her of being involved with Jeremy.

    As she exited William''s office, she ran into Mnie. She hoped to thank her for informing her, but Mnie didn''t even nce at her.

    Samuel was easygoing but not without a temper. He cared for his sister but also had boundaries. "Alright, Mnie. Youck basic manners, freely throwing usations. Stand up!"

    Mnie bit her lip and stood up. She insisted, "I didn''t make false usations. It''s all truel 1 saw them on the surveince footage.

    "She went into the hotel room with Will. She''s trying to get with Will and acting like she''s helping me, but she thinks I''m dumbl

    "I won''t ever allow someone like her as my sister-inw! If you dare to be with her, I''ll tell Mom and Dad how horrible a person she is." Sanvoel snapped, "shut up!"

    Mnie dared not say more as Samuel was genuinely angry.

    He said firmly, "Apologize!"

    Emelie sighed silently.

    Mnie held our for three minutes, but tears eventually flowed "You''ve never scolded me before, not even once, and now you''re doing it for a stranger!"

    Samuel''s stern gaze, even behind his sses, was imposing. "Apologize. This is thest time I''ll ask."

    Refusing to yield, Mnte turned and ran off

    "Mnie!" Samuel shouted, but she didn''t look back.

    Samuel''s Lips tightened, clearly showing he was upset.

    After regaining hisposure for a moment, he turned to Emelie. "I''m sorry, Emelle. I should have taught my sister better."

    Emelie''s expression softened as she suggested. "You should go after her quickly. The whole street is full of bars, and it''s not safe, especially since she doesn''t know the area Concerned for his sister''s safety, Samuel rose to his feet. "You stay with everyone and go back to the hotel. I''ll find her and meet youter."

    Emelie nodded in agreement.

    Without hesitation, Sampel hurried after his sister.

    The booth fell silent, with only the music from the dance floor filling the air.

    Feeling everyone''s looks on her, Emelie grew bored. She stood up and said, "You guys have fun. I''m going back to the hotel."

    As she made her way toward the exit, the man on ber right stood up. "Let me send you back, Ms. Hoven,"

    "No need," Emelie said as sheet.

    She had to cross the dance floor to leave the bar. As the music reached its peak, the crowd danced wildly, and her ears buzzed.

    Feeling increasingly down, Emelie identally humped into someone and apologized.

    Suddenly, the person covered her mouth and nose. Emelie reacted quickly and elbowed the person in the stomach

    The man grunted in pain. She pushed him away and realized they were the short and tall men from the woods. Her eyes widened, and she bolted from the scene. Chapter 194 Helpless

 Chapter 194

    Chapter 194 HelplessContent rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    On the second floor of the bar, William found himself in an endronment he disliked

    He hardly went to Lyle''s Westward Club, known for its quiet atmosphere, let alone purely entertainment venues.

    That day was an exception as someone invited him, only to find out it was a bar when he arrived.

    Nheless, he sat in the booth, legs crossed, ignoring the drinks ordered for him. When thirsty, he simply grabbed an range from the fruit tray.

    with deliberate and graceful movements, he split it into segments and savored each one.

    William skipped the shirt today, wearing a ck turtleneck sweater under a dark brown suit jacket. In this lively ce, he stood out, yet he maintained his cool and alost demeanor. "Mr. juste, your wish for a discussion was unnecessary. Thepensation for the demolition was settled long ago, with a standard rate for all viges. I can''t offer any additional funds privately."

    Despite the deadening music downstairs, he remained calm. ¡°Besides, this project involves three otherpanies, so I alone can''t make the decision."

    "Mr. Middleton, it seems you''re treating me ke an outsider, sing an official tone, aren''t you?"

    The man grinned. "We all know that while this project involves three partners, Mr. Middleton, you brought in Friedenhaus Corporation. Initially, Swanson Corporation only had a 20 percent stake. From start to finish, it''s all under your control

    "it isn''t about how much you''re willing to add. We re just asking for a small amount, like the cost of a car for you. Once you pay, we''ll leave right away. If there''s any further dy, Mr. Middleton, you''ll suffer significant losses in the project''s progress."

    William ted his gaze.

    Though Baggle Juste didn''t have moch standing, he was a crook

    He encouraged vigers in Blossom dove to tear up the agreedpensation deal, renegotiate for higher terms, and profit from it.

    Normally, someone like this wouldn''t interest Willian. However, due to the suspicious death in Blossom Clove, he suspected Reagle''s involvement, prompting him to meet with

    william''s lips curved, but there was no genuine smile. "I''m truly helpless."

    Reggie dropped hiske smile. "Mr. Middleton, this is awful society. If we''re unluppy and choose not to leave, do you really think you cane here and threaten us?" William chuckled, finding the notion of a lovil society amusing.

    Downstairs, the noise was typical for a bar. Wim stood up and approached the railing.

    The DJ on the round stage was ying music, and people on the dance floor were happily dancing and jumping with their hands up.

    William walked away to evade Roggle As he nced below, he was surprised to see a familiar figure on the crowded dance Boot He narrowed his eyes to get a better look

    Emelie suspected there might be drugs on the cloth the short and the tall person used to cover her mouth and nose.

    Despite pushing them away quickly, she still breathed in some of it. The drugs worked fast, making her feel dizzy and her steps lighter.

    As she stumbled, she bumped into someone nearby and got swept into the dance floor.

    Emelie wanted to leave, but the crowded room made it difficult. The two men didn''t give up. They squeezed through the crowd, trying to reach her. Pressing her lips together, she went in a different direction, Suddenly, a familiar female voice, mixed in with the music, reached her ears.

    "Don''t push me! I want to leave! Let me out!"

    Emelle looked closely and saw Mnie among the crowd under the colorful lights.

    "She''s still here?" Emelie murned to herself!

    With Mnie in sight, Emelle thought, Mnie''s here, so Samuel is probably here too. She removed her scart as she felt hot while looking around. Even though she didn''t see Samuel, Emelie Jelt saler with someone familiar nearby. She made her way toward Mnie and called out, "Mnie_*

    The skinny person grabbed Emelle''s arm tightly and yanked her backward, trying to pull her out of the dance floor.

    Emelie fought to free herself, shouting for help, but her cries were lost in the noise. She reached out to someone nearby, but they were too caught up in the music to respond.

    She was surrounded by people, yet no one helped her. The suffocation felt worse than being abandoned in the wilderness.

    As she was being dragged away, Emelie grabbed a beer bottle from a nearby person and smashed it into the skinny person''s face.

    The bottle shattered.

    At that moment, she didn''t care if the ss hurt anyone eke, She''d cover any medical costster it necessary.

    The skinny person cried out and released her. Emelle changed her strategy and pushed herself back into the dance floor

    She knew that being alone outside would be far more dangerous.

    Amidst the chaos, she suddenly spotted Samuel and telt relieved. "Mr. Swanson! Samuel!" she eximed.

    However, Samuel didn''t hear her.

    Chapter 195 Death or Disgrace

    Chapter 195 Death or Disgrace

 Chapter 195

    Chapter 195 Death or Disgrace

    Emelie bit her lower lip, fighting to stay awake as she made her way toward him

    "Samuel! Mr.Swanson!" she shouted.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    But her voice was lost amidst the din. Samuel was focused solely on Mnie.

    Struggling to reach him, Emelle extended her hand. She was just a few feet away, with only two people between them.

    Just then, Mnie was knocked down in the chaos. The risk of being trampled was high.

    Samuel''s heart raced as

    as he pushed past the person in his way, who then blocked Emelle''s hand.

    He picked up Mnie, who was crying, and left the dance floor, unaware of Emelie''s fall.

    From the second floor, William observed everything, sneering.

    "That''s the man you chose, Emelie"

    Emelle felt dizzier after the fall. When she stood up, she found herself trapped between the short, chubby guy in front of her and the tall, thin one behind.

    They sandwiched her, leaving her no chance to call for help. Muffling her cries with cloth, they quickly carried her away.

    In bars, when a man took a woman away, even if others saw it, they usually didn''t get involved.

    Morality seemed to dissipate the moment people stepped into bars

    William watched as Emelie was dragged backstage by the two men. He finished thest slice of orange and extended his hand.

    Ashton handed him a wet wipe to clean his hands.

    William turned to Reggie, his gaze piercing. "The ones who should be worried now aren''t me, it''s all of you. Even if the body hasn''t been found, It''s already 2023. Do you really think you can get away with murder?"

    Reggle looked pale.

    "If you''re smart, you''d turn yourself in now for a lighter sentence. Why bargain for more money when you''ve already lost everything? Buying yourself a crystal for protection?" William tossed the wet wipe and said, "The oranges were pretty good."

    The short, chobby man and the tall, thin one tied Emelle''s hands and feet, sealing her mouth with tape before locking her inside a private room.

    With too many people around, they couldn''t risk taking her away now. They would need to wait until midnight to send her to Blossom Clove.

    Emeliey on the floor with her eyes shut, contemting the situation. They must have taken her for the murder in the woods since she was the only witness, even though she hadn''t seen anything They couldn''t risk it. If she saw something, they would be in trouble. That was why they wanted her. But she already told the police everything. So, it was pointless.

    Those people were so reckless that they would without thinking. Expecting a hint of intelligence from them was fruitless.

    Emelie opened her eyes, feeling ufortable. She realized the heat wasn''t just from the crowded dance floor. It was more intense now that she was alone

    The drug they used on her seemed to be more than just a sedative-it was something else!

    Emelie tightened her lips, feeling increasingly uneasy. She knew she had to flee, or tonight could end in disgrace or even death.

    Luckily, despite tying her hands and feet, they made a crucial error: they tied her hands in front of her.

    Emelie lifted her hands and removed the tape from her mouth. Determined, she used her teeth to gradually untie the knots in the rope.

    Despite the pain in her teeth, she managed to untie the knots. Freeing her feet, she looked around the room.

    It seemed to be the cheapest private room in the bar, with no windows and nothing useful as a tool.

    Emelie pinched her thigh hard, forcing herself to stay awake.

    Then, an idea struck her.

 Chapter 196

    Chapter 196 Drugged

    The short, chubby man, Jack, and the tall, thin one were smoking by the door.

    The thin one, Max, said, "You stay here and watch her. I''ll go find the boss. Keep a close eye on her, don''t let her escape!"

    The short, chubby man, Jack, didn''t care. "Heh, how could a woman possibly escape? Besides, she''s drugged! Her legs are probably like jelly by now!" "You gave her sedatives, didn''t you?"

    "I didn''t get to taste her in the woods that night, and I''m still thinking about it."

    "So, you gave her ''that''?"Content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    "Yeah, hurry up. We''ll head in when you''re back. The boss didn''t say we can''t touch her, so let''s enjoy ourselves!"

    Max quickly left while Jack eagerly licked his lips. He was already indulging in his fantasies.

    Suddenly, a loud crash of tables and chairs came from inside. Without hesitation, Jack opened the door and went in.

    Inside, all he found were ropes scattered on the ground. Emelie had escaped

    Startled, he looked around, wondering what happened and where she had gone. He didn''t know Emelie was hiding behind the door.

    As he opened the door, Emilie dashed out. She mmed it shut, locked it, and ran off without looking back.

    she had to run.

    Escape

    Get away from there

    That was the only thought she had.

    As she raced through the twisting corridors, she felt the drugs surge through her body, making her mouth dry.

    She looked back and saw that no one was chasing her, then turned back to continue forward.

    The rapid movements made her head spin, and she bambled to the ground.

    Desperate to call the police, she fumbled for her phone, only to realice it had been taken from her.

    Ing felt unusually warm.

    She wasn''t sure if her colleagues had left, probably not. Her best bet now was to go find them at the ce earlier ¡°Walk, Emelle, walk..¡± she muttered. Emelie gripped the wall for support. Her legs shook uncontrobly, and her breathing She vaguely saw someoneing from afar. Thinking it might be Max, she knew she had to find an empty ce to hide. Emelie looked up and saw a sign on the door that said "Cleaning Room". She figured it was the janitor''s supply closet Pushing the door open, she entered and used her body to keep it shut She tried to lock it, but the lock was broken. Finally, she decided to hide in theer.

    The drugs would wear off eventually, maybe in an hour or by morning. If she stayed hidden and wasn''t found, she''d be safe.

    Out of nowhere, a hand grabbed Emeke''s arm and pulled her up from the ground.

    "Do you think you''re safe here?-

    Emelie fell into the man''s arms, enveloped by the cold air that surrounded him. It felt strangely familiar to her. As she looked up, she could barely discern his face. "William..." she murmured. She was surprised to see him there.

    Her surprise was mixed with fear. His presence didn''t bring the expected joy of encountering a savior. She instinctively pushed him away, saying, "Let me go." William felt something was off and gently lifted her chin.

    In the dimly lit restroom, illuminated only by a small window stealing light from the bar''s alley, he noticed a flush on her cheeks.

    "They drugged you, didn''t they?" he asked.

    "They?" Did he know what happened to het? Did he know who was trying to kidnap her too?

    Emelie couldn''t think straight William said, "You''ve been drugged again."

    It was indeed the second time. The first time was at a party where she unknowingly sipped from a ss offered by someone

    He was the one who helped her with the antidote at that time, and it was also her first time making the first move.

    I

 Chapter 197

    Chapter 197 Don''t Touch Me

    Enelle had an uncontroble reaction. Recalling such things at this time further catalyzed the drug''s effect on her body,

    Her unfocused gaze met William''s as shegged his waist.

    William''s expression froze over

    If he hadn''t happened to be at the bar ande to her rescue, would she have ended up in their hands? Driven by the drug, would she have thrown herself at them?

    His gaze turned icy. His hand held her neck, tilting her chin up to study her lust-filled face. Indeed, she looked more interesting than her sober, rational self.

    To Emelie, his "appreciation" felt demeaning, as if she were merely his ything. Rationality overcame instinct. She pushed him away in disgust.Content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    "Don''t touch me!" she shouted.

    William pressed against her.

    Emelie was backed into a corner with no escape.

    "Now that you''re like this, you want me to let go? Who do you want to help you solve this problem? William asked coldly.

    "Samuel? He abandoned you. The man you chose didn''t even care about you. Wesley? He may still be in Wims tour City. I wonder if he knows about your situation now."

    Emelie''s mind was foggy. Her hands were against his chest, intending to push him away. But she only ended up embracing him.

    She didn''tprehend his words, murmuring a familiar name. "Wesley?"

    What happened to Wesley?

    She would be better off keeping quiet

    William gave a short, mockingugh. "Looking for Wesley? Too bad, the one you''ve got now is me."

    He saw Wesley going to her room to see her. Even though it had been two days, the thought still enraged him.

    William wondered, "Has Wesley been secretly watching her? Good. He better be watching today too."

    He grabbed Emebe''s cheeks, and before she could say a word, he kissed her.

    His scent was strong, overwhelming her. The drug heightened her senses, and a montage of images shed through her mind.

    Memories of their past intimacy and William''s persistent pursuit from two months ago lingered-a tangled mess of resentment between them.

    She didn''t want it. She didn''t want him to do this to her.

    "Let go, William, you can''t." Emelle pushed him away weakly, only to feel him tearing open the buttons of her shirt with one hand.

    Emelie was on a fine line between consciousness and unconsciousness,

    She knew what William was doing. Her instincts repelled him, but her body indulged in it. She hated William''s wantonness, and she hated that her body was out of control. "William, let go of me..."

    "Your body said otherwise." William''s handsome and sharp features exuded a sense of danger in the darkness,

    Emelle shook her head helplessly, but he lifted her up.

    In the dimly lit room, William said, "Take a good look at who I am."

    Emelie swung her hand toward his face. "William, you bastard!"

    William grabbed her hand

    Emelie''s breath caught in her throat Tears streamed down her face as she trembled and said, "William! How dare you. I''m going to report you!"

    William sneered, his voice like a whispering devil "How ungratefull I''m trying to save you."

    Chapter 10 Taking Pictures

    Chapter 198 Taking Pictures

 Chapter 198

    Chapter 198 Taking PicturesContent rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    The leaves" shadows danced on the ground like willow branches in the breeze, moving with the wind.

    Emelle stayed passive, while William''s eyes turned cold when she mentioned Wesley.

    Suddenly, a phone rang.

    Was it hers? Hadn''t Max and Jack confiscated her phone?

    Surprisingly, she still had it.

    Emelie''s muddied mind assumed they had confiscated her phone. Hence, she never considered the wise choice of calling for help.

    Those idiots not only bound her hands in front but failed to take her phone. Had she known, she would have called the police earlier, avoiding this whole mess. One mistakepounded into more

    She never should havee to the bar in the first ce.

    William was unaware of Emelie''s myriad thoughts. Once he heard her phone ringing, he asked coolly, "is your boyfriend calling you?"

    He was referring to Samuel

    Emelie couldn''t push him away. So, she turned her head to avoid his burning breath, biting down on her lower lip.

    William''s tone was harsh. "You''ve been with him, too, haven''t you? Do you think he''ll be able to tell what you''re doing now?

    Luele''s face went pule at the thought he might hamate her to get back at Samuel.

    "Don''t you dare!" she eximed.

    "Try me!" Wim effortlessly toolcher phone from her coat pocket, Emelle couldn''t wrestle it back from him.

    Nomb with tear, she froze "William! If you do that, I''ll kill you!!

    Emelie was furious and desperate!

    He lifted her chin with the phone. "Kill me? How?:

    Humiliated, Emelle tried to p him, but he caught her wrist, holding it over her head. ncing at the phone, he saw that it wasn''t Samuel calling but her sister, Eliana William''s expression softened slightly. Seemingly respectful, he asked, "Want to answer?"

    How could she answer in her current state?

    Emelie was a mess, while William locked proper. The stark contrast made her want to throw him out the window!

    William showed the constantly shingcaller ID on the phone "Not answering?

    Afraid he''d say something crazy to her sister, Emelle snapped, "Hang up!"

    William cajoled, "Not answering? What if it''s something urgent from home?"

    "Hang up!" Tears welled up in Emelle''s eyes. "William! You jerk! You got what you wanted. Is it necessary to humiliate me further?"

    Sering the fear in her eyes, Williams found it pointless. He hung up, then opened her chat room with Samuel and searched for the word "boyfriend" in their chat history. Finding nothing, he deleted Samuel from her contacts along with his messages.

    He fiddled with the phone, and a horrible thought crossed Emelie''s mind. "Are you taking pictures?"

    If she hadn''t mentioned it, he might not have thought of it "You''re going to report me, aren''t you? I need leverage."

    Emelie couldn''t believe what she heard or imagined he''d do. It she disliked William before, now she feared him.

    She fought wildly for the phone. "William, you wouldn''t! Shameless scum!"

    Emelle was hell-bent on dying with him!

    She couldn''t fathom how the man who saved her that rainy night three years ago became so unrecognizable. Chapter 199 Abandon Her to Save Himself.

 Chapter 199

    Chapter 199 Abandon Herto Save Himself

    Meanwhile, in Capebatt City, Eliana repeatedly attempted to call Emelie without sess.

    Greta had passed out suddenly, and doctors rushed to resuscitate her.

    Despite experiencing a simr crisis before, Eliana was even more frightened this time. Disregarding Greta''s instructions, she immediately called Emelle, hoping she would take charge. However, Emmelie remained unreachable.

    As Eliana prepared to call again, the doctor finished resuscitating Greta He approached her to exin the situation. "She''s stable now. The fainting was from cerebral hypoxia." "Is she okay now?

    "''s hard to say. Hypoxia can cause neurological damage, increasing post-operativeplication risks. You should be mentally prepared."

    Eliana stared at him, confused.

    What did he mean byplications? Did the surgery risk increase ap

    cagain?

    Did she make a mistake? Eliana''s hands trembled. No, she did nothing wrong

    It was Emelle''s fault for not answering the phone.

    Ena understood nothing about surgery, beart transnts, and all that chaos Emelle created.

    If she had her way, her elderly mother would live out her days. Spending tens or hundreds of thousands when they weren''t rich was madness. What a waste of That money should go to raising the children. Any post-operativeplications were all Emelie''s fault!

    1 money

    The bar belonged to Reggie

    Jack and Max worked for him. That was why they had the drugs. People running entertainment ces always have shady stiff

    Reggie sent them to catch Emebe, but coincidentally, their bar was under attack. They thought Emelie wouldn''t escape on home turf. But she managed to fee

    Reggie ordered the bar locked down and searched everywhere.

    When they couldn''t find her, they checked the surveince footage. They saw she was in the supply closet and hadn''t left.

    Reage and his men surrounded the door. Just as they were about to lock it, the door opened from the inside

    William appeared, holding a woman wrapped in his coat, covering her face and upper body. But from her dress, both Jack and Max recognized her-it was Emelie! The drug wore off, but she had no strength William shielded her so she was unable to see what was happening outside. She guessed that Jack and Max had arrived.

    She tensed, seeing many pairs of feet around while William was alone.

    Reggie''s tone was somewhat polite. "Mr. Middleton, what are you doing here? And in the supply closet of all ces. This kind of ce is unfit for your status."

    "Indeed, I agree with you. So, kindly step aside. Let me leave." William''s tone was blunt, unafraid of being outnumbered.

    Reggie''s expression shifted. He felt disrespected and humiliated. "Mr. Middleton, you''re free to leave. But the woman-

    "What about her?" William asked fathe

    Reggie chuckled. "Mr. Middleton, perhaps you don''t know, but this person is Emily. She''s been setting ''honey traps here, leading toints from our customers. "They say we''re in cahoots with her. It''s caused us a lot of trouble. We''ve been looking for her, and now, seeing you with her, I''m worried. Have you been scammed too?! Emelie never imagined they''d frame here that!

    "Please leave her behind, Mr. Middleton. We have things we need to rity with her." Reggie gestured, and Jack got Emelie. "Leave her, and I''ll escort you out myself." There was a hint of threat in his words! If William didn''t leave her, he couldn''t leave, either!

    At this moment, Emelie feared Witam would hand her over.

    After all, they weren''t in a good rtionship. Despite their recent in

    tintimacy, she still wished he were dead

    William was also outnumbered, and Reggie''s group could havemitted murders.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    Abandoning her seemed sensible.

    twouldn''t be the first time he had left her behind.

 Chapter 200

    Chapter 200 Who Dare to Say William Is Wrong

    Lelle ghened her hold on William''s sweater.

    Wi nced down at her, realizing she was depending on him now.

    Then, he looked at Reggie. "Emily? You must''ve been mistaken, Mr. Jeste. She''s my secretary."

    Reggie smirked darkly. "Impossible. She''s Emily. I don''t make mistakes."

    William chocked. "So, are you suppesting I''m mistaken

    Histone was light, yet he carried an intimidating presence standing there, daring disrespect

    This intimidation stemmed from the Middleton family''s generations of wealth and power, the dominance of the cloudex Corporation in the market, and William''s ruthless rise in business at a young age His arrogance was well-eamed.

    So if William said he wasn''t wrong, would Reggie dare im otherwise

    Reggie''s face colored. He wanted to threaten William, but in the end, he was the one being threatened.

    William''s next move stunned Emelie. He offered her to Reggie. "So you don''t believe me? Let''s check, shall we? Is she Emily or my secretary?"

    Emelie''s heart leaped into her throat at that, blinded to their standoff.

    Reggie stared intensely at William''s unchanging, imperious expression.

    After thirty tense seconds, Reggie backed down, forcing a smile. "My mistake, Mr. Middleton. Have a safe journey home."

    Puzzled, Jack interjected, "Boss! That''s the woman! We can''t let her gol she knows too much!"

    "Mr. Middleton insists that she is who he says she is." Reale snapped. "Let them pass!¡±

    His two henchmen grudgingly parted at hismand.

    Without ncing back, william strode past them, carrying Emelle in his arms.

    Reggie''s voice trailed behind them. "Mind the dark roads, Mr. Middleton!"Content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    It wasn''t until they left the noisy, smelly bar behind that Emelle''s heart settled.

    Walking briskdy along the sidewalk, William asked. "If you wrinkle it, will you pay for it?"

    Emelie realized she still gripped his sweater.

    She stiffly released it, trying to get William to put her down. She had no idea where he was taking her. It was best to part ways now that the crisis had passed. William frowned. "Move again, and I''ll hand you over to Reggie"

    Emelle, once again threatened by him, froze. Wrapped in his coat, she smelled only him

    Though the drug wore off, she felt unwell and tired. In his steady gait, her eyelids drooped.

    William found a nearby hotel. When he got a room, Emelie had passed out. He carried her into the room and ced her in the bathtub to clean her up. Embe didn''t wake up, likely from the effects of the drugs with damp hands, william cradled her face, studying her with an inscrutable look. Then he put her on the bed.

    After freshening up, he stepped onto the balcony and lit a cigarette

    Only then did he check his phone and saw a missed call from Jayden. Hecalled back

    Jayden asked, "Didn''t you go to see that mobster? How''d it go?

    "You didn''t talk?"

    William scoffed. "He tried hiling the price. He''s wishing for the impossible"

    "These people." Jayden clicked his tongue,

    He continued, "I looked into Reggie. His ''business scope'' is quite extensive, not only in Wims tour City but also in Capebatt City.

    "He specializes in extortion and ruined a few small business owners. I''ll have Lyle look into it. It''s an eyesore having this kind of person lurking around here." Willem hummed in reply.

    "It''s odd that they haven''t found any bodies yet. Where could they be hiding? Even search dogs came up empty."

    William hummed again.

    Jayden, intrigued, asked, "Why do you keep humming? Are you worried the vigers of Blossom Clove won''t vacate and the base won''t be built? Don''t fret, it''ll work out. "I''m not worried," William finally said. Your tone doesn''t sound worried either." Jayden even felt like he was in a good mood

 Chapter 201

    Chapter 201 Her Future Would Be Ruined

    william tapped the cigarette and didn''t deny it. He smiled. "It''ste. You should rest up."

    "Alright." Jayden ended the call.

    Wilra returned to the room and stared at the woman, who was sound asleep in bed. Then, hey on the bed to sleep while hugging her.

    The next morning, Emelle was awakened by William.

    The effect of the medicine had worn off. At this moment, her mind was clear. She grabbed a random item on the nightstand and threw it at William. "Go away!"

    William was caught off guard. The ashtray hit his forehead. He wasn''t bleeding, but his forehead turned red.

    William quickly grabbed and pressed Emelle''s hands on both sides of the pillow. Her eyes reddened as she stared at him.

    Coldly, he said, "How could you repay kindness with hatred? weren''t for mest night, you would have been buried in the ground."

    Emelie''s chest heaved. With her lips pursed, she said, "Get off of me.."

    William smiled. "Are you addicted to hitting me? I said before that you can''t hit me for the third time.

    "If you hit me, you need to bear the consequences. Even if you don''t want to do it now, you have to do it."

    He immediately lowered his head and kissed Emelle. Thetter turned her head to avoid him

    She wasn''t in her right mindst night. Now that she was conscious, she wouldn''t let William do anything to her. She tried her best to struggle. However, what he said next made

    her freeze.

    Have you forgotten about your pictures?

    The color drained from Emelie''s face. Her gratitude toward Wim for saving her from Reggie disappeared after she heard his words

    She said through gritted teeth, "William! You''re despicable and shameless! You''re a scumbag!"

    William didn''t care about how Emelie cursed him. Its lips moved toward her neck.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    Emelie closed her eyes stoically. She knew that William had never wanted to develop this rtionship further, so he didn''t give her abel for three years. When his parents brought up their marriage, he would always be angry and annoyed.

    In fact, he said that he didn''t be a woman like her at Troy''s birthday party. Even so, it was the third time William wanted to do such things to Emelie after their breakup.

    His desire for her didn''t mean he loved her. In other words, he still treated her as a tool.

    Emelie gritted her teeth. Sensing her stiffness, William raised his head.

    William lost interest upon seeing Emelle trying to endure what was happening. He got up from her body. "You can leave yourself."

    Emelie said, "William, If I had a knife with me right now, I would stab you to death!"

    William hummed in response. He didn''t take her words seriously. He walked toward the bathroom directly.

    Emelie sat on the bed. For five minutes, she suppressed her emotions. Finally, she prevented herself from breaking down and calmed herself down.

    She could handle pressure well. No matter what happened, she could calm herself down in five minutes and regain her rationality

    After all, emotions were useless. Solving the problem was important.

    Emelie got out of the bed she couldn''t find her clothes, so she took the hotel''s bathrobe from the closet.

    She felt ufortable between her legs. She took a few steps and almost fell to the ground. She tried to ignore the feeling and looked for her phone, but she couldn''t findit. Nheless, she found William''s phone on the desk, Emelie picked it up. She knew his password in the past, but she didn''t know if he had changed it

    She keyed in "1221". It was his birthday. Instantly, the phone unlocked.

    William didn''t change the password. With her lips pursed, Eme clicked into the gallery. If such pictures were disclosed, her future would be ruined.

 Chapter 202

    Chapter 202 Continue to Be With Her

    Emelie went through the gallery but couldn''t find the pictures. Then, she clicked on William''s WhatsApp and looked for her name. The chat history was empty

    Did William trick her? Did he not take any pictures?

    Emelie quickly shook her head and got rid of the idea she couldn''t be too nav

    William could do anything. He might have saved the pictures somewhere else.

    When the sound of water in the bathroom stopped, Emelie clenched the phone and threw it on the wall if there were pictures on the ne, the pictures might be destroyed if the phone broke.

    William walked out of the bathroom, his hair dripping with water. He happened to see his phone m against the wall

    With a cold gaze, be looked at the phone that was broken into three pieces. Then, his gazended on Emelie "Do you know that there''s a thing called cloud storage?

    Emelle suppressed her anger. "What else do you want? We have already slept together. Are you still unsatisfied?

    William wore the same bathrobe as her. The scene looked intimate, Leaning against the wall, he looked at her. "I''m satisfied. I''ve never been unsatisfied."

    Enunciating each word, Emelie said, "Delete the pictures."

    Witam wasn''t wearing a suit and wasn''t standing upright. So, he looked casual. He rarely showed this side of him. "Between feeling satisfied once nd feeling utisfied severd times, how can I not know what to choose?

    Did he mean that he would use the pictures to threaten her to sleep with hir Emelie stopped breathing. "Aren''t you afraid that I will file awsuit against you?"

    William had gone too far! After looking at her for a while, he turned to leave the bedroom without saying anything

    It was a suite. When he reached the living hall, he used the hotel telephone to call Ashton, asking her to get his clothes.

    Emelle heard him say, "Get a set of clothes for Ms. Hoven, too."

    She had two colleagues in the secretarial department. They were Ashton and Fabian. Her rtionship with them was great. They both knew her rtionship with William

    Nheless, she drew a clear line. She had never shown off her rtionship with William in front of them.

    In her opinion, it was embarrassing for her if an acquaintance or colleague found out about such matters. She needed to be respected as well.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    The dignity Emelie withheld for three years was shattered because of Wm''s words. It wasparable to him showing her pictures to her acquaintances.

    She stood in the bedroom for half an hour. When Ashton brought the clothes, she read the coom and didn''t stay for a long time she left quickly.

    Emelie walked out of the bedrooms and took the bag of clothes before entering the bathroom to change. When she came out of the bathroom, William had already finished changing his clothes.

    He wore a ck suit with a red necktie. He sat at the dining table and ate breakfast, looking elegant

    Emelle thought about the word "polsun". In nature, the prettier a thing was, the more poisonous it was

    "Where''s my phone?" Emelle asked William signaled her to take a seat opposite him.

    "There''s your share."

    ?

    Emelie repeated, "Where''s my phone?"

    William didn''t like to be disobeyed. He raised his head with a cold gaze. "Do you want to see the details of the pictures?"

    Emelle was at a loss for words. The breakfast bad two shares. William didn''t like to have coffee and toast for breakfast

    The breakfast he had consisted of shrimp, omelets, chicken soup, tacos, and a te of fruits. It looked appetizing and was aromatic.

    However, Emelie didn''t have the appetite to eat She ate numbly. Upon seeing that she had almost finished her food, Willum gave her back her phone

    "Did Mr. Swanson not tell you that you must eat three meals a day to improve your health?

    Emelie didn''t listen to him. She quickly took the phone and turned it on, imordiately, she saw missed calls from na and Samuel Withet staying for even a minute more. Emelie took the phone and left the sur William took a bit of the tare and cheard it slowly. His expression was dull.

    Em pressed the elevator button while giving Eliana a call. The phone rang for a while before Eliana picked up the phone.

    Engeli? preeted, "

    6639

    I Did na hiimased in response. Inselia exmed, "I drank two sses of winest night, so I went to bed early I didn''t hear my phone ring it something happen

    rhana koked at the hospital ber

    stantly. On the bed, Greta had an oxygen mask on her face, she breathed with great difficulty.

    Emas?: Uperi noticing Elisa''s gate, she knew that it was a call from Epselia she shook her head weakly

 Chapter 203

    Chapter 203 An Arm Wrapped Amund Her Waist

    Chapter 203 An Arm Wrapped Around Her Waist

    Emelte frowned. "E? Are you stening? Did something happen to Mom?"!

    She sounded anxious. It was only then that Ena said, "Mom''s fine. She wanted to speak to youst night, so I gave you a call...

    "The gloves have been knitted. I think she wanted to ask if you needed anything else."

    Upon hearing that, Emelie felt relieved. Eliana only called her oncest night

    It didn''t seem like it was an urgent matter. Otherwise, there should have been many missed calls.

    "I don''t need anything else. Tell Mom that she doesn''t need to knit anything. It''s tiring to do this." Emelie pursed her lips. "Is Mom awake right now? I want to talk to her."

    "Mom is getting an IV drip right now. She can''t hold the phone. You can talk to herter."

    "Alright" Emelia bung up.

    Although Eliana said that everything was fine, Emelia felt something inexplicable. Maybe it was because too many unexpected things happenedst night, and she hadn''t calmed

    down.

    The elevator arrived at the first floor. Once Emelia got out of the elevator, she called Samuel.

    Samuel picked up the phone almost instantly. "Emelie, are you alright?"

    Emelie paused before saying, "I''m fine"

    Samuel pinched his nose bridge. "I called you several timesst night, but you didn''t pick up. When I sent you messages on WhatsApp, you blocked me. I thought you were angry at Emelie was taken aback. Did she block him on WhatsApp?

    "If you blocked me because of Mnie, I''d already punished her. She knows her mistake. She wants to apologize to you today"

    Emelie knew right away that William was the one who took her phone and blocked Samuel on WhatsApp.

    She had no choice but to say, "I think Lidentally clicked the button to block you when I was drunkst night. I''ll unblock youter." "Where are you right now? Samuel asked. "I knocked on your door, but you weren''t in."

    "Yeah. I''m not in As I was drunk, I just checked into a hotel and slept there."

    It was silent on Samuel''s end. He knew that Emeke wasn''t telling the truth.

    Nevertheless, since she didn''t want to say it, he didn''t push her to tell him. "When are youing back? Should I pick you up?

    When Emelle was about to answer, an arm wrapped around her waist. She was caught off guard. She turned around and noticed that William was looking at her with his eyebrows

    Inised.

    Without hesitation, Emelie moved his arm away. However, he pulled her toward him and embraced her. He didn''t allow room for refusal.

    Emelie was still on the call. Not wanting to let Samuel hear anything, she calmed down and said, "Mr. Swanson, I''ll head back soon.

    "We should be going to Willow Road''s site today. You can go ahead first I''ll meet you there after I get ready.

    Samuel said softly, "I''ll be waiting for you."

    After ending the call, Emelie forcefully moved William''s arm from her waist.

    Ashton didn''t know Emelie''s size. Thinking that thetter needed to work, she gave her a sult. It wasn''t the normal formal suit. Instead, it consisted of a pair of short pants, a blouse, and a coat Emelie''s legs were fair and slim. When William walked up to her from behind, he recalled her appearancest night. Emelie moved his hand away. This time, William let go of her. He asked, "Why didn''t you tell him the truth? Are y

    you afraid of letting him know that we slept togetherst night?"

    Emelie didn''t tell Samuel the truth because she thought that it had nothing to do with him. She couldn''t deal with the situation herself

    William didn''t ask that question to get an answer. After he said that, he left the hotel, not wasting his time on her.

    Emelie clenched her phone and walked out of the hotel Ashton had arrived at the hotel entrance to pick up William. When he got into the car, he didn''t close the door.

    It was clear that he wanted Emelie to get in. Nheless, Emelie walked past the car.

    Then, she got into a taxi that was parked in front of William''s car. "To the police station please."Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    William watched the taxi drive away without any expression on his face.

    Ashion''s mouth twitched. She got out of the car and closed the door.

    Ther

    he two police officers, who asked Emelie to make a statement, gave her their names and phone numbers. They told her that she could contact them whenever she remembered the details of the case. When Einelle arrived at the police station, she registered her name. One of the police officers, Frank queen, happened to be at the police station "Ms. Hoven, is there anything you

 Chapter 204

    Chapter 204 Not Letting Emelie Leave

    Enumting each word, Emelle said, "Last night, I was almost kidnapped by the two people who were digging a hole in the forest. One was Jack, and the other was Max"

    When Frank heard that, his expression became stern. He gestured at her to take a seat so that he could take her statement.

    Enold Frank everything that had happenedst night of course, she skipped the part about William.

    After taking the statement, Frank told her that they sent police officers to apprehend pack and Max, but the two escaped. So, Jack and Max were fugitives

    Emelo beld her breath and said seriously, "I''m certain that my kidnappers are them. They drugged me, too. I don''t know if the drug is out of my system. If I do a blood test now, can it be tested? Frank called the staff from theboratory to take Emelle''s blood. "You can get the surveince Inotage from the har

    Frank didn''t tell Emelie that the bar owned by Reggle. If he asked for the surveince footage now, thetter would answer, "The surveince camera happened to be broken." Nevertheless, Frank was extremely thankful for Emelle''s cooperation. He sent her out of the police station personally. "Ms. Hoven, you shouldn''t go out by yourself these days." Emelle nodded, signaling that she understood. Upon exiting the police station, she saw William''s car parked at the side of the road. She pursed her lips and walked over. The car window rolled down. Emelie stood next to the car and looked at William inside. Without any expression, she said, "You even followed me to the police station. Don''t worry, I didn''t report you to the police. I just gave a statement about the kidnappingst night.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    What happenedst night was an extension of the murder and burial case. On one hand, she wanted to see if she could provide any clues. On the other hand, she was in danger for no apparent reason and couldn''t just let it go

    "Report me to the police? What for? or being heroic?" Wim smiled.

    Emelie frowned. "Why did you follow me

    "You were almost kidnappedst night, but you got into a random car today. Even if the car looked like a tard, you wouldn''t know if it was a real driver. What if it was a kidnapper?" Emelie smiled. *Based on what you said, should I be a soldier from now on? Whenever I see a car, I have to wonder if it''s a kidnapper. When I eat out, I need to wonder if the food has been dragged"

    "No need. Reggie will stop looking for you 3000.

    Emelie wanted to ask why William was so certain. From what she heard from Frank, the case didn''t have any development.

    William nced at the rear-view mirror. A cat was parked at the entrance of the police station. The person who got out of the car was Samuel

    He asked, "Did your boyfriend put a tracker on you?"

    Emelie was taken aback. She turned around, Samuel walked over quickly "Emelle."

    Although William and Samuel were business partners, William didn''t even bother with the formalities. He asked the driver to drive a Emelle turned around. When Samuel was close to her, she asked, "Mr. Swanson, how did you know I was at the police station?"

    "I couldn''t get a hold of youst night. You weren''t in your room either. Besides, you''re rted to the murder case.

    "I was afraid that you would be in danger. So, Tcalled Mr. Queen He told me that you came to the police station"

    Emelle must admit that Samuel''s intuition weas -

    away right away.

    Besides, he had a great memory. Frank wrote down his phone number for her, but Samuel remembered the number with only one nce.

    That was expected of a university lecturer. Samuel must have rushed to the police station. He even forgot to wear his sses. Without his sses, he seemed sharper.

    It was the first time Emelle saw him without sses. She wasn''t used to it. So, she stared at him for a few more seconds.

    Samuel asked, "Why didn''t you tell me the truth in the call?

    "I didn''t want to worry you" Emelle said, "Everything is in the past."

    "I''m more worried because you didn''t tell me." Samuel frowned. "Are you hurt anywhere?"

    Emelie shook her head and extended her arms. She turned around to show that she was fine.

    Samuel said, "I''m sorry. I was busy taking care of Mnd, and neglected you. I took you to the bar, but failed to protect you. If I had been by your side the entire time, you wouldn''t have been in such a situation."

    Emelie shook her head. "They only want me. Even if they didn''t take actionst night, they would seek mother opportunity to take action."

    In other words, the situation would happen. It wasn''t Samuel''s fault,

    Also.. Even if Emelie didn''t want to admit it, it was the truth. She was lucky William was aroundst night. Otherwise, she would have been in a hole in the forestst night.

    If she died, what would happen to her mother?

    Samuel seemed to have epted her exnation. Nheless, once the work begm, he sped up the progress. Hepressed the workload of two days into one afternoon. He finishedup quickly. "We''ll retum to Capehart City tomorrow."

    if they stayed in Winston City, they might be implicated in the matter of ossom Clove. It was safer to return to Capebay.

    o go back to tapehart City, too. She had been on a business trip for eight days. Although Eliana said Greta was fine, she was still worried.

    enight of the meeting among the four families, William didn''t allow them to leave. To be exact, he didn''t allow Emelie to leave.

 Chapter 205

    Chapter 205 The Fight Between Two Men

    "If you''re in a hurry to go back, you can go back first Let Ms. Hoven stayback."

    Samuel pot on his sses. The silver rims were shiny. "Mr. Middleton, is there a reason for this request?"

    "The data on the site of Blossom Heights has yet to be collected. Someone from your team shoulde with

    "Since you''re in a hurry to go back to Capebatt City, let Ms. Hoven stay here. Is this request difficult to understand?"

    Samuel and William sat at the meeting table and red at each other. Ever since they became business partners, they had never really interacted with each other.

    After all, as soon as they began working, Samuel was sent back to Capebatt City by William to deal with theboratory that was caught on fire Speaking of which, it was the first time they sat down and had a chat.

    Back then, they didn''t meet each other, so it was peaceful. Now that there was conflict, the undercurrents from before were brought to the surface, too.

    "If that''s what you think, I think that it''s better for Mr. Zachmann to stay back. Aside from me, he''s most familiar with the project.

    "Besides, Ms. Hoven is my secretary. She needs to help me with the documents. She isn''t tree." Samuel rejected William''s request.

    William leaned on the chair. He spun the pen with his fingers. Calmly, he said, "After working with Ms. Hoven for a while, I think that she''s the most suitable candidate to stay behind. Ms. Hoven, are you confident in staying back and seeding at the job?

    William was six feet away from Emelie.

    He was still wearing the suit he wore in the morning. The lights in the meeting room shone on his fair skin. As his skin was fair, his dark eyes looked even darker.

    Witam let Emelie decide whether or not she wanted to stay behind. It was as though he was certain that she would give him an answer that would satisfy him.

    He was confident because he had her pictures on his phone. Emelle clenched the documents. The meeting room was bright, but dark clouds formed above her head.

    "Do you mean that 1 can go back after monitoring the data of Blossom Heights?"

    "Of course. Do you want to set up a camp and stay here instead?"

    Emelie let go of the documents and said calmly, "Mr. Swanson, although I''m not as professional as Mr. Zachmann, I have been in charge of monitoring the data. I''m more familiar with it. Let me stay behind." Samuel looked at her. He was confused. She lowered her gaze and dodged his gaze.

    "I don''t mind staying back for two days." Samuel said, "We''re a team. Wee and leave together. After monitoring the data, we''ll go back together."

    Emelie looked at Samuel, astonished. Samuel was in a hurry to go back, not only because Emelie offended someone from the Blossom Clove but also because he had work to do in Capebatt City. Nheless, he stayed back for her.

    Samuel nodded at her. Emelie pursed her lips and nodded. William watched them with a nkce

    They were doing it again. They were sharing the joys and sorrows together again.

    I want to stay back, too!" Mnie suddenly interrupted. Then, she said, "Wait. I was supposed to stay back. After all, I''m a part of the Swanson Corporation."

    Thus, the oue of the meeting was that everyone would stay back. The meeting was useless.

    If it weren''t for William''s threat, Emelie would have returned to Capebatt City to take care of her mother.

    She felt uneasy. After the meeting, Samuel brought Mnie to her room and changed the medicine for her. Mnie fell on the dance floorst night and was stepped on. Her hand was injured. While sorting out the documents, Emelie was in a bad mood. She was absent-minded. The people who participated in the meeting had left one after another, leaving her in the meeting room alone She was about to get up and leave when the door suddenly closed.

    Emelie was shocked. She thought it was closed by Reggie''s subordinate. She raised her head and saw that it was William

    She blurted out, "What are you doing?"

    Exuding a cold aura, William walked over to her. She wanted to dodge, but she was too s

    Emelie was taken aback.

    was too slow. He lifted her.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    She felt embarrassed. She wanted to push William away, but thetter was too strong. He was like a mountain that couldn''t be moved.

    Her chest heaved, "William, you''re shameless!"

    "It''s nothingpared to you and Samuel going through thick and thin together." William didn''t look happy or angry, but his gaze was sharper than a de. Chapter 206 Why Do You Want Me by Your Side Agen

 Chapter 206

    Chapter 206 Why Do You Want Me by Your Side Apain

    Emelie pushed William''s chest to stop him from getting closer to her. So, you do know that you''re shameless."Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Wim ced his hands on the desk behind Dmelie. He stared at her. "He might be a gentleman for taking care of you, but he can''t get anything done. He''s incapable.

    "Do you not understand this principle? Did you decide to spend your life in a fairytale after leaving Cloudex Corporation?

    Emelie knew that he was talking about how Samuel failed to take her away in the end during the meeting.

    She said, "I''s trae that I only realized what a normal man was like after leaning Cloudex Corporation. I used to be blind."

    Was she saying that William wasn''t normal?

    William pinched her chin nelle stared back at him. "It''s not that Mr. Swanson can''t get anything done.

    "it''s just that he respects his business partners and the agreement rules, until some people who only threaten people with pictures. How despicable."

    He moved her chin. "Did I threaten you? When? How did 1 threaten you?"

    Emelie broke free from his grip. "Since you aren''t threatening me, let me go back"

    "Are you in a hurry to go back so that you can spend time with him? Did she think he was dead?

    William smiled. "The prerequisite of Swanson Corporation epting you is that you participate in this project to the end.

    If Cloudex Corporation makes a request and needs data during the project period, your research team needs to stay in Wistour City until the project ispleted.

    The project will take two years. Do you want to by living in Winstour City for two years?

    Emelie was enraged. "Do you only know how to threaten me?

    "I''m testing whether your boyfriend really cares about you or he''s just all tall. Don''t you want to know if Sameel will give up everything in Capebatt City and stay here with you?" Emelie was at a loss for words. She knew that he could do such a ridiculous thing

    william had always wanted to control everything. He wasn''t the white chess piece that could make the first move.

    He wasn''t the ck chess piece that could defend and offend. He was the hand that moved the chess pieces.

    He could make everything go ording to his will

    In a low voice, Emelie said, "You can act recklessly now because you''re the client. Since you mentioned that you''re more capable than Samuel, how will you handle this situation It happens to you?"

    "This station won''t happen to me." Without hesitation, William sed, "First of all, I won''t sign a contract where I can''t make decisions and bepletely bound by the other party!!

    Emelie said, "You know that the contract in''t far!"

    William narrowed his eyes. "I know, but so what? Samuel still signed in When he signed it, he should have known that he would be controlled by me. Now, he regrets signing the contract after signing it is he a kid?"

    Emelle rebutted, "Bryan asked him to sign it."

    Back then, Samuel left the dining table because he didn''t want to sign the contract. He only agreed to the coboration because Bryan requested that he do it at the stable. William smiled. "That''s why family can sometimes hold you back and hurt you. For the benefit and right of the Swanson Company, Bryan threw Samuel under the bus." Emelie parsed her lips. She didn''t know how to refute him.

    On the other hand, William''s expression turned cold because Emelie stood up for Samuel and said that he wasn''t incapable. At once, he grabbed the back of her bead and kissed het.

    It could be said that he crushed her. Emelie had her hands on his chest as she tried to push him away. With only one hand, he could hold both her hands

    She wanted to kick him, but he used his body to block her from doing so,

    Emelie tried to fight back with all her might, but her body and mind were controlled by William. The taste of the orange candy that he ate before the meeting spread in her mouth. William only let go of her when she calmed down. It was clear that he wasn''t enjoying the kiss. He only wanted her to submit herself to him. He would let her go if she didn''t strucate

    He lowered his head and stared at Emelle. Her lips were red and moist. Her eyes were watery, too. She seemed to repulse him.

    William held the back of Emelie''s neck. "Do you want to go back with Samuel so much?"

    Emelie avoided his touch and said coldly, "I want to go back because of my mother,"

    She looked at her. "Daphne''s father has recovered and gotten out of the hospital, right? He lives a normal life now, right?

    "My mother hasn''t. Before this business trip, she needed to stay in the hospital and ept treatment because her illness worsened." Wiliam didn''t have any expression on his face.

    "Do you feel a sense of aplishment for having the power to control the life and death of vulnerable people like me in your game?

    Coldly, William said, "Why do you keep using me of something I didn''t do? Did I not give you a choice? In exchange for the top 10% of doctors, I want you back by my side. Don''t you think it''s a great deal?"

    melle couldn''t understand him. "Why did you suddenly want me to return to your side?-

    Wasn''t William the one who was tired of her and despised her first?

 Chapter 207

    Chapter 207 The Pregnant Woman

    Chapter 207 The Pregnant Woman

    William paused for a while. Emelie''s face was reflected in his eyes. He didn''t answer her.

    However, Emelie thought of an answer.

    "The first time you asked me to go back was when I helped Swanson Corporation get higher shares and, as a result, got an offer from Swanson Corporation. You saw that I was gradually getting out of your control, so you wanted to drag me back to you?"

    Emelie had always been in William''s cage. He didn''t want her to be able to fly.

    He wanted her to always be by his side where she was within his reach. Simply put, he didn''t want her to have a good life.

    William held the back of Emelie''s neck again. His action was simr to the way cats and dogs pick up kittens and puppies.

    When it was done to people, it would make one , Emelie didn''t like it. She wanted to get away from him, but he refused to let go of her.

    "Don''t think too highly of yourself. No matter how high you reach, you can''t be higher than me. No matter where you go, I can deal with you easily." Coldly, William asked, "Did you forget what I told you that night?"

    What did he say? Was it, "Do you think that what you think is what you think?"

    Emelie wasn''t in the mood to y riddles with William. "Why did you do it then?"

    Wam didn''t answer. He lowered his head and her again. Emelle could no longer stand it.

    "Have you not seen the news? Many big shots lost their careers because they were filmed in meeting rooms and offices. There are surveince cameras here!"

    "You''re too imaginative." William wasn''t interested in doing such a thing in public. He wanted to ask Emelie something

    "Did you take the pills today?" Emelie was taken aback. Then, she remembered that when they did the deed unexpectedlyst night, they didn''t use any protection.

    It had been a long time since Emelie had done such a thing, so she forgot the process. Besides, she was busy with work.

    She couldn''t think about what happenedst night. Naturally, she didn''t think of taking medicine

    Williams said, "No wonder."

    No wonder Emelie was pregnantst time. She was too careless.

    Emelie felt irritated. She climbed up the desk and rolled to the other side before getting off. Then, she picked up the documents and left the meeting room hurriedly. William didn''t go after her. Instead, he straightened his suit. When she opened the door, he said, "I don''t like someone else''s scent on you. From now on, keep your distance from Samuel"

    Emelie had already left the meeting room. When she arrived at the elevator, she received a message on her phone.

    It was William. It read, "quickly decide on my offer about the doctors. My patience is limited."Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie didn''t want to take his words to heart, but the feeling of being prated by him in all directions still ruined her mood.

    She hurried back to her room and threw the documents heavily on the couch. Then, she let out a sigh. After taking deep breaths, she picked up her phone and bought a box of birth control pills Emelie clicked on the chat in WhatsApp with Ashley. She wanted to ask, "If someone is using my personal pictures to threaten me, how can I fight back?"

    Before she sent out the message, she deleted it. It wasn''t that she didn''t know how to settle this situation.

    When Mona''s ex-boyfriend, Hugo, spread her personal pictures, Emelle dealt with it well. She was just afraid of William.

    A message popped up. Emelie nced at the message and save that it was Mona. The moment she thought about Mona, Mona came looking for her.

    She really shouldn''t be thinking about people, lest they came looking for her as well. Emelie smiled. Sitting on the couch, she clicked on the WhatsApp logo on the phone. Mona sent her two pictures. The pictures were blurry. They must''ve been taken by using a phone camera and zoomed in.

    Nevertheless, Emelie recognized that the person in the picture was Vanessa She frowned in confusion.

    Then, Mona sent a voice message. "Emelie, I went shopping with my mother, but I didn''t wear my contact lenses. I wanted to use my phone camera to check if the store we wanted was in front when 1 saw this person."

    "Isn''t she William''s stepmother? I remember I came across the news of her and Mr. Middleton Senior at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

    "Why did shee to a rural ce? And who''s the pregnant woman next to her?"

 Chapter 208

    Chapter 208 Whose legitimate Child Is That

    1/1

    Chapter 208 Whose Illegitimate Child Is That

    Emelie was taken aback. She only noticed Vanessa just now. She didn''t notice that there was a pregnant young woman beside Vanessa.

    She took a closer look at the picture. It only showed half of the pregnant woman''s face. She wore a pair of sunsses, making her look unrecognizable. She seemed to be six to seven months pregnant. Mona said, "I didn''t click the shutter in time. Before this, they were holding each other''s arms. They looked close. Do you think they''re William''s paramour and illegitimate child? Emelie looked at the picture for a while. She had never seen the woman before.

    Nevertheless, she remembered that she came across Vanessa buying milk powder when she was shopping. When she went for a checkup in the hospital, she came across Vanessa waiting outside the ultrasound room.

    Although Vanessa gave Emelle a logical exnation, it might be an excuse. Initially, Emelie thought that Vanessa was the one pregnant. It turned out that it was the mysterious woman who was pregnant. who was she? Why was Vanessa taking care of her? She must be important to Vanessa

    Was it really William''s illegitimate child? Could it be Henry''s illegitimate child? Thetter seemed more usible.

    William and Vanessa didn''t get along. Even if he wanted to hide his legitimate child, he wouldn''t let Vanessa hide it for him.

    If it was thetter, it would be weirder if Vanessa took care of her husband''s mistress and illegitimate child.

    A moment of silenceter, Emelie responded, "It''s Mrs. Middleton. I don''t know who the woman is either. Maybe she''s a friend of Mrs. Middleton."

    Mona said, "Don''t worry. There aren''t many people living in this area, so everyone knows each other. I''ll ask my mother to enquire about it. I''ll let you know if she finds. something."

    It seemed that she had gotten over the problems with her job and love that she faced in Capebatt City.

    "Alright I''m on a business trip to Wintour City. I bought a few specialties. Give me your address. I''ll deliver it to your home."

    Mona sent Emelie a message that contained her address. After putting down the phone, Emelie walked back and forth in the living hall. She realized that she had learned something shocking

    If a wealthy family like the Middleton family had an illegitimate child, there would be a fight for assets and inheritance rights. It would be chaotic.

    The iodine solution used to disinfect Mnie''s hands had run out. Samuel ordered it online. It only arrived now.

    When he went down to collect it, he met William and Jayden who were about to go out in the elevator. William''s attitude was dull. On the other hand, Jayden smiled.

    "Is this how it feels to live only one floor apart? We can always meet each other in the elevator. Are you going out to eat?"

    Samuel pushed his sses. ¡°No. I''m going to collect Mnie''s medicine

    Jayden was considerate. "How''s Ms. Swanson''s hand injury? Has it gotten better?"

    "Yeah. It isn''t severe."

    Jayden nodded. "If she isn''t well, she doesn''t need to go to Blossom Heights for the inspection tomorrow. Anyway, there''s another important aspect," Samuel frowned. "What do you mean?" Jayden said, "There will be police officers in normal clothes in our team tomorrow to explore the condition of Blossom Heights."

    Samuel understood him. "I''ll think about it"

    The elevator arrived at the first floor. The three of them walked out.

    At the entrance of the hotel, there were two delivery men holding medicines. Samuel said, "The end of my phone number is 6754 with Swanson as thest name" One of the delivery men walked over. "This is yours."

    William looked at the other deliveryman. He was on a call with the seller. Suddenly, he asked, "Is that for Hoven with the phone number 2055?

    The delivery man was taken aback before nodding. "Yeah. Is it yours?"N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    William smiled. "Yeah. It''s mine."

    "Here" The deliveryman gave Wim the bag.

    Upon hearing that, Samuel turned around. "Is it Emelie''s?

    William opened the bag in front of Samuel. Thetter said, "I don''t think you have the right to open her stuff"

    "If I know it''s hers, I know what she bought. You aren''t as close as her. That''s why you''re worried about it."

    William threw the bag in the thrash. Then, he gave Samuel the birth control pills.

    "Since you''re going back up, pass it to her."

 Chapter 209

    Chapter 209 Fond of Her

    Jayden thought that if Samuel hadn¡¯t been a professor and a gentleman, and if he hadn¡¯t promptly retrieved a handkerchief from his suit pocket to wrap up the box of medicine and handed it to Samuel while gesturing for William to leave, a beal might have erupted between the two right in front of the hotel.

    Once they were in the car, <b>Jayden </b>rubbed the bridge of his nose. ¡°Why did you provoke him?Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    ¡°Did i?¡± William responded, adjusting his sapphire cufflinks. He was clearly in a good mood

    ¡°You didn¡¯t? You were aware she¡¯s his girlfriend, yet you still asked him to deliver that to Ms. Hoven.¡± Jayden paused, unable toplete <b>his </b>sentence.

    Why was William acting so maliciously? After a moment of thought, Jayden asked, ¡°Do you truly harbor such a strong dislike for her?¡±

    Seated in the back of the SUV, William rested his elbow on the armrest, his face asionally lit up by passing streetlights. ¡°Dislike who?¡°¡±

    ¡°Ms. Hoven,¡± Jayden rified William frowned, giving him a puzzled look.

    Jayden pressed on. ¡°Regardless of whether Samuel is her boyfriend, a friend, or someone she¡¯s interested in, your actions <b>would </b>undoubtedly cause Ms. Howen to feel ufortable and embarrassed. Treating her this way, isn¡¯t that a clear Indication of animosity toward her?

    William¡¯s lips curved into a faint smile. ¡°I don¡¯t hate her.¡± In fact, be found himself quite ¡°fond of her at the moment.

    Emelie <b>had </b>just finished arranging <b>her </b>tasks for the next day and was about to check her phone for the delivery status of her medication when the doorbell chimed. When she opened the door, she found Samuel standing there.

    ¡°Mr. Swanson, what brings you here?¡± she inquired.

    The hotel corridor was bathed warmly in orange light. Samuel stood before her in a beige sweater, his demeanor unusually gentle.

    ¡°I went downstairs to pick up medicine for Mnie and happened to meet the delivery person who <b>was </b>bringing your medication. That¡¯s why I thought I¡¯d bring it up to you,¡± he exined.

    Emelie paused briefly, feeling a sudden peng of andety Samuel handed berthe yellow paper bag. She observed the outer packaging and, upon noticing that it was still intact, sighed in relief as she epted it

    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Swanson..¡± she said. However, upon closer inspection, she realised the bag had been opened and hastly resealed.

    Emelie bit her lip, meeting Samuel¡¯s gaze. She was certain he had seen the medication. Despite this, Samuel¡¯s demeanor remained gentle as he asked, ¡°Have you had <b>dinner</b>?¡±

    Yes, ordered room service,¡± she replied.

    ¡°Alright. If there¡¯s nothing else, you should get some rest. We had in increase our workload today to meet the deadline, so you must be exhausted,¡± he said.

    ¡°You should get some rest, too,¡± Emelie replied, her emotions in disarray.

    Samuel nodded with a smile and turned to walk back to his room

    Emelie closed the door and leaned against it, holding the box of medicine in her hand, uncertain of her next move

    The following morning, five cars made their way toward Blossom Clove. Unlike other project sites where groundwork was already underway, Blossom Clove had construction materials piled up at the vige entrance due to vigers¡® reluctance to relocate.

    Emelie sat in one of the cars, gazing out the window

    She noticed <b>a </b>gate made out ofballoon Lowers at the vige entrance<b>, </b><b>adorned </b>with <b>a </b><b>banner </b>that read ¡°Wee,¡± with ¡°Esteemed Guests¡± below it and ¡°To Our Vige¡± <b>on </b><b>the </b>Just line

    She couldn¡¯t quite discern the intentions of the vigers of Blossom Clove. As the cars pulled into the vige¡¯s open area, Jason Thom, the vige head, and several young men approached to greet them.

    William got out of the car and immediately identified jaxon as the one who had orchestrated the ambush in the forest <b>that </b>night. Now, meeting <b>in </b>daylight with their roles. reversed, Jaron¡¯s demeanor betred no trace of unease on his face.

    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Jaxon Thorn, the vige head of Blossom Clove,¡± he greeted, extending his hand.

    However, William disregarded the gesture and cemarked, ¡°Mr. Thom, this is quite an borate setup.¡±

    Jaxon showed no embarrassment, he smiled and withdrew his hand. ¡°It¡¯s <b>only </b>fitting it¡¯s our way of weing everyone to ensure the prosperity of the vige.¡±

    Jayden emerged from another car and spoke calmly, ¡°Mr. Thom, if you could sign the demolition agreement today, by this time next year, it will benefitnot only us but the entire vige.

    Jason chuckled heartily. ¡°We¡¯re simply waiting for you <b>to </b>thoroughly explore and recognize the value of ournd<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    Emelie sensed Samuel walking up beside her. She turned to him, and be whispered softly, ¡°stick close to me today.¡±

    Mnie exited the car and went directh to William Without hesitation, she <b>took </b>his hand. ¡°Will, there are so many dogs here. I¡¯m really scared.¡±

    Jon seatched his head. ¡°Oops, my apologies. These are all vige dogs<b>, </b>and they usually roam freely, if they frightened you, I¡¯ll <b>have </b>someone remove them right away.¡±

    As he moved to shoo the dogs away<b>, </b>they suddenly started barking <b>loudly </b>for some unknown reason<b>.</b>

    Mnie had been pretending earlier. But now, with the dogs barking loudly, she genuinely felt scared and timidly hid behind William.

    Just then, <b>along </b>whistle echoed, causing the dogs to adopt aggressive postures. The bodyguards quickly positioned themselves in front of William and the others

    Win lilled his gaze calmly, Depple approached from a distance, casually remarking, ¡°Mr. Middleton, <b>good </b>to see you again.¡±

    Then, he nced at Emelle. ¡°Oh, Emily¡¯s here too.¡±

 Chapter 210

    Chapter 210 Bring You Down With Me

    Chapter 210 Bring You Down With Me

    Emelie looked up calmly and responded, ¡°Mr. Juste, you¡¯ve mistaken me for someone else. I¡¯m not the Emily you¡¯re referring to.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see. My mistake,¡± Reggie said<b>, </b>feigning sudden realization and giving her a sarcastic thumbs¨Cup

    ¡°Ms, Hoven, you¡¯re correct. You¡¯re not Emily. You¡¯re a good citizen who provided the police with valuable information. Thanks to you, my bar is still shut down for inspection.¡±

    Emelie¡¯s expression remained unchanged, unaffected by Reggie¡¯s attempt to intimidate her. With a cold smile, he addressed William, ¡°Mr. Middleton, now that you¡¯re here, allow me to be your guide I know this ce better than anyone.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± William replied. Seeing no surprise or wariness on William¡¯s face, Reggie felt once again dismissed.

    After encountering two dead ends consecutively, he turned his head and snapped, ¡°Go away, you dogs! You¡¯re scaring the guests!¡±

    The dogs, initially ready to attack, Immediately lowered their cars and barked a couple of times. They retracted their fangs and <b>ws </b>but didn¡¯t leave; instead, they continued to circle around them.

    Reggie guided them around the vige<b>, </b>offering a tour and introducing them to themunity.

    As Emelie and Samuel walked <b>side </b>by side, Samuel suddenly asked, ¡°Was this the man who orchestrated the abduction at the bar that night?¡±

    Emelle pursed her Eps. ¡°Yes,¡±

    Samuel adjusted his sses. However, even through the lenses, the cold, murderous glint in his eyes was unmistakable,

    The vige roads were rough and uneven, dotted with wild grasses and buzzing mosquitoes. Mnte, wearing a short skirt that exposed her legs, had been bitten by mosquitoes several times, resulting inrge wees.

    Unable to bear it any longer<b>, </b>she tagged on William¡¯s sleeve. ¡®Will, have you seen enough? There¡¯s nothing here but a rural vige. Let¡¯s leave now.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    William had never paid much attention to Mnie He found her habit of constantly grabbing his hand annoying.

    In the past, he had indulged her somewhat, partly out of respect for the Swanson family and partly because she was the woman Emelie had <b>arranged </b>for him.

    He wanted to see how long Emelie could maintain her calm <b>and </bposed demeanor. But now, he grew irritated every time he came across members of the Swanson family and had no desire to be courteous.

    He withdrew his arm, his tone indifferent. ¡°Ms. Swanson, your ce isn¡¯t beside me. If you¡¯re unwilling to work,

    rk, report to your supervisor. You¡¯re free to leave whenever you wish

    Mnie pouted. ¡°Will, you weren¡¯t this distant with me before¡±

    William chuckled. ¡°You weren¡¯t this disrespectful before, either.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not being disrespectful.¡± Mnie felt a pang of guilt and bat her lip. ¡°Did Frielle say something to you?¡±

    William remained silent, and Mnie took his silence <b>as </b>confirmation. She stomped her foot in anger. ¡°I knew she was a maniptive woman!¡±

    With that, she stormed over to Emelie and shoved her without warning, ¡°I already apologized to you, and you still went and talked badly about me to will! How could you be <b>so</b>

    Emelle staggered back a few steps and inadvertently stepped <b>on </b>something soft and unfamiliar in the thicket. Without looking back, she retorted, ¡°Ms. Swanson<b>, </b>you apologized to me? When? I don¡¯t recall receiving any apology¡±

    Mnie¡¯s anger intensified, pointing usingly at her. ¡°You!¡±

    Samuel¡¯s expression darkened ¡°Mnie!

    Before <b>Mnie </b>could respond, the dogs circling around them suddenly barked fiercely Without giving anyone a chance to react, the dogs turned aggressive and hinged at the group.

    The group consisted of more than a dozen people, with Jaxon leading the vigers, totaling around twenty to thirty individuals crowded onto a narrow path that was barely six feet

    wide

    As the vige dogs attacked, chans erupted, and everyone scrambled for cover. The bodyguards reacted immediately. Amidst the chaos, Emelie nced back at the thicket where she had stepped earlier.

    To her horror, she discovered it was a bruised human band!

    Her eyes widened, and she couldn¡¯t help but let out a startled exmation, ¡°Ah!¡±

    She took a sudden step back and bumped into someone. When she turned around in panic, she found herself face¨Cto¨Cface with

    William, who had been at the front of the group with the bodyguards, was now beside her.

    Trading with fear, she pointed urgently toward the thicket ¡°William! Look over there!¡±

    William sepointed and noticed it as well

    th William. There was no time to question why

    Just thien, a shout rang out, ¡°Now that you¡¯ve caught me red¨Chanded, there¡¯s no point in hiding anymore! I¡¯ll make sure to <b>bring </b>you down with me, even if it¡¯s thest thing bil- Emelie turned abruptly and found herself staring directly into Jack¡¯s menacing face.

 Chapter 211

    Chapter 211 InjuriesN?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    Chapter 21 Injuries

    How did Jack end up here? He was Beggle¡¯s minion and a fugitive. Moreover, he hadn¡¯t been with Reggle moments ago.

    However, there he was, charging toward them with <b>a </b>knife! The <b>tip </b>of the knife was just inches away.

    Emelie¡¯s instinct was to shove William aside and retreat herself. William seemed to anticipate her action. He seized her outstretched hand, pulled her behind him, and swiftly <b>kicked </b>at Jack¡¯s knife.

    Unfortunately, the proximity and suddenness of the attack caused the kick to miss its mark. Instead of being sent flying, Jack¡¯s limite moved only an inch. He then swung the knife wildly as if he had lost his mind.

    Against animational assant, even the most skilled individuals faced a disadvantage.

    In an instant, Emelie witnessed the life plunge into William¡¯s abdomen. Her eyes widened <b>in </b>shock. Jack¡¯s initial strike hadnded, and without hesitation, he forcefully withdrew the knife.

    Emelie noticed blood on the life and saw William clutching his abdomen. Jack prepared to strike once more, but Emelle swiftly reacted by using the chain from her shoulder bag <b>as </b>an improvised weapon. She swung it at Jack¡¯s face, and the aluminum orament attached to her bag delivered a painful blow

    When Jack was struck, be instinctively covered his face, momentarily dying his actions. This gave William the opportunity to kick him away and allowed the bodyguards enough time to rush in and protect him.

    Unable to reach William any longer, Jack began attacking indiscriminately.

    Outside, dogs were barking, and inside, Jack was wielding a knife. Screams filled the air as people scrambled to dodge. In the midst of the chaos, Emelie¡¯s arm was shed. The chaos persisted until the sound of a gunshot reverberated through the air. Jack, who had been attacking people Indiscriminately, froze in ce.

    It was the police who had tired the shot. Emelle instinctively wanted to see where he was hit.

    However, Samuel, who had hurried up <b>behind </b>her, shielded her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t look,¡± he said. Despite his efforts, Emelie managed to catch a glimpse. The shot had struck Jack right between the eyes. With that, the chaos finallycame to an end.

    Nearly thirty individuals present had suffered injuries of varying severity and were promptly transported to the hospital for

    r treatment.

    In the emergency room, doctors and nurses hurried around, efficiently handling the situation,

    Emelie, too, was ced on a hospital bed. Her am injury was not minor and required stitches. Additionally, she needed a tetanus shot and an IV drip to reduce inmmation. During the chaos, Samuel rushed to Mnie¡¯s aid.

    <b>A </b>dog had bitten her call deeply, causing heavy bleeding. Mnie¡¯s condition was far more severe than Emelie¡¯s. When a nurse took Mnie to undergo surgery, she <b>cried </b>and insisted that Samuel apany her..

    Emelie ceassured Samuel, saying. ¡°My injuries aren¡¯t serious. I¡¯ll be fine. Go check on Ms. Swanson quickly,¡±

    Samuel frowned as he watched the doctor prepare to stitch up Emelie¡¯s wound. ¡°You call this not serious?

    Enselie smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t even need surgery. That can¡¯t be considered serious. Seriously, go check on Ms. Swanson. Her leg injury is much worse.¡±

    There was a possibility that the dog <b>had </b>torn a chunk of flesh from Mnie¡¯s leg

    Emelle pursed her Eps. ¡°There <b>are </b>nurses here, and you need to sign the surgery consent form for Ms. Swanson.¡±

    Sampel sighed heavily but ultimately didn¡¯t linger. He promptly followed Mnie out.

    As soon as he exited the ward, he made <b>a </b><b>call </b>¡°Are you still in Wimstour City? Come to the AllCare Hospital¡¯s emergency room¡­ she¡¯s injured.¡±

    Enelley alone in the hospital bed. Though her wound wasn¡¯t severe, it still throbbed. She cradled her arm and thought about how William was likely the most seriously injured

    She wondered how deeply the knife had pierced him. As Emelie thought about this, she heard a scornful chuckle from the adjacent bed.

    A man¡¯s slightly hoarse voice spoke up, ¡°How many times has he failed to protect you now? How many times has he abandoned you?¡±

    Emelie froze. <b>They </b>were in the emergency room, where each bed was separated by just a curtain.

    Suddenly, the curtain was pulled back by a hand. Therey William on his bed, with doctors and nurses still attending to his wounds. However, his focus wasn¡¯t on his own injuries; instead, he gazed at Emelie with a trace of mockery in his expression.

    Spen to im Your Surprise Reward

 Chapter 212

    Chapter 212 Lifesaver

    Enelle initially nced at William¡¯s abdominal wound, but it was too obscured by blood to see clearly. His face had paled <b>from </b>blood <b>loss</b>, entuating the intensity of his brows

    and eyes

    ¡°Ms. Swanson is seriously injured. It¡¯s only natural for Mr. Swanson to attend to her <b>first</b>,¡± Emelle replied.

    Willum¡¯s gaze swept over her face as he remarked coldly, ¡°You¡¯re quick to defend him.¡±Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    The doctor readied himself and approached Emelie¡¯s bed with an anesthetic syringe in hand. ¡°Please refrain from speaking now. We¡¯re about to start stitching.¡±

    Emelie nodded, pressing her lips and holding her <b>breath</b>.

    On the other side, William¡¯s doctor remarked, ¡°This isn¡¯t good. There¡¯s still bleeding. We need to prepare for surgery to check for internal injuries.¡±

    Knowing William¡¯s identity, the doctor dared not be negligent. ¡°Mr. Middleton, you need surgery immediately,¡± the doctor insisted.

    Standing beside William, Ashton appeared anxious and worried. ¡°Doctor, you must save Mr. Middleton!¡±

    William raised his hand to signal for silence. The nurses were ready to wheel him to the operating room, but he motioned for them to wait a moment.

    <b>Once </b>Emelie was numbed with anesthesia, the doctor started stitching her wound. Emebe kept her eyes tightly <b>shut</b>

    Although she couldn¡¯t feel the pain, she could unmistakably sense the needle and thread passing through her flesh. Her brows furrowed as she endured it, unaware that William was observing her the entire time.

    The <b>doctor </bpleted five stitches in total. When he finally said, ¡°All done,¡± Emelie¡¯s entire body rxed. She sank back onto the bed, exhausted, with a sheen of sweat on her

    forehead<b>.</b>

    The doctor asked, ¡°You¡¯ll need to remain in the hospital for two days for TV antibiotics. Do you have any family members here?¡±

    Before Emelie <b>could </b>respond, William interjected, ¡°Ashton, handle her paperwork<b>.</b>¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Middleton, I¡¯ll take care of it. But your wound can¡¯t wait any longer,¡± Ashton said urgently, noting that William¡¯s bandage was stained with blood once again.

    Willian nced at Emelle onest time Seeing her resting with her eyes closed, he finally allowed the nurse to wheel him away.

    After seeing William off to the operating room, Ashton returned to retrieve Emelie¡¯s ID for the admission paperwork. Emelle was then moved to a VIP room.

    It wasn¡¯t at Emelie¡¯s request; her injury only required an IV drip and didn¡¯t justify a VIP room. However, since Ashton had already arranged it, she didn¡¯t object

    ¡°Emelie, rest up first. I¡¯ll wait in the operating room for Mr. Middleton. He¡¯s in rough shape but insisted on seeing you stitched up before his surgery.

    ¡°Excessive blood loss is very risky. If anything were to happen to him under my watch, I wouldn¡¯t know how to face Mr. Middleton Senior and Mrs. Middleton¡­¡°Ashton rambled

    Emelie murmured softly, <b>¡°</b>Go ahead. I¡¯m fine here.¡±

    Ashton hurried away, and Emelie released a breath. The anesthesia hadn¡¯t worn off yet, so she didn¡¯t feel any pain.

    The medication appeared in have a sedative effect, and she started to feel drowsy. She didn¡¯t fight the urge to sleep and closed her eyes.

    After the traumatic events, <b>she </b>boce lingering psychological scars.

    In her dreams, she found herself back on the vige road. The sky was gray, people fled in panic as aggressive dogs attacked, and the sound of a gunshot reverberated through the

    Bang-

    Emelie jolted awake. At that moment, there was a stir in the hospital room. She nced toward the door in confusion and saw a nurse wheeling William¡¯s bed into her room. Instantly, she snapped awake,

    ¡°What are you doing in my room?¡± she asked.

    12 William¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°I¡¯m paying for the hospital stay. Can¡¯t be here?¡±

    ¡°Your room¡±

    Emelie realized she had only given Ashton her ID, not her bank card. She reached over to press the nurse call botton. ¡°I¡® have

    ¡°I¡® have the nurse move me to a different room.

    William¡¯s expression hardened, his demeanor showing a hint of impatience. ¡°Why all the drama? Weren¡¯t you the one who risked your life <b>to </b>save me back in Blossom Clove?¡± Emelle paused. <b>For </b>once, she didn¡¯t deny it. Instead, she asked with genuine concem, ¡°Mr. Middleton, is your injury serious<b>?</b>¡±

    William nced at her, somewhat surprised by her response. His tone softened as he replied, ¡°There¡¯s no internal damage. The wound <b>has </b>been stitched up. It¡¯s nothing serious. He adjusted his position <b>on </b>the bed, gazing at her with an inscrutable expression. ¡°Are you worried about me?¡±

    As the anesthesia began to wear off, Emelle started feeling the pain. She gripped her arm and replied, ¡°I did go to save you.¡±

    William had initially expected her to deny it. ¡°I hadn¡¯t swing my bag at that moment, Mr. Middleton, you¡¯d definitely <b>be </b>more severely injured right now. So, in a way, I¡¯m your

    Willie simply looked at her, waiting to hear her next words,

    Tople tumed barn head slightly. ¡°As a favor in return, please delete my photo.¡±

    Uskoter 213 Are You Out of Your Mind

 Chapter 213

    Chapter 213 Are You Out of Your Mind

    William remained expressionless. ¡°Is that why you saved me?¡±

    1/1

    Emelie was worried that William might try to avoid repaying his debt. ¡°Mr. Middleton, you wouldn¡¯t be ungrateful, would you?¡±

    william chuckled <b>coldly</b>, his demeanor turning indifferent as he ignored her. Clutching his abdominal wound, he turned away. <b>¡°</b>Just behave. When I¡¯m <b>discharged</b>, I¡¯ll delete it¡±

    Though it was only a two¨Cday stay, the thought of sharing a hospital room with him for forty¨Ceight hours made Emelle ufortable. She even considered asking the nurse to discharge her early.

    Surprisingly, William seemed to understand her thoughts. He said calmly, ¡°80% of the group is in the hospital Going out alone would make you an easy target for Reggie.¡±

    Emelie reluctantly pushed aside her thoughts, feeling irritated. However, mentioning Reggie brought her anxiety rushing back. ¡°That <b>hand</b><b>¡­ </b>Is it from the body that hasn¡¯t been found?

    William closed his eyes. ¡°Yes.¡±

    Emelie¡¯s face was drained of <b>color</b>. <b>¡°</b><b>The </b>police dogs searched Blossom Clow thoroughly and found nothing. Now it¡¯s just exposed in the thicket. It must have been deliberate.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± William replied.

    ¡°Before Jack attacked, he yelled something like, ¡®Now that you¡¯ve caught me red¨Chanded, there¡¯s no point in hiding anymore Was he trying to confess to the murder and conceal the body?¡± Emelie <b>inquired</b>.

    William smirked in response. ¡°Getting tired of being a secretary and thinking <b>of </b><b>a </b>career change to detective?¡±

    People would tend to overthink when directly involved in such incidents. Emelie¡¯s gaze drifted as she observed the IV drip, drop by drop.

    William spoke calmly, ¡°Jack went on a stabbing spree, injuring over a dozen people. The police warned him three times to stop, and shooting him was justified

    ¡°Max was apprehended and admitted to identally killing someone. However, he denies any association with Reggie.¡±

    Emelie grasped the situation. Reggle understood that continued investigation would inevitably Implicate him.

    Therefore, he handed over Jack and Mar, who were already wanted by the police, along with the body, in an attempt to divert suspicion from himself.

    Whether this survival tactic would seed depended on the authorities¡® investigation. It was beyond their control, and they couldn¡¯t intervene.

    William had juste out of surgery, yet he seemed to have ess in all these real¨Ctime updates. Emelle wondered how he managed to handle everything

    ¡°Jack didn¡¯t attack randomly. He came after you right from the start, Emelie asserted. ¡°All of us getting hurt was because <b>of </b>you¡±

    William turned his head. The hospital bed¡¯s pillow and nket were white, matching his paleplexion. However, his unusually dark eyes bore into her with a grave and intense expression.

    ¡°He came after me because Reggie ordered It. Reggie targeted me because that night at the bar, I didn¡¯t show him respect when I took <b>you </b>away.¡±

    Emelie countered, ¡°I got involved with Reggie because Patricia abandoned me in the wilderness and exposed the to things I shouldn¡¯t have seen. And Patricia singled me out because of you¡±

    The two exchanged usations<b>, </b>arguing over who bore the responsibility. Emelle¡¯s words <b>angered </b>William, intensifying the pain from his wound.

    As Emelie reflected further, everything started to be clearer.

    ¡°You knew Reggie was about to pin the me on someone, didn¡¯t you? That day at the police station, you assured me Reggie wouldn¡¯t bother me much longer. That meant this issue would soon be resolved, correct?¡±

    William nced at her. Emelie was his pupil, so naturally, she was sharp.

    Unexpectedly, Emelie pressed on, ¡°Your security arrangements were inadequate despite anticipating trouble today at Blossom Clove. Compared to Mr. Swanson, you seem more ipetent¡±

    William chuckded disbelievingly, Clutching his wound, he asked, ¡°Am I supposed to be psychic? Could I have predicted Reggie would still be training dogs?¡±

    He had brought bodyguards along; if it were just an ordinary attack, they could have protected everyone.

    The real issue was dealing with those wild dogs. When the dogs attacked, William instructed his bodyguards to safeguard the rest of the group. Otherwise, the injuries would have been much more numerous and severe.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    Emelie remarked, ¡°Being fully prepared means being capable of managing any situation that arises.¡±

    William abruptly sat up from his reclined position, clutching his wound as he red at her with frustration. ¡°You¡¯re ready to defend Mr. Swanson at any cost, aren¡¯t you? Are you out of your mind?

    Emelie remainedposed. ¡°But those were your own words, Mr. Middleton.¡±

    During her time at Cloudex Corporation, Emelie encountered an unexpected incident at a client reception. When Williamter questioned her about it, she exined that she had prepared thoroughly but couldn¡¯t foresee the incident.

    His response had been direct ¡°Thorough preparation means being capable of managing any situation. If you can¡¯t manage it, then you¡¯re ipetent¡± Now, the criticism he had one directed at her hade full circle in his own experience. William found himself at a loss for words.

 Chapter 214

    Chapter 214 Reaction

    William¡¯s expression remained grim, and Emelie fell silent. Her arm throbbed painfully, prompting her to press the nurse call button.

    Upon the nurse¡¯s arrival, Emelie informed her about the severe pain in her arm

    The nurse examined the wound and reassured her, ¡°It¡¯s normal to experience pain after stitches. If it¡¯s unbearable, I can bring you some painkillers.¡±

    Emelle nodded. ¡°Yes, please.¡±

    Emelie could endure psychological pain no matter how intense or stressful, but her tolerance for physical pain was much lower. Psychological pain often <b>had </b>to be endured regardless of its intensity. In contrast, physical pain could be eased with medication<b>, </b>so she chose not to endure it unnecessarily.

    After all, everyone had their limits, and enduring everything would eventually lead <b>to </b><b>a </b>breakdown.

    The nurse brought Emelie some painkillers. After taking one, Emelle decided to get some sleep.

    Seeing William in the adjacent bed, the nurse asked, ¡°Is your wound bothering you, too<b>? </b><b>Would </b>you like a painkiller?**

    William responded calmly, ¡°No need.¡±

    Intimidated by his demeanor, the nurse quietly left without another word. William¡¯s expression remained stern as he sat in silence for a while before shifting his gaze to Emelle.

    She had already fallen asleep, seemingly oblivious to the fact that she had boldly challenged him earlier. William chuckled coldly to himself. It appeared she had forgotten how she had once pleaded with him for mercy,

    William¡¯s thoughts <b>paused </b>briefly. He hadn¡¯t intended to delve into that perspective, he was merely highlighting his skills and abilities.

    If hecked genuine talent and capability, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to sessfully lead Cloudex Corporation forward despite being <b>the </b><b>sole </b>heir of the Middleton family.

    Relying solely on Henry¡¯s protection would have turned him into a pupper for the old guard. However, in reality, he had been the one making decisions and swiftly handling dissenting voices in the operations of Cloudex Corporation.

    When people evaluated William, they praised his decisive leadership. No one dared <b>to </b>challenge him. Yet, upon reflection, those words seemed somewhat ambiguous.

    ¡°Ipetent¡± and <b>¡°</b>pleading for mercy¡± in that context, weren¡¯tpletely far¨Cfetched

    When Emelie had been drugged that day, she initially resisted but eventually couldn¡¯t hold out. Simr situations had urred almost every night during those three years.

    <b>As </b>he pondered this, William found himself drifting from his original thoughts. He wore a hospital scrub with the cor slightly open to avoid feeling suffocated.

    However, at that <b>moment</b><b>, </b>be felt a bit warm. He furrowed his brows and pushed the nket down.

    He <b>intended </b>to reach for a ss of water, but it was just out of reach. Having recently undergone abdominal surgery, he couldn¡¯t stretch or exert himself too much, even though the injury wasn¡¯t severe.

    He could have called Ashton; she was waiting outside the door. Yet, he felt astringe reaction stirring within himself. William nced at the nket with a tinge of irritation. He was wexed by this involuntary physical reaction.Content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    It frustrated him further that despite the reaction, their current physical conditions prevented them from acting on it. All he could do was endure it and wait for it to pass. Tuming his head, he observed Emelie, who had triggered this inexplicable irritation in him.

    She slept soundly, oblivious to her surroundings. Her chestnut curls cascaded over the white pillow, adding to her beauty. The twilight softened the contours of her profile. William gazed at her briefly before averting his eyes. He <b>didn¡¯t </b>feel anything in particr. His phone vibrated; it was Jayden.

 Chapter 215

    Chapter 215 Fierce Competition

    Chapter 215 Fierce Competition

    Witam ignored the call and sent a WhatsApp message instead. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Jayden, who had escaped injury, was responsible for managing the aftermath of the incident. He had just left the police station.Content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Reggie ims he¡¯s just an <b>old </b>friend of Jack and Max. He hasn¡¯t been in contact with them recently and has no idea why they would do such <b>a </b>thing.¡±

    Wim smirked. ¡°That¡¯s nonsense.¡±

    ¡°Everyone knows he¡¯s lying. The issue is there¡¯s no direct evidence linking Reggie to their actions<b>, </b>so the police had to release him for now. Will, Reggie may not have a strong background, but he¡¯s turning out to be more troublesome than we anticipated.¡±

    <b>William </b>messaged, ¡°He can train dogs, the police witnessed it.¡±

    Jayden responded, ¡°He ims he was just whistling randomly, not training dogs. He¡¯s not from Blossom Clove, and those vige dogs shouldn¡¯t obey him.

    ¡°He¡¯s trying to distance himself from everything. Right now, there¡¯s no way to hold <b>him </b>ountable.¡±

    ¡°That might <b>not </b>be the case,¡± William replied, his lips curling into a cold smile. ¡°Have you informed Lyle about this?¡±

    Jayden raised <b>his </b>eyebrows. ¡°Not yet.¡±

    He knew that if Lyle found out, he wouldn¡¯t handle it delicately. William contemted that it legal measures proved ineffective, they might resort to their own methods. There was no way he would allow this to go unchecked<b>.</b>

    Jayden knew what to do next and changed the subject. He asked<b>, </b>¡°Are you okay? How about Ms. Hoven¡¯s injuries?¡±

    ¡°Just surface wounds, nothing serious,¡± William responded as the hospital room door opened. He ced his phone down and nced up,

    It was Samuel who entered. Seeing William there, Samuel immediately furrowed his brows.

    William remained indifferent. Meanwhile, Samwel simply nodded in acknowledgment and walked straight to Emelie¡¯s bedside.

    She was deeply asleep. Samuel settled beside her bed, silently keeping watch without disturbing her.

    William scrolled through his phone, his tone icy as he dealt with the aftermath of such a significant incident. ¡°Mr. Swanson, do you have time toe over? Shouldn¡¯t you be looking after your sister?¡±

    Samuel responded in a simrly distant manner, ¡°There¡¯s no need for your concern, Mr. Middleton. Ell take care of Mnie and Emelie

    ¡°at¡¯s your responsibility to care for your sister. And as for Emelie,¡± William nced over, his gaze as cold as snowkes.

    ¡°Are you caring for her our of your own self¨Cinterest, or are you doing it for someone who¡¯s <b>hiding </b><b>and </b><b>afraid </b>to show his face?¡±

    Samuel remainedposed. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re implying.¡±

    ¡°I believe you understand¡± William continued calmly, ¡°During your time at Halcyon University pursuing your master¡¯s and doctoral degrees, you met Wesley and befriended him.

    ¡°Later, upon your return, you took up a position as a professor at Capebatt University and maintained contact with Wesley.¡°¡±

    Samuel¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°Mr. Middleton, are you invading my privacy?¡±

    ¡°Privacy concerns only arise with dubious situations. By your standards, is your acquaintance with Wesley something to keep concealed?¡± William chuckled softly, and Samuel pursed his lips in response.

    When Emmelie <b>had </b>been abandoned in the wilderness, Abel confessed to William that Samuel had interrogated him. Samuel promptly disclosed Emelie¡¯s location to Marcel, who was Wesley¡¯s associate

    This revtion confirmed to William that Samuel was acquainted with Wesley, prompting him to delve deeper into their connections.

    Williamleaned against the bedside, his expression ful. ¡°Wesley <b>hasn¡¯t </b>made any progress in all these years. He only knows how to make petty moves behind the scenes.¡± Samuel adjusted his sses, his tone indifferent. ¡°Mr. Middleton, if you choose not to treat Emelie well, that¡¯s up to you. But you can¡¯t dictate how others look out for her and treat

    ber.

    ¡°As for Wesley¡¯s character, you don¡¯t seem entitled to judge.¡±

    William responded icily, ¡°Whether I treat her well or not isn¡¯t your ce to judge either. Did Wesley instruct you to watch over her all the way to her bedside? Mr. Swanson, your conduct is disgraceful.¡±

    Samuel¡¯s expression darkened. The exchange stirred Emelie from her brief nap. She awoke just in time, diffusing their escting tension.

    Chapter 216 Im Here for You

 Chapter 216

    Chapter 216 I¡¯m Here for You

    Emelie <b>wasn¡¯t </b>sure what they had been discussing earlier, but both of them suddenly tell silent.

    She nced at William and then shifted her gaze to Samuel, who was seated in the chair next to the <b>bed</b><b>. </b>She tried to sit up, but with her left hand injured, she couldn¡¯t support

    herself on the mattress.

    Samuel promptly stood up, cing his hand on her shoulder <b>naturally </b>and adjusting a pillow behind her <b>waist </b>to make her morefortable. His demeanor had softened, and he asked gently, ¡°How are you feeling<b>? </b><b>Is </b>it painful?¡±

    Emelie shook her head. ¡°I took painkillers, so it doesn¡¯t hurt much. Why did youe here? is Ms. Swanson seriously injured?¡±

    Samuel responded, ¡°The surgery went well. She¡¯s still under anesthesia and hasn¡¯t <b>woken </b>up yet. I¡¯ve asked the nurse to monitor her closely in the room. I¡¯ll be notified as soon as she wakes.¡±

    Emelle frowned slightly. Samuel sensed that she wanted him to take care of Mnie instead of staying with her.

    Before she could respond, he said, ¡°Mnie¡¯s room is on the same floor, just a few steps away. I wouldn¡¯t feel right if I didn¡¯t check on you.<b>¡±</b>

    Emelie reluctantly set aside her initial words and instead asked, ¡°I realize thaven¡¯t asked you yet. Were you injured?¡±

    When the dog <b>chased </b>after Mnie, Samuel was defenseless, which made it hard for him to avoid getting injured. Samuel shook his head to indicate that he hadn¡¯t been harmed. However, he ¡°identally¡± pushed his sleeve up a bit, and Emelie noticed the edge of a bandage. Pausing for a moment, she quickly rolled up his sleeve and saw the bandage wrapped around his forearm

    ¡°You said you weren¡¯t injured! Emelie blurted out anxiously.

    Samuel¡¯s eyes held <b>a </b>hint of amusement, reminiscent of when she asked about his fianc¨¦est time. He spoke gently, ¡°It was just a shallow bite. I¡¯ll get a rabies shot, and it¡¯ll be Tine

    Emelie wasn¡¯t entirely convinced. ¡°Are you sure it was just a shallow bite?

    ¡°Want me to unwrap <b>the </b>bandage and show you?¡±

    ¡°No need for that.¡±

    William remained silent, his demeanor stern Samuel gently squeezed Emelie¡¯s hand. ¡°<b>And </b>you, too. Next time you decide to y hero, make sure you prioritize your own safety <b>birst</b><b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    ¡°I know,¡± Emelle replied.

    ¡°You¡¯re quite curious, aren¡¯t you? You wanted to see what it looks like when someone gets shot dead. Aren¡¯t you afraid of nightmares. or have you already had them?¡±

    Samuel hit the mall on the head. Emelie nodded helplessly.

    Samuel pondered for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ve heard from the elders that eating hard¨Cboiled eggs can calm the nerves after a fright. Il bring you a coupleter.¡±

    <b>Emelle </b>sighed resignedly. <b>¡°</b><b>Isn¡¯t </b>that just a myth for children? You¡¯re a university professor. It doesn¡¯t seem quite appropriate for you to be <b>making </b>such unfounded statements.¡± ¡°At the edge of science les mysticism,¡± Samuel replied.

    They chatted as if they were alone,pletely disregarding William lying on the other bed. Witam observed as Emelle, who usually appeared guarded or cautious around him, now conversed cheerfully with another man just three feet away from him.Content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Emelie.¡± he called out sternly.

    Emelie turned to look at him, William¡¯s expression was cold as he reached over to switch off the bedsidemp. ¡°Ineed to rest. Don¡¯t disturb me.¡±

    Samuel interjected, ¡°Emelie, it¡¯s not appropriate for you to be in the same hospital room as Mr. Middleton. <b>I¡¯ll </b><b>ask </b>a nurse to transfer you to Mnie¡¯s room!

    Emelie was eager to leave, but William wasn¡¯t willing to let her go. William¡¯s lips quirked, devoid of a smile, ¡°Ms. Haven, are you leaving now?

    The implication was clear¨Cif she left now, his earlier promise to delete the photos upon her discharge <b>would </b>no longer hold<b>. </b>Emelie gripped the nket tightly, holding her breath.

    No, it¡¯s fine My injuries aren¡¯t serious. I¡¯ll stay here for the next two days and then be discharged. Moving around is too much trouble. Let¡¯s leave it at that,¡± Samuel appeared displeased ¡°Emelle.¡±

    Emelieposed herself and responded calmly, ¡°Mr. Swanson, you should go and look after Ms. Swanson. She depends on you the most. If she wakes up <b>and </b>doesn¡¯t find you there, she¡¯ll surely be upset.¡±

    ¡°Emelie.<b>¡± </b>Samuel said firmly

    Behind his sses, his eyes sharpened <b>as </b>he realized that William was ckmailing Enelse. It made sense why she hadplied when William asked her to stay and record data from Blossom Heightsst time.

    He watched William cautiously while William disyed no emotional response whatsoever

    ¡°I¡¯m here for you You don¡¯t need to be afraid, Samuel assured her. <b>¡°</b>Whatever it is, just tell me. I can help you¡±

    Finelie¡¯s eyes flickered slightly<b>, </b>and she parsed her lips. ¡°Lido have something I¡¯d like to ask you about.¡± Samuel nodded encouragingly. ¡°Go ahead.¡±

 Chapter 217

    Chapter 217 Rattled

    Emelle chuckled suddenly, ¡°I don¡¯t like hard¨Cboiled eggs. How about scrambled ones instead?!

    William snorted in amusement. Samuel was momentarily taken aback. Then, he called out, ¡°Emelie.¡±

    ¡°Eve already said I¡¯m fine several times, Mr. Swanson. Why won¡¯t you believe me? It¡¯s like you¡¯re hoping something¡¯s wrong.¡± Emelie paused to consider.

    ¡°Should I write you a guarantee just to promise you I¡¯m <b>okay</b>?¡± She refused to say it, leaving Samuel at a <b>loss</b>.

    Emelle insisted he go check on Mnie. Samuel hesitated for a few minutes, then sighed as he rose to leave.

    ¡°<b>I¡¯ll </b>bring you dinner tonight. Scrambled eggs, right? <b>Got </b>it¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    <b>The </b>moment Samoel stepped out of the room, his face hardened instantly. It was a stark contrast to his typically gentle demeanor.

    William lounged against the headboard. There was a faint smile curving his lips. He seemed in good spirits as he regarded Emelie

    ¡°Why not ask your beloved Mr. Swanson for help? Think he can thandle it? Or are you afraid he¡¯ll find out <b>about </b>us?¡±

    ¡°Neither,¡± Emelie replied. She settled back onto the bed, her voice steady. ¡°I¡¯m <b>afraid </b>you¡¯llplicate things for him. I¡¯d rather endure your difficulties than see him suffer, even

    <b>William¡¯s </b>smile faded gradually. The light on his side, which was switched off moments ago, plunged the room into deeper shadows.

    His demeanor became cold, and after a tense silence<b>, </b>he pressed, ¡°Say that again.¡±

    Emelie ignored him, serenely closed her eyes, and pretended to drift back to sleep. She knew what she was doing

    Whether driven by possessiveness or something else entirely, William clearly <b>cared </b>deeply about her connection with Samuel. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t keep bringing up Samuel every chance he got

    Since he cared, then let him care. As long as she could rattle him, Emelie felt a small release in the tigh mess of her chest.

    Her tactic worked pretty well William¡¯s wound started hurting more intensely for no apparent reason.

    The V drip had run dry, prompting the machine to alert the nurse¡¯s station. A nurse swiftly entered to rece it

    The nurse noticed the way his lips pressed together and sensed trouble. After securing the new IV bag, she pulled the nket back

    ¡°Oh no! You¡¯re bleeding! Did your wound reopen? Why didn¡¯t you call for help<b>?</b>¡±

    The nurse dashed off to find a doctor. When she mentioned that it was Wilhem, the doctor rushed over to inspect the wound, which was visibly soaking through the bandage.

    ¡°Mr. Middleton! You need to lie down. We need to re¨Cbandage this wound¡±

    Wamplied as he was eased back onto the bed. To protect patient privacy, the nurse swatly drew the curtain between <b>the </b>beds.

    While one bed was in chaos, Emeke was unaffected in the other bed. She reached out to turn off the light.

    Suddenly, William¡¯s hand shot out from behind the curtain and grabbed Emelle¡¯s wrist. Caught off guard, Emelle looked up in surprise

    Disregarding urgent pleas from doctors and nurses cautioning him against straining his muscles or risking a wound reopening and needing further surgery, Williams focused solely on Emelie. His demeanor was cold and obsessive.

    ¡°If you dare to love Samuel, I¡¯ll ensure he leaves Capebatt City just like I made Wesley leave back then!¡±

    Emelie¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°You..!¡±

    William was pushed back by the doctor, and the curtain was shut abruptly.

    Emelte stared intently at the curtain. She could only catch fleeting shadows of medical personnel bustling around, calling urgently for supplies.

    She bit her lip. Did William just say that it was he who <b>made </b>Wesley leave Capebatt City back then?

    Wesley went abroad after high school. The gossip going around was that he couldn¡¯t handle some girl chasing after him, so he opted to study abroad. But that was clearly just hearsay.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    Emelie knew there was another reason behind his decision to leave. As far as she knew, it had nothing to do with William.

    Did this mean her understanding of the situation wasn¡¯t the whole truth, either? Emelle tightened her grip on the nket, feeling a wave of confusion wash over her

    Spin to im Your Surprise Reward

 Chapter 218

    Chapter 218 Liv

    William eventually ended up in the operating room for a re¨Cstitching of his wound.

    Jayden pushed over and started bombarding Ashton with questions. ¡°What happened? Wasn¡¯t it just a little cut? Why does he need another surgery?¡±

    Ashton booked uneasy. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Mr. Middleton said I didn¡¯t have to stay in the room, so I was outside.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re saying his wound to open while he was just lying there <b>in </b>the room?¡®the in a private room? Who else was in there?¡± Jayden pressed for answeds.

    Ashion replied, ¡°Mr. Middleton is sharing a room with Ms. Hoven..¡±

    Jayden found it incredulous. From what he understood, Emelle was always under Wim¡¯s sway, like a tiger holding a fox in its grip, What could have happened to make his

    Lost in thought, jayden approached the room and nced through the window at Emelie. She was sitting up in bed, <b>looking </b>at her phone with a slight frown and appearing somewhat worried

    Was she fretting over william? jayden felt a flicker of rance, thinking Emelie might not be entirely different after all.

    But reality told a dillerent story. Erpelle¡¯s frown was due to a WhatsApp message from Mons, who had thig up information about the pregnant woman.

    Meanwhile<b>, </b>Sand¡¯s expression turned ley. He was froid, et has anger won¡¯t directed at Emelie for keeping things from him.

    It was at himself for feeling powerless to protect her Even now, she was still enduring William¡¯s bullying

    He strode toward Mnie¡¯s room and bumped into Bryan, who buried here Bryan had been away on a business trip overseas, which exined his absence from the major

    Upon returning to the country, he had ayover in Eprand en route to Weston <b>when </b>news of the incident in Wintour City reached him. Without hesitation, be changed his flight to head straight to Wimstor Cine

    Samuel masked his frustration a bit and replied, ¡°Bryn.¡±

    Worried about his younger sister, Bryan didn¡¯t notice his brother¡¯s unusualdemeanor right away, ¡°How¡¯s Mnie doing? ¡®

    ¡°She was bitten on the leg by <b>a </b>dog. The bites were deep, but the surgery went smoothly<b>, </b><b>and </b>she¡¯s stable now. She¡¯s still under anesthesia<b>, </b>though.¡±

    Bryan frowned deeply ¡°How could this even happen?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, how could this happen.¡± Samuel murmured, his eyes pinting with resolve

    At that moment<b>, </b>he knew where to direct his frustration. ¡°Bryan, stay with Mnie in her room need to step out for <b>a </b>bic¡±N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    ¡°Where are <b>you </b>going?¡± Bryan asked.

    Samuel removed his sses and smiled tainty, ¡°I¡¯m going to set this out.¡±

    He descended the stairs, stepped outside the hospital, and received <b>a </b><b>call </b>from the masked non¨C<b>Manel</b>. ¡°<b>What¡¯s </b><b>her </b>room number?¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t see her right now.

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    <b>¡®</b><b>Samuel¡¯s </b>response was blunt. ¡°She¡¯s sharing a room with William ¡±

    ¡°Damn,¡± Marcelmuttered under his breath ¡°What am I supposed to do? The boss wants me to see her and report back.¡±

    ¡°Where are you?¡± Samuel asked.

    ¡°Imputing up to the hospital Haven¡¯t parked my car yet,¡± Marcel ceplied, sounding perplexed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t park Wait for me¡±

    Samuel briskly descended the hospital stops and spotted Marcel¡¯s car nearby. He approached, yanked the passenger <b>door </b>open, and slidinside.

    Marcel looked briideed, ¡°What a going <b>on</b>?¨C

    Sampel had only two words. ¡°Drive Now!¡°¡±

    By 6:30pm, <b>the </b><b>sky </b>over the slum area <b>had </b>already plunged into darkness. This part of towny far from the city center<b>. </b><b>It </b>was far from the glitz and mor where the city¡¯s poorestcked out their existence in cramped quarters.

    As night fell, every door remained <b>firmlysbut</b>, burning the narrow alleyways into deserted pathways.

    Reggie had pulled off a major scope earlier that day Wary of any retribution from William, he was nowying low at his childhood <b>home</b>

    Despite his caution, he couldn¡¯t help but feel <b>a </b>rush of adrenaline. He was convinced he¡¯d orchestrated a remarkably smooth operation

    He had not only managed to ditch the troublesome corpse but also lended a stud on Wiliam. He was feeling immensely satisfied with himsel

    Reggieen fancied him as a bit of a genius for orchestrating the wild dog attack. He was <b>confident </b><b>that </b>the police <b>wouldn¡¯t </b>be able to pin <b>anything </b>on him.

    <b>Later </b>that afternoon, he was out at the vige edge<b>, </b><b>knocking </b><b>back </b><b>drinks </b>with his buddies, getting good <b>and </b>drunk before wowing <b>his </b>way home, Lest in his thoughts and not paying attention, he turned a cecer and walked <b>straight </b>into what felt like a solid wall Walt, was there even a will there?

    Reggle stared up in bewilderment, realizing the obstacle in his path wasn¡¯t a wall but two men

    It first instinct was tosh out with <b>a </b>string of curses, demanding they recognize who he was and questioning their audacity to stand in his way. Adler all, everyone in this vige

    newer clear of him after dark

    but before he could utter a single word, the man with bronze¨Ctoned skin <b>seized </b>Reggie by <b>the </b><b>cor </b>and hurled his deep into <b>the </b>narrow alley. Reggle hit the ground hard, the import jolting his <b>out </b>of his drucken stupor in an instant.

    gple squlled at the two men, engriding they were there <b>thin</b>

    ¡°Who the hete your pays? What do you want?¡± Regge demanded, his voice tinged with defiance. ¡°This is iny tiri, you know that? You mess with i

    With a steel pipe, Saul <b>moved </b>closer. The scraping sound at metal against prement added a base edge to the atmosphere.

    Chapter 218 Livid

    ¡°Just tell us,¡±

    he said calmly, ¡°how exactly do you think you¡¯re gonna make us regret it?¡±

 Chapter 219

    regret it?¡±

    Chapter 219 In Deep Trouble

    Reggie tried to get up, <b>but </b>Marcel stomped on his chest, it made him grimace in pain, and it felt like his ribs might crack.

    Reggie gasped, ¡°Who the hell are you guys?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been king of <b>your </b>little hill for so long that you really think you can do whatever you want, whenever you want,¡± Samuel spoke calmly, wedging one end of a steel pipe

    under a rock.

    ¡°you¡¯re like a <b>big </b>fish is a small pond, thinking you own the ce. You think you can take on anyone, but I you¡¯re way out of your league.¡±N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    Reggie found the towering man stepping on him terrifying, but the <b>calm</b>, deliberate speaker was even scarier. Pale and trembling, he stammered, ¡°If you dare touch me, I sweat you¡¯ll regret ever being born! You<b>! </b>You! You¨C¡±

    ¡°Ahhh

    Marcel kicked his leg into the L¨Cshaped angle formed by the pipe and the rocks. Without hesitation, Samuel stomped on the pipe, snapping Reggie¡¯s shinbone <b>with </b>a sickening crunch.

    His scream echoed throughout the alley. Samuel stared coldly.

    Ever since learning of Reggie¡¯s kidnapping of Emelle, he had wanted to teach <b>him </b>a lesson, especially now that Reggie had harmed his sister. And <b>now</b>, in a foul mood with nowhere to vent his frustration, Samuel bent down¡­.

    His typically mild demeanor was now achilling contrast. His face had transformed into something akin to a demon¡¯s.

    ¡°I know where to draw the line. Your leg won¡¯t be spared. Consider this a free lesson think carefully before crossing those you shouldn¡¯t<b>.</b>¡±

    He released his grip and signaled for Marcel to back off. Marcel let go of Reggie, whoy there unable to move. As Marcel followed Samuel out of the alley, he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that Samuel was a tough nut to crack

    on the surface, he seemed like a harmless college professor. But beneath that fa?ade, he was more ruthless than Marcel himself, a seasoned professional bodyguard. No wonder his boss had wamed him about the Swanson family¨Cnot a single one of them was to be underestimated.

    With Bryan in business<b>, </b>Nehemiah in medicine, Prisci abroad, and Samuel in academia¨Cthey were all formidable.

    Samuel¡¯s older siblings excelled in their fields, but Mnie was different. She was so innocent that she hardly seemed to belong in the Swanson family at <b>all</b>.

    As they climbed into the car and left the slums behind, Samuel polished his sses thoughtfully. ¡°Why didn¡¯t Wesleye to the hospital to see her?!

    ¡°The boss had some business. He went back to Sentnd two days ago<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    Samuel adjusted his sses<b>, </b>his intimidating presence dissipating, leaving behind the famr figure of a well¨Ceducated schr.

    ¡°Got it,¡± Samuel replied.

    Reggie had left without his phone andy in the alley for over an hour before one of his men tin insisted the hospital wasn¡¯t <b>sade</b>

    ad him and rushed him to the hospital. Nervous and paranold, Reggie

    As soon <b>as </b>his leg was bandaged, he had his men carry him back home. On his way home, he vented his frustration, cursing and demanding they imcover the identities of those

    ¡°But where do we start looking?¡± one of his men asked, confused.

    ¡°Idiot!¡± <b>Reggie </b>smacked <b>him </b>on the head ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? They¡¯ve got to be William¡¯s men!¡±

    Wham was the only one he had messed with recently. His men recalled, ¡°When we dug into that female witness, Emelie or whatever her name was, we found out her old man¡¯s doing time in Capebatt <b>City</b>

    ¡°And guess what? It¡¯s the same prison as Leonard.¡±

    Reggie narrowed his eyes, his face twisted with malice. Someone was going to pay for his leg

    His men carried him into the two¨Cstory house. But the moment they stepped inside, they sensed things weren¡¯t right.

    The yard, usually bustling with his men standing watch, nowy eerily empty. They entered cautiously, flicking on the lights with a sharpclick.

    Reggie was taken aback <b>to </b>find his men cistered in the corner of his living room like they were helpless prey. With hands shielding their heads, they were surrounded by a group of even in ck attire.

    In Reggie¡¯s living room, a young man lounged on the couch with a mole beneath his eye. He was exuling cockiness as he rested his legs casually on the coffee table.

    When Reggie was brought in the grinned and remarked, ¡°I¡¯m fashionablyte, huh? Looks like your leg¡¯s already done for.¡±

    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± Reggie demanded, his voice shaky.

    The man answered coolly, ¡°Lyle Inning,

    He dropped his legs, locking eyes with Beggle. I¡¯m here <b>to </b>settle things for Will.

    Reggle went silent, Lyle¡¯s reputation wasn¡¯t just local; It reverberated throughout Capehart cry and beyond. Reggie¡¯s face tumed ashen as he finally realized the depth of trouble he was <b>in </b>William was far more dangerous than he had ever imagined.

 Chapter 220

    Chapter 220 Grudge

    Chapter 220 GrudgeContent ? N?velDrama.Org.

    After leaving Reggie¡¯s ce, Lyle made his way to the hospital. In the hallway, he crossed paths with William, who was being wheeled back to his room after a nurse had just finished stitching up his wounds.

    Jayden walked alongside the bed, chatting with William. Lyle greeted them nonchntly, ¡°sey, Will Jayden.¡±

    As he approached closer, Lyle¡¯s expression soured <b>at </b>the sight of William¡¯s pallor. ¡°Damn, Will You look worse than I expected. Maybe I went too easy on him.¡±

    ¡°Too easy on who?¡± Jayden asked, then quickly caught on ¡°You went after le?

    ¡°Yeah, [wrapped up the Blossom Clove deal, Lyle replied, handing a contract to Ashton with a satisfied smirk. ¡°They¡¯ll be moving out tonight.

    Jayden leaned in with interest. ¡°How¡¯d you <b>do </b>that?

    ¡°Not much. Just had him kneel, Lyle said nonchntly. By this time, they had reached the room, and Emelle could hear their conversation.

    Lydemented, ¡°I was a bitte to the party. Reggie¡¯s leg was already busted when I showed up. No clue who did it.¡±

    So, Reggie had to kneel with a broken leg. Lyle had <b>a </b>talent for tormenting people, which exined why Reggle hurriedly signed the contract and agreed to move out overnight. Dealing with tough guys called for ying hardball. As the nurse wheeled William¡¯s bed into the room, Lyle spotted Lmelie. His youthful, handsome face broke into a smirk,

    ¡°Well, well, Ms. Hoven, sharing a room with Will, huh? Are you <b>injured</b>, too? Where¡¯s the injury? Is it serious?¡±

    Emelle set her phone down, ignoring his remarks. Undeterred by her silence<b>, </b>Lyle continued, ¡°Are you still holding a grudge over that Mr. Sanders incident?

    ¡°I even took a p from you. Don¡¯t tell me that wasn¡¯t enough.¡±

    Emelie¡¯s resentment toward Lyle stemmed from his past maniption and mistreatment of her,pounded by the fallout involving Mona. Lyle mulled it over. ¡°Is this still about your friend¡¯s video leaking?¡±

    I

    He went on to rify, ¡°It wasn¡¯t intentional on my part. A couple of days after the incident, Will asked me to delete the surveince footage, so i did.

    ¡°It turns out that one of my guys mentioned it to someone in Ms. Bowen¡¯s circle during <b>a </b>casual chat and shared the video without my knowledge. Will was kept in the dark about it, and I¡¯ve already handled the guy responsible.¡±

    Emelle hesitated, taking a moment to absorb the revtion. ¡°So, Daphne found out about it on her own, not from any pillow talk with William<b>?</b>¡± she thought.

    Realizing this brought a sense of relief¨Cshe definitely didn¡¯t want to be a subject of conversation between William and Daphne. The mere thought made her stomach turn.

    And it sounded like Daphne orchestrated the leak of <b>Mona¡¯s </b>screenshots entirely on her own, without William pulling any strings behind the scenes. Emelie kept her thoughts to herself, offering no response to Lyle¡¯s remarks.

    Lyle chewed on his tongue, considering his next move but <b>finding </b>nothing worth saying Jayden picked up on Lyle¡¯s extra attention whenever Emelie was around.

    Not wanting to dwell on it, <b>Jayden </b>gave Lyle a pat on the shoulder<b>, </b>signaling it was time to go. ¡°It¡¯ste now. Let Will get some test¡±

    ¡°Alright then. Will, we¡¯re out,¡± Lyte nodded, ready to leave

    William nodded back, acknowledging their departure. Once they were gone, the room settled back into silence.

    Emelle sniffed herself and wrinkled her nose at the faint odor. After a day navigating moddy fields, dealing with stray dogs and troublemakers, getting injured, and enduring hospital¡¯s antiseptic smells, she wasn¡¯t surprised.

    Being a bit of a germaphobe, she pulled back the covers and headed to the bathroom for a quick wash. Her injury was limited to her hand; otherwise, she was fit and mobile. The perks of the VIP ward included having all theforts of home right at hand. Emelle couldn¡¯t twist a towel, but she could manage with a damp washcloth. She carefully dampened it, squeezed it out, and slowly cleaned herself, methodically wiping away the day¡¯s grime.

    After changing into a fresh hospital gown, she felt a sense of relief. As she stepped out of the bathroom, Emelie noticed William struggling. With one hand on his abdominal wound, he stretched awkwardly for a water ss just beyond his reach on the bedside table.

    Frustration creased his brow as he struggled with his physical limitations. He clearly wasn¡¯t used to hitting a wall like this.

    ¡°But he could have just called for Ashton outside. Why was he being so stubborn? Just as she pondered this, William caught her gaze.

    The guy, who had refused to ask for help moments ago, now asserted, ¡°Get me a

    <b>e </b><b>a </b><b>ss </b>of water.¡±

    the

    Spin to im Your Surprise Reward!

 Chapter 222

    Chapter 222 Masked Desire

    Emelie frowned, striding over and bending down to help him remove it with a <b>single </b>hand. As she moved, her hair cascaded forward, lightly brushing her chest. William unconsciously turned his head and caught a hint of her scent

    He lifted his gaze, focusing on her <b>sharply </b>defined nose. He was close enough to discern even the fine hairs on its tip. And just below, her lips awaited.

    William¡¯s eyes clouded as her hair grazed his shoulder by ident. He started reying their recent intimacy in the utility room.

    Back then, he¡¯d been farious upon discovering Wesley had been covertly watching her<b>, </b><b>even </b>going as far as confronting her. So, when he had her, his actions had been more about teaching her a lesson than losing himself in desire<b>.</b>

    Now, unexpectedly, he felt a pang of regret. Emelie couldn¡¯t ignore the way his temperature rose subtly.

    They¡¯d <b>been </b>together <b>for </b><b>three </b>years<b>, </b>and she knew him well <b>enough </b>to <b>sense </b>it. Warly<b>, </b>she nced up at him.

    Williams swiftly masked <b>any </b>hint of desire in his eyes. His demeanor turned cold <b>in </b>an instant.

    Noticing her scrutiny, he arched an eyebrow and prodded impatiently, ¡°Harry <b>it </b>up. How long do you n on leaving me hanging here?

    ¡°or maybe <b>you </b>want me to catch <b>a </b>cold while injured, adding insult to injury in your revenge scheme?¡±

    ¡°Thanks for the ¡®brilliant¡® idea,¡± Emelie mused sarcastically. She never would¡¯vee up with such a twisted n herself

    Emelie¡¯s face twisted with exasperation as she handed him a fresh hospital gown and helped him into it. Away from Emelie¡¯s sight, <b>a </b>faint smile tugged at William¡¯s lips.

    He had to keep his desire under wraps for now, if she caught <b>onto </b>it, she¡¯d definitely run. There wasn¡¯t moch he could do at the moment, but once he was back on his feet¡­ She¡¯d soon find out.

    At the ER that day, the doctor had been clear: ¡°You need to stay in the hospital for two days for IV fluids.¡±

    Yet, the next day, after Emelle finished her TV, she asked the nurse if she could go home.

    ¡°Discharged already?? the nurse replied skeptically, ¡°Nope, sorry. You¡¯ve got more treatments scheduled for the next two days.¡±

    Emelle <b>was </b>puzzled. ¡°Why? That doesn¡¯t make sense. I only got five stitches on my arm. Two days of antibiotics <b>should </b>be enough.¡±

    The nurse shrugged ¡°Not sure, hon. That¡¯s what the doc ordered. But you¡¯re definitelyon the schedule for more IV, so there¡¯s gotta be a reason for It¡±

    With that, the curse turned and left. Emelle furrowed her brows, feeling increasingly agitated. She had expected <b>a </b>quick two¨Cday stint, but now it seemed she was in for four.

    William casually scrolled through emails on his tablet and remarked in acalm tone, ¡°just do what the doctor says. You¡¯re not the expect here.¡±

    His recovery was impressively swift just yesterday, even the smallest movements had been a struggle, but today, he looked noticeably better.

    He ran such arge corporation, with countless decisions needing his attention every day, and he was already back to work. He gestured. ¡°Have yourptop brought over. You can work from your bed; it won¡¯t be a waste of time.¡±

    Emelie understood that all too well, yet the thought of enduring another two days with him left her uneasy and unsettled.

    Samuel delivered her lunch and, noticing she wasn¡¯t hooked up to an IV, casually inquired, ¡°So you can be discharged today, right?¡±

    Emelle pressed her lips together. ¡°The nurse just told me I still have IV treatments scheduled for the next two <b>days</b><b>.</b>¡±

    Samuel frowned briefly but maintained hisposure. <b>¡°</b><b>Take </b>your time. Getting healthy is what matters most¡±

    William shifted his gaze. ¡°Blossom Clove has signed the contract. We can start the construction today. Mr. Swanson, you can begin gathering data.¡±

    Samuelmented casually, ¡°Mr. Middleton, you sure know how to get things done.¡±

    William responded in a detached tone, ¡°Mr. Swanson, your skills <b>are </b>alsomendable.<b>¡±</b>Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Their eyes met, and there was an unspoken tension between them. Emelle pulled at Samuel¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Mr. Swanson, the next time you¡¯re here, could you bring myptop? I can work on organizing the data.¡±

    Samuel looked at her. ¡°Your hand is injured, and you still want to work?¡±

    ¡°I can use my other hand. It¡¯ll be slower, but otherwise, I¡¯ll be bored just sitting here all day.¡±

    ¡°Alright, but <b>don¡¯t </b>overdo it. It¡¯s just tying up loose ends. There¡¯s no rush,<b>¡± </b>Samuel said calmly. ¡°We¡¯ll prepare this afternoon for Blossom Clove. Once you¡¯re out, we can heal back to Gapebatt City together.¡±

    ¡°okay¡± Emelie nodded.

    ully licked though his emails. Tugeiber? That might not happen.

 Chapter 223

    Chapter <b>223 </b>Craving

    Last night, Emelie had only been able to wipe herself down. But she still felt dirty, especially with the lingering earthy smell in her <b>hair</b><b>. </b>She toughed it out for a day but couldn¡¯t stand it any longer.

    She asked the nurse for some stic wrap to cover her injured hand, keeping it dry and still. This allowed her to use the showerhead cautiously to wash her body.

    The VIP room was spacious, but its soundproofing wascking. Thus, the sound of running water from the bathroom was amplified.

    William was on his hospital bed, conducting <b>a </b>video conference with an overseas client. The sound of running water was making it difficult for him to concentrate. The client called out to him, ¡°Mr. Middleton?¡±

    William snapped back to attention, offering a casual ¡°yes¡± as he took a sip from his now¨Ccooled water.

    Seeing him in a hospital gown, the client hesitated to push him too hard. ¡°Mr. Middleton, if you¡¯re not feeling well, we can <b>wrap </b>this up for now.¡±

    ¡°No need to stop. Let¡¯s keep going,¡± William pushed through. He needed the distraction of the meeting; otherwise, he knew his mind would wander even more. Yet, despite his efforts, it was already consuming him.

    Men and women really did think differently in some ways.

    Women would often remember <b>a </b><b>man¡¯s </b>kindness by recalling the small gestures he made, like giving her an umbre on a hot day <b>or </b>a scarf when it was cold. These seemingly Insignificant details could leave asting impression on her memory

    But when men reminisce about the good times with a woman, they often recall the intimate moments.

    He and Emelie were verypatible in that regard. Especially in their first year together, he frequently found himself genuinely craving her. For someone ustomed to having everything at <b>his </b>disposal and usually indifferent to most things, this was the first time he truly desired something.

    They spent a solid monthmuting to work together every morning and returning to Eastbay every night. She was inexperienced, knowing little and relying on him to teach her everything.

    The water in the shower cut off abruptly, and with it, William¡¯s train of thought. He casually lowered his <b>gaze</b>, smoothly suppressing any unruly impulses.

    On the surface, he maintained an air of single¨Cminded focus and undisturbedposure. But inside, the tendrils of his desire had grown deeper than anyone could see.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie walked out of the bathroom and heard him speaking fluentasteshese. He was deeply engrossed in his work

    Sheshmazed it off, drying her hair before ncing at the time¨Cit was already 7:30 pm.

    Samuel had delivered dinner before seven yesterday, but he hadn¡¯t arrived yet today, Emelie assumed he was probably tied up at work.

    Emelie debated sending Samuel a message, suggesting he skip dinner delivery if he was busy. She could grab something from a shop nearby the hospital herself.

    Just as William finished his meeting and closed hisptop, he rubbed his forehead and turned to Emelle. ¡°Help me clean up, too.¡±

    Emelie hesitated, clearly reluctant. Setting theptop aside, William added, ¡°It¡¯s just for one more day. Tomorrow, I should be able to shower on my own¡±

    He was recovering quickly. Despite that, Emelie felt no relet

    She shouldn¡¯t have been in this position in the first ce. But she knew what would happen if she refused.

    Emelie turned back toward the bathroom. Grabbing a fresh towel, she dampened it, squeezed out the excess water, and then brought it over to William at his bedside.

    William unbuttoned his hospital gown, revealing a physique honed by regr workouts¨Cwell¨Cdefined pecs and abs that spoke of strength. His skin, typically shielded from the <b>sun</b>, had a porcin¨Clike quality <b>under </b>the hospital¡¯s stark lighting.

    Despite not having had a proper shower in two days, there was no unpleasant odor. Instead, <b>a </b>subtle, almost icy¨Cclean scent surrounded him.

    Emelie quickly averted her gaze William wiped his neck with the towel and casually asked, ¡°Have you made up your mind about the artificial heart?¡±

    Spin to im Your Surprise Reward

 Chapter 224

    Chapter 224 Jailed

    Emelie turned back to face him. William handed her the towel with a slight raise <b>of </b>his eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m not rushing you, Emelle. Take your time.¡±

    But Emelie couldn¡¯t afford to take her time. Each day that passed without Greta recovering was filled with worry and uncertainty for her.

    Whenever she called her <b>sister</b><b>, </b>Eliana, she heard the same reassuring words¨Cthat Greta¡¯s condition was stable. This allowed Emelie to momentarily release the tight grip of amely and carefully weigh her options.

    She was reluctant to choose William, so she continued to search for alternative solutions. Emelie took the towel without a word, heading back to the bathroom to rinse it again. <b>She </b>returned and handed it to Wim, who adjusted himself on the bed.

    *Could you help me with my <b>lower </b>back? There¡¯s <b>a </b>dried blood spot that¡¯s itching.¡±

    Emelle hesitated. ¡°I don¡¯t-

    ¡°The artificial heart technology is more advanced and professional overseas,¡± Wim interjected, his tone matter¨Cof¨Cfact.

    ¡°But with your mom¡¯s current condition, she can¡¯t handle a long flight And going abroad would leave you feeling even more powerless in an unfamiliar ce.¡±

    Emelie tightened her grip on the towel, contemting William¡¯s proposition. Yes, she had contemted going abroad, but she always pushed the idea aside for the practical reasons he had mentioned

    William subtly signaled for her to assist him¨Cas it suggesting that by helping him now, he could reciprocateter. Since that day at the Middleton Residence, when <b>she </b>helped him with his cufflinks, their dynamic had shifted to this nuanced give and take

    away the dried blood from his lower back. Compared to his front, his back bore

    After a brief internal debate, Emelle acquiesced to the arrangement and approached him to wipe aw two scars that marred an otherwise wless physique.

    These were whip marks. One on each side, forming an ¡°X¡± The depth of these scars spoke volumes of the pain he must have endured<b>.</b>

    However, she couldn¡¯t fathom how he acquired such wounds. Given his status, who would dare whip him like a criminal or an animal?

    Back when they were close, she had asked him about the scars because she was concerned. She even guessed that maybe he had angered his dad, Henry, and was beaten by him, given the tense rtionship between father and son.

    William¡¯s expression soured at the time, and he scotted, saying his dad would never beat him like that. So, if not his father, then who? It was a question she had asked herself many times since, but one in which William had never provided a clear answer.

    Sering those scats again, Emelle couldn¡¯t help but wonder where they came from, though it was more out of curiosity than anything else. However, she wouldn¡¯t ask now. Even though she hadn¡¯t brought it up, William did. ¡°Checking out my scars again?¡±

    Emelie denied it tly. ¡°No.¡±

    <b>You </b>say that, but I know better. Remember how you asked about them before? Did I ever tell you? still curious?¡±

    Emelie said nothing, but she scrubbed harder, wiping away the dried blood from her hands.

    Out of nowhere, he said, ¡°I got beaten in ja¡±

    Emelie froze<b>, </b>turning sharply to look at him. But in William¡¯s eyes, there was a hint of <b>a </b>smirk as if to suggest that she still gave <b>a </b>damn about him.

    It left her wondering was he serious or just messing with her? Emelie shot back icly, ¡°Are you messing with me?

    William shrugged nonchntly. ¡°Just <b>taking </b>a page from your book. Remember when I asked about your miscarriage? You told me you were kidnapped. Seems equally improbable, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°If you think it¡¯s improbable, then it¡¯s improbable,¡± she retorted.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°If you say I¡¯m messing with you, then take it as me messing with you<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    And so, no one knew if her kidnapping tale was true, just as no one knew it his story about getting roughed up in jail was genuine. The two of them always seemed locked in a subtle contest, neither willing to give ground.

    Emelie grew agitated and abruptly changed the subject ¡°So, what¡¯s the n? My mom can¡¯t fly <b>abroad</b><b>, </b>so?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯d be best if we could bring in foreign doctors here. But the costs involved, well, you know how that goes.¡±

    Emelie sighed deeply, ¡°Yeah.¡±

    *1 can arrange for top¨Cnotch specialists from overseas, the best equipment, <b>and </b>elite post¨Coperative care, no matter the cost. His voice was low and persuasive. Emelie remainedposed, not letting his words sway her. She simply pursed her lips in thought.

    William¡¯s gaze casually flicked out the window before he abruptly asked, ¡°I¡¯m curious; why haven¡¯t you asked Samuel for help? Even if he might not be able to assist, why haven¡¯t you brought it up with him?!

    They were close now. Emelie could feel the subtle rise and fall of his chest, <b>she </b>edged back slightly. ¡°This is my own business.¡±

    William smirked knowingly. ¡°Because you know this isn¡¯t something you can talk your way through; it demands real sacrifice And you don¡¯t think Samuel should be the <b>one </b>sacrificing for you.¡±

    He analyzed her further. ¡°Emelie, I get you. You¡¯re not one to owe favors. In your mind, Samuel¡¯s just another friend, not someone you¡¯d burden with this.

    ¡°He¡¯s a best a casual friend to you,¡±

    Best Person

 Chapter 225

    Chapter 225 The Best Person

    Sammel stood outside the door and was going to push it open. However, the muted voices from the poorly soundproofed ward made his hand pause mid¨Cair

    He cast his gaze downward. Despite his reflective lenses masking his emotions, a tinge of disappointment emanated from him.

    He thought the seeds he had nurtured were sprouting under his care, but it seemed it was all a figment of his imagination. The seeds had never germinated

    After a moment, he turned and lett without a word.

    William snorted. Emelle, having finished cleaning up, stood up straight away. ¡°Mr. Middleton, you don¡¯t need to act like you know me

    ¡°I haven¡¯t spoken to Mr. Swanson because I don¡¯t think it¡¯s the right time yet. When the timees, I won¡¯t need to speak up. He¡¯ll offer his help voluntarily.¡±

    William frowned slightly. ¡°Is he really that good in your eyes?¡°¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s the best person I¡¯ve ever met. He never asks for anything in return from me, and he helps me willingly¡± Emelie was frank.

    This time, William scoffed directly, thinking she was too naive.

    Emelie couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with him, so she tossed a clean hospital gown <b>at </b>him and left the ward to check on Mnie.

    She had been in the hospital for two days, and Emelie hadn¡¯t visited her yet.

    To her surprise, she found Samuel standing by Mnie. ¡°Mr. Swanson.¡±

    Hearing that, Samuel turned around. His expression was brieflyplex as he nced at her, but it quickly faded. The usual gentleness returned to his eyes <b>behind </b>his sses.

    ¡°What brings you here, Eme?¡± Samuel exined naturally, ¡°I <b>just </b>came back from Blossom Clove to bring Mnie her meal. I was going to bring it to you next. Are you hungry?¡±

    Mnie looked at Samuel strangely. He came to her, put down the food, and then kit

    jest about to ask why he hadn¡¯t delivered it

    Mnie knew he went to Emelie, but he returned so soon. And Emelle¡¯s meal <b>was </b><b>still </b>with him. She was je

    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. I came to see Ms. Swanson.¡± Emelie looked at Mnie lying on the bed with bandages wrapped around her left leg unable to move.

    ¡°Are you feeling better today, Ms. Swanson?!

    Samuel answered on Mnie¡¯s <b>behalf</b>, ¡°The wound doesn¡¯t hurt anymore.¡± Asserting his authority as her brother, he <b>added</b>, ¡°Mnie, don¡¯t you think <b>you </b>should show your gratitude when someonees to <b>check </b>on you<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>

    Mnie pouted. ¡°Thanks foring, Emelle.¡±

    Emelie smiled gently. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just focus on getting better. You¡¯ll be tinesoon.¡±

    Samuel, like a patent admonishing a child, continued, ¡°And? What did I tell you?¡±Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    Mnie reluctantly <b>said</b>, ¡°Emelie<b>, </b>I¡¯m sorry for what I said at the bar that day <b>and </b>for pushing you on the path¡±

    It didn¡¯t matter to Emelle whether her apology was sincere or coerced by Samuel. She didn¡¯t hold a grudge against her anyway.

    ¡°That¡¯s alright. The most important thing now is for you to recover from your <b>injuries</b>.¡±

    After a snort, Mnie looked at Samuel and made a face, ¡°Are you satisfied <b>now</b>? You¡¯re such <b>a </b>bad guy, preferring other women over your sister.¡±

    Samuel chuckled as he ruffled her head before saying to Emelie, ¡°You should eat here.¡±

    Emelle readily agreed. Mnie also wanted to eat, she didn¡¯t have much appetite initially, but seeing Emelie eating with relish, she found herself inexplicably drawn to the meal.

    It was no wonder why people enjoyed watching eating shows. Seeing the streamer enjoy the food <b>could </b>really whet the audience¡¯s appetite.

    Emelie downed thest gulp of soup, unaware that her hearty appetite was actually lowering Mnie¡¯s dislike for her. Samuel waited until she finished before saying ¡°<b>Since </b>you¡¯re already here<b>, </b>why don¡¯t you sleep in <b>Mnie¡¯s </b><b>ward </b>tonight? The bed next to hers hasn¡¯t been used.¡±

    Mnie hesitated, ¡°I don¡¯t want to share a ward with her.¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t want to impose. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll go back to my own ward.¡±

    It was gettingte, so she didn¡¯t want to bother Mnie anymore and returned to her own ward.

    Mnie muttered, ¡°She¡¯s in the same ward as Will Why is she <b>so </b>eager to go <b>back</b>? Are they together again?

    ¡°Whatever, Will doesn¡¯t like me anyway. They can do whatever they want, but I¡¯ll never ept her being with you.¡±

    Duce Mnie was done grumbling, Samuel only stayed silent. She then turned to find her usually gentle brother with an icy expression. Startled, she quickly burrowed under the rowers and dared not speak again.

    In another ward, William was on the phone with Lyle. <b>¡°</b>Release Reggie tomorrow.¡±

    He wanted to put out a show for Eipelir

 Chapter 226

    Chapter 226 I Can Take You to See a Show

    Samuel sent Emelie the data they collected at Blossom Clove on Blossom Heights. The following day, Emelie organized the data while receiving her IV drip.

    Her injured hand regained mobility, so she managed to work quite efficiently Whenever she got into work mode, she would tend to forget about everything else.

    When she finally finished, she noticed that the <b>TV </b>drip was empty. A nurse came to remove the needle.

    Emelie caught a glimpse of the name of the medication on the IV bag, which was different from what she had received a few days ago. She grew suspicious and discreetly <b>snapped</b>. aphoto of thebel with her phone.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    At lunchtime, Samuel said he couldn¡¯te back to bring her food as promised. He suggested ordering takeout for her, but Emelie insisted she could go downstairs herself to find something to eat and told him not to bother..

    It was already noon. After a stretch, Emelie got out of bed, put on her <b>coat</b>, and prepared to find something to eat.

    William looked up from hisputer. ¡°Bring something for me, too. <b>As </b><b>a </b>token of appreciation, <b>I </b>can take you to see <b>a </b>show this afternoon.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll probably forget, so why don¡¯t you ask Ms. Jones to do it for you?¡± Emelie <b>put </b>on a fake smile, showing no interest <b>in </b>the ¡°show¡± be mentioned. She simply walked away.

    William leaned back against the head of his bed. The weather was nice. The sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating a hint of scheming in his eyes,

    Emelie left the hospital and found a small store nearby, where she ordered a bowl of chicken noodle soup. While waiting, she searched online for the name of the medication she had photographed to check for its effects.

    She couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something was off about suddenly being prescribed two extra days in the hospital.

    Her suspicion turned out to be correct. The search results showed that the medication was a calcium supplement.

    Emelie didn¡¯t believe that the doctor would be so considerate as to prescribe additional treatment to improve her health. Obviously someone orchestrated a scheme to keep her in the hospital for an extra two days by colluding with the doctor.

    And as for who that person was, well, that was not <b>hard </b>to figure out. Emelle felt angry and put down her phone. She finished her soup quickly, then returned to the hospital with a cold expression.

    <b>William</b>! When would he stop manipting her at his whim?

    The ward door was closed, but Emelie pushed it open nheless. To her surprise, she found William out of bed, having even changed out of <b>his </b>hospital gown.

    He was d in a form¨Cfitting turtleneck sweater, paired with impably pressed trousers and polished leather shoes. In his hands, he held a meticulously crafted cashmere suit jacket.

    In the time it took her to finish a meal, William had transformed from acritically injured patient <b>unable </b>to care for himself back into the unapproachable CED

    Emelie was stunned for a moment, but before she could speak, be cut in, ¡°Wow, you really didn¡¯t bring me lunch,

    Emelle looked at him and asked, ¡°Did you ask the doctor to extend my hospital stay for two more days?¡±

    Ignoring her question, William <b>said</b><b>, </b><b>¡°</b>Although you didn¡¯t bring me lunch, Tcan still take you to see a show.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to see any shows!¡±

    ne with me.¡±

    ¡°Change your clothes ande

    ¡°I said I don¡¯t want to-

    ¡°You will¡± <b>William </b>turned back. His dark eyes gazed gently Into hers. The show is at Blossom Clove.¡±

    Perhaps it was his overly confident tone, or maybe it was the mention of Blossom Clove that made Emelie suddenly curious about what he was really up to. On the tabley the clothes Ashton had sent for her to change into. Emehe picked them up and headed into the bathroom.

    When Emelie emerged after changing, William had vanished from the ward, leaving only Ashton. She rubbed her nose awkwardly and said, ¡°Ms. Howen, Mr. Middleton <b>has </b>already Jeft.¡±

    Emelie then went downstairs. The car was parked at the hospital entrance. The moment she got into the back <b>seat</b>, she put some distance between herself and William.

    In the spacious car, Wim lounged with one leg crossed over the other while propping his forehead up with one hand. There was a smirk at the corners of his mouth. This made Emelie feel that this journey with him might really reveal something.

    The car indeed headed toward Blossom Clove. With the vigers having evacuated, the construction progress was remarkably swift. Just one dayter, most of the residential buildings had already been demolished.

    They drove by slowly, and outside the windowy a scene of utter devastation. It starkly contrasted with the images they had seen during their inspection just two days prior. The sight left Emelle ferling disoriented. And that feeling peaked when she saw Samuel standing amidst the rubble. His foot was on Reggie¡¯s cheek, and his profile was solemn

    pinto im Your Surprise Reward

 Chapter 227

    Chapter 227 Psychological Warfare

    Reggle cursed through gritted teeth as his face was pressed into the muddy ground, with Sammel¡¯s foot hovering above him. ¡°Damn it! If you¡¯ve got the guts, just finish me off now! Otherwise<b>, </b>I¡¯ll make sure to settle the score for this leg of mine¡±

    Samuel¡¯s expression remained indifferent<b>, </b>but his foot pressed down harder. Reggie <b>sank </b>another half¨Cinch into the earth. Samuel had been diligently working on test data when Reggie ambushed him from the shadows.

    Unfortunately for Reggie, with a broken leg, he was no match for Samuel Thetter effortlessly subdued Reggie, treating him like <b>trash </b>beneath his foot

    Under normal circumstances, especially in broad daylight and in public where he could easily be seen, Samuel would maintain hisposure and refrain from getting physical. But Repie was the one who came at him first

    All day, Samuel had been feeling down after overhearing William and Emelie¡¯s conversation the previous night.

    He couldn¡¯t shake the thought that if Reggie hadn¡¯t kidnapped Emelie and drugged her that night, she wouldn¡¯t have been taken away by William. And nothing would have happened between them. His sprouting flower wouldn¡¯t have withered either.

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who started this,¡± Samuel said as he bent down. ¡°What¡¯s the point of killing you? It¡¯s much more fun to let you live in agony.<b>¡±</b>

    Emelie was in the car and too far away to hear what Samuel was saying, but judging from his demeanor and actions, he was nothing like the Samuel she knew. Suddenly, she remembered the night when William asked her if she knew who broke Reggie¡¯s leg.

    <b>She </b>turned to William. ¡°Reggie¡¯s leg-¡±

    William had brought Emelie to witness this scene. He was not interested in watching it himself. With his eyes closed, he replied casually, ¡°Samuel broke it.¡±

    From the incident where Samoel effortlessly subdued the driver to extract information, William deduced that Samuel was no ordinary individual, Considering the precise timing of Reggie¡¯s broken leg, he could only think of Samuel and Wesley,

    So,st night, he had Lyle bring Reggie over to confront Samuel. It was sure to lead to an interesting show.

    He opened his eyes and looked at Emrti. ¡°Do you feel like you¡¯ve been deceived all along?¡±

    Emelle pressed her lips together. This was William. Instead of wasting words, he believed it was more impactful for her to witness this scene firsthand

    Words could be manipted, but seeing was believing, Enelle had to admit that her perception of Samuel had been reset. The Samuel she knew wasn¡¯t like this.

    ¡°The ¡°best person¡® you thought he was was just a facade he portrayed. You never truly knew him, so how can you call him the best?¡±

    William¡¯s eyes turned dark. ¡°Emelie, you think he doesn¡¯t want anything from you. But have you ever considered that sometimes the priceless things are the most valuable?¡±

    Emelie breathed in the faint woody scent inside the car before calmly saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡°¡±

    William raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re not going to watch anymore?

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to leave, unlock the door and let me out. I¡¯ll walk by myself.¡±

    William snorted. ¡°Drive¡±

    Ashton started the car and left Blossom Clove. Emelie couldn¡¯t help but feel that William¡¯s move was indeed clever.

    With just a scene and a few words, he managed to sow doubt between her and Samuel.

    She couldn¡¯t help but wonder what Samuel really wanted from her. He had helped her without expecting anything in return, yet he had also been acting and disguising himself by her side. Did he really have some ulterior motives<b>?</b>

    As she pondered, she felt a twinge of anger at herself for easily doubting Samuel because of William¡¯s words. This man was a master of psychological warfare.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie gathered herself, refusing to fall into his trap.

    Calmly, she said, ¡°People aren¡¯t like cards with only two sides. As long as he fulfills his duties at school and teaches knowledge to students, he¡¯s a good teacher.

    ¡°He was there for me when I was at my lowest. Not only did he provide me with work to maintain my ie, but he also offered emotional support. He made me feel like I wasn¡¯t alone. He¡¯s my friend.

    ¡°He might have ulterior motives or another side he hasn¡¯t told me about. But the tact is, I haven¡¯t been harmed or lost anything because of him, so this won¡¯t affect our rtionship¡±

    William narrowed his eyes, giving her a chilly look. Then<b>, </b>he mocked, ¡°Sounds like a speech.¡±

    ¡®sanger red up at his words<b>. </b>¡°Hey!¡±

    Suddenly, William grabbed her uninjured hand and pulled her toward him from the car door. Emelle, who was caught off guard, crashed into his chest <b>¡°</b><b>You </b>want to keep your distance from me after getting into my car? You¡¯re really funny.¡±

    H

    Chapter 228 Mamage <b>Was </b>an Option

 Chapter 228

    Chapter 228 Marriage Was an Option

    Ashton swiftly raised the partition between the front and back of the car. Instantly, the rear space turned into a closed, cramped area.

    As she was pulled by William, Emelie found herself kneeling on the car floor, with the partition behind her and William in front. The confined space left her with no escape route.

    <b>Emelie </b>pushed against William¡¯s chest in frustration. ¡°What are you doing? Let <b>go</b>!¡±

    with one hand firmly holding her body and the other gripping her chin, William locked eyes with her. ¡°You can find <b>a </b>thousand excuses for Samuel deceiving you but fabricate countless usations against me. That¡¯s quite fair of you, <b>Ms. </b>Hoven.¡±Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    His injury hadn¡¯t fully healed, yet he somehow had the strength to restrain her like this.

    The icy air around William permeated her <b>senses</b>, leaving her nowhere to hide. ¡°Yes, Patricia left you in the wilderness because of me, but our rtionship isn¡¯t what you believe it to be.¡±

    Was <b>he </b>exining? How absurd.

    ¡°I never cared about whatever rtionship you had with her. Why should I? Emelle tried to break free from his grip, but he held her firmly and forced her to look directly at him. ¡°You¡¯ve always relied on hearsay and your own spections to define me as irredeemable. I¡¯ve told you. Do you think that what you think is what you think? You¡¯ve just been assuming things all along. Did I ever say I wanted to exchange you for a project on the cruise ship?

    Why was he bringing that up again? Emelle was both infuriated by his control and his distortion of truth. She couldn¡¯t contain her anger anymore and snapped<b>, </b><b>¡±</b>

    and snapped, <b>¡°</b>You said you wanted to give me away<b>!</b>

    ¡°That was about that ball where we picked our dance partners blindfolded. Isn¡¯t <b>that </b>giving our partners away? How else could I describe that situation?¡± William¡¯s tone was icy. ¡°And I didn¡¯t give you away. Didn¡¯t I tell you to go left from the beginning? Which way did you go?¡±

    ¡°I¡± Emelie gritted her teeth and retorted in a lowered voice, ¡°It¡¯s been so long, and there¡¯s no evidence. You can say anything you want. Also, I don¡¯t care anymore. Will you let me go or not?¡±

    William sneered, ¡°That¡¯s very magnanimous of you. You don¡¯t care, but I do. How can you just use me?

    He just wouldn¡¯t give up. He wanted an answer.

    Emelie¡¯s breathing quickened. Finally, she burst out, ¡°Because, for three years, I¡¯ve been nothing but a tool in your eyes! Because you¡¯re fickle and capricious! You¡¯re always like that, so don¡¯t me others for thinking the same of you!!!

    William smirked. ¡°What about you? You were eyeing other men when you had me. You acted as if you truly loved me, Emelie Between us, you¡¯re the one who deceived me first¡± Emelie asked, ¡°When did I deceive you?¡±

    When? It was six months before their official falling out when he was considering if they could take things further. Marriage was an option for him at that time, but she¡­ William stared at Emelie <b>intently</b>. Suddenly, the image from that night shed through his mind. His whole body was tense, seemingly enraged.

    After a while, his emotions subsided, and his tone turned cold again. ¡°Think for yourself from when I started neglecting you¡±

    Emelie wasn¡¯t wasting her time thinking about that. She asked onest time, ¡°Will you let go or not?¡±

    William pressed his lips into a straight line. He forced her into this. Just then, Emelie mmed into his abdominal wound.

    William, still not fully recovered, winced in pain and released his g

    sgrip.

    Emelie immediately pushed him away and created distance before knocking on the partition. ¡°Ashton! Stop the car!¡±

    Ashton stopped the car, but it wasn¡¯t because Emelie told her to; they had reached their destination.

    Even though the partition separated the front and back, the space inside the car was limited, so the sound couldn¡¯t bepletely isted. Ashton could clearly hear the argument between the two in the back seat.

    She was shocked inwardly. She couldn¡¯t believe that the usually gentle Emelie could be this daring in front of William.

    The moment Emelie nced outside, anger red up again. ¡°We¡¯re not at the hospital!!!

    After taking a breath, William sald hoarsely, ¡°Haven¡¯t you spent enough time there?¡±

    Emelie looked closely and realized it was the hotel they had stayed at before. She pursed her lips and ignored him. As soon as the car was unlocked, she immediately pushed the door open and got out

    But as she entered the elevator, William caught up with her. He swiped the room card and selected the 19th floor. Then, in a sudden move, he pulled Emelle into a corner of the elevator and captured her lips in an overpowering kiss

 Chapter 229

    Chapter 229 He Calls Her Angel.

    Emelie¡¯s immediate reaction was to attack his most vulnerable spot¨Cthe wound William had already been attacked oner,

    so he wouldn¡¯t give her second chance.

    He grabbed her wrist and pressed her against the elevator wall. When she attempted to kick him, he wedged himself between her legs

    Emelie sensed his intense emotional fluctuations. But the truth was that she was emotionally unstable as well

    However, when a man¡¯s emotions were unstable, his strength would increase. On the contrary, when a woman¡¯s emotions were unstable, her strength would be consumed by anger, leaving her powerless.

    He stifled her breath with a dominant <b>kiss</b>, which was filled with hidden resentment. What did he <b>resent </b>her for?

    The elevator dinged as it reached the 19th floor, and the doors opened automatically. William swiftly released her, dragged her out, and swiped the room card. After entering room, he closed the door and pressed her against the door panel.

    His actions were extremely smooth, leaving her no room to resist. Emelle felt like his puppet the whole time. She was on the brink of madness. ¡°William, what do you want? Let me 20¡±

    But that wasn¡¯t possible.

    Finally, William stopped concealing his emotions and desires. His voice was hoarse as he said, ¡°I can¡¯t let you go today.¡±

    Emelie¡¯s back immediately broke out in goosebumps. She instantly understood. ¡°You¡¯ve nned this!¡±

    William chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ve wanted you for a long time.¡±

    Emelie felt utterly frustrated. Her tension was <b>so </b>high that the veins on her neck were visible. ¡°What if I refuse? Will you use the photos to threaten me again?

    The room was dark, but William was there in the darkness, brushing his thumb against her lips. ¡°You know I have ways to make you agree.¡±

    Yes, <b>he </b>had too many ways. There was no need to borate. Everyone knew he had that ability. William had never failed in achieving what he set out to do

    Emelie¡¯s chest heaved. Her emotions were like waves crashing continuously on the shore.

    During this time, William didn¡¯t touch her. He just let their <b>hot </b>breaths entwine.

    Suddenly, Emehe rxed. She was exhausted from resisting. She just wanted all this chaos to quicklye to an end.Content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    She¡¯d had enough of his coercion. She uttered each word through clenched teeth, ¡°You must delete the photos and never mention them again from now on.¡± William¡¯s wound was covered with waterproof bandages, so water running over his body posed no threat to it.

    Emelie leaned against the cold ss. She didn¡¯t want to seek refuge in his arms. This made her look helpless.

    Meanwhile, William relished in the satisfaction of a sessful hunt. It was a sense of aplishment in acquiring something through careful nning. Heldssed her eyes, then suddenly called out, ¡°Angel.¡±

    Emelie was startled by this term. Her body froze as he looked at him incredulously, confused.

    In Capebatt City, locals would affectionately call their spouses, lovers, or wives the nickname ¡°angel¡± It was the first time he had called her that in the past three years. Emelie awkwardly avoided his lips. She realized that,pared to his coldness, she seemed to be more afraid of his affection. Because she knew he didn¡¯t possess that kind of affection, seeing it only made her feel like it was a trap.

    e didn¡¯t want anything fake.

    It was like <b>Snow </b>White¡¯s poisoned apple or Cindere¡¯s pumpkin carriage that would disappear at midnight. It was all take. She didn¡¯t want She refused to be ensnared in such ephemeral illusions, and William quickly brought her back to reality. He suddenly said, ¡°There are actually no photos.¡± Emelie felt as if lightning had struck her bead. ¡°What did you say?¡±

    Instead of answering, William raised an eyebrow. No photos. So she had been fooled by him all these days? He used something that never existed to coerce and manipte her. Emelie¡¯s breath hitched. After a rollercoaster of emotions, shepletely copsed. She struggled to posh him away. ¡°Go away!¡±

    However, it was toote. William silenced her lips<b>, </b><b>as </b>did the sound that momentarily escaped, leaving Emelie¡¯s breath caught in her throat.

    Tears overflowed from her eyes<b>. </b>She gasped, then clenched her fists and pounded his back. ¡°You bastard!¡±

    He could have kept silent about it. After all, everything about the photos would have ended tonight

    Yet he had to tell her the truth at thest moment to make her realize how absurd she had been and how thoroughly she had been manipted by him.

    Not only had sheplied with all his demands these days<b>, </b>but she had also willingly surrendered herself to him. He psychologically deleted her, mastering the art of cing with people¡¯s emotions to perfection.

    His cruelty knew no bounds. And this cruel William called her ¡°angel¡± many times in just one afternoon.

 Chapter 230

    Chapter 230 The Desire to Conquer Her

    Thest hint of daylight disappeared behind the curtains, plunging the rooms into darkness. The winter days were brief. By just past 5:30 pm, daylight had almost vanished.

    Emeliey exhausted on the bed. Her breathing was heavy. Theers of her eyes were still tinged with a faint redness, and hershes were damp with tears that had <b>not </b>yet

    William reached out and gently smoothed the furrow between her brows. Emelie was too tired to react, even though she could feel his touch. He let her sleep and moved to the windowsill with a cigarette and a lighter.

    <b>It </b>had been a long time since he felt this way. It was more <b>enthralling </b>than when signing billion¨Cdor contracts. Perhaps it was because Emelie had be so biting and evasive since leaving her job.

    She never showed him any affection. It only fueled his desire to conquer her. He wanted to see her lose and submit

    After finishing his cigarette, William returned to the room just in time to see a phone light up on the carpet. Before it could ring, he silenced it, not wanting to wake Emelle

    It was her phone, and the screen disyed ¡°Mr. Swanson¡°,

    William smirked and answered it directly. Samuel¡¯s gentle voice came through the phone. ¡°Emelie, I didn¡¯t see you in the ward. Are you taking a walk downstairs?

    William replied, ¡°No, she¡¯s asleep<b>.¡±</b>

    There <b>was </b>a long, three¨Cminute silence from Samuel, during which William¡¯s smirk deepened. His features radiated a different <b>kind </b><b>of </b>charm than usual.

    When Samuel spoke again, his tone hadpletely changed. He even called William by <b>name</b>.

    ¡°William, Emelie¡¯s life has been hard enough. Why can¡¯t you just leave her alone? Stop forcing her and messing with her! You have no shortage of femalepanions. Let her return to a peaceful life!¡±

    William raised an eyebrow. <b>¡°</b><b>You </b>think you can give her a peaceful life?¡±

    ¡°As long as you don¡¯t trouble her or disturb her, <b>she </b>can give herself a peaceful fe!¡± T

    ¡°So that¡¯s why you dealt with Reggie behind her back¡± William¡¯s voice was cold. ¡°Your intentions might be good, but you don¡¯t understand Entelie

    ¡®She¡¯s the type of person who would rather face an ugly reality than live in <b>a </b>beautiful lie. To her, your actions make it seem <b>like </b>you¡¯ve been deceiving her all along¡±

    Sanvoel was stunned Emelie knew?

    ¡°Once the seed of doubt is nted, every time she sees you, she¡¯ll remember you stepping on Reggie and start questioning if you¡¯re being truthful now. She¡¯ll wonder if you have ulterior motives for staying by her side¡­¡±

    Just then, William sensed someone rushing at him from behind. He turned gracefully.

    Emelie was desperately trying to grab the phone. ¡°Give it back!¡±

    William ended the call and wrapped his arm around her. He hadn¡¯t helped her dress. In her haste to get up, she had only grabbed <b>a </b>thin nket to cover her chest, leaving the curves of her back exposed to William¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°Give me my phone!¡± Emelle demanded angrily William smirked and bent down to capture her lips in a kiss.

    Emelie pushed against his chest, but he was immovable. At this moment, the nket slipped from her grasp. William lifted her and kissed her neck.

    Emelie¡¯sN?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    ¡®s eyes were bloodshot. She only felt utter homiliation. But what could she do <b>if </b><b>she </b>couldn¡¯t push him away?

    The phone rang <b>again</b>. Its sound echoed through the room.

    William delt Emelie¡¯s body tense at the sound. He guessed that it <b>was </b>Samuel. Annoyance and disdain shed in his eyes, and he threw the phone aside. He carried Emelie back to the bed. Then, he pulled open his bathrobe. ¡°Since you have <b>so </b>much energy, let¡¯s continue.¡±

 Chapter 231

    Chapter 231 Your Dad¡¯s in TroubleText content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie was speechless.

    Her weaknessy in her inability <b>to </b>curse. The more enraged she became, the less capable she was of doing so. Her teeth clenched tightly, and anger surged within her chest.

    William found her current state far more appealing than her <b>usual </b>cold andposed demeanor. He leaned in to kiss her and whispered, ¡°Come on, angel ¡±

    His kiss carried the scent of cinnamon tobo, evoking memories <b>of </b><b>a </b>cozy winter evening by the firece and <b>igniting </b>a feeling of tender warmth. And with him calling her like that, it was even more poignant

    Emelie¡¯s breath quickened as she fought against the seductive lure of his false tenderness. ¡°Don¡¯t call me that!¡±

    William was not one for much conversation in these moments. However, the incessant ringing of the phone on the <b>floor </b>began to irritate him. Did Samuel have nothing better to <b>do</b>?

    Yet Emelie sensed something was off. If it were Samuel, knowing she <b>was </b>with William, he wouldn¡¯t keep calling after the first unanswered attempt.

    He knew she couldn¡¯t answer. His relentless calls felt like a constant reminder of her humiliation of being known by someone else, akin to having an acquaintance witness her being coerced.

    Samuel wouldn¡¯t add to her distress. But now, the phone had rung three times in a row. Emelie¡¯s anxiety spiked as she struggled ¡°Wam! Move! Who¡¯s calling?¡±

    She strained to see the phone, so William could only lift her head and nce at it. With sharp eyesight, he could discern the name on the screen even from a distance of six feet.

    ¡°Ashley.¡±

    Ashley? Emelie pushed him away immediately.

    This time, William yielded to her force and narrowed his eyes slightly. He recognized the name. It was Elias¡¯s wife. He knew Ashley was representing Ronan in that medical dispute, which exined their connection.

    Emelie hastily threw on her robe and scrambled to the floor to grab her phone.

    Ms<b>..</b><b>¡±</b>

    Her voice sounded slightly off as she spoke, <b>so </b>she cleared her throat and tried to sound as calm as possible. ¡°Ms. Thomton, what¡¯s the matter?

    Ashley replied directly, ¡°Emelie, your dad¡¯s in trouble.¡±

    Emelie felt her heart sink like a stone into a deep river.

    Ashley

    y continued speaking. After swallowing hard, Emelle replied, ¡°I¡¯m in Wimstour City right now. I¡¯lle back immediately.¡±

    She hung up and rushed to leave, but William caught her before she could exit the bedroom. ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°Let go!¡± Emelle snapped.

    William stared at her. ¡°I won¡¯t let you go unless you tell me.¡±

    Emelle struggled hard to free herself from his grasp, but she couldn¡¯t. Anxiously, she eximed, ¡°My dad¡¯s in trouble<b>. </b>My dad¡¯s in trouble!¡±

    Wasn¡¯t Bonan still serving his three<b>¨C</b>month sentence? William frowned.

    Emelie was frantic to leave, but William¡¯s grip was unyielding Her frustration and helplessness boiled over. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    *You n to run out like this?¡± William asked <b>as </b>he followed behind her.

    Emelle¡¯s clothes were wet from the bathroom, and she was now wearing only the hotel¡¯s bathrobe, without any undergarments.

    William picked up his phone and called Ashton. ¡°Bring two sets of clothes.¡±

    He didn¡¯t need to specify who the other set was for. Ashton understood implicitly. ¡°On it.¡±

    Ashton¡¯s delivery of the clothes was swift since she had everything prepared in advance. It took her just a short five minutes. But for Emelle, each second within those five minutes felt <b>as </b>drawn out as an entire winter season.

    She stood rigidly in ce. The chill crept up her skin from her ankles, causing her to shiver uncontrobly.

    Roman¡¯s sentence had only a few days left. How could something have gone wrong now?

    Chapter 232 She Dared to Raise Her Voice at William

    1/1

    Chapter 232 She Dared to Raise Her Voice at William

 Chapter 232

    Chapter 232 She Dared to Raise Her Voice at William

    When Ashton arrived with the clothes, Emelle swiftly changed, Ignoring William¡¯s presence. After that, she opened the door and hurriedly left the hotel.

    The night had already enveloped the city. As she walked, she booked her flight on her phone.

    The earliest one was in an hour <b>and </b><b>a </b>half, but it would take an hour to get to the airport. Emelie took a deep breath, trying to stay calm as she booked her ticket <b>and </b>called for a cab

    It was rush <b>hour</b>, and there were over 30 people ahead of her in the line. Emele couldn¡¯t hail a cab on the street either.

    Emelie stood alone on the roadside of an unfamiliar city. The night sky pressed down heavily, enveloping her in darkness. Neon lights from nearby shops illuminated her bewildered face.

    Just then<b>, </b>a car pulled up in front of her. ¡°Get in.¡±

    It was William. At this moment, Emelie didn¡¯t have the luxury of considering much else. She quickly opened the door and got in.

    The car immediately sped toward the airport. William looked at her tense jaw and asked, ¡°What happened to your dad?¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t even think twice before snapping. ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me!¡±

    Ashton, who was driving the car, couldn¡¯t resist stealing a nce at the rearview mirror. Her perception of Emelie was transformed. She truly was remarkable, daring even to raise her voice at William.

    Emelie booked ast¨Cminute ticket, but only business¨Css seats were avable. Once on the ne, William sat next to her, but she paid him no attention. <b>She </b>closed her eyes and tried to gather her thoughts.

    Three hourster, at 9:30 pm, the nended at Capebatt Airport. Emelie was the first to disembark. Her destination was clear as she headed toward the cabs in the basement.

    Halfway there, William grabbed her hand and pulled her over. ¡°Get in my car. Do you want to be driven around by those cab drivers like some tourists at a time like <b>this</b>?¡±

    Emelle pursed her lips. William¡¯s driver was waiting at the airport <b>entrance</b>. Once in the car, Ashton asked, ¡°Whereto, Ms. Hover?¡±

    ¡°Starlight Law Firm.¡±

    The driver inputted the name into the navigation system <b>and </b>soon dropped her off at thew firm¡¯s entrance. Emelle got out of the car and rushed inside,

    Wim watched her retreating figure from the car and adjusted his cufflinks. He said calmly, ¡°Find out what happened with her dad.¡±

    Ashton replied<b>, </b>¡°Yes, Mr. Middleton.¡±

    The car then drove away. It was well past 10:00 pm, and thew firm had already closed. Ashley had waited for Emelie, knowing she wasing.

    Seeing Emelie looking tense and cold, she handed her the freshly heated milk. ¡°Take <b>a </b>few sips to warm up¡±

    Emelle held the ss with both hands, feeling the scalding heat searing her palms. She asked, ¡°How did this happen?¡±

    Ashley exined over the phone that Ronan had gotten into a fight with another inmate in prison, leaving both of them injured and hospitalized.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why they fought, but your dad has a broken lett leg, and the other inmate had his head injured. They¡¯ve both been treated at the hospital

    ¡°But most importantly, inmates who engage in tights <b>during </b>their sentence, especially those <b>who </b>cause serious injuries, may be seen as incorrigible, which can result in an extension of their sentence.¡±

    As Ashley finished, Emelie¡¯s hand trembled. The milk overflowed from the cup<b>, </b>scalding her skin, but she barely felt it.

    <b>Ronan¡¯s </b>temper was indeed vtile, or he wouldn¡¯t have caused a scene in the hospital. But she never imagined he would get into trouble just days before his sentence was up. A fight with a fellow inmate, resulting in his own <b>broken </b>leg. Emelie felt a surge of anger and heartache. He was an old man, already serving three months in prison, and now¡­

    As her heartached, her grip on the cup tightened. Ashley took the cup from her and wiped away the spilled milk with a tissue. Her fair skin was reddened by the heat.

    She gently advised, ¡°Don¡¯t worry now. I¡¯m just talking about the most serious situation. I only got this information after work hours, so I couldn¡¯t find out more. Let¡¯s wait untilN?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    tomorrow.¡±

    Emelie frowned. ¡°ts he in the hospital now? Can I visit him?¡¯

    Ashley nodded<b>. </b>¡°Yes. I¡¯ll arrange the paperwork tomorrow. Visiting him under the supervision of a guard won¡¯t be difficult¡±

    ¡°Thank you¡± Emelle nodded.

    Seeing Fanelle in such a state, Ashley hesitated for a moment before suggesting, ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay at my ce tonight?¡±

 Chapter 233

    Chapter 233 Manipted

    Emelie hesitated briefly and said politely, ¡°It¡¯s fine. My ce isn¡¯t far from the firm. I¡¯ll just take a cab. It¡¯ll only be a half¨Chour ride<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    ¡°But you¡¯ve been on a business trip recently, and Mona went back to her hometown. The apartment hasn¡¯t been aired out in a while. It won¡¯t befortable staying there,¡± Ashley responded. ¡°Come home with me tonight. It¡¯ll be more convenient for as to go to the hospital together in the morning.

    In fact, Emelie was worried about disturbing Ashley and her husband.

    Ashley saw through her concerns. She added<b>, </b>¡°I had some arguments with my husbandtely, so I¡¯ve been staying at my own ce. It¡¯s just me alone.¡±

    Hearing that, Emelie agreed and left the firm with Ashley. They soon arrived at Ashley¡¯s apartment, which was just a ten¨Cminute walk away from the firm

    Emelie took a hot shower and changed into the pajamas Ashley lent her before finallyying down to rest. However, the sudden news about Roman weighed heavily on her mind. Restless, she couldn¡¯t sleep well the whole night

    Fortunately, Ashley was very efficient. The next morning, she had already sorted out all the necessary paperwork. She then said to Emelle, ¡°We can go to the hospital now.¡±

    Without further dy, <b>they </b>headed to the hospital. Due to his identity as a prisoner, Ronan was put in a <b>private </b>room. His hands were cuffed to the bed, and his left leg <b>was </b>in a cast

    When Emelie <b>saw </b>him, his face was gaunt, and his lips were pale. White strands showed through his hair, making him look old and <b>frail</b><b>.</b>

    ¡°Emelie!¡± Ronan Imed to sit up but <b>winced </b>in pain as he identally moved his broken leg.

    <b>¡°</b>Don¡¯t move<b>,</b>¡± Emelie hurried over to support him.

    A guard nearby barked, ¡°1765, stay sti!!!¡±

    Despite the pain, Ronan instinctively replied, ¡°Yes, Sir!¡±

    Emelie¡¯s nose tingled. Gritting her teeth, she helped him settle back.

    Ronan looked at her with a face full of guilt. ¡°Emelie, does your mother know about the tight?¡±

    ¡°No, and I won¡¯t <b>tell </b>her Emelie sat down and frowned slightly. ¡°But why did you get into a fight with another inmate?

    ¡°This could extend your sentence. You were so close to being released Why risk <b>it </b>now?

    ¡°L. I didn¡¯t start it!¡± Ronan eximed, agitated. ¡°Leonard came up to me saying all sorts of nasty things. Then, I lost my temper!

    ¡°Just ignore him. You didn¡¯t have to bother with him.¡±

    ¡°He was talking about you! How could I just let him

    Emelie was puzzled. ¡°Talking about me? What did he say?

    At the mention of this incident, Ronan was still visibly angry. ¡°He said you were doing nithy jobs and that you slept with many men. He even said that they¡¯d all taken advantage of you<b>. </b>That¡¯s why I was furious!!!

    Emelie paused and sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t even know him. He was just trying to provoke you, and you fell for it.¡±

    Emelie couldn¡¯t figure out why Leonard would go out of his way to anger her father

    ¡°It¡¯s not just that, Leonard was one of those men who came to our house demanding money!¡± Ronan suddenly revealed. Emelie¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°Are you sure? ¡°I¡¯m confident I could recognize those guys anywhere. He was there with his boss, demanding me to hand you over as coteral There¡¯s no way I¡¯d mistake him!¡±

    Emelle held her breath. Leonard was one of theckeys from the <b>group </b>that had entrapped her family with debts. He was also theckey of the guy who had specifically demanded her as coteral.

    Her eyes fluttered. Those men were the guys who had ruined her family overnight. Their supermarket went bankrupt, their house was sold, and she herself had nearly been taken.

    away.

    After she had made some connections, Emelie tried to investigate those men, hoping to bring them to justice. But they had vanished <b>without </b>a trace.

    Now, with this new lead, she could track down Leonard and find his boss. She wanted to understand why they had targeted her family and specifically demanded her. Emelie had always felt manipted when she thought about what had happened back then.

    Chapter 234 Taking Orders

    Chapter 233 ManiptedContent ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie hesitated briefly and said politely, ¡°It¡¯s fine. My ce isn¡¯t far from the firm. I¡¯ll just take a cab. It¡¯ll only be a half¨Chour ride<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    ¡°But you¡¯ve been on a business trip recently, and Mona went back to her hometown. The apartment hasn¡¯t been aired out in a while. It won¡¯t befortable staying there,¡± Ashley responded. ¡°Come home with me tonight. It¡¯ll be more convenient for as to go to the hospital together in the morning.

    In fact, Emelie was worried about disturbing Ashley and her husband.

    Ashley saw through her concerns. She added<b>, </b>¡°I had some arguments with my husbandtely, so I¡¯ve been staying at my own ce. It¡¯s just me alone.¡±

    Hearing that, Emelie agreed and left the firm with Ashley. They soon arrived at Ashley¡¯s apartment, which was just a ten¨Cminute walk away from the firm

    Emelie took a hot shower and changed into the pajamas Ashley lent her before finallyying down to rest. However, the sudden news about Roman weighed heavily on her mind. Restless, she couldn¡¯t sleep well the whole night

    Fortunately, Ashley was very efficient. The next morning, she had already sorted out all the necessary paperwork. She then said to Emelle, ¡°We can go to the hospital now.¡±

    Without further dy, <b>they </b>headed to the hospital. Due to his identity as a prisoner, Ronan was put in a <b>private </b>room. His hands were cuffed to the bed, and his left leg <b>was </b>in a cast

    When Emelie <b>saw </b>him, his face was gaunt, and his lips were pale. White strands showed through his hair, making him look old and <b>frail</b><b>.</b>

    ¡°Emelie!¡± Ronan Imed to sit up but <b>winced </b>in pain as he identally moved his broken leg.

    <b>¡°</b>Don¡¯t move<b>,</b>¡± Emelie hurried over to support him.

    A guard nearby barked, ¡°1765, stay sti!!!¡±

    Despite the pain, Ronan instinctively replied, ¡°Yes, Sir!¡±

    Emelie¡¯s nose tingled. Gritting her teeth, she helped him settle back.

    Ronan looked at her with a face full of guilt. ¡°Emelie, does your mother know about the tight?¡±

    ¡°No, and I won¡¯t <b>tell </b>her Emelie sat down and frowned slightly. ¡°But why did you get into a fight with another inmate?

    ¡°This could extend your sentence. You were so close to being released Why risk <b>it </b>now?

    ¡°L. I didn¡¯t start it!¡± Ronan eximed, agitated. ¡°Leonard came up to me saying all sorts of nasty things. Then, I lost my temper!

    ¡°Just ignore him. You didn¡¯t have to bother with him.¡±

    ¡°He was talking about you! How could I just let him

    Emelie was puzzled. ¡°Talking about me? What did he say?

    At the mention of this incident, Ronan was still visibly angry. ¡°He said you were doing nithy jobs and that you slept with many men. He even said that they¡¯d all taken advantage of you<b>. </b>That¡¯s why I was furious!!!

    Emelie paused and sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t even know him. He was just trying to provoke you, and you fell for it.¡±

    Emelie couldn¡¯t figure out why Leonard would go out of his way to anger her father

    ¡°It¡¯s not just that, Leonard was one of those men who came to our house demanding money!¡± Ronan suddenly revealed. Emelie¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°Are you sure? ¡°I¡¯m confident I could recognize those guys anywhere. He was there with his boss, demanding me to hand you over as coteral There¡¯s no way I¡¯d mistake him!¡±

    Emelle held her breath. Leonard was one of theckeys from the <b>group </b>that had entrapped her family with debts. He was also theckey of the guy who had specifically demanded her as coteral.

    Her eyes fluttered. Those men were the guys who had ruined her family overnight. Their supermarket went bankrupt, their house was sold, and she herself had nearly been taken.

    away.

    After she had made some connections, Emelie tried to investigate those men, hoping to bring them to justice. But they had vanished <b>without </b>a trace.

    Now, with this new lead, she could track down Leonard and find his boss. She wanted to understand why they had targeted her family and specifically demanded her. Emelie had always felt manipted when she thought about what had happened back then.

    Chapter 234 Taking Orders

 Chapter 234

    Chapter 234 Taking Orders.

    Emelie wanted to ask more about Leonard, but the guard interrupted, ¡°Visiting hours are over. Family members, please leave.¡±

    <b>She </b>could only take back her words and stood up. She then said to Ronan, ¡°I¡¯ll discuss this with thewyer and figure out what to do.

    ¡°Just focus on recovering for now. Don¡¯t worry about anything at home. We¡¯re all waiting for you toe <b>back</b>.¡±Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    Ronan nodded absentmindedly <b>and </b><b>repeated</b>, ¡°As long as you¡¯re all okay, that¡¯s all that matters¡­¡±

    Leaving the ward, Emelie found Ashley waiting outside.

    Ever straightforward, Ashley said, ¡°Lasked the prison staff about what happened. Other inmates confirmed that Leonard provoked your father first. But since they both fought, they¡¯ll both be punished.¡±

    ¡°What kind of punishment will he get?¡±

    ¡°Seven days in solitary confinement<b>¡±</b>

    This meant Ronan¡¯s sentence would be extended by a few days.

    It was the best oue, considering the circumstances. If things had been more severe, he could have faced new charges and a court trial, resulting in a much longer sentence.

    The prison guards didn¡¯t allow Ronan to stay outside for long. As soon as Emelie left, four prison guards carried him away on a stretcher.

    Emebe followed them downstairs, watching until they drove off in a police vehicle. She felt somewhat restless.

    Ashley suggested they sit on a bench for awhile. They had rushed out and hadn¡¯t even had breakdnst yet. So she went to get some food from a nearby store

    Meanwhile, William was in <b>his </b>car <b>on </b>the way to the office. He listened to Ashton, who was updating him about thepany¡¯s affairs from the front seat.

    ¡°The initial preparations for the Wimstour Cry project are almostplete. Mr. Gleamfield <b>and </b>Mr. Swanson will handle the final touches and should be back in a few <b>days</b>.¡±

    Wim merely acknowledged with a hum. His expression remained indifferent Ashton had a distinct feeling that the multi¨Cmillion¨Cdor project didn¡¯t interest William much at the moment

    Pausing, she put down her documents and said, ¡°Ms. Hoven¡¯s father got into a scuttle with someone. What started as an argument escted into a fight. Both of them were injured and taken to an external hospital for treatmentst night¡±

    ¡°Fighting in prison? Wim sneered ¡°No wonder he once took a medical statt hostage!

    Ashton didn¡¯t know how to respond to that William couldn¡¯t understand why Emelie would want to reconnect with those so¨Ccalled family members. She had cut ties with them three years ago, dering that he was her only family.

    Frowning, he checked his watch and asked, ¡°Which hospital <b>is </b>her father <b>in </b>now?¡±

    Emelle sat on the bench on the hospital love, mulling over the situation with Leonard. She pulled out her phone, wanting to contact some connections to dig up information on

    But <b>as </b>soon as she pressed the button, she realized her phone was dead. She hadn¡¯t used it sincest night.

    Ashley returned with some bread and milk. She handed them to Emelie Emelie thanked her and epted the food. Ashley sat down beside her and began eating.

    ¡°Ms.Thornton, did you <b>ask </b>the guards about Leonard?¡±

    ¡°I did. Leonard was caught for theft and was only sentenced for a few months. He had been well¨Cbehaved and was due for release next month. The guards were baffled that he suddenly got into a fight with your dad.¡±

    Emelie sipped her milk through a straw and asked, ¡°What did Leonard say?¡°!

    Ashley finished her bread and took a sip of milk before answering, ¡°<b>Leonard </b>imed he was just joking with your dad and <b>didn¡¯t </b>expect your dad to get angry. They exchanged some insults, and things escted.¡±

    But my dad said he got mad because Leonard insulted me. Why would Leonard use me to provoke my dad?

    ¡°How did he even know my dad has a daughter? My dad also said he recognized Leonard as one of the men who came to our house to collect debts years ago, but Leonard didn¡¯t recognize him.¡±

    Ashley found the situation intriguing. ¡°So you¡¯re thinking ¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking someone ordered Leonard to start a fight with my <b>dad</b><b>.</b>¡±

    Ashley didn¡¯t immediately agree but offered, ¡°Thave friends who work as prison guards. I can ask them to find out more from inmates close to Leonard<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    Emelie felt grateful. ¡°Thank you, Ms.Thornton.¡±

    ¡°Stop thanking me all the time. We¡¯ve shared meals and dealt with rumors, and you¡¯re stayed overst night. We¡¯re friends now. Just call me Ashley¡±

    Emelle rxed a bit and smiled. ¡°Ashley.¡±

    ¡°So, should I take you home now?¡± Ashley asked. Right then, her phone rang.

 Chapter 235

    Chapter 235 Greta¡¯s Heart Stopped

    Ashley answered the call. After a while, she said, ¡°Got it. Ask them to wait in the reception room. I¡¯ll be right back¡±

    <b>Seeing </b>as Ashley was busy, Emelie didn¡¯t want to dy her. ¡°Lean head back on my own. But my phone¡¯s dead. The hospital <b>should </b>have power banks for rent. Could you help me

    Ashley agreed. ¡°The charging stations are usually at the front desk. Let¡¯s <b>head </b>there.¡±

    Emelie quickly finished her milk and bread. Then, they walked together to the front desk.

    On the way, she said, ¡°<b>I </b>need toe up with an excuse to tell my mom why my dad¡¯s release is dyed by a week. <b>She </b>cannot know about the fight She¡¯s still in the hospital¡±

    Ashley nodded. ¡°You definitely can¡¯t tell her the truth.¡±

    The weather was gloomy. The clouds were gray, and the wind was chilly.

    Emelie looked at the sky, feeling a shiver <b>run </b>through her. She murmured, ¡°:

    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it.¡±

    It was just past nine. The doctor at Centra Hospital hadn¡¯t made their rounds yet

    Greta¡¯s caregiver brought a basin of hot water to help her wash up. She also turned Greta over to prevent her from getting bedsores.

    Meanwhile, Eliana went downstairs to buy breakfast. Greta seemed to be in better spirits today. She smiled at the caregiver. ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all it¡¯s just part of my job,¡± the caregiver made small talk with her<b>. </b><b>¡°</b>Your daughter has <b>been </b>on a business trip for quite some time. She should be back soon, right<b>?</b>¡±

    Greta raised her band cooperatively. ¡°Yes<b>, </b>very soon. She called a few days ago and said she would be <b>back </b>today or tomorrow.

    ¡°<b>And </b>if I remember correctly, your husband is due to be released soon, right?¡±

    Greta¡¯s improved spirits <b>were </b>clearly tied to this thought. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. He¡¯sing out tomorrow.¡±

    The caregiver looked around and suddenly remarked, ¡°But I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll be out tomorrow.¡±

    Greta was taken aback. ¡°<b>What </b>do you mean by that?¡±

    The caregiver helped her change into a clean hospital gown and clicked her tongue. ¡°Don¡¯t be upset. I¡¯m not trying to worry you, but I heard he got into a fight with another inmate yesterday.

    ¡°He broke his leg, and the other guy ended up with a head injury. It¡¯s pretty serious.¡±

    Greta was shocked. Her face turned <b>pale </b>as she struggled to stop. ¡°What did you <b>say</b>? who told you that?¡±

    The caregiver didn¡¯t answer directly. She simply sighed. ¡°Theard that fights in prison lead to extended sentences.

    ¡°Who knows how much longer he¡¯ll be in there now? Why was he so impulsive? Your daughter¡¯s the one who has to clean up his mess in the end.

    ¡°His previous assault had caused such amotion, and now he¡¯s involved in another fight. He¡¯s <b>showing </b>no progress at all. It must be tough to be your <b>daughter</b>.¡±

    <b>¡°</b><b>With </b>you in this <b>state </b>and him in <b>that </b>situation, your daughter has to shoulder all the burden. I feel sorry for her, even as an outsider¡­¡±

    Greta remained silent. Her face was as pale as <b>a </b>paper. She clutched her chest, struggling to breathe as the caregiver¡¯s words echoed in her ears.

    Getting into a fight, extended sentences, and all of this mess. All the burdens tell on Emelie.

    Greta gasped for air, but it felt like no oxygen was entering her lungs. She copsed back onto the bed, <b>and </b>the heart monitor emitted a piercing rm.

    Beep, beep, beep!

    The doctor was just outside the door for his rounds. Hearing the rm, he immediately rushed in. ¡°What¡¯s causing such severe heart fluctuations?¡±

    The caregiver stepped aside and innocently muttered, ¡°I don¡¯t know. She suddenly fainted.¡±Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    The next moment, the heart monitor emitted a continuous beep. The doctor shouted, ¡°We¡¯re in trouble! It¡¯s <b>a </b>cardiac arrest!?

    Doctors and nurses swarmed <b>in </b>to initiate emergency procedures. Eliana returned with breakfast, only to find doctors performing CPR on her mother. She froze for a few seconds before realizing Greta¡¯s heart had stopped again.

    The cereal in her hand fell to the floor while the caregiver fled amidst the chaos. The first thing that came to Eliana¡¯s mind was to call Emelie. Her body shivered as a bad feeling overwhelmed her.

    Her hands trembled so much it took several tries to dial the number. However, all she got in response was <b>a </b>robotic voice saying Emelie¡¯s phone was off

    The doctors took turns performing CPR on Greta. But no matter how hard they tried this time, Greta¡¯s heart remained lifeless.

    One of the doctors quickly approached Eliana. His argent words hit Ena together with the sudden p of thunder outside.

    ¡°It¡¯s not working. Her heart has stopped! Without a donor, the only way to save her now is with an artificial heart. ¡°Don¡¯t space out! Look at me! Did you hear what I said? You¡¯re her family member. You need to make a decision!¡±

 Chapter 236

    Chapter 236 At a Loss

    For a moment, Fliana¡¯s attention was drawn to the thunder <b>outside</b>. But the doctor¡¯s stem tone snapped her back to reality. She stammered, ¡°Isn¡¯t an artificial heart dangerous?

    But now, with their mother¡¯s life on the brink, what else mattered? Even Emelle hesitated about imnting an artificial heart for Greta before this. How could she make a decision?Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    if Greta didn¡¯t survive the surgery, the cost of the device and the operation would be astronomical. Eliana wondered if Emelie would be willing to take on that burden.

    Thoughts raced through her mind. Coupled with the ring rms, she felt her ears pounding.

    <b>She </b>tried calling Emelie¡¯s phone again, but it was still oft. The doctor urged, ¡°Have you made a decision? We can¡¯t wait any longer!¡±

    Eliana was at a loss. She didn¡¯t know what to do. All her life, she¡¯d reled on her parents, her husband, <b>and </b>others to <b>make </b>decisions for her. Now, faced with this monumental choice<b>, </b>she felt paralyzed.

    She grabbed the doctor¡¯s arm. ¡°Is there any other way? Please think of something else. Or tell me what to do. I¡¯ll follow your advice!¡±

    The doctor couldn¡¯t <b>make </b>such a decision for her. ¡°If you can¡¯t decide, we can put her on ECMO to keep her <b>alive </b>until your sister arrives.¡±

    Elianatched onto this suggestion like a lifeline. ¡°What is ECMO? <b>What </b>does it do?!

    The doctor exined, ¡°Extracorporeal membrane cxygenation. It¡¯s a machine that provides respiratory and circtory support for patients with severe heart and lung failure. It cam temporarily <b>take </b>over the function of the heart.¡±

    na barely understood. ¡°Is it safe?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s rtively safe. It¡¯s mainly to maintain life temporarily.¡±

    without hesitation, she said, ¡°Do that! Use that!¡±

    The doctor held her arm. ¡°Listen, ECMO is very expensive to initiate. It also requires TCU care afterward, and it only buys time. You¡¯ll still need to decide about the artificial heart

    <b>soon</b>.¡±

    Compared to the risk of losing both their mother and a fortune with the artificial heart, ECMO seemed like a safer bet. At least it could keep Greta alive for now. Eliana gritted her teeth and made the only decision she felt she could.

    <b>¡°</b><b>Go </b>ahead! My sister wille and pay for it!¡±

    Emelie plogged her phone into the power bank. As she tumed it on, <b>she </b>saw several missed calls. Before she could check who had called<b>, </b>someone called out to her.

    ¡°Emelie.¡± She looked up to see the elegantly <b>poised </b>Vanessa approaching.

    Surprised, she barely had time to greet Vanessa when burried footsteps sounded from behind. ¡°Move aside! Clear the way!¡±

    Instinctively, Emelie turned around and collided with several medical staff pushing a mobile hospital bed. Her phone slipped from her hand and fell to the ground with a loud crack The medical staff were in a rush to get the patient to the emergency room. They didn¡¯t stop.

    A curse burried over, asking, ¡°<b>Miss</b>, are you okay?¡±

    Emelie quickly picked up her phone, finding the screen shattered.

    The nurse said apologetically. ¡°The patient¡¯s heart stopped, and the doctors were in a hurry to save them, so they didn¡¯t see you.¡±

    Emelie tried to power on her phone, but the screen remained dark. The nurse looked concerned. Your phone.¡±

    Vanessa walked over and asked worriedly, ¡°Is it broken?¡±!

    ¡°It¡¯s <b>fine </b><b>Saving </b>a life is more important, and I was in the way¡± Emelie ceassured the nurse, who apologized again before leaving

    Vanessa sighed. ¡°The hospital is truly thest line of defense against death. <b>In </b>critical moments<b>, </b>you can¡¯t me them.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Anyways, It¡¯s just a screen. It¡¯s not a big deal.¡± Emelie put her phone away for now and turned to Vanessa. ¡°Mrs. Middleton, what brings you to the hospital? Are you feeling unwell?

    ¡°I¡¯m <b>fine</b>, I heard about your father getting injured in prison. He got a broken leg and was sent to the hospital. I figured you¡¯d be here in the morning if you were going to visit him. So I came to try my luck, and here you <b>are</b>.¡±

    Vanessa continued asking, ¡°How¡¯s your father¡¯s injury? Is it serious?¡±

    Emelie¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. Her father¡¯s injury shouldn¡¯t bemon knowledge. ¡°Mrs. Middleton, how did you find out?¡±

    egnant Woman

 Chapter 237

    Chapter 237 The Pregnant Woman

    Vanessa exined, ¡°Well, Henry helped out when your father was involved in the medical dispute. Noticing that we were concerned about the matter, people have kept us informed about it. They think it¡¯s a way to gain our favor.¡±

    She looked around <b>and </b>added, ¡°We might get in other people¡¯s way if we talk here. Why don¡¯t we have a chat at the cate across the street?

    Emelie pondered briefly and nodded. ¡°Alright.¡±

    As they stepped out, Emelie noticed it had started raining <b>Vanessa¡¯s </b>driver opened an umbre to shield them, but Emelle took it from him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± She held the umbre over both of them as they walked to the cale

    Wim, who had just arrived at the hospital entrance<b>, </b>happened to witness the scene. His <b>eyes </b>turned dark.

    The cafe was quiet in the morning. They took a seat by the window, and a waiter brought the menu. ¡°What would you like to drink?¡±

    Vanessasmiled. ¡°Emelie, <b>you </b>decide.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelle <b>said</b>, ¡°One white coffee and one mocha, please.¡±

    <b>¡°</b>Got it.¡± The water left.

    Vanessa remarked warmly, ¡°You remembered I like white coffer. You¡¯re always so considerate, keeping <b>track </b>of what others like Henry appreciated the chess set you gave him for his birthdayst year<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    As a <b>secretary</b>, remembering such details was part of Emelie¡¯s job. Emelie responded, ¡°You¡¯ve both been so kind to me. It¡¯s only right for me to show my gratitude.¡±

    Vanessa teased, ¡°Of course, we have to take care of you. We consider you a daughter¨Cinw

    Emelie pressed her lips together. ¡°Mrs. Middleton, I¡¯ve told you that there¡¯s nothing between Mr. Middleton and me anymore.¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright. If that¡¯s what you said, then that¡¯s it. But you can still be our daughter, right?¡± <b>Vanessa </b>smiled inchilgently and warmly

    Though a bit ufortable, Emelie couldn¡¯t show it. She chose to remain silent. Vanessa asked, ¡°How¡¯s your father¡¯s injury?¡±

    Emelle sighed. ¡°It¡¯s pretty bad. He has a broken leg and is in a cast¡±

    to heal properly. It would be best to get

    ¡°As people get older, their bones be brittle. Recovery isn¡¯t as quick as it is for the young. Plus, being in prison makes it hard for him to he him out soon so he can recover fully and avoid long¨Cterm mobility issues.¡±

    Vanessa continued gently, ¡°If you need any help, I¡¯m here for you.

    Emelle wondered if <b>Vanessa </b>could help get Ronan out early. She frowned slightly. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit too much trouble?

    Vanessa smiled. ¡°His sentence is almost up anyway. The additional days in solitary are a punishment, but the number of days can be negotiated.¡±

    If Ronan could be released early, Emelie wouldn¡¯t have to lie to Greta. Besides, she was also worried about Ronan¡¯s leg. She didn¡¯t refuse. ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Middleton.

    ¡°We¡¯re family. Who else would I help if not you?¡±

    The waiter brought their coffee, Vanessa book <b>a </b>sip, then gently set it down before continuing, ¡°I remember you mentioned you share an apartment with a friend¡±

    Emelie¡¯s eyshes fluttered slightly. Calmly, she replied, ¡°Yes, but my roommate recently went back <b>to </b>her hometown.¡±

    ¡°Where is her hometown<b>?</b>

    ¡°A small town in a neighboring city.¡±

    which city, exactly? There are so many cities around us.¡±

    If Vanessa had just been trying to make casual conversation, she would have stopped at one or two questions. But this persistent questioning made it clear she had a purpose

    Emelie realized why Vanessa hade to see her.

    She gripped the handle of her coffee cup and decided to go straight to the point. ¡°Mrs. Middleton, is there something you want to tell me about my roommate?¡±

    Vanessa smiled. ¡°You¡¯re as sharp as ever, Emelie.¡±

    <b>She </b>then took out her phone, opened a photo, and ced it on the table before sliding it towards Finelle. Emelie picked it up and immediately recognized it as a photo of a package containing delicacies from <b>Wimstour </b>City that she had sent to Mona

    Vmessa spoke softly, ¡°It¡¯s a small world. Your friend lives in the same town as Xenia Recently, she¡¯s been asking around about Xenta. When we visited her home, we saw a package you sent, and that¡¯s how we discovered she¡¯s your friend.¡±

    Vanessa¡¯s tone was casual, but Emelie felt <b>a </b>chill

    They had discovered Mona was inquiring about the pregnant woman and <b>had </b>gone so far as to visit her home. They had even possibly searched her home since they found the per kage and hoked it back to her, They knew Mona had told Emelie everything she had discovered.

    Hence, Vanessapproachedher Vanessa¡¯s offer to help Ronan get out early was not out of kindness but as part of a bargain

    As expected, Vanessacontinued, ¡°Wentia is due to give buth in three months. We n to announce it after the baby is born, so we hope you can keep this secret for post.

 Chapter 238

    Chapter 238 William¡¯s illegitimate Child

    Emelie set down the phone and <b>took </b><b>a </b>sip of her <b>mocha</b>. The bitter coffee shed with the creamy sweetness, creating a disjointed taste.

    She swallowed the coffee and took <b>a </b>deep breath before saying sincerely, ¡°Mrs. Middleton, my friend didn¡¯t intend to pry into that youngdy¡¯s affairs.

    ¡°She was just being curious and wanted to gossip around. She hasn¡¯t been spreading any rumors. She¡¯s not the type to be indiscreet.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°If she offended you or the youngdy in any way, <b>I </b>sincerely apologize <b>on </b>her behalf. Please don¡¯t make things difficult for her.¡±

    Vanessa chuckled. ¡°What are you saying, Emelie? I would never make things difficult for her. After all, she¡¯s your friend. It¡¯s just that we really don¡¯t want to publicize Xenia¡¯s pregnancy right now..

    Emebe caught on quickly. ¡°Tunderstand I won¡¯t say a word about it

    Vanessa¡¯s smile broadened. ¡°Of course. You¡¯re so busy with your mother in the hospital and your father soon to be released for recovery.

    ¡°Thear you¡¯re also starting a new job at the Swanson Corporation. With so much on your te, you wouldn¡¯t have the time to spread <b>gossip</b>.¡±

    Emelle remained silent. She couldn¡¯t help but feel slightly unnerved by how well Vanessa knew her current situation. It was both <b>a </b>subtle threat and a warning.

    For the first time, Emelie saw beyond Vanessa¡¯s refined and gentle demeanor. She realized there was more to her.

    Vanessa nced out the window. ¡°The rain is getting heavier. I should be going. Emelie, you should head home soon, too. If you get caught in the rain, make sure to drink some ginger tea to avoid catching a cold.¡±

    ¡°Okay, Mrs. Middleton. Take care,¡± Emelie stood up to see her <b>off</b>, but Vanessa waved her back into her seat and left on her own.

    Emelle¡¯s expression tightened into a <b>frown</b>. She immediately took out her phone to call Mona and check on her. She only remembered that she broke her phone when she saw the cracks on the screen.

    She tried to turn it on, but it wouldn¡¯t start. She couldn¡¯t tell if it was out of battery or if the fall had permanently damaged the phone.

    Worry and frustration gnawed at her, deepening her frown.

    A few days ago, Mona had shared her findings with Emelie. The pregnant woman, whom Vanessa referred to as ¡°Xenia,¡± called Vanessa ¡°Mom.¡°\/

    This meant Xenia was either Vanessa¡¯s daughter or her daughter¨Cinw. It was widely known that William was the only son of the Middletons. If it was thetter, it meant that the woman must be his partner, and the child she was carrying was his.

    This would be explosive news. It was enough to shock the entire city. If it was the former, it was still quite significant news.

    Vanessa married into the Middletons. To demonstrate her genuine love for Henry and show that she wasn¡¯t after the family fortune or aiming topete with William, she willingly underwent sterilization. She couldn¡¯t have children anymore.

    So, her daughter¡¯s origins were dubious at best. It could potentially be a scandal for the Middletons.

    Emelie had considered many possibilities but had never intended to spread the information. Yet Vanessa had still sought her out because ofil

    This indicated that Xenia, or rather<b>, </b>the baby she was carrying, was extremely sensitive information

    Vanessa had also implied that they wanted to wait until after the baby was born to make the news public.

    Emelie wondered if this child was William¡¯s illegitimate child. Vanessa¡¯s n might be to wait until the baby was born and make it a done deal. Then, William would have no choice hut to ept both the woman and the child.

    Lanelle¡¯s thoughts were in turmoil, and her phone refused to turn on despite her efforts. As she grew increasingly agitated, someone suddenly sat down across from her.

    She looked up instinctively She thought she was hallucinating for a moment. She had just been thinking about William, and now here he was

 Chapter 239

    Chapter 239 Confident That She¡¯d Retur

    Seeing him, <b>Emelie </b>sull couldn¡¯t hide theplex emotions on her face. William¡¯s voice was <b>cold</b><b>. </b><b>¡°</b>You know you should feel guilty meeting her behind my back.¡±

    Emelie paused<b>, </b>calmed herself down, and retorted, ¡°Why should 1 feel guilty?¡±

    william pushed aside the coffee cup Vanessa had used. ¡°What were you discussing with her?¡±N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    ¡°Do I need to report to you?¡± Emelie averted her gaze, focusing on her phone as she kept trying to turn it on. She thought if it still wouldn¡¯t work, she¡¯d have to get it repaired.

    Considering the timing, William could easily guess the topic of her conversation with his mother. ¡°Your father¡¯s tightcould extend his sentence. Did you ask her to help reduce his punishment?

    Emelie¡¯s phone still wouldn¡¯t turn on, even with the power bank connected. Outside, the rain poured harder. Emelle felt the world was in chaos, and she was missing something

    crucial. Her mood turned sour

    Frustrated, she decided to leave. If the phone wouldn¡¯t work, she¡¯d buy a new one.

    Modern life without a phone made one feel disconnected from the world, and she was desperate to reestablish that connection. As she walked past William, he grabbed her wrist.

    Emelie frowned. ¡°Let go.¡±

    ¡°You have resources right in front of you, yet you avoid <b>them</b>. First, you go to <b>Samuel</b>, <b>and </b>now my mother. Each of them is more unreliable than thest,¡± William <b>said</b>, raising his eyes slightly.

    Emelie¡¯s voice was steady. ¡®¡®Those ¡®unreliable¡® people have helped me without conditions<b>. </b>What about you?¡±

    William sneered. ¡°Did you forget what I told you? The most expensive <b>things </b>are the ones without a price. You don¡¯t trust my straightforward deals, but you¡¯d rather risk those shady products¡® ¡±

    Emelle¡¯s phone buzzed, and she nced at it. Surprisingly, it powered on. She twisted her wrist free from William¡¯s grip and headed out without another word.

    The phone was working. She intended to <b>call </b>Mona to check on her, but then she saw eight missed calls from Eliana. It was all from that morning

    Eliane fell silent. Her sister never called this frequently. A sense of dread filled Emelie. Suddenly, a bad feeling crept into her heart

    She immediately called back. na answered, and Emelie urgently asked, ¡°Eli, what happened?

    As soon as Eliana heard her voice<b>, </b>she started crying. ¡°Emelie! Why didn¡¯t you answer your phone?¡±

    ¡°My phone was dead. Is it about Mom?¡±

    ¡°Mom¡¯s heart stopped, and the doctors couldn¡¯t revive her!

    Just then, thunder rumbled loudly. Emelle¡¯s ears seemed to echo with it, leaving her momentarily deaf to everything else.

    Ena continued, <b>¡°</b>They put Mom on some kind of machine, so she¡¯s alive for now. But they said we need to <b>decide </b>whether to get an artificial heart. Emehe, pleasee back soon! I can¡¯t handle this <b>alona</b>!!!

    Holding her breath, Emehe <b>replied</b>, <b>¡°</b>I¡¯m in Capebatt right now. I¡¯ll be there right away!¡±

    she hung up and prepared to dash into the rain. <b>Just </b><b>as </b><b>she </b>was about to step into the downpour, someone grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

    It was William again. Furious, she yelled, ¡°What do you <b>want </b>from me now?¡±

    William stared at her coldly. ¡°Are you nning to run all the way to the hospital? it¡¯s eight kilometers away. How long do you think that will take?¡±

    He then dragged Emelie towards his ear. He had overheard her conversation on the phone. Observing her panicked expression, he guessed that something had happened to her mother

    William showed Emelie into the <b>car </b>and got in himself before instructing the driver, ¡°Go to Centra Hospital¡±

    Emelie added urgently, ¡°Hurry!¡±

    The driver promptly replied and stepped on the gas pedal. Rain poured down on the windshield but was quickly wiped away by the wipers. Only streaks of water were left behind

    Fanelle stared intently ahead, her heart pounding. As soon as they reached the hospital entrance, she jumped out of the car. Her figure looked so small and fragile in the heavy rain. Ashton held an umbre at the car <b>door</b>, but William didn¡¯t get out. He sat silently. He seemed confident that Emelie would soon return.

    Then, he hit a cigarette,

 Chapter 240

    Chapter <b>240 </b>Her Only Choice

    1/1

    Chapter 240 Her Only Choice

    Greta¡¯s surgery was over, and she was now in the ICU. Emelle rushed straight to the critical care floor.

    Family members still weren¡¯t allowed inside the ICU ward, so Eliana and Billy were sitting on the chairs outside. Seeing them, Emelie ran over. ¡°Eli!¡±

    Already a tearful mess, Eliana lunged at her and hit her shoulders. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you answer <b>your </b>phone? Why?¡±

    Emelie stumbled back a couple of steps. Her throat went dry. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose. How¡¯s Mom?¡±

    All Eliana could do was cry. Emelle felt suffocated listening to her cries. She hadn¡¯t slept well the previous night as she had been worried about her father. Now, her head was pounding

    Unable to console <b>his </b>wife, Billy then led Emelie to the door of the ward.

    Through the <b>ss</b>, Emelie could see her mother covered in tubes, with several machines working beside her bed. An oxygen mask covered Greta¡¯s face, and a thinyer of mist had formed inside it. It was a faint sign that she was still alive,

    Emelie fell silent. She then shook her head in disbelief.

    How had <b>things </be to this?

    She couldn¡¯t believe that this had happened.

    Just two days ago, she <b>had </b>called her mother, and Greta had seemed fine. They had talked about Ronan¡¯s imminent release, and they had discussed taking a day off and bringing Greta home for <b>a </b>family meal if her condition allowed it.

    They had even nned what dishes to cook, where to buy the ingredients, and who would do the cooling. Everything had seemed fine. But why had everything changed so suddenly?

    Gr had had several health scares before, but Emelie had never been aware of them. From her perspective, her mother had suddenly gone from perfectly fine to this state where she had to rely on machines to stay alive. Greta was now teetering on the brink of death.

    The shock was overwhelming. Emelie¡¯s vision went ck for a moment.

    Billy sighed. ¡°<b>The </b>doctor said that Mom is now caught between life and death. We need to decide what to do next. If we decide to stop the treatment, we¡¯ll just need to sign the documents, and they¡¯ll turn off the machines. She¡¯ll go peacefully without any pain.¡±

    Emelie remained silent

    She braced herself against the door, trying to steady her trembling body.

    When her father had gotten into trouble, Emelie had quickly calmed down after the initial panic. After all, the worst¨Ccase scenario was just more time in prison. He was still alive, But if something happened to Greta, it would mean losing her forever.

    She couldn¡¯t ept that. <b>She </b>couldn¡¯t let Greta leave without a fight.

    Billy spoke again, ¡°Emelie, Mom told your sister not to tell you if she took a turn for the worse. She didn¡¯t want to burden you, which is why you didn¡¯t know about her previous episodes.¡±N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    Emelie opened her dark eyes. They resembled astarless night. ¡°I¡¯m <b>going </b>to talk to Kris,¡±

    As she left the ICU, she noticed a bag beside Eliana that was filled with her mother¡¯s belongings. On top was a scarf that her mother had knitted for her.

    She could still remember that afternoon in the ward when her mother was knitting while she prepared the yarn.

    She gritted her teeth and beaded straight for Kris office.

    Kris had been expecting Emelie. He got straight to the point and told her inly that the ECMO could only support <b>Greta </b>for a short time. Her other organs were falling, and <b>even </b><b>if </b>a donor appeared, it would likely be toote.

    <b>¡°</b>How <b>much </b>time do we have?

    ¡°At most, three days,¡± Kris said, telling her the truth. ¡°After waiting this long without finding a donor, it¡¯s nearly impossible to get one now. Your only option is an artificial heart¡±

 Chapter 241

    Chapter 241 Artificial Heart

    No. They <b>originally </b>had a donor.

    Greta was supposed to receive the transnt three months ago and recover

    At this moment, Emelie couldn¡¯t help but imagine how it¡¯d be now <b>if </b>Greta had received the donor¡¯s heart three months ago. Instead of lying in the ICU on the brink of death, would Greta be at their country home, enjoying life?

    Emelie took a deep breath. The air that filled her nose had a metallic, bloody smell

    She turned and went downstairs in search of William,

    1/1

    <ol>

    <li>r. She noticed William¡¯s car parked there, with Ashton holding an umbre by the door.</li>

    </ol>

    In the hospital¡¯s parking lot, Emelie got out of the car. She

    He was standing still, clearly waiting for her.

    Limelie <b>had </b><b>a </b>feeling that she couldn¡¯t escape William. She

    e was under his control from the moment he had proposed the deal about the best 10% of doctors.

    The scenes of Roman being taken away by the prison guards and Greta lying in the ICU shed through her mind.

    Emelie dashed toward the car<b>, </b>Ashton hurriedly opened the <b>door </b>to reveal William sitting in the back seat with his legs crossed. The cigarette between William¡¯s fingers had <b>already </b>burned to its tip

    As William watched Emelie run toward him, he recalled how she had looked at him with eyes full of love and adoration over the past three years. However, she never looked at him that way again after she resigned.

    But it didn¡¯t matter, he was sure that those eyes filled with love and adoration for him would reappear sometime in the future.

    Smitking, William hung up the phone after saying, ¡°I be right there.¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t get into the car. Ashton tried to shade her from the rain with the umbre but was pushed away. She was <b>already </b>drenched, so the rain didn¡¯t bother her.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    The rain poured from the sky. Enselle stood there, with water dripping down from head to toe.

    She stared fixedly at William. Her face was pale and colorless.

    William coldly said, ¡°Speak. What¡¯s with that stare? Do you think I can read minds?¡±

    Emelie seemed <b>oddly </b>calm as she replied, ¡°My mom is <b>dying</b>. She¡¯s lying in the ICU and is relying on the machines to sustain her life. This is no different from death.

    ¡°The artificial heart is the only option left.. Do you really have e

    to the best 10% of doctors? William, don¡¯t lie to me.¡±

    William replied, ¡°Id¡±

    Emelie swallowed. ¡°If Mr. Bowen was the one lying in the ICU instead, would you do anything it¡¯d take to find a doctor who <b>can </b>save him?¡±

    William elegantly put out the cigarette. His tailored suitplimented his grace.

    He simply said, ¡°I¡¯m a businessman, not a phnthropist. I only agree to barter with trades of equivalent value.

    ¡°A medical team from Lablos and an imported artificial heart from stony add up to at least six million dors. If you¡¯re <b>not </b>mine, why should I waste these resources?¡± He said no more, waiting for Emelie¡¯s response

    In other words, would Emelie return to his side?

    Emelie closed her eyes and repeated the question, ¡°Why do you insist on having me back?¡±

    Was it because she had proposed to resign? Or was it because she had decided to leave him? Did he feel humiliated because she had dumped him? Was he trying to get revenge to save his ego?

    William burned his head away

    Through the ss, he saw the heavy downpour. Pedestrians scurried past in the rain while he stayed in the car, unaffected

    As Wim chuckled softly, he returned his gaze to Emelie. There was a dark glint in his eyes as he said, ¡°I got addicted to sleeping with you. Isn¡¯t that reason enough?

 Chapter 242

    Chapter 242 Compliance

    I didn¡¯t take long for Emelie to respond. After a short pause, she <b>said</b>, ¡°Fine.¡±

    William fixed his gaze on her

    Emelie sneezed<b>. </b>Her voice was here when she said, ¡°Mr. Middleton, do you have to act so surprised? Didn¡¯t you already expect this?¡±

    Wim responded with a faint hum and said, ¡°I <b>did</b><b>.</b><b>¡±</b>Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelle sighed before she immediately asked, ¡°When will the doctors arrive? My mom can only hold on for three more days, at most¡±

    ¡°make it work since I¡¯ve promised you¡± Then, with his head resting against his hand, William casually asked, ¡°Can Mrs. Hoven take on another surgery today?

    What do you mean?¡±¡±

    If she can handle it, we can get the surgery done today¡±

    Emelie was stunned at the words. She could tell that something was off. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that the medical team is from Lablos?

    Wim was liked by her rain¨Csoaked appearance. He scooted to the door and grabbed her wrist to pull her into the car.

    ¡°You know that I have it all within my expectations<b>, </b><b>so </b>is it that surprising that I¡¯ve brought them here in advance? The doctors and machines arrived in Capebait City three days age, so Mrs. Hoven is free to undergo surgery as long as she can with stand It,¡±

    The heater in the car was on full st. The drastic temperature change caused Emeleto shiver.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure <b>if </b>she¡¯s fit to undergo another surgery today. I¡¯ll love to ask the attending doctor.¡± Wi nced at Ashton standing at the door and said, ¡°Get it sorted out.¡±

    As nodded and then closed the door.

    Emelie nimed to leave, but Wim held her hand.

    ¡°Go to Eastbay,¡± he ordered Abel, who responded by starting the engine.

    Previously, Will would only bring Emelie to Eastbay when he was yearning for sex

    Emelie shot <b>him </b>a re as she held back her rage. ¡°Even though I¡¯ve agreed to return to your side, are you that eager for sex? My mom is still in the ICU. Can¡¯t you show some respect

    William was briefly stunned before heughed. <b>¡°</b>Who¡¯s the one having such dirty thoughts?¡±

    Emelle seethed ¡°Don¡¯t use me of anything he that!¡±

    William calmly exined, ¡°I¡¯m just sending you back for achange of clothes. I¡¯m not that desperate.¡°¡±

    Emelie paused before saying. ¡°My apartment is closer than Eastbay. Take me back to my apartment¡±

    ¡°aty medical team has to take over everything from the current doctor. Even if the surgery can start at once<b>, </b>the arrangements will still take two in three hours. What¡¯s the rush? Walking there will just be a waste of time.¡±

    e you, who doesn¡¯t even <b>bother </b>to care for your family, can never

    ¡°Staying by my mom¡¯s side, even if it means doing nothing, is never a waste of time. Someone selfish like y understand.¡±

    William stared at <b>her </b>but surprisingly didn¡¯t retort.

    Emelie had often spent the night at Eastbay, so some of her clothes were already there.

    She wasn¡¯t in the mood for a shower, so she simply changed <b>into </b>a fresh set of clothes before getting ready to leave

    William opened a bottle of wine at the bar and said, <b>¡°</b>You¡¯ll be staying at Eastbay from today orward.¡±

    Emelle¡¯s hands paused at the <b>door</b>. She turned to look at him

    William raised the ss to his <b>lips </b>and took a <b>sip</b>. ¡°Just because I don¡¯t want sex today doesn¡¯t mean that won¡¯t want it tomorrow. I¡¯m not going to let you at easy.¡± Emelie¡¯s grip on the door handle tightened. She then walked out without saying a word.

    She hurried down the stairs and saw Abel waiting.

    ¡°M, Hoven, are <b>you </b>heading back to the hospital? Let me send you there.¡±

    Emelie took a deep breath and didn¡¯t <b>refuse </b>the offer. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me.¡± Abel held an umbre over her as she got into theca.

    At the bar, William was finishing his ss of wine when he sensed that something was off

    He usually only <b>drank </b>when he was in a <b>bad </b>mood Bet right now<b>, </b>he was.. feeling great.

    William picked up his phone to call jayden, only to remember that Jayden was still in Wimstour City. So, he called Es instead.

    <b>¡°</b><b>Do </b>you want to grab a drink?¡±

    Sure. Westward Club)

    Wim <b>gave </b>a hum <b>in </b>agreement and then hung up <b>the </b><b>call</b>

    William had chosen the right person to call. Es was looking for a drinking buddy too, but it wasn¡¯t because he was in a good mood. It was quite the opposite.

    as would usually turn <b>to </b>jayden with his problems, but his best friend was currently on <b>a </b>business trip in Wintour City. So, when William offered to go out for some drinks, has decided to ept

    ¡°Can you believe how ridiculous Ashley is? is there <b>anyone </b>else who can put up with her besides me? lias ranted, drinking a shot aber each sentence.

    Hontinued, ¡°She hasn¡¯t been home for days, so I went to <b>her </bw firm. <b>And </b>guess what happened?¡±

 Chapter 243

    Chapter 243 Drinkenness

    Wil padat Elus in response.

    Lasseted. ¡°There were two security guards at the entrance of the firm. As soon as they saw me, they stopped me and told me that I wasn¡¯t allowed to enter.

    ¡°Ther husband, but she treats me like a thiet just because I didn¡¯t sign the postnuptial agreement. Isn¡¯t that ridiculous? Would <b>I </b><b>have </b>been in such a <b>hurry </b>to marry her it in weren¡¯t for her interbance?

    Wim casually replied, ¡°Do you need her money that much?¡±

    Elughed. ¡°That¡¯s not just some money. ¡±

    Ashley¡¯s parents had died in a ne crash, so she had inherited all their wealth. As awyer herself, no one should dream of iming her assets. Only someone with the legal status of her husband stood a chance at getting her fortune

    <b>this </b>leaned back on <b>the </b>couch <b>and </b>stared at the ceiling. He mumbled, ¡°Wealth really does bring trouble. She doesn¡¯t understand. She might seem smart, but deep down, she¡¯s just

    He trailed off and sighed. Then, he said, ¡°It all balls downs to the fact that capable women are a pain in the ass. Will, don¡¯t <b>you </b>agree?

    William raised an eyebrow. ¡°When have ever said that?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t agree? Theard about Ms. Hoven. Swanson Corporation gave her an offer, and she left just like that. She¡¯s a pain in the ass because she can¡¯t be tamed even after three years by your side¡±

    ¡°If you can¡¯t handle Ashley, that¡¯s your problem. Emelle is well¨Cbehaved<b>. </b><b>She </b>won¡¯t join Swanson Corporation. She¡¯s <b>my </b>secretary because she¡¯s mine. Do you understand?¡± said William as he gently swirled the wine in his ss.

    Es had already drunk a couple of sses the shook his head, dave ¡°Not really¡±

    William was about to continue speaking when his phone. It <b>was </b><b>a </b>call from an unfamiliar number,

    ite picked up the <b>phone</b>. ¡°Hello?

    There was silence on the other end. He frowned ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡±

    Then<b>, </b>a woman¡¯s sob sounded. ¡°Mr. Middleton.¡±

    <b>Wim¡¯s </b>face darkened. It was Daphine

    ¡°Mr. Middleton, you blocked my number, so I had to call you on a different phone. You..

    Hallway through Daphne¡¯s words, William hung up.

    Elias looked over, bleary¨Ceyed ¡°Who was ?¡±

    William got up ¡°I¡¯m leaving You should quit drinking ¡±

    Elias protested. ¡°That we¡¯ve just started!¡±

    william waved dismissively and then left.

    The waiter came to clear away the empty sses. Elias clicked his tongue as he turned to the water and asked, ¡°Was he showing off about his secretarying back?!

    The waiter smiled. ¡°Mr. Undvike, your usual room is ready. Shall help you over?¡±

    Es chugged the remaining wine and then mmed the ss on the table, ¡°No.¡±

    He fumbled to his feet. The waiter worriedly approached to help him up ¡°Where are you going?¡°.

    Elias staggered as he said, ¡°I¡¯m going I¡¯m going to findmy wife ¡±

    william left Westward Club and got into the <b>car</b>.

    Abel turned <b>to </b>inquire, ¡°Mr. Middleton<b>, </b>are we heading back to Eastbay?¡±¡±

    William responded with a grunt before closing his eyes Although he hadn¡¯t drunk as much as Flies, a couple of sses were enough to make him tipy. Abelheaded for Eastbay:

    Upon their arrival, <b>William </b>opened his eyes. The alcohol had softened this usually sharp gaze. He asked, ¡°Have you sent her to the hospital

    Abel took a moment to realize that William was referring to Emelle. He then replied, ¡°Yes.¡±

    William shifted in his seat andmanded in a slightly hoarse voice<b>, </b><b>¡°</b>Tum the car around. Head to the hospital.¡±

    William¡¯s medical team from Lables had received <b>a </b>detailed exnation of Greta¡¯s condition from Dr. Chadwick, but they couldn¡¯t perform the surgery <b>today</b>.

    Greta was too weak, and given her age, <b>the </b>earliest they could operate on her <b>was </b>on the day after tomorrow.

    With such a professional medical team on standby, Emelle no longer felt as panicked as she had been when she had first received the news.

    She <b>told </b>Eliana and Billy, ¡°You should go home first. I¡¯ll stay here.¡±

    ¦§

    ¡°Alright. We¡¯ll get some rest ande back in shifts. We can¡¯t enter the ICU anyway, <b>so </b>staying here is just a waste of time,¡± Billy said. Emelie podded

    milly added, ¡°Call us anytime.¡±*Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Elianachinurdin, ¡°We¡¯ll keep our phones on ¡±

    Budir porsed her lips and <b>said</b>, ¡°Takecare<b>.</b>¡±

    After they left, Fanelle was the only one in the waiting area. Her backarhed from sitting on <b>the </b>hard stic chait, so she got up to walk around.

    Chapter 243 Drunkenness

    A nurse saw her and said, ¡°You should go home. We¡¯ll be here at the ICU, and there¡¯s nothing you can do here.¡±

    Emelie shook her head. Although she couldn¡¯t enter the ICU, being closer to Greta made her feel more at <b>ease</b>. The nurse thought against trying to dissuade Emelie, who seemed to be as stubborn as a mule, any further.

    On her way back from the bathroom, Emelie was grabbed by the arm and pulled to the side when she was turning a corner. Instinctively, sheshed out.

    The man caught her wrist with ease and pinned it behind her back. It was only then that she realized who it was. ¡°William, why are you here?

 Chapter 244

    ¨C Chunter 244 A Deep Kisa_________IS

    Chapter 244 A Deep Kiss.

    William leaned in. His breath was heavy with an alcoholic scent.

    Emelie turned her head away in avoidance ¡°Have you been drinking?¡±

    Witam grunted in response

    Emelie¡¯s brows furrowed. They were in the ICU at night, so their surroundings were silent. Emelie couldn¡¯t help lowering her voice to ask, ¡°Why are you here?!

    ¡°I¡¯m here to collect my reward.¡±

    ¡°What rewar¡ªmmph!¡±

    Halfway through her words, William found her lips and kissed her deeply.

    There was no gradual build¨Cup of emotions or change in the atmosphere. The iing kiss, which was tinged with the scent of alcohol, carried an overwhelming desire.

    Emelle¡¯s hands were pinned behind her back, and her head was pressed firmly against the wall. They had never kissed in such a manner before.

    William stole her breath, leaving her gasping for air before he released her slightly. Only then did Emelie get the chance to breathe.

    ¡°Are you crazy? We¡¯re in the hospital!¡±

    William¡¯s fingers brushed across her moist, flushed lips. He muttered in a raspy voice, ¡°It¡¯s 10:30 pm in the ICU. There¡¯s no one around.¡±

    Emelie froze as a chill ran down her spine. ¡°Who do you think you¡¯re trying to mess with?¡±

    ¡°<b>You</b>.¡±

    Emelie was fleetinglystunned before she started resisting. She said in anger, ¡°Stop it!¡±

    William smirked. He was drunk, which added a touch of frivolousness to his usual cold self His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed as he said flirtatiously, ¡°I just want to kiss you,¡± Emelle lifted her gaze to meet his deep, dark eyes.

    What was that saying again? A man¡¯s true character would be shown when he was drunk

    William¡¯s gaze was so entrancing. It was as if Emelle was the whole world in his <b>eyes</b>.

    Of course, Emelle refused to believe in such an illusion.

    William¡¯s presence was an enticingbination of his warm breath and refreshing scent. With his gaze fixed on Emelie, William leaned in for a second kiss Emelie clenched her hands, which were still pinned behind her back, tightly. Her fingernails sank deep into her flesh as she tried to endure the urge to resist. William continued his fierykisses for some time before finally letting her go, but Emelle <b>could </b>sense his growing desire. She feared that he would truly lose control. Noticing the wariness in Emelie¡¯s eyes, William backed off slightly <b>and </b><b>asked</b><b>, </b>¡°When is the surgery scheduled?¡±

    Emelie steadied her breathing and replied, ¡°In the morning on the day after tomorrow.¡±

    William gave a grant and then responded indifferently, ¡°So, you¡¯re avable tomorrow?¡±

    Emelie was instantly reminded of his words at Eastbay a few days ago. He had said, ¡°Just because I don¡¯t want sex today doesn¡¯t mean that I won¡¯t want it tomorrow.¡± His threatening posture led her to snap. ¡°I need to stay at the hospital with my mom tomorrow!¡±

    Wiliam frowned in displeasure. ¡°ts Eliana <b>not </b>contributing financially or physically? Tell her to keep watch over her tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Eliana had stayed with her whenever I was on business trips. She¡¯s had it tough. Her youngest daughter isn¡¯t even a year old yet, and she needs her.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t there anyone else in the family? Wam pondered ¡°Mr. Haven..¡±Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°He has a fractured leg, so even if he¡¯s released from prison tomorrow, he needs to stay home for recovery.¡± Emelie repeated, ¡°So, it can only be me William brushed her lips with his tongue. ¡°Are you trying to avoid me?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Emelie sotmed her tone, surprisingly giving in, as she said, ¡°It¡¯s just that I¡¯m not in the mood for things like that Can¡¯t you understand?¡± William paused, realizing that she had misunderstood. <b>Still</b>, he enjoyed her pleading tone.

    He then released her as he said, ¡°Hurry up and get all the trouble sorted out. I¡¯ve contributed<b>, </b><b>so </b>I expect a reward.¡±

    Embe lowered her gaze with a hum

    William gave her onest look before leaving

    Enelle rxed her grip only after William was gone. On her palms were deep crescent marks from her nails.

    She had to endure for just two more days. <b>Once </b>Greta¡¯s surgery was over and everything was done and dusted, she would never return to his s

 Chapter 245

    Chapter 245 FleasedN?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    <b>Chapter </b>245 Pleased

    William went to the lower floor and got into the car. He instructed Abel, ¡°Head back to Eastbay.¡±

    Abel nodded and drove eft.

    From the rearview mirror, he noticed a faint, almost imperceptible smile on William¡¯s lips¨Ca previously absent sight. Clearly, whatever had happened during that <b>half </b>an hour with Emelie had pleased William.

    Abel mustered up the courage to <b>ask</b>, ¡°Mr. Middleton, is Ms. Hovening back to work soon? I don¡¯t mean anything else by asking this<b>. </b><b>It¡¯s </b>just that out of all the secretaries who have shown up to work, Ms. Hoven has the simplest reports. It seems that having her arcend saves you a lot of time and effort.¡±

    william usually wouldn¡¯t engage in small talk with: Abel. But given his good mood, he replied, ¡°Isn¡¯t that a given? After all, I trained her myself¡±

    Emelie had been trained entirely to his liking to be his best secretary.

    How could William hand her over to someone ebe?

    Eastbay was a vintage three¨Cstorey house. From afar, Abel saw a figure standing at the door. It was a woman.

    Despite standing under the eaves, she had still been soaked by the tan, due to the strong winds. The headlights of the car shone to reveal her shivering <b>self</b>.

    Abel slowed down after <b>a </b>short pause. ¡°Mr. Middleton. it¡¯s Ms. Bowen.¡±

    William looked up.

    Daphne¡¯s face lit up at the sight of their car. She rushed into the rain, prompting Abel to step on the brakes.

    She ran to the rear passenger door of the car and pounded on the window, shouting, ¡°Mr. Middleton! Mr. Middleton Listen, I can exin!¡±

    William rolled down the window.

    After not seeing him for days, Daphne¡¯s tears now streamed down her face relentlessly. ¡°Mr. Middleton<b>!</b>

    William looked at Daphne as she stood in the rain, drenched. He calmly asked, ¡°How did you know that I¡¯m back in Gapebatt City?¡±

    He had just returned yesterday. He had yet to visit the office since he had been preupied with Emelie¡¯s attairs, Daphne was indeed well¨Cinformed.

    Daphne shook her head in a hurry upon sensing the danger in his tone. ¡°L.. I didn¡¯t stalk you. I didn¡¯t bribe anyone around you either.

    ¡°I just drop by Eastbay regrly to check if you¡¯re back. I knew that you were back when I saw the tire tracks at the gate this afternoon, so I waited.¡± William said nothing. He didn¡¯t tell Abel to leave either.

    Abel mulled over the possibility that William might still have feelings for Daphne, seeing how he was willing to listen to her exnation.

    Daphne continued standing in the rain, shivering. Her teeth chattered as her tears streamed down alongside the rain. She looked to be in an utterly pititel state. ¡°The photos¡­they¡¯re real, but they were taken against my will. That man forced me¡­

    Emelie¡¯s phone stopped working.

    When Billy came to visit in the afternoon, she took the chance to buy a new phone at the store. She finally had a functioning phone again.

    The first thing Emelie did was call Mona to check if she was doing fine.

    Mona seemed puzzled by the sudden inquiry. ¡°I¡¯m fine<b>. </b>Why do you ask?¡®

    Emelie told her about how Vanessa had confronted her

    Mona clicked her tongue. ¡°Ah, no, they didn¡¯t show up at my house. I kept the items you sent and tossed out the parcel¡¯s packaging at the door. They must have found that. <b>¡°</b><b>It¡¯s </b>no wonder <b>that </b>we¡¯re always reminded to be extra careful about the recipient¡¯s into printed on the packages before throwing them away. You can never be too careful.¡± Emelle was celleved that Mona wasn¡¯t harmed.

    Shecautioned, ¡°Don¡¯t mention anything about the woman.¡®

    ¡°Got it¡± Monacouldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°So, is it true that she¡¯s William¡¯s lover and that¡¯s his illegitimate child?¡±

    Emelie¡¯s tone was t ¡°I don¡¯t care. Whoever she is has nothing to do with me.¡±

    Monashook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve always thought that I had aplete idea of what a bastard William is, but he always manages to surprise me. Take a look at what I¡¯ve sent you on WhatsApp¡±

 Chapter 246

    <b>Chapter </b>146 Get Back Together

    Emelle tapped on the mini¨Cyer mode and opened WhatsApp

    Mona <b>had </b>sent her a news article

    The news outlet was known for sharing thetest <b>breaking </b>news rted to the business industry.

    It was reported that William had attended a business event, apanied by a femalepanion. Intimate gestures between the two had been captured. William had even be photographed attentively fixing her shawl.

    Willum had always be known to be cold and indifferent to women. The sudden high¨Cprofile disy of affection piqued everyone¡¯s curiosity. So,izens tried to find out who the woman wit

    Some spected that the woman was Willm¡¯s secretary, while <b>others </b>guessed that she was his girlfriend.

    Neither Witam mor the Cloudex Corporation had responded to the spections <b>made</b>.

    <b>While </b>most people were curious about the <b>woman¡¯s </b>identity, Emelie and Mona recognized her instantly.

    Mona hissed in annoyance and eximed, ¡°What a bitch! That Herm¨¨s haute couture outfit can¡¯t hide her skuttiness either. I had known that she¡¯d be wearing that gown, would¡¯ve left it to rot in the factory!¡±

    Emelte closed the webpage Indilerently,

    So, they had gotten back together.

    Her poerious efforts were in vain.

    Mona was right. Just when she thought she understood what <b>a </b><b>scumbag </b>willen was, he still managed to surprise her

    William seemingly already had a woman who was carrying his illegitimate child. Yet, after he <b>reconciled </b>with Daphne, he had insisted that Emelie return to his side, sing that he .addicted to her. How bughable

    Emelie entered a 24¨Chour convenience store after ending the call with Mona she grabbed a sandwich and a drink before heading back to the hospital

    It was raining <b>he </b><b>always</b>, although not as heath. As she didn¡¯t have an umbre, Emelie stock to the wall <b>under </b>the cover of the enves.

    She kept her head down to watch her <b>steps </b>on the stairs when she heard her someone calling her name. She instinctively looked up and saw william standing under a tree.

    <b>Wim </b>was dressed in a meat ck <b>suit </b>and a dark brown overcoat, exuding an air of mobility. He had one hand shoved in his pocket, and he held a ck umbre in his other <b>hand</b>. He kept his eyes on Emelie from distance

    As the <b>raindrops </b>fel, his alsof gaze shone through the mist under the streetlights.

    Many tumed to sneak a second look at him, awed by his <b>majestic </b>air Emelie recalled how she was warned that one should never stand under a tree on a rainy day

    She <b>nced </b>at the <b>clouds</b>, dppointed that there weren¡¯t any bolts of lighting in the sky

    Emelie stepped down the stairs to approach him, but <b>Wiliam </b>stopped her. ¡°Stay there.¡±

    She stopped in her tracks while William walked over to her, holding an umbre ¡°Where did you go? <b>I </b>called you, but you didn¡¯t pick up the phone.¡±

    Emelle exined, ¡°ty phone wasn¡¯t working, so I went to buy a new one.¡±

    She had seen William¡¯s call when she was on the phone with Mona, but she had chosen <b>to </b>ignore it.

    Wiliam¡¯s gazellen the items in her hand. ¡°What did you buy?¡±

    Emelie opened the bag. ¡°<b>A </b>sandwich and a drink¡±

    The picky <b>William </bmented, ¡°I don¡¯t wat that,¡±

    Emelle was full of questions! ¨C didn¡¯t intend to offer the food to him ether.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    He then <b>said</b>, ¡°Corse with me.<b>¡±</b>

    Emelie them realed that he wanted herpany. She stood still and rejected the offer, ¡°Mr. Middleton, I need to go back <b>and </b>watch my mom.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t Bully there¡¯Let him do

    How did Wim mow that Billy was there? Had he gone to look for her when she <b>didn¡¯t </b>pick up his call Emelle pursed her lips.

    After taking a few steps forward, William stopped and looked back at her when he saw that she <b>had </b>followed hims

    Emelle understood that instead of a request, it was more of an order from William

    She sighed softly and caught <b>up </b>with him.

    She walked under William¡¯s unbre, trying to keep a distance from his arm

    The umbre wasn¡¯t big enough to cover her fully, and her shoulders were exposed to the rain William grabbed her by the waist and pulled her closer.

    ¡°Are you addicted to getting <b>wet</b>?!

    Emelle¡¯s shoulders hith chest. As they walked under the same umbre, Emelle could <b>fantly </b>sense his warmth

    She tried to create some distance between them but ended up getting pulled back once more

    In the end, Emelie gave up and stopped.

    Instead of bringing me to the car, William led her into <b>an </b>alley

    The consecutive days of rain had turned the unpaved read into a muddy mess. Ele was having <b>a </b>hard time <b>trying </b>to walk, and it was worse for the pampered Wim His brows furrowed. When his polished shoes was sttered with mud, his face turned icy cold.

    Emelie stopped in confusion. ¡°Where are you taking me for dinner?¡±

 Chapter 247

    Chapter 247 Concem for Him

    ¡°Fler¡¯s Corner is this way¡± Win pointed out. He wondered why they still hadn¡¯t reached the ce yet, even after walking so much.

    Emeleted to think of the restaurants <b>that </b>William could possibly be talking about. ¡°Mr. Middleton, are you talking <b>about </b><b>Jamie </b>Fieri, who makes excellent dressed crab?¡±

    ¡°<b>That¡¯s </b>right.¡±

    Enele couldn¡¯t help but retort, ¡°Why did you take this path to fin¡¯s Comer then? Are you hoping to reach the restaurant by going in circles because the Earth is round?

    William¡¯dened as the detected her mockery.

    Most people would be in ateble mood if they found out that they had been going the wrong way after making down <b>a </b><b>muddy </b>path. Emelie was no exception

    ¡°¡®s Corner isn¡¯t down this road<b>. </b>Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier? Lcould have brought you there.<b>¡±</b>

    will passed and asked, ¡°Did Itake the wrong path?

    Well obviandy.

    they walked back up the muddy road. Debe kept her head lowered to watch her step, annoyed. As <b>she </b>crossed a puddle, she ¡°identally kicked a stone

    The stone sshed the muddy water onto Wiliam¡¯s trousers.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    william <b>could </b>immediately feel the dampness seeping through his socks and the mud smudging his ankles. When he couldn¡¯t hold it back any longer, he frowned and grabbed Emel by the cor.

    ¡°Did you do <b>that </b>on <b>purpose</b><b>?</b>

    Emelle looked back at him with confused eyes. ¡°Do what?¡±

    Willum squinted and red at the seemingly clueless look on her face. He let her go after a fer seconds <b>and </b><b>snapped</b>, ¡°Walk properly¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s your fault for taking the wrong path. You have no right to get mad. Didn¡¯t you bring your clients here for a meal before?

    As William was a picky eater, there were only a few restaurants that he deemed decent. Fier¡¯s Comer was one of the few, so he often frequented the restaurant Yet, he had still managed to mess up the directions.

    William responded, ¡°I don¡¯t pay attention <b>since </b>I¡¯m usually in the car

    ¡°The car can only stop at theer. You¡¯d stilled to walkabit Didn¡¯t you notice that something was off when you took this muddy path instead of the usual stone¨Cpaved <b>one</b><b>?</b>¡±

    Willum was at a loss for words.

    Embeshot him look <b>¡°</b>You hine aterrible sense of direction. Stop making excuses.

    Again<b>, </b>Wiliam couldn¡¯t retcher words.

    They <b>finally </b>made it out of the muddy path. will once again pulled her under his umbre, saying matter¨Cof¨Cfactly, ¡°My mind is only for the important start. You should remember that, Ms. Haven.¡±

    Emelesed nothing <b>and </b>led him to Elect¡¯s Comer

    Jamin greeted them warmly when he saw William. He brought the menus out <b>and </b>asked with <b>a </b><b>smde</b><b>, </b>¡°<b>Mr. </b>Middleton, what brings you here today?

    Wim kept his response short and simple. He <b>said</b>, ¡°We¡¯re here just for a simple meal. You decide!¡±

    Although William had said ¡°simple¡°, his <b>estyle </b>was never so

    Jane had served Willem enough times <b>to </b>know that he shouldn¡¯t mess around. Very soon, he served a table of spory dishes<b>.</b>

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Middleton, we¡¯re out of crabs, <b>so </b>dressed crab isn¡¯t on the meat today,¡± Jamle apologued.

    William responded inditterently, ¡°No worries

    ¡°Enjoy your meal<b>¡± </b>Jamie nodded and left.

    Emelie was famished from living on bread and milk for several meals the picked up her try and didn¡¯t hesitate to dig in

    She cavely reminded Willum while enjoying her pork ribs, ¡°Youshorn¡¯at this

    William looked up ¡°why?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a line specy. It must have been marinated with chili peppers. You¡¯re allergic to capsaic

    Endialled the time she had used pepper spray on Wim, which hadnded him in the hospital

    Willkem smed upon seeing her concern for <b>him</b>. ¡°Try the other dishes¡±

    He isning Emelie as <b>a </b>¡°food bester¡°.

    Emelie did in told.

    These am Lacy, but just to be sure, let¡¯s ask jamie.¡±

    William nodded

    After calling for Jamie, Emelie inquired about the dishes that contained chill peppers. ording to Jamie, chik propers were only <b>added </b>to the pork ribs when marinated and not the other dishes.

    Jamie was visibly panicking ¡°M. Middleton, do you et chill peppers?

    ¡°I¡¯m allergi,¡± William stated.

    Jamie¡¯s face flushed with horror. He hurriedly died, ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll be more careful. Let me rece this dish¡­

    <b>¡°</b><b>There¡¯s </b>no need for <b>that</b><b>,</b>¡± William cut him off before cing at Emelle. ¡°she likes it, so leave it¡±

    fanie turned his attention to Emelle, who ended the strong vors to stimte her appetite. She had had enough of ndi

    <i>dinirals</i>.

    Chapter 247 Concern for Him

    William picked up his fork after Jamie left. ¡°After this,e back with me to Eastbay.¡±

    Emelie picked up a piece of meat that had fallen back onto her te at his words.

    He was going to collect his ¡°reward¡± again.

 Chapter 248

    Chapter 248 What Is He Trying to Do?

    Emelie calmly responded, ¡°Mr. Middleton, my mom¡¯s surgery is scheduled for tomorrow morning,¡± ¡°Sol Don¡¯t <b>you </b>have to sleep tonight?¡± William picked up thedle and filled a bowl with stew.

    ¡°Tean sleep at the hospital,¡± Emelie replied softly as her eyes fell on the bowl of stew.

    ¡°I¡¯m worried about my mom, and I just want to stay close to her. The doctor says that she has to hold on until tomorrow morning for the surgery. I¡¯m afraid she won¡¯t make it till then, so I don¡¯t want to leave her side.¡±

    william looked at her eyshes that hid the underlying emotions in her eyes.

    He said, ¡°Holding on until the surgery is just the first step. Surviving the surgery is the first challenge¡±

    ¡°1 understand. I heard that many patients encounterplications within the first 24 hours post¨Csurgery. The 10% mortality rate mainly urs during this critical period.

    ¡°We have to get through these 24 hours for her vital signs to officiallystabilize, Emelle said with worry

    William quirked an eyebrow. ¡°That¡¯s right. Now, you need to take care of yourself too. There are still many tough battles ahead.¡±

    As he spoke, he ced the stew in front of Emelie

    ¡°Have some¡°The show had been meant for her.

    Emelle looked up, taken aback

    It was care for William to serve anyone.

    As be filled the second bowl of stew, Emelie mumbled, ¡°There¡¯s nothing much can do for her besides staying by her side.¡±

    William¡¯s voice was cold and detached. ¡°I get it. I get that you don¡¯t want to go back to Eastbay with me tonight.¡±

    He set down his half¨Cfilled bowl of stew and looked at her. His eyes seemed to see through her thoughts.

    ¡°I wanted you to return to Eastbay so that you can get a <b>good </b>night¡¯s sleep. What did you think I was trying to do?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t just about what she thought it was more about what he was trying to do.

    Why else would he seek her out? Was it really just for a meal? Was he someone like that?

    Emelie calmly changed the subject and asked, ¡°By the way, the chief surgeon hasn¡¯t arrived yet, has she? I haven¡¯t seen <b>her</b><b>.</b>¡±

    She had just met the first assistant who was <b>responsible </b><b>for </b><b>assisting </b>the chief surgeon in the operationText ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    Wim scoffed. ¡°<b>Are </b>you dreaming? Dr. Foster is the Chief Physician of Cardiology at Dalia Healthcare Clinic. Do you think <b>she </b>has nothing better to do than <b>wait </b>around for days?¡±

    William ate a spoonful of his stew. ¡°Her assistant has sent her the medical records. Although she¡¯s not here, she¡¯s well aware of Mrs. Hoven¡¯s condition. She¡¯ll arrive at Capebatt Chytonight and perform the surgery tomorrow morning before flying back to Labios in the afternoon.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s leaving in the attemoon? What about the 24¨Chours post¨Csurgery.

    William calmly replied, ¡°I¡¯ll arrange for the best doctors to racitor Mrs. Haven¡¯s condition around the clock post¨Csurgery until she is transtered out of ICU and regains

    consciousness.¡±

    Emelie was Enally relieved. She sincerely said, ¡°Thank you!

    Willum looked up. ¡°Is <b>that </b>all you have to say?

    Emelie was bewildered. What else should she say?

    William stared into her eyes. ¡°Is there anything you want to ask?!!

    Emelie hesitated ¡°About the medical expenses, are you going to pay a deposit and bnce or settle it all at once?¡±

    William leaned back in his chair, his gaze <b>cold</b>

    Emelie was confused by his response.

    William loosened <b>his </b>the. The fiery gleam in his eyes was a stark contrast to the dark sky behind him. ¡°I¡¯ll pay it all at once. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take responsibility for Mrs. Hoven¡¯s

    case.

    ¡°That¡¯s my promise to you just remember to keep your promise to me.¡±

    Emelle¡¯s promise to William was to retam to his side. To be his secretary at work, and his tool in his personal life, just like how it had been in the past three years.

    He was constantly reminding Emelie of her promise, and yet he insisted that he harbored no ulterior motives.

    Famatter their meal, the rain didn¡¯t stop

    William sent Emekle back to the hospital Emelie got off at the entrance and said, ¡°I¡¯ll <b>get </b>going.¡±

    William gave her one <bst </b>look and nodded, with his fingers tapping the handle of the umbre.

    Just as Emelie <b>was </b>about to step away, he grabbed her wrist

    Enele looked back, confused ¡°Mr. Middleton?¡±

    william¡¯s eyes tell on her. ¡°I feel that it¡¯s unfair <b>to </b>be wrongfully used. I need to do something about it.¡±

 Chapter 249

    Chapter 249 She Kissed HimContent ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°What What do you mean!

    William¡¯s lips curled up into a faint smile. Not only are you falsely using me, but you¡¯re also not offering me any kind of sweetpensation?

    His gaze settled on her lips. He was going to kiss her.

    Emelie was puzzled by the mocking smile on his face. After all, all he wanted was a kiss.

    Emelle held her breath for a few seconds. ¡°Mr. Middleton<b>, </b><b>haven¡¯t </b>you always taken what you wanted?¡±

    ¡°I used to,¡± he replied. ¡°But now, I prefer seeing you take the initiative¡±

    Emelie felt that he was getting more adept <b>at </b>manipting her. She bit her lip and said, ¡°We¡¯re in public.¡±

    William lowered the umbre to shield them both. ¡°Now, no one can see us.

    He was determined to make her kiss him. Emelie¡¯s grip on her sleeves tightened as she exhaled slowly. Then, under his expectant <b>gaze</b>, she stood on tiptoe and kissed theer of his mouth.

    William¡¯s eyes darkened, just as she was about to pull away, he grabbed her waist and pressed his lips firmly against hers.

    ¡°What are you, a schoolgirl? A real kiss goes like this.¡±

    His kiss was so intense that it left her no chance to pull azmy.

    It was overwhelming and almost suffocating she clutched at his shirt, and William tightened his hold on her waist

    The kiss lingered for a few minutes. Before anyone could notice, he let her go

    Emelie looked down, gasping for breath. In a husky voice, he <b>said</b>, ¡°Go on up.¡±

    William surprisingly offered a kind word. ¡°Thope your mom¡¯s surgery goes well tomorrow.¡±

    Emelie steadied her breathing After the dss, her lips were slightly flushed. With anod, she walked into the hospiral

    William watched her until she disappeared from sight. Then be rested the umbre on his shoulder and casually walked down the steps.

    Abel saw himing and hurried to open the car door. William handed him the umbres and got into the car

    Abel noticed the content expression on William¡¯s face and interred that his dinner with Emelle had gone smoothly. After putting away the umbre and starting the car, he turned on the wipers to clear the rain from the windshield.

    rout for a good meal, Mr. Middleton.¡±

    He then said, ¡°Ms. Hoven <b>has </b>been at the hospital these past few days. She probably hasn teaten well. It¡¯s considerate of you to take her out t William recalled how Emelie had kept insisting that she needed to stay at the hospital with her mother, as if he would demand something in return for the dinner. He let out <b>a </b>smallugh.

    He briefly wondered if she truly thought so little of him, then promptly dismissed the thought. He <b>had </b>all the time in the world. She was his for the long haul.

    Abel continued, ¡°Being a caregiver is incredibly demanding. It not only wears you out mentally but physically as well. When my mom was in the hospitalst year, I spent hours in those stic chairs and woke up the next day with such a sore back that it felt like I¡¯d aged a decade..¡±

    William recalled the ufortable stic chairs outside the ICU. He nced outside the window across the street, where some medical equipment was being sold. There was a sign hanging outside that read, ¡°Companion Beds for Sale!

    Back in the ICU, Emelie apologized to Billy, ¡°I ran into a friend and had dinner with them, so I came backte.¡±

    Billy guessed, ¡°Was it the friend who helped to find those foreign doctors for Mom? A man came up just now, looked <b>around</b>, and then left. He was here to find you, right?¡± Emelie paused before replying, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Billy eagerly interjected, ¡°You should¡¯ve taken him out to dinner. Those experts are reputedly professors from Lablos. It¡¯s not just about money; it¡¯s the connections that have brought them here Who is this friend of yours, anyway? He must be quite impressive, huh

    ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure,¡± Emelle smoothly deflected ¡°Billy, you should head back. I¡¯ll stay here.¡±

    Billy offered, ¡°You¡¯ve been here all night since yesterday. Why don¡¯t I take over today?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not tired. Both you and Eliana cane earlet tomorrow,¡± Emelle insisted.

    Billy politely epted her decision and left

    Emelie settled back <b>into </b>the ufortable stic chair, contemting whether to message Samuel and findout if their work had already beenpleted or if they had returned to Capebatt City

    She hadn¡¯t contacted Samuel since the day before yesterday. When she logged into WhatsApp on her new phone, none of their previous messages had synced over. She couldn¡¯t see anything

    Just as she finishedposing a text, she heard someone calling her name

    She looked up. It was William¡¯s driver, Abel.

    He had brought with him a foldable bed. ¡°Ms. Hoven, Mr. Middleton got you this. Find <b>a </b>ce to open it and rest.¡±

    Cheer 250 The Mariage Talk

 Chapter 250

    Chapter 250 The Marriage Talk

    ebrated for a moment and nodded. ¡°Okay, thank you so much for this.¡±

    ¡°No problem,¡± Abel <b>replied </b>politely before leaving, Enelle hadn¡¯t expected Willkin <b>to </b>be so considerate.

    She stared at the bed for a moment. Then, she found a corner where she wouldn¡¯t be in anyone¡¯s way and carefully opened the bed up beforeying down a nket and resting on

    After enduring two consecutive days and nights with <b>a </b>stiff back, Emelie could finally rest well she felt the weight of gravity pulling her body down heavily for the first time.

    William returned to Eastbay.

    He disliked <b>handing </b><b>outsiders </b>at home. The housekeeper only cleaned when he was at the office: If he was at house, no one else would be in the house,

    He removed his coat and suit, tossing them onto the sofa just as he was about to step into the shower, his phone ring

    He nced at the screen. It was Henrycalling.

    Wim answered the call and ced the phone on the cab. <b>He </b><b>said</b>, ¡°Dad.¡±

    Henry¡¯s voice came through, with Vanessa¡¯s is the background wiging him to keep calm. William¡¯s indifferent gaze betrayed <b>a </b>hint of disgust as liebuttoned his shirt cuffs.

    #1 saw a report today about the business dinner yesterday. Did you take Daphine with you?N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    ¡°You saw the report, didn¡¯t you? Why ask?¡± Wim replied cool

    ¡°What are your intentions toward her?¡± Henry no longermanded William to separate from Daphne Instead, he inquired about William¡¯s ns.

    The standoff between father and son eventually saw Henry taking the first step back, William maintained hisposure, ¡°What¡¯s your point?¡±

    Henry spoke earnestly, ¡°A man marries to advance his career, life, or out of genuine affection. Right now, we don¡¯t necessarily need you to marry into wealth and prestige <b>to </b>enhance our influence. If you truly love Daphne, sending her abroad would provide better opportunities, <b>given </b>she¡¯s an art student.¡±

    Wiliam loosened his the, rolling it <b>in </b><b>his </b><b>hand </b>with a smick. ¡°If you¡¯ve convinced yourself to ept Daphne, then my affairs are even

    ¡°I <b>don¡¯t </b>want our family¡¯s reputation tanished by gossip!¡± Henry retorted

    William teased<b>, </b>¡°The kind of reputation that drives your ex¨Cwife crazy!

    This remark enraged Henry ¡°I¡¯m trying to have a serious conversation with you! What¡¯s with your amritudi?¡±

    less ofy your concem!

    ¡°Quit wasting time on those pointless tabloids. Instead, go fishing, y golf, stay in shape<b>, </b>and live a longer life. That¡¯s far more worthwhile,¡± William mused, his reflection in the mirror tinged with cynicism.

    ¡°It¡¯ste. You should rest early too,<b>¡± </b>be concluded before hanging up.

    Henry was seething with anger. ¡°That tool is still fixated on that trivial matter after all these years!¡±

    Vanessa patted Henry¡¯s chest gently to ease his tension. ¡°Alright, don¡¯t get yourself worked up again. You know William¡¯s temperament well.¡±

    Henry sighed deeply. ¡°I never thought he¡¯d be so sensitive about this. She¡¯s his mother, and I¡¯m his father <b>too</b>, aren¡¯t I? if I had known he would care so much.¡±

    Vanessa wondered if Henry would have chosen not to marry her if he had known how William <b>would </b>feel. She lowered her gaze, concealing her emotions, and simply <b>asked</b>, ¡°Are you really going to support his rtionship with Daphne?¡±

    ¡°If he didn¡¯t genuinely like her, he wouldn¡¯t be so persistent. If he wants to marry her, let him,¡± Henry replied.

    Vanessamented, ¡°I just feel sorry for Emelie.¡±

    ¡°Emelle? Hasn¡¯t she and William already split long ago?¡± Henrywaved his hand dismissively. ¡°We tried to set them <b>up </b><b>a </b>few times, but it never worked out. Let <b>it </b>go.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s actually something.¡± Vanessa hesitated. ¡°I¡¯ll look into it further. <b>Once </b>I <b>have </b><b>cadence</b><b>, </b>I¡¯ll tell you.¡± She linked her arm through Henry¡¯s. ¡°Just hold off on pushing Wiliam and Daphne together.¡±

    The more Henry thought about it, the more frustrated he became. ¡°It only I had a second son¡­

    At the mention, Vanessa stiffened, and be fell silent

    Vanessa pursed her lips. ¡°Dear, we do have

    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Henry cut her off sternly. ¡°That matter is not to be brought up again!¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Vanessa wealdy <b>said</b>.

    Henry headed upstairs, leaving Vanessa with a heavy heart.

    Meanwhile, Wim hung up the phone and tossed it onto the couch. He frowned deeply as his mind was filled with the tabloid¡¯s rumors¨Cquestions from those who shouldn¡¯t ask and silence from those who should, which only irritated him further.

    He unbuttoned his shit and headed straight for the bathroom

 Chapter 251

    <b>Chapter </b><b>251 </b>Give Him a <b>Hug</b>

    The night before Greta¡¯s surgery, Emelie thought she wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep, but to her surprise, as if in the blink of an eye, it was already 7:00 am the next morning

    Greta¡¯s surgery was scheduled for 8:00 am. Emelie packed up the foldable bed, went to the hospital restroom to freshen up, and returned to the Ou

    Shortly after, Eliana and Billy arrived as well.

    At exactly 8:00am, the medical staff wheeled Greta toward the operating room, and the red ¡°in surgery¡± light lit up

    From that moment on, Emelie¡¯s heart was hanging in suspense. She feared for the surgery¡¯s sess, dreaded any mishap, and worried that signing the consent might somehow <b>harm </b><b>Greta</b>, even though she knew Greta¡¯s condition demanded immediate action.

    Eliana was visibly nervous and started crying. Billyforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everything will be fine. Those foreign doctors are absolutely <b>capable</b>, Right, Emelie?¡±

    Emelie wanted to believe that William <b>had </b>spared no expense bringing in this team, but she also knew there was a 10% risk of infection. She feared falling into that 10% Midway through, Emelie received a message from <b>William</b><b>. </b>¡°Has the surgery started?

    She replied with <b>a </b>simple ¡°Yes,¡± then felt a pang of detachment She added, ¡°I¡¯m a bit nervous. I¡¯ll message you again after it¡¯s done, when I¡¯ve steadied myself.¡±

    Since William didn¡¯t reply, Emelie decided not to push further and locked her phone. She asked the doctor how much longer the surgery wouldst. They had initially said four to five hours, but by the sixth hour, there was still no sign of the operating room doors opening

    Eliana murmamed, ¡°Why is it taking so long<b>?</b>¡±

    ¡°There could be other patients ahead I remember when I had my appendix surgery, there were several patients waiting,¡± Billy <b>reassured </b>her.

    ¡°But these foreign doctors are only here for mom¡¯s surgery, right? ma asked.

    ¡°Maybe they¡¯re waiting for the anesthesia to wear of

    They had no way of knowing what was happening inside the operating room, and Emelle¡¯s anxiety grew with each passing hour. By the seventh hour, Emelie couldn¡¯t wait <b>any </b>Jonger.Content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    She approached the nurse¡¯s station and asked, ¡°Excuse me, I¡¯d like to know why the surgery for the patient in Critical Care Unit Bed 1 isn¡¯t finished yet.¡±

    The nurse shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, we <b>don¡¯t </b>have information on what¡¯s happening inside the operating room. There may have been unforeseen circumstances. Please wait <b>a </b>bit longer. If there¡¯s anything, the doctors wille out and inform you.¡°¡®

    Emelie instinctively asked, ¡°What kind <b>of </b>unforeseen circumstances?

    <b>¡°</b>We don¡¯t know.¡±

    Emelie frowned, pondered for a moment, and sent a WhatsApp message to William, ¡°The doctor said the surgery should only take four to five hours, but it¡¯s been over seven hours now and there¡¯s been no update. Do you <b>have </b>any way to <b>find </b>our what¡¯s going on?¡±

    William nced at the message, remembering how she hadn¡¯t inquired about anything yesterday. He interpreted her silence as indifference or perhapsck of concern, and his expression grew cold, te flipped his phone over and chose not to respond.

    Emelie had been considering calling William, but hesitated knowing he was at work. It the call upset him, it could lead to furtherplications<b>. </b>She reluctantly suppressed the urge and continued to anxiously wait

    Time passed slowly. As they approached the eighth hour mark, typically enough time for two surgeries to bepleted, the operating room remained silent.

    Emelie was overwhelmed <b>with </b>unease. Just as she was about to master the courage to call William, the lights in the operating room finally went out. As the light extinguished, Emelie held her breath, inexplicably thinking of the phrase ¡°lights out life out

    She swallowed hard, staring intently at the door.

    Ten minutester, the aluminum door swung <b>open </b>again. A well¨Cbuilt Lablostan woman in her titties emerged,

    She nced at them and asked in Asteshest, ¡°Are you her family member?¡±

    Emelie promptly replied<b>, </b>¡°Yes, we are.¡±

    It was Emelie¡¯s first time meeting Dr. Sophie Foster Sophie began. ¡°There was a risky moment during the surgery, but everything turned out fine¡±

    Emelie¡¯s voice trembled slightly. ¡°So, was the surgery sessful?¡®

    Sophie smiled reassuringly. ¡°Yes<b>, </b>the surgery was sessful¡±

    Overwhelmed with rehet, Emelletrared up and repeatedly thanked her. Sophie patted her shoulder and <b>said</b>, ¡°William asked me to personallye out and tell you the news. <b>You </b>can rest easy for now, Ms. Hoven ¡±

    ¡°William?¡± Emelie suddenly remembered him, just then, a voice behind her asked, ¡°Are you feeling relieved now?¡±

    Emelie turned around instinctively.

    Just a couple of meters away, William stood with his hands in his trench coat pockets, his dark eyes fixed on her.

    Smiling, Dr.Sophie said, <b>¡°</b><b>Go </b>give him a hug.¡±

    Emelle ran <b>to </b>him and embraced him tightly. Choking with tears<b>, </b>she murmured, ¡°Thank you so much! <b>William </b>was stimbed by her hug. He gently patted her back and softly mred, ¡°Hom¡±

 Chapter 252

    Chapter 252 Come Home With me

    Eliana and Billy were present throughout. Since they didn¡¯t speak thenguage, they had no idea what the doctor had said to Emelie What surprised them even more was sering Emelie rush toward a man and embracing him, but they had no clue who he was.Content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Wim nced at Ashton, who understood and immediately went over to exin to them. But more importantly, they needed to clear the area.

    Emelie¡¯s forehead rested perfectly against William¡¯s corbone. In that moment, she cried tears of joy for Greta and felt the relief of her worries finally lifting Her excitement was genuine, but only she knew how much of it was true when she threw herself into his arms,

    Afterposing herself, Emelle attempted to break free from William¡¯s embrace. Yet, he held her firmly by the waist, giving her no chance to escape. She couldn¡¯t help but utter, Mr. Middleton<b>?</b>¡±

    William¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as he pondered, ¡°This is the first time you¡¯ve voluntarily hugged me, right?¡±

    Emelle gripped thepels of his suit jacket and whispered, ¡°Dr. Foster is still watching us.¡±

    ¡°I <b>don¡¯t </b>mind if you lean on me like this from now on,¡± William replied calmly, his deep voice resonating against her ear that was pressed to his chest. ¡°Be good, and I¡¯ll handle any trouble you encounter¡±

    Emelie pressed her lips together. She knew he was subtly asserting his dominance and proposing his n for change. He assured that her he could solve any difficulties she faced, but only if sheplied obediently.

    Emelie gently struggled for a moment, prompting William to release his hold on her waist. He then took her hand and walked toward Sophie.

    He asked, ¡°Is there anything else we need to be aware of as the patient¡¯s family?¡±

    Sophie stood with her hands tucked into the pockets of her white coat as she responded, ¡°At this stage, it¡¯s primarily about monitoring the patient¡¯s condition. There¡¯s not much that family members can actively do. My suggestion is for you to rest well, Ms. Hoven You seem quite exhausted¡±

    William nced down at Emelle and noticed the dark circles under her eyes and the weary look she wore. It was clear she had little rest over the past three days and nights. Despite this, she pressed on, asking ¡°When can my mother be out of danger? When can she leave the LOU?¡±

    Sophie calmly replied, ¡°If she remains stable through the initial 24 hours and we see no significantchanges over the next 48 hours, she should be able to leave the ICU.¡±

    That meant a total of 72 hours of monitoring and care.

    Afterward, Gr¨¦ta was taken back to the ICU for continued observation.

    Emelie leaned against the ss window, watching Greta. Unsure if it was just her imagination, she felt Greta seemed more lively after the surgery.

    Lielie kept her gaze fixed on her mother for a long while until William grew impatient. He walked over to her and pulled her along,

    She stumbled slightly. ¡°What <b>are </b>you doing? Where are we going?¡±

    William nced back. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember what Dr. Foster told you?¡±

    Emelie tensed immediately. ¡°What? Did I forget something important?¡±

    William exined, ¡°She said you can¡¯t do anything right now, so you might as well rest¡±

    Emelie defended herself, ¡°I don¡¯t feel tired.¡±

    William looked her up and down. ¡°You haven¡¯t showered in a few days, have you? Can¡¯t you smell yourself?¡±

    Emelie paused, instinctively sitting her own clothes.

    Seizing the moment while Emelie was distracted, William promptly led her downstairs and out to the car<b>, </b>setting their course for Eastbay.

    Just as Fimelle was about to say something, William interrupted, ¡°The surgery¡¯s over. What else are you worrying about?

    To Emeke¡¯s cars, his words sounded more like, ¡°The surgery is over. Why are you still making excuses not toe home with me?¡±

 Chapter 253

    Chapter 253 Chili Allergy

    William indifferently <b>said</b>, ¡°Even in an emergency, doctors and nurses are there. If they can¡¯t handle it, what can you <b>do</b>?¡±

    Since <b>she </b>was unable to argue about it, she could only reluctantly let him bring her back to Eastbay.

    Daphine drove to Eastbay. Seeing William¡¯s car parked outside<b>, </b><b>a </b>smile spread across her face.

    Just as she was about to walk over, she saw Emelie get out of the car and follow William inside.

    She froze, feeling as if she were suffocating

    In the master bedroom, William opened the wardrobe<b>, </b>nced inside, and casually threw one of Emelie¡¯s old nightgowns at her. ¡°Go and take a shower,¡± he instructed, then left the room with his phone in hand.

    Standing by the wardrobe, Emelie clutched the nightgown tightly. She had just shifted from worrying about Greta to a new wave of anxiety

    The surgery had concluded, and now he anticipated her repaving him with herself. Furthermore, she had no valid grounds to refuse his demand.

    orain again.

    The bedroom window was open, and she watched as dark clouds slowly covered the city¡¯s sky. The damp wind felt cold as it seeped through her clothes. It was about to Suddenly, she remembered something and quickly searched the bottom of the closet. She recalled a time long ago when William had brought her back here for the night. The next morning, he woke up <b>first </b>and casually noticed some dark red stains on the blue sheets. Perplexed, he thought he might have identally hurt her the previous night and went to check on her.

    She jolted awake, only to realize it was her period that had stained the sherts

    At that time, there were no sanitary pads in Eastbay, so she had to order them online. Emelle remembered there should be some left. After searching for a while, she found them. Her eyes brightened with joy. She took one and changed into a set of long¨Csleeved pajamas before heading to the bathroom.

    After rushing back from Wintour City, she dealt with both Ronan¡¯s and Greta¡¯s matters one after the other. It had been several days since she had a chance to properly clean up. Emelie decided to dy her alone time with William by taking a long bath.

    <b>She </b>submerged herself in warm water, feeling <b>every </b>nerve in her body rx and the fatigue melt away.

    After soaking for half an hour, she emerged from the bathroom. Ernelle put on a robe over her pajamas and meticulously buttoned <b>it </b>up.

    As she stepped out of the bedroom, William was the dining room, un packing a three¨Ctiered wooden lunchbox.

    He appeared to have showered in the guest room. Now, he was dressed in casual <b>gray </b>loungewear that contrasted with his usual formal attire.

    The V¨Cneckline of the loungewear entuated his neck¡¯s attractive contours, lending him a touch of allure.

    The <b>soft</b>, warm¨Ctoned crystal lights above him also softened his typically austere demeanor.

    William nced up at her. ¡°Come over and eat,¡± he said.

    Emelle obediently walled over to the kitchen to fetch utensils.

    His home boasted an array of kitchen tools, but he had never cooked here. Even some of the utensils remained in their packaging.

    Sitting across from him, Emelle felt <b>a </b>surreal sense of deja vu

    After everything <b>that </b>had happened, they were still able to sit here in Eastbay, seemingly harmoniously sharing a meal

    Eastbay was where they had spent three years together. Yet, they hadn¡¯t shared many meals at this dining table.

    Emelie took a deep breath to clear her mind before calmly eating. She picked up a piece of pork ribs and found the taste familiar, just like what she had the day before. ¡°Is this from

    Fierl¡¯s Corner?¡± she asked.

    William nodded slightly. ¡°Your taste buds are sharp.¡±

    Caught off guard, Emelie choked on her food. She hurriedly grabbed a ss of water and took a sip. When she looked up, she found william studying her intently with his dark eyes.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    She instuctively exined, ¡°Jamie Fieri must have added chili again. I identally choked on it.¡±

    William noticed her slightly flushedears. Fele nervously continued, ¡°Doesn¡¯t Jamie remember that you¡¯re allergic? <b>Why </b>did he add it again?¡±

    Charter 254 Staying Over

 Chapter 254

    Chapter 254 Staying Over

    William withdrew his grand <b>pushed </b><b>the </b>te of pork ribs toward <b>her</b><b>. </b><b>¡°</b>You seemed to it yesterday, so I had him make <b>it </b>again just for you,¡± he remarked, indicating that he had no intention of eating it himself.

    <b>Emelle </b>pursed her lips and raised her ss of water. ¡°Even though this is part of our <b>deal</b>, I still want to thank you, Mr. Middleton. Thanks to you, my mother¡¯s surgery went smoothly,¡± she said calmly.

    william chuckled lightly. ¡°Is this how you¡¯re thanking me? By using the food ordered?¡±

    <b>Emelie </b><b>replied </b><b>casually</b>, ¡°I¡¯ll treat you to a meal sometime.¡±

    William nced at her and raised <b>his </b>own ss <b>in </b>a toast. ¡°Alright, I remember that.¡±

    After finishing their meal, Emelie took the initiative to clear the table and wash the dishes. As she did that, she pondered how she should bring up the topic of going back to the hospital to check t

    By the time she had formted her words and let the kitchen, she found that William wasn¡¯t in the living room. However, she noticed that the light in the study was on. Since it felt impolite to just leave without saying anything, she walked over.

    William was seated at his desk, wearing Bluetooth earphones and facing theputer. Since she heard <b>a </b>stream of Astesheseing from the speakers, she guessed he was in an international video conference

    Emelle delt a sense of relict

    Witam nced up at her briefly, and she pointed toward the door, silently indicating she would leave him to his work.

    Wilmoved his earphones and held them in his hand, sing ¡°Go to bed first¡±

    With that he put his earphones back in without further distraction forber

    Emelia stood there for a moment, then went to the bedroom.

    She sat on the edge of the bed and messaged Elma<b>, </b>asking if she was still at the hospital,

    Enareplied. ¡°Ms. Jones said we don¡¯t need to stay at the <b>hospital</b>. The doctors will inform us if anything happens<b>, </b>so we went home!

    She added, ¡°Besides, tuna was looking for me too.¡±

    Emelie responded, ¡°Okay.¡±

    na continued, ¡°The surgery went well. You don¡¯t need to worry, Get <b>some </b>nal.¡±

    Emelereplied. ¡°Goodnight¡±

    After closing the chat, Emelie saw a message from Samuel

    She remembered that she had asked himst night if he had returned to Opel Ory. It had been toote for him to respond<b>, </b>and she hadn¡¯t checked her phone all day whille waiting for Greta¡¯s surgery to finish

    The meage read, ¡°We¡¯re back. The data collection isplete, and the work in <b>Wimstour </b>Cry is done for now.

    He also asked, ¡°Enele, where are you? Are you okay?¡±

    The words were neutral, but Emilie could sense his <b>co </b>she wasn¡¯t sure if it was because he had seen a different side of her or because he knew she was with William again. Emelle took a deep breath and typed, ¡°fine. My mom¡¯s condition worsened<b>, </b>and she <b>had </b>surgery <b>today</b>¡±

    Samuel¡¯s reply came in <b>quickly </b>¡°Was the sipery sessful?¡±!

    ¡°Yes, it went well¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. You must have been at the hospital constantly. Now that the surgery is over, get some rest. If you need anything, just let me know. Don¡¯t worry about the project. We¡¯ve got it covered.¡±

    Emelie replied, ¡°Okay¡±

    The repeated advice to rest and sleep finally get to her. Despite her initial reluctance to spend the night at Eastbay, she felt an overwhelming wave of fatigue wash over herN?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    She hadn¡¯t slept mech in the past few days. Her nups were brief and shallow, filled with worry about dreta.

    With that stress momentary licted, she closed her eyes and quickly fell into a deep sleep.

    William returned to the room at 1:00 am atter his meeting. Emelie was curled up on the edge of the bed, wrapped in aer of the nket. He nced at her <b>for </b>a moment, then picked up his <b>phone </b>and went to the bathroom.

    After dialing Ashton¡¯s number, he ced the phone on the shelf, turned on <b>the </b>top to water, and started brushing his teeth

    ¡°Mr. Middleton.¡± Ashton¡¯s voice came through

    ¡°Has Emelie¡¯s father been released from prison yet?¡± William asked.

    ¡°Not yet.¡± Ashton replied.

    William chuckled. He had suspected as much; those promises were all just empty talk.

    Vanessa hadn¡¯t kept her promise to

    from a days ago. William wondered how this was any di

    y different from letting her father be released on parole

    ¡°<b>Get </b>him out tomorrow,¡± William said bluntly.

    Although he spoke wiguely, Ashton understood William¡¯s intentions. As long as Emelieplied, Willi was willing to lend her <b>a </b>helping hand

    After ending the call, Wim pleked up his toothbrush and applied <b>toothpaste </b>to it as he ced the phone back on the shelf<b>, </b>another call came through This a call from Daphine

 Chapter 255

    Chapter 255 Familiarize Yourself

    William hesitated for a moment before answering the call from Daphne. Her panicked voice came through urgently, ¡°Mr. Middleton! I think I hit someone while driving, what do 1 do now?¡±

    Torrowing his brow, William asked, ¡°Where are you?¡±

    Tmat.¡± she said, her voice trembling as she gave a location. ¡°Mr. Middleton, <b>I¡¯m </b>really scared<b>..</b>¡±

    William turned off the water and firmly said, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯ming over right now.¡±

    He quickly changed into fresh clothes after leaving the bathroom. ncing back at Emelie in bed, he saw she was still asleep. Without lingering, he headed out,

    The door closed loudly, briefly walking Emelie. She realized that it was William leaving but was too tired to react. She rolled over and tell back asleep.

    Herst waking thought before slipping into deeper sleep was how good it was that he was gone.

    Emelie slept past 9:00 am the next morning. Eastbay was quiet, and William hadn¡¯t returned yet. Just as she was about to leave after getting ready, William called.

    Go to the study and check the top file on the desk. Look at whose signature it is at the end. Since you have nothing nned today, go ahead and tamiliarize yourself with that file and your new tasks,¡± William Instructed

    Tve already left Eastbay early this morning, <b>Mr. </b>Middleton,¡± Emelie replied <b>as </b>she stealthily walked toward the door.

    As she reached for the <b>handle </b>to open it, Win¡¯s mockingughter came through the phone. The next moment, the door locked with a click.

    Emeletroze<b>. </b><b>She </b>tried to tum the handle, but it wouldn¡¯t budge

    ¡°Did you think Eastbay wasn¡¯t under surveince? William¡¯s mocking woke <b>carried </b>through the line,

    After a moment of hesitation, Emelie adjusted her approach ¡°Mr. Middleton, since I¡¯m not officially part of Cloudex¡¯s staff yet, it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate for me to handle your documents¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you catch the first few words I said?¡± William retorted. She understood he wanted her to familiarize herself with her new tasks.

    ¡°Please open the door.¡± Emelie twisted the doorknob a few more times, but William¡¯s cold voice came through the Inte, ¡°The remote lock <b>has </b>been activated. You¡¯re <b>not </b>leaving today.¡±

    Emelte sighed heavily and turned toward the study. As she reached the door, a sudden realization struck her. ¡°Wait, does the living <b>room </b>have surveince?¡±

    William nonchntly responded with a casual ¡°Mm¨Chmm.

    Emelie felt her body tense up gradually. ¡°How often does the video footage get overwritten?

    If they weren¡¯t automatically overwritten, all those times in the dining <b>room </b>and on the couch could have been recorded.

    The air she breathed felt icy cold. Memories flooded back to the <b>days </b>when William had used the photos to manipte her.

    William caught on to the meaning behind her question. He coldly said, ¡°Emelie, I don¡¯t have a habit of sharing intimate photos. The video footage is automatically overwritten after 30 days. And even if it didn¡¯t, I wouldn¡¯t use it against you. What are you afraid of?¡±

    Emelie trusted he wouldn¡¯t share their intimate photos, but she knew he could use it to manipte her.

    William seemed to have a knack for telepathy. He sneered, ¡°Think about it. What have lever ckmailed you with? I made you breakfast, kept you working, and ensured that you got hospital treatment. Aren¡¯t these all for your own good?¡±

    Emelie¡¯s inner self screamed that it wasn¡¯t just that. He had even made her shower him. Emelie couldn¡¯t stand how he had twisted the truth. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t thought that you had photos that one time, I wouldn¡¯t have agreed<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    ¡°Did you enjoy that day? William teased.

    ¡°<b>No</b>!<b>¡± </b>Fellesnapped.

    ¡°Really?¡± William raised an eyebrow,

    Emelie felt disgusted by their flirtatious banter over the phone.

    Suppressing her emotions, she stepped into the study, found the document, and flipped to thest page to check the name

    William Instructed calmly, ¡°Make sure to handle the document properly,¡± and hung up.

    Setting the phone down, William pondered for a moment, then opened the folder where surveince videos automatically saved.

    With no way out, Emelie resigned herself to working at the desk. As she examined the document closely, she realized it was rted to the Davis Group. She quickly realized that the person on the corporate cruise that day was charles Davis.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    Chapter 255 Release From Prison

 Chapter 256

    Chapter 256 Release From Prison

    Enelle skimmed through the contract and noticed the agreed terms. The price was significantly below market value. She couldn¡¯t understand how the Davis Group had agreed to this.

    She checked the signing date, which was just a few days after the corporate cruise. William must have offered Charles something valuable on that cruise to secure such a favorable deal. She recalled Charles asking for her as leverage, but she never went to him.

    So, she wondered what William had offered instead.

    Suddenly, it all made sense. William wanted her to work on this contract to show that he never intended to give her to Charles. The deal was about something else..

    Did she believe him?Yes. But, so what?

    William was hung up on this issue because she had used him of it when he first asked her toe back to him. He felt wronged, which is why he kept trying to exin. But their problems were far moreplex than just this.

    With a calm mind, Emelle closed the contract and set it aside. She <b>didn¡¯t </b>bother toplete it, knowing his real intention was not the contract itself.

    She texted William to let her out. When he didn¡¯t reply, she called him. He hung <b>up </b>and texted back, ¡°I¡¯m in a meeting.¡±

    Frustrated<b>, </b>Emelle knew <b>she </b>couldn¡¯t confront him directly, especially since her mom still needed medical care for the next 72 hours. She had to y along.

    She called Eliana and asked if she had visited their mother in the hospital.

    Eliana responded, ¡°Thaven¡¯t had the chance yet. Did you know Dad¡¯s out of prison? He broke his leg, and the <b>prison¡¯s </b>van brought him straight home. I¡¯m heading back to town to see him.¡±

    Emelle was momentarily stunned. Then she realized it must have been Vanessa. With everything going on with their mother, she had forgotten about their father¡¯s release. Thankfully, Vanessa had kept her promise and had him released early.

    <b>ru </b>back and forth.¡±

    She told Eliana, ¡°Go take care of <b>Dad</b>. I¡¯ll visit Mom <b>today</b>. You don¡¯t have to make the trip to the hospital. It¡¯s exhausting to go

    Ena agreed. Despite it being an exchange of favors, Emelie felt grateful and decided she should thank Vanessa. She picked up the phone and made the call.

    Vanessa responded subtly upon hearing Emelie¡¯s words. She murmured an acknowledgment and then smiled gently, saying, ¡°I¡¯m d he¡¯s out. Make sure he heals that leg properly; don¡¯t let it be asting problem.¡±

    Emelie expressed her gratitude once more, and Vanessa responded kindly, ¡°No need to thank me. We¡¯re family. By the way, your mom is still in the hospital, isn¡¯t she?

    ¡°I¡¯ll send a little something through bank transferter as a token from Henry and me. Hopefully, it¡¯ll aid in your mom¡¯s speedy recovery. Be sure to ept it. Alright, then. Take

    cure<b>.</b>

    Before Vanessa hung up, Emelie said, ¡°Mrs. Middleton, you¡¯ve done such a big favor for my family. When will you be free? Let me treat you to <b>a </b>meal¡±

    Vanessa considered her words with a hum and then said, ¡°Do you want toe over to the house?¡±

    ¡°I know a nice restaurant. I¡¯d like you to try it,¡± Emele said.

    Vanessa understood the implication of her words¨Cthis meal would be just the two of them.

    ¡°Okay, but I¡¯ve been a bit busytely I contact you when things settle down.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, Mrs. Middleton. I¡¯ll talk to youter,¡±

    After hanging up. Emelle let her hand fall to her side, absentmindedly tapping the back of her p

    tphone

    Feeling bored, she picked up a book <b>from </b>the shelf and sank into the sora. It was ¡°The Da <b>Vinci </b>Code,¡± a famous suspense novel. She <b>quickly </b>became engrossed, losing track of time as the morning slipped away.Content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    The <b>study¡¯s </b>underfloor heating wasforting, and she started feeling drowsy. <b>Soon</b>, her exhaustion caught up with her as her nerves rxed.

    Emelie yawned, shifted her position, and gradually drifted off

    Unbeknownst to her how long she had been asleep, she suddenly felt a crushing sensation on her lips, apanied by a hint of minty sweetness. She groggily opened her eyes to Und Wiliam¡¯s Intense gaze upon her.

    Einelle instantly snapped awake. Before <b>she </b>could utter a word, William grabbed the back of her head and deepened the kiss.

    Chapter 257 Co Along With it

 Chapter 257

    Chapter 257 Go Along With It

    Emelie med herself for suddenly mentioning the surveince footage, William had specially checked the folder to ensure that everything had been overwritten, so she had no

    mason to worry.

    Although the video was gone, memories of their intimate moments lingered in his mind, distracting him even during meetings.

    So, he had decided toe back to see her. When he returned, he found her nestled on the couch, fast asleep.

    Her head tilted to the side, revealing the graceful contours of her neck and shoulder. Her fair, delicate skin seemed almost ethereal, with faint veins visible underneath.

    Sex was the most primal and basic of needs. William had never invested much time or effort beyond meeting <b>his </b>own needs.

    However, after being apart from Emelie for a few months, he realized how deeply be missed her.

    William kissed her passionately, then reached out to push aside her sleeping gown. Emelle was caughtpletely off guard<b>; </b>she hadn¡¯t expected him to return so suddenly. He forcefully restrained her on the couch, leaving her with no escape

    With eves slightly narrowed, he observed her closely. His well¨Cdefined brows, thick eyebrows, and prominent nose contributed to his inherently assertive appearance. Their breathing became erratic as their bodies entangled in passion.

    Finally, the day <b>was </b>sunny. Sunlight poured through therge windows, casting delicate <b>shadows </b>resembling willow fluffin the air

    As William teased her, Emelie frowned and struggled slightly in his embrace. Just as William was about to escte things further, the serene study was interrupted by a ringtone. Emelie felt relieved. She finally had <b>a </b>valid reason to push him away. She urgently grasped his hand and said, ¡°Your phone, William.¡±

    William frowned in annoyance as their intimate moment was interrupted. He briefly ignored the call and grasped Emelie¡¯s chin,

    Emelie suppressed her instinct to struggle and marmured softly, ¡°It might be a work call

    William sighed heavily and eventually released her. He sat on the carpeted floor in front of the couch, loosened his tie and answered his phone.

    Emelie wasn¡¯t sure who the call was from. All she heard was him responding with a simple ¡°Hmm¡± and ¡°y,¡± then quickly hanging up,

    In that brief minute, Emelie also pondered how to handle his demands. She sat up, adjusted her clothes, and cleared her throat, asking, ¡°Mr. Middleton<b>, </b>are you here to deliver my lunch?

    William hesitated. Emelie did too.

    Then, looking down, she exined, ¡°Did you forget that there¡¯s no food at home? You¡¯ve locked the door, I can¡¯t go out, and delivery can¡¯t get in. I haven¡¯t eaten.¡±

    William hadn¡¯t considered this. Emelie wasn¡¯t surprised¨Cshe knew he didn¡¯t take such details seriously because he didn¡¯t prioritize her.

    ¡°Have you eaten?¡± she asked.

    William¡¯s throat babbed slightly. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°So what now? Should we order in or go out?¡± Emelie covered her stomach and added, ¡°If I get too hungry, I might get a stomach ache.¡±

    As William looked at her, he noticed that her lips were still tinged red from their earlier kiss. He said in a slightly lower voice, ¡°Let¡¯s go out.¡±

    Emelie grinned and climbed down from the couch. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go change. William!¡±Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

    Herst exmation was because William had just pulled her off the soda, causing her to lose her bnce and fall onto the carpet.

    She was afraid of falling into his arms. Her hands instinctively caught his chest, and she looked at him in slight panic. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°You were sleeping like a log just now, and you didn¡¯t seem to be in pain. A slight dy won¡¯t hurt,¡± William replied calmly. He gently massaged the back of her neck and added in a low voler, ¡°If you want to eat <b>soon</b>, just go along with it.¡±

    Chapter 250 The Bloodsta

    1/1

    Chapter 258 The Bloodstain

    Emelle nced up at the mirror as she washed ber hands and noticed a fresh red mark on her neck. She closed her eyes briefly in i expression was calm again.

    She covered the mark with concealer and changed into a high¨Cneck sweater from her wardrobe.

    resignation. When she reopened them, her

    As Emelie tossed her pajamas into theundry basket, she noticed William¡¯s clothes mixed in. They didn¡¯t look like what he had worn yesterday. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder if these were what he had wom when he had gone outst night.

    Upon closer inspection of his white coat, she <b>found </b><b>a </b>bloodstain on it, despite not noticing any <b>signs </b>of injury on William just now.

    Curious, she picked it up. The stain appeared to be from someone else.

    The fabric was lurious and tended to retain odors. She caught a Jaint whitt of disinfectant

    She wondered if the smell had been acquired at the hospital. The fact that it lingered suggested he had spent quite some time there.

    ¡°Why would he have visited the hospitalst night Emelie pondered.

    <b>As </b>she left the room, William had already changed into a ck cashmere overcoat, which entuated his tall figure.

    As they got into the car, Emelie surested, ¡°Mr. Middleton, I¡¯d be to visit my mom at the hospital after dinner.¡±

    William kept his eyes focused ahead, his handsome profile reflected sharply in the car window. ¡°Your mom¡¯s doctor is Dr. Foster¡¯s assistant. Though she¡¯s in an assistant role, she holds a senior title. She¡¯s looking after your mom. You don¡¯t need to stay there on guard.¡±

    ¡°Mr.Middleton, don¡¯t you understand how I feel?¡± Emelie furrowed bec brow. ¡°<b>When </b>someone we love is in the hospital, we want to be there for support, even if we can¡¯t change the oue. It¡¯s about being present, so we won¡¯t regret it if something unexpected happens.¡±

    William navigated a turn with one hand on the wheel and offered no response to her words. Soon, the car pulled up at an Eastanian cuisine restaurant.

    He said indifferently, ¡°You can go to the hospital after dinner.¡±

    Emelle brightened up at his words, but he continued, ¡°Just make a quick visit, then head home. Don¡¯t stay outte. Your time is mine now.¡±

    Emelle fell silent.

    The restaurant valet approached to take his cat. As they walked <b>inside</b>, william casually asked, ¡°Are the documents ready?

    ¡°I haven¡¯t prepared them,¡± Emele replied calmly. ¡°Since I¡¯m not yet a Cloudex employee, it¡¯s better not to ess Cloudex files.¡±

    William nced at her ¡°You do keep to your principles,

    Awainer in a shirt vest approached. ¡°Hello sir, do you have a reservation? May I have your name?¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯t make a reservation,¡± Will replied

    The waiter looked flustered ¡°I¡¯m sorry sir, our restaurant requires reservations for limited ingredient avability. Without one, we cannot serve you.¡± William raised an eyebrow.

    Emelle was slightly surprised that William was being stopped. But soon, the restaurant manager noticed and hurried over. ¡°Mr. Middleton! Wee!¡±

    He immediately gestured for the waiter to step aside respectfully. ¡°Pleasee inside, the Bayview private dining room that you usedst time is ready and reserved <b>for </b><b>you</b><b>.</b>¡±

    Emelie followed William inside. They turned aer, and she nced back at the waiter. He seemed nervous, possibly afraid of unintentionally offending a VIP. Those who dined at such restaurants were typically affluent <b>it </b>was likely his first encounter with someone who had their own exclusive room here.

    If William liked, approved, or found something satisfactory, he would make it his own<b>, </b>and no one else could <b>use </b>it anymore.

    He was authoritarian and domineering His status had granted him too many privileges.

    Emelle turned around to look at the restaurant. It exuded an Eastanian <b>charm</b>. Though its exterior appeared unremarkable, the interior was a different world

    The restaurant had white walls, tiled roods, artificialhills, and cobblestone paths lined with bamboo trees. Traditional Eastanian carved doors and windows added to its charm. Inside the private dining room, they could see rowboats gently gliding on theke through the open windows, with oats softly sshing in the water. The scene reminded them of

    misty Eastania

    As Frelics

    gazed out the widow, she suddenly felt her tension ease.

    William ordered several dishes, and the waiter brought hot towels for them to freshen up. As he wiped his <b>hands</b>, Williams looked at Emelie¡¯s profile, recalling something. Suddenly, far asked, ¡°Did you know I went outst night?¡±

 Chapter 258

    Chapter 258Who Are You to <b>judge </b>Them?

    Emelle turned around and <b>replied</b>, ¡°I slept soundlyst night, so I didn¡¯t know.¡±

    Willem looked at her. After drying his hands, <b>he </b>said, ¡°After what you just said, shouldn¡¯t you follow up by asking me where I wentst night?¡± Emelie frowned slightly. ¡°I don¡¯t recall ever interfering with your daily activities before, Mr. Middleton.¡±

    william put down the towel and indifferently said, ¡°You can ask more in the future¡±

    Emelie couldn¡¯t <b>understand </b>why he suddenly became so demanding, and she suddenly felt less impressed with the Eastanian charm of the <b>r </b>responded, ¡°Alright¡±

    For the next 72 hours, she could only consent to whatever he said.

    m stood up and walked over to Emelie. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± he asked. ¡°Do y

    Emelle shook her head ¡°No, I¡¯m just <b>looking </b>around.¡±

    want to take a boat ride?¡±

    restaurant<b>. </b>She nodded casually at

    ¡°If you¡¯re interested in a boat ride, I¡¯ll take you,¡± Wim remarked. He headed out of the prhate room, but Emelie was really just looking around.

    She reluctantly followed him.

    He had always been so decisive and arbitrary

    William briefly spoke to the manager<b>, </b>who promptly instructed aboarman to bring the boat ashore,

    With his hands <b>in </b>his pockets, he waited for the bow of the boat to approach, then effortlessly stepped aboard and extended his hand palm¨Cup to her.

    Emelle looked at the lines on his pain for a few <b>seconds</b>. Just as his gaze was about to shift, she grasped his hand. With a slight pull from William, she also jumped onto the boa The boatman was at the stern <b>and </b>soon began to row.

    The small <b>wooden </b>boat swayed slightly as it glided across theke. The perspective from the center of theke felt distinctly different from that on the shore.

    Emelle <b>and </b>Wim opted to stay on the bow of the boat rather than going inside the cabin. The ripplingke water reflected their silhouettes with each <b>standing </b>on a different sidi of the boat.

    ¡°Do they have boat tours like this where youe from? William casually asked. In his experience, historic towns often featured these <b>crafted </b>scenes of charming bridges anc serenekes to fulfill tourists¡® fantasies:

    Sure enough, Emelie nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Have you ever tried it?¡± William inquired.

    Emelie shook her head. Despite it being December, the chill on the <bke¡¯s </b>surface made her tock her hands deeper into her pockets. ¡°My dad thought spending 40 dors on a boat ride thatsts only 20 minutes, with the same scenery visible both on board <b>and </b>onnd, was a waste of money.¡±

    Wim rated an eyebrow. ¡°So, do you want to try it?¡±

    as she watched the tourists cruise along the riverbank.

    Emelle nodded earnestly. As a child, she had truly wished to try it out. Back then, she had always felt envious as she was Wim chuckded. ¡°If he¡¯s too tight to drop codors to make his daughter happy, then how did he muster up the courage to bet his entire fortune on <b>a </bnd deal?¡±

    Emelle pursed her lips. Ronan had fallen for this trap because someone convinced him by saying, ¡°<b>Let¡¯s </b>pool our money to buy this piece ofnd in the new district, it¡¯s in a prime location<b>, </b>and once the area develops fully, thend¡¯s value will skyrocket. We¡¯ll be sitting on a goldmine.¡±

    Ronan had been brainwashed into believing that it was his chance to strike it rich, so he had gone ahead without hesitation.

    Yet, the oue turned out to be the exact

    opposite. It was <b>all </b>a sham, and he had been deceived

    As William said that, his <b>tone </b>dripped with disdain. He scored Ronan¡¯s reckless ambition, hisck of <b>self</b>¨Cawareness, and his attempt to strike it rich like a nouveau riche dreamer.

    Emelie chose <b>not </b>to react to Wam¡¯s disparagingments. Instead, she turned away.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    William continued, ¡°He¡¯s in his 40s and stillcksmon sense. It¡¯s no wonder that he gets into protests and brawls in prison.¡±

    He was clearly frustrated with Emelle being so close to her family. Whether it was her parents or siblings, they seemed to upy too much of her thoughts and emotions. He preferred it when she had eyes and heart only for him for the past <b>three </b>years.

    He found it unsenting that missing just one day at the hospital could cause such anxiety in her. While her family seemed burdensome to her, he feltpelled to help her out <b>of </b>respect for her

    ¡°A bunch of troublemakers,¡± he added dismissively.

    Finally, Emelie couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. She tumed to look at him and sternly said, ¡°Despite his countless ws and shorings, he¡¯s still my father. His protests are for my mother¡¯s sake, and his tights in prison were provoked by someone ndering me in front of him.¡±

    Then, she added, ¡°He¡¯s just an ordinary person, and it¡¯s his first time being a parent. Like everyone else, he has his good and bad sides. I can ept that my parents aren¡¯t perfect, but who are you to judge them?

    Will narrowed his eyes. ¡°Are you trying to educate miku

    Emelle shook her head slightly. ¡°No, not at al

    William took a step toward <b>her</b>, and Emelle instinctively wanted to step back. However, there was nowhere to retreat on the boat,

    William¡¯s expression turned slightly cold, just as he was about to speak<b>, </b>a voice echoed across theke, ¡°Mr. Middleton¡¯s great to see you in such good spirits!

    Chapter 260xotic Beauty

    The two people on the boat instinctively looked toward the source of the voice. They saw a man

    The man was the one who had spoken

    and a woman leaning against a window by the river.

    Emelie¡¯s fiestreaction was to exim, ¡°What a coincidence it¡¯s charles Davis.¡±

    Charles wasn¡¯t from Capebatt Cry and was from Calmcrest. He hade to Capebat city specifically to attend a banquet hosted by the Graham family. She hadn¡¯t expected to run into him here at Riverstone Bistro.

    The <b>young </b>women beside him was unfamiliar to Emelle. Even from a distance, her striking features were evident. She was truly a beauty.

    Seizing the opportunity to avoid a potentially contentious topic, Emelie said, ¡°Mr. Middleton, It¡¯s Mr. Davis,¡±

    ¡°I saw,¡± Wirs replied. He nced at her, temporarily setting aside her eller defiance He instructed the boatman to dock

    Charles and <b>the </b>young women stepped away from the window.

    As their boat docked, the other two let the bistro,

    Charles was in a suit, and hispanion was in a long dress.

    Emelie¡¯s sharp eyes were right

    The woman was indeed beautiful with an exotic touch to her features, she resembled a member of a minority group

    Emelie didn¡¯t stare. She took a nce before following William.

    ¡°I was just opening the window to enjoy the view and then I saw you, Mr. Middleton,¡± Charles said with a smile, ¡°Is the boat ride fun? You¡¯d even found it interesting enough to try

    <b>IL</b>

    ¡°The youngdy wasn¡¯t allowed to ride on boats when she was a child. She could only watch and envy others. So, I took her out for a ride to fulfill her childhood dream.¡±

    Emilie was speechless and bewildered Was he talking about her?

    ¡°Youngdy¡°¡± was only slightly less nauseating than ¡°sweetle whening from William¡¯s mouth.

    Both Charles and the woman tumed their gazes toward Emelle

    A strange <b>glint </b>shed across the woman¡¯s eyes. On the other hand, Charles found lie somewhat familier. After a moment, he remembered and asked, ¡°You¡¯re Mr. Maldleton¡¯s secretary, right?¡±¡±

    He recalled the poker incident and looked at her from head to toe. He then smirked with interest. ¡°Mr. Middleton, you treat your subordinates quite well you <b>even </b>fulfilled her wishes<b>.</b>¡±

    Emele ignored Charles words <b>and </b>focused only on herself

    In cam, William asked, ¡°<b>And </b>you, Mr. Davis? Why didn¡¯t you tell me that you¡¯d be in Capebatt? <b>I </b><b>could </b>have extended my hospitality to you.¡±

    ¡°This trip isn¡¯t for business. It¡¯s the weekend<b>, </b><b>so </b>I¡¯ve brought my cousin, who has recently returned from Lablos, here for a bit of fun.¡±

    Charles Introduced the young woman, ¡°This is my cousin, Elena Allen. She studied and worked in Lablos before being reassigned here.¡±

    William nced at her.

    Elena gently pressed her lips together and nodded in greeting ¡°Mr. Middleton¡±

    William¡¯s gaze lingered on her face for a few seconds, then he nodded and turned back to Charles.

    <b>Elena¡¯s </b><b>brows </b>twitched <b>slightly</b>. She seemed both but and <b>hesitant </b>to speak.

    Emelie observed and discreetly took note of the scene.

    <b>Charles </b><b>asked</b>, ¡°Mr. Middleton<b>, </b>have you eaten yet?¡±

    ¡°The food should be on the table, but we haven¡¯t started.<b>¡±</b>

    ¡°We¡¯ve just arrived and haven¡¯t ordered yet. How about we join you, and you can <b>add </b><b>a </b>few more dishes?¡± Charles suggested shamelessly

    William didn¡¯t refuse and instead said<b>, </b><b>¡°</b>Of course!

    Back in the private room, the manager promptly had the food served and personally opened a bottle of Romance¨CConti for them. Charles ordered a few more dishes and then turned to William with a yful suggestion.

    ¡°Mr Middleton, ce you¡¯re so free, how about joining us at Lakeside Vi this weekend?¡±

    Wim raised an eyebrow. ¡°Who else ising?

    ¡°<b>Mr. </b>Swanson. We met abroad, <b>and </b>I treated him to a meal. He said he¡¯d rear the favor once he was back home, so I decided to have him cover the vi expenses this time¡± Charles leaned back in his chair. He tapped a cigarette out of its pack.

    William¡¯s smile widmed <b>as </b>the picked up his lemon tea¨Che had driven himself, so no alcohol for him.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t miss an opportunity to let Mr. Swanson foot the bill.¡±

    charlesughed heartily and clinked his ss with William¡¯s<b>. </b>¡°It¡¯s settled then!¡±

    Wildrank his lemon tea and set the cup down. Emelle, while pouring <b>lemon </b>tea for herself, refilled his cup as well.

    Charles watched<b>, </b>a bit curious. Thest time <b>they </b>were on the bost, the atmosphere between these two was tense.

    He wondered how he had be so obedient and docile in just a few months.

    Emelie finished pouring the lemon tea and continued eating quietly. Suddenly, Charles asked, ¡°your surname Hoven or Sanders?¡±

    Emelie looked up. Charles looked at her.

    She swallowed before answering, ¡°Hoven.¡±

    Chimpter 260 Exotic Beauty

 Chapter 259

    Chapter 259 Who Are You to <b>judge </b>Them?

    Emelle turned around and <b>replied</b>, ¡°I slept soundlyst night, so I didn¡¯t know.¡±

    Willem looked at her. After drying his hands, <b>he </b>said, ¡°After what you just said, shouldn¡¯t you follow up by asking me where I wentst night?¡± Emelie frowned slightly. ¡°I don¡¯t recall ever interfering with your daily activities before, Mr. Middleton.¡±

    william put down the towel and indifferently said, ¡°You can ask more in the future¡±

    Emelie couldn¡¯t <b>understand </b>why he suddenly became so demanding, and she suddenly felt less impressed with the Eastanian charm of the <b>r </b>responded, ¡°Alright¡±

    For the next 72 hours, she could only consent to whatever he said.

    m stood up and walked over to Emelie. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± he asked. ¡°Do y

    Emelle shook her head ¡°No, I¡¯m just <b>looking </b>around.¡±

    want to take a boat ride?¡±

    restaurant<b>. </b>She nodded casually at

    ¡°If you¡¯re interested in a boat ride, I¡¯ll take you,¡± Wim remarked. He headed out of the prhate room, but Emelie was really just looking around.

    She reluctantly followed him.

    He had always been so decisive and arbitrary

    William briefly spoke to the manager<b>, </b>who promptly instructed aboarman to bring the boat ashore,

    With his hands <b>in </b>his pockets, he waited for the bow of the boat to approach, then effortlessly stepped aboard and extended his hand palm¨Cup to her.

    Emelle looked at the lines on his pain for a few <b>seconds</b>. Just as his gaze was about to shift, she grasped his hand. With a slight pull from William, she also jumped onto the boa The boatman was at the stern <b>and </b>soon began to row.

    The small <b>wooden </b>boat swayed slightly as it glided across theke. The perspective from the center of theke felt distinctly different from that on the shore.

    Emelle <b>and </b>Wim opted to stay on the bow of the boat rather than going inside the cabin. The ripplingke water reflected their silhouettes with each <b>standing </b>on a different sidi of the boat.

    ¡°Do they have boat tours like this where youe from? William casually asked. In his experience, historic towns often featured these <b>crafted </b>scenes of charming bridges anc serenekes to fulfill tourists¡® fantasies:

    Sure enough, Emelie nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Have you ever tried it?¡± William inquired.

    Emelie shook her head. Despite it being December, the chill on the <bke¡¯s </b>surface made her tock her hands deeper into her pockets. ¡°My dad thought spending 40 dors on a boat ride thatsts only 20 minutes, with the same scenery visible both on board <b>and </b>onnd, was a waste of money.¡±

    Wim rated an eyebrow. ¡°So, do you want to try it?¡±

    as she watched the tourists cruise along the riverbank.

    Emelle nodded earnestly. As a child, she had truly wished to try it out. Back then, she had always felt envious as she was Wim chuckded. ¡°If he¡¯s too tight to drop codors to make his daughter happy, then how did he muster up the courage to bet his entire fortune on <b>a </bnd deal?¡±

    Emelle pursed her lips. Ronan had fallen for this trap because someone convinced him by saying, ¡°<b>Let¡¯s </b>pool our money to buy this piece ofnd in the new district, it¡¯s in a prime location<b>, </b>and once the area develops fully, thend¡¯s value will skyrocket. We¡¯ll be sitting on a goldmine.¡±

    Ronan had been brainwashed into believing that it was his chance to strike it rich, so he had gone ahead without hesitation.

    Yet, the oue turned out to be the exact

    opposite. It was <b>all </b>a sham, and he had been deceived

    As William said that, his <b>tone </b>dripped with disdain. He scored Ronan¡¯s reckless ambition, hisck of <b>self</b>¨Cawareness, and his attempt to strike it rich like a nouveau riche dreamer.

    Emelie chose <b>not </b>to react to Wam¡¯s disparagingments. Instead, she turned away.

    William continued, ¡°He¡¯s in his 40s and stillcksmon sense. It¡¯s no wonder that he gets into protests and brawls in prison.¡±

    He was clearly frustrated with Emelle being so close to her family. Whether it was her parents or siblings, they seemed to upy too much of her thoughts and emotions. He preferred it when she had eyes and heart only for him for the past <b>three </b>years.

    He found it unsenting that missing just one day at the hospital could cause such anxiety in her. While her family seemed burdensome to her, he feltpelled to help her out <b>of </b>respect for her

    ¡°A bunch of troublemakers,¡± he added dismissively.

    Finally, Emelie couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. She tumed to look at him and sternly said, ¡°Despite his countless ws and shorings, he¡¯s still my father. His protests are for my mother¡¯s sake, and his tights in prison were provoked by someone ndering me in front of him.¡±

    Then, she added, ¡°He¡¯s just an ordinary person, and it¡¯s his first time being a parent. Like everyone else, he has his good and bad sides. I can ept that my parents aren¡¯t perfect, but who are you to judge them?

    Will narrowed his eyes. ¡°Are you trying to educate miku

    Emelle shook her head slightly. ¡°No, not at al

    William took a step toward <b>her</b>, and Emelle instinctively wanted to step back. However, there was nowhere to retreat on the boat,Content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    William¡¯s expression turned slightly cold, just as he was about to speak<b>, </b>a voice echoed across theke, ¡°Mr. Middleton¡¯s great to see you in such good spirits!

 Chapter 260

    Chapter 260xotic Beauty

    The two people on the boat instinctively looked toward the source of the voice. They saw a man

    The man was the one who had spoken

    and a woman leaning against a window by the river.

    Emelie¡¯s fiestreaction was to exim, ¡°What a coincidence it¡¯s charles Davis.¡±

    Charles wasn¡¯t from Capebatt Cry and was from Calmcrest. He hade to Capebat city specifically to attend a banquet hosted by the Graham family. She hadn¡¯t expected to run into him here at Riverstone Bistro.

    The <b>young </b>women beside him was unfamiliar to Emelle. Even from a distance, her striking features were evident. She was truly a beauty.

    Seizing the opportunity to avoid a potentially contentious topic, Emelie said, ¡°Mr. Middleton, It¡¯s Mr. Davis,¡±

    ¡°I saw,¡± Wirs replied. He nced at her, temporarily setting aside her eller defiance He instructed the boatman to dock

    Charles and <b>the </b>young women stepped away from the window.

    As their boat docked, the other two let the bistro,

    Charles was in a suit, and hispanion was in a long dress.

    Emelie¡¯s sharp eyes were right

    The woman was indeed beautiful with an exotic touch to her features, she resembled a member of a minority group

    Emelie didn¡¯t stare. She took a nce before following William.

    ¡°I was just opening the window to enjoy the view and then I saw you, Mr. Middleton,¡± Charles said with a smile, ¡°Is the boat ride fun? You¡¯d even found it interesting enough to try

    <b>IL</b>

    ¡°The youngdy wasn¡¯t allowed to ride on boats when she was a child. She could only watch and envy others. So, I took her out for a ride to fulfill her childhood dream.¡±

    Emilie was speechless and bewildered Was he talking about her?

    ¡°Youngdy¡°¡± was only slightly less nauseating than ¡°sweetle whening from William¡¯s mouth.

    Both Charles and the woman tumed their gazes toward Emelle

    A strange <b>glint </b>shed across the woman¡¯s eyes. On the other hand, Charles found lie somewhat familier. After a moment, he remembered and asked, ¡°You¡¯re Mr. Maldleton¡¯s secretary, right?¡±¡±

    He recalled the poker incident and looked at her from head to toe. He then smirked with interest. ¡°Mr. Middleton, you treat your subordinates quite well you <b>even </b>fulfilled her wishes<b>.</b>¡±

    Emele ignored Charles words <b>and </b>focused only on herself

    In cam, William asked, ¡°<b>And </b>you, Mr. Davis? Why didn¡¯t you tell me that you¡¯d be in Capebatt? <b>I </b><b>could </b>have extended my hospitality to you.¡±

    ¡°This trip isn¡¯t for business. It¡¯s the weekend<b>, </b><b>so </b>I¡¯ve brought my cousin, who has recently returned from Lablos, here for a bit of fun.¡±

    Charles Introduced the young woman, ¡°This is my cousin, Elena Allen. She studied and worked in Lablos before being reassigned here.¡±

    William nced at her.

    Elena gently pressed her lips together and nodded in greeting ¡°Mr. Middleton¡±

    William¡¯s gaze lingered on her face for a few seconds, then he nodded and turned back to Charles.

    <b>Elena¡¯s </b><b>brows </b>twitched <b>slightly</b>. She seemed both but and <b>hesitant </b>to speak.

    Emelie observed and discreetly took note of the scene.

    <b>Charles </b><b>asked</b>, ¡°Mr. Middleton<b>, </b>have you eaten yet?¡±

    ¡°The food should be on the table, but we haven¡¯t started.<b>¡±</b>

    ¡°We¡¯ve just arrived and haven¡¯t ordered yet. How about we join you, and you can <b>add </b><b>a </b>few more dishes?¡± Charles suggested shamelessly

    William didn¡¯t refuse and instead said<b>, </b><b>¡°</b>Of course!

    Back in the private room, the manager promptly had the food served and personally opened a bottle of Romance¨CConti for them. Charles ordered a few more dishes and then turned to William with a yful suggestion.

    ¡°Mr Middleton, ce you¡¯re so free, how about joining us at Lakeside Vi this weekend?¡±

    Wim raised an eyebrow. ¡°Who else ising?

    ¡°<b>Mr. </b>Swanson. We met abroad, <b>and </b>I treated him to a meal. He said he¡¯d rear the favor once he was back home, so I decided to have him cover the vi expenses this time¡± Charles leaned back in his chair. He tapped a cigarette out of its pack.

    William¡¯s smile widmed <b>as </b>the picked up his lemon tea¨Che had driven himself, so no alcohol for him.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t miss an opportunity to let Mr. Swanson foot the bill.¡±

    charlesughed heartily and clinked his ss with William¡¯s<b>. </b>¡°It¡¯s settled then!¡±

    Wildrank his lemon tea and set the cup down. Emelle, while pouring <b>lemon </b>tea for herself, refilled his cup as well.

    Charles watched<b>, </b>a bit curious. Thest time <b>they </b>were on the bost, the atmosphere between these two was tense.

    He wondered how he had be so obedient and docile in just a few months.

    Emelie finished pouring the lemon tea and continued eating quietly. Suddenly, Charles asked, ¡°your surname Hoven or Sanders?¡±Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie looked up. Charles looked at her.

    She swallowed before answering, ¡°Hoven.¡±

    Chimpter 260 Exotic Beauty

    Charles nodded with a smile. ¡°Ms. Hoven, pass me the lighter.¡°¡±

    The lighter was on the cab. Emelie hesitated for a moment. She got up to fetch it and handed it <b>to </b>him.

    Charles heldacigarette and nodded toward Emelle, indicating. ¡°Light it for me.¡±

    Emelie was puzzled. She instinctively pressed the ignition button. With a snap, a me emerged.

    He leaned in directly, the cigarette butt touching the me, igniting it instantly.

    ITH

    Emelie blinked slightly in surprise as charles leaned back casually in his chair, the cigarette hanging from his lips. He smirked and said, ¡°I finally got you to light one for me.¡±

 Chapter 261

    Chapter 261 Emelle is quite Interesting

    Emile suddenly remembered the incident on the Graham sip. William had brought her to the second¨Cfloor room, and Charles had sat at the poker table. He instructed her to

    fetch him <b>a </b>cigarette

    Back then, if she hadplied with his request, it would have been demeaning to her. So, she had chosen not to follow his request

    However, she newer anticipated that charles would suddenly bring up this matter here.

    As Emelie realized the situation, she not only felt the same sense of being belittled as before but also a hint of being toyed with unknowingly. She felt a tinge of anger rising within

    bec.

    However, it was <b>just </b>about lighting a cigarette. It wasn¡¯t like she had any reason to explode.

    William nced at her expressionlessly before continuing his conversation with Charles, but <b>his </b>tone had be noticeably colder.

    Emelie remained silent as she ate her food. Her phone vibrated as she received a WhatsApp message from Bryan, asking her for some data.

    Erbe replied brieflybefore putting her phone down and continuing her meal.

    Bryan took the opportunity and asked, ¡°How is your mother? Are you in the hospital now? Should Ie over to see Mrs. Hoven?¡±

    Emelie chewed on a piece of vegetable slowly, her eyes flickering with something indiscernible.

    Then, she sent him a message. After putting down her phone she continued eating.

    Charles observed her silent indignation and suppressedughter. ¡°Just a secretary,¡± he thought.

    He then turned to William and said, ¡°I heard that you¡¯ve recently started a big project in Wimstour City.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Davis, you¡¯re really well¨Cinformed,¡± <b>William </b>replied tly

    ¡°I got <b>wind </b>of it through a rumor. They said that you¡¯d encountered some troublemakers there, and I thought that maybe I could help if <b>you </b>couldn¡¯t handle it.¡±

    Charles continued as he exhaled the cigarette smoke, ¡°After all, we¡¯re in real estate. Dealing with troublemakers <b>is </b>our specialty.¡±

    William nced at him, and his tone was cool as he said, ¡°It¡¯s just a minor issue. There¡¯s no need to trouble yourself, Mr. Davis. But I appreciate the offer.¡±N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    Charles had a strong craving <b>for </b>cigarettes. He smoked three during the meal. Fortunately, his cigarettes were of higher quality, so the room wasn¡¯t filled with a heavy nicotine scent. Otherwise, it would have been suffocating

    As the meal was ending, there was amotion outside the private room.

    The manager said, ¡°This room can¡¯t be inspected. Whatint did you receive? Isn¡¯t it inappropriate to inspect us like this? Who¡¯s your superior?

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know who our superior is. Didn t you receive the notice at the beginning of the month? Indoor smolding is prohibited in public ces. Have you implemented that role? Step aside!¡±

    Without giving the four people in the room a chance to react, the door was directly opened. Severalve enforcement officers appeared, and they immediately noticed the cigarette in Charles<b>¡® </b>hand

    Thew enforcement officers caught hun red¨Chanded and said sterly, ¡°ording to Article 19 of the Capebatt City Public ce Smoking Contral Regtions, individuals smoking in smoke¨Cfree areas and refusing toply with the advice will be lined two hundred dors, Give me your ID!¡±

    charles was speechless.

    Charles, who had just been humted in front of his cousin and business partner, pressed his tongue against his cheek for a while. He felt that something was amiss and suddenly looked at Emelie

    ¡°Ms. Haven, did you report this? <b>Why </b>else would theye straight to our room?¡±

    Emelle remained calm. ¡°Mr. Davis, <b>I¡¯ve </b>been in the room the whole time. I haven¡¯t even gone to the restroom. How could I have made a phone call to report this?¡±

    William¡¯s cold expression rxed slightly at this. He put his arm on the back of Emelie schair and sneered.

    ¡°Mr. <b>Davis</b>, don¡¯t be upset. Two hundred dors is like taking a lesson that teaches you to be aw¨Cabiding citizen in the fature. It¡¯s worth it¡±

    Charles stared at Emelle, who <b>remained </bpletely unfazed. Suddenly, he chuckled and tossed the entire pack of cigarettes into the trash can.

    ¡°It was absolutely worth it. From now on, I¡¯m quitting smoking.¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t even nce at him. The meal ended, and William led Emelle out

    Charles leaned back in his <b>chair</b>, pondering. He had only meant to tease Emelie, but she had managed to retaliate. He had once said that she resembled <b>a </b><b>cat</b>, and he wasn¡¯t wrong Freille was interesting

    Charles liited his gate to Elena ¡°Elena, do you know William?¡±

    it seemed like she had nced at William at least five times during the meal. Each time, she looked like she wanted to say something.

 Chapter 262

    Chapter 262 High School <b>First </b>Love

    Elena pressed her Eps together and stood up. ¡°Wait for me a moment, Charles,¡±Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

    She quickly left the private room.

    William needed to return to the office, and Emelle had to visit Greta in the hospital.

    They parted ways at the bistro entrance. Emelie said, as a formally, ¡°Mr. Middleton, I¡¯ll be going now!!

    William nced at her. ¡°Did you report Charles for smoking indoors?¡±

    Emelie kept a straight face. ¡°Mr. Middleton, I didn¡¯L¡±

    Witam didn¡¯t believe her. He smirked and said, ¡°I never said you did the wrong thing.¡±

    rmele won¡¯t foolish enough to admit it <b>just </b>because he said <b>so</b>. The only person she could fully trust in this world was herself. Anyone else might betray her at any time.

    ¡°Mr. Middleton, I really didn¡¯t.¡±

    William was too tired to continue this circr conversation. He grasped her chin, his eyelids drooping slightly as he looked at her face.

    ¡°From now on, don¡¯t <b>be </b>so obedient to anyone else except for me just because they tell you to do something, doesn¡¯t mean you have to. Are they paying your sry?¡±

    <b>Emelie </b>pressed her lips together. ¡°Understood.¡±

    William continued, ¡°After visiting Mrs. Hoven,e back early to pack your bags. You¡¯reing with me to the Lakeside Vi this weekend.¡±

    Emelie opened her mouth to speak, but he shook her <b>chin </b>gently. ¡°Or do you want to continue our discussion about the perfection of parents<b>?</b>¡± There was no point in discussing that topic farther. It only made him angry, caused her trouble, and dyed her visit to Greta.

    In the end, she would still have to go to the Lakeside Vi with him Henever changed his decisions.

    Emelie could only say, ¡°I understand<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    After hearing her response, Wim released her. Emelle got into atexi

    <b>The </b>valet brought William¡¯s car over. As he was about to get in, a <b>female </b>voice <b>called </b>out from behind, ¡°Mr. Middleton.¡±

    Wim humed around to see Elena ¡°Ma. Allen, is there something you <b>want </b>to <b>say</b>?¡±

    Elena approached him gracefully, her amber eyes gazing at him with a hint of seriousness. ¡°Mr. Middleton, <b>do </b>you really not remember me at all?¡±

    Wim squinted slightly. When he had first seen her by theke, he <b>had </b>felt a vague sense of familiarity. But since he couldn¡¯t recall where he had seen her <b>before</b><b>, </b>he had assumed that she wasn¡¯t important and didn¡¯t pay much attention.

    Now, with her words, it seemed that they did know each other. Considering Charles¡® prestige, William inquired, ¡°Ms. Allen, who might you be?

    Elena smiled, though it carried a <b>hint </b>of self¨Cmockery. She said it with grace, adding a touch of understanding to her words.

    ¡°It seems the stories are all Bes. <b>They </b>say good men ever forget their first love, right? Even though our time together was in high school.

    ¡°Mr. Middleton, you¡¯ve forgotten me so thoroughly. I¡¯m a little sad about it¡®

    High school?

    He furrowed his brow for a moment. Then, he finally remembered and said, ¡°It¡¯s you!¡±

    Emelle arrived at the hospital and briskywalked toward the main building.

    Capebatt City was neither too big or too small it was consideredrge due to its total size of <b>2510 </b>square miles. However, it was considered small as there were two and <b>a </b>half million people living there.

    Somehow, this had led her to bump into Daphne, who was sitting in a wheelchair in the lobby.

    Emelie had initially intended to walk past <b>her </b>and pretend that she hadn¡¯t seen her. But Daphine spotted <b>her </b><b>and </b>called out, ¡°Emelie!¡±

    Emele didn¡¯t stop in her tracks. Daphne straightened up and <b>continued</b>, ¡°Emelie, are you feeling guilty?¡±

    <b>¡°</b>You sent my photo to Mr. Middleton. You even tried to drive a wedge between us and then take advantage of the situation to get close to him in Wimstour City. You know you owe me, so now you don¡¯t dare to face me, right?

    Every word she uttered disgusted Emelie.

    Emelie <b>had </b>to halt her steps and turn to face her.

    If this was psychological warfare, it was indeed effective. At least Emelie was acknowledging her now.

    She approached her again. ¡°Yes I did send your photos to William. Compared <b>to </b>your spreading photos of my friend everywhere and fabricating rumors to nder her. I merely sent a few old photos of you to William, isn¡¯t that outrageous?¡±

    Behind Daphne, the middle¨Caged woman pushed the wheelchair and chuckled coldly. ¡°So, you¡¯re Emelie Do you think your btle tricks are effective<b>?</b>¡±

    Emelle looked <b>up </b><b>at </b>her. The middle¨Caged woman¡¯s features <b>bore </b>some resemnce to Daphine¡¯s<b>. </b>She was probably her mother, Olivia Lewis,

    Olivia was dressed in professional attire. She excused the demeanor of a businesswoman. She said assertively, ¡°Even if you¡¯re scheming behind Daphne and Will¡¯s rtionship, they¡¯ve reconciled now!¡±

    ¡°Even if you shamelessly entered Middletone Residence, he still rushed to the scene of Daphne¡¯s ident with just one phone call. He stored things <b>out </b><b>for </b>her, took her to the hospital for treatment, and even stayed by her side all night¡±

    ¡°in <b>his </b>heart, the most important person has always been Daphine. You¡¯re just a fool!¡±

 Chapter 263

    Chapter 263 Daring to Face the Main Womani

    So, william had left Eastbayst night because Daphne had a car ident. <b>The </b>blood and disinfectant smell on his coat were all trom Daphne.

    He even stayed by her side all night. <b>That </b>truly was devoted.

    Emelie looked at Olivia and Daphne and then spoke slowly, ¡°I¡¯ll be staying at Eastbay tonight, and probably be with William for the next few days. Daphne, you can keep calling him to take <b>him </b>away. I won¡¯t stop him as long as he¡¯s willing to go with you.¡±

    Daphne froze for a moment, then straightened up, ¡°You¡ª¡±

    Her eyes welled up with tears. She looked as if she had suffered a great blow. She kept stammering, unable to say anything

    Olivia was even angrier. She tried to push Emelle. ¡°You little wretch, what did you just say?¡±

    Emelie dodged her hand effortlessly. She smirked indifferently and then turned to leave.

    Olivia kept cursing from behind, ¡°You¡¯re brazen enough to unt your affair in front <b>of </b>the main woman! Have you no shame?!

    Emelie stopped in the elevator. They <b>took </b>her words as <b>a </b>provocation.

    But honestly, she meant every word. She genuinely hoped Daphne could keep William basy enough to leave her alone.

    She quickly put <b>Oliva </b>and Daphne out of her mind, <b>leaving </b>no traceContent ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie arrived at the IC to see Greta and was pleasantly surprised to find that she had woken up. Though she was still intubated and unable to speak<b>, </b>Greta was conscious. The ICU nurse leaned <b>in </b>to say a few words to Greta because she knew how worried Emelie had been. Emelle had stayed by Greta¡¯s <b>side </b>for several days.

    From outside, Emelie saw Greta raise her hand and blink her eyes.

    She understood that Greta was trying to signal her. At that moment, Emelie felt that enduring Willian these past few days had been worth it. Greta was truly recovering. Greta had been in aa before, and Emelie couldn¡¯t bear to leave her side. Now that Greta was awake and responsive, Emelie was even more reluctant to go. She kept checking on her through the ss now and then.

    Emelie wanted to stay overnight at the hospital. William could stay with Daphne for a whole night, she could remain with Greta also.

    Fate didn¡¯t abide by the wishes of the people. William called her at 10pm.

    Emelie answered, and he only said two words, ¡°<b>Come </b>down.¡±

    It seemed he hade to the hospital Emelle had no choice. She took onest look at Greta and headed downstairs.

    William¡¯s car was parked at the hospital entrance. <b>She </b>walked over to it and saw Abel in the front seat. She stood by the back window and greeted, ¡°Mr. Middleton.¡±

    William didn¡¯t look at her. He was focused on the tablet in his hands. Hismand was briet, ¡°Get in¡±

    Emelie got into the car. Neither of them spoke as the car drove through the streets. Emelle started out the window

    Capebett City was a world¨Css metropolis. The words most often used to describe it included ¡°prosperous <b>and </b>expensive¡°, ¡°skyscrapers¡°, ¡°neon lights¡°, and ¡°decadence¡°. There <b>was </b><b>also </b>the saying that every Capebatt City¡¯s citizen had coffee running through their veins instead of blood.

    This city was full of material desires. The building it up at night, forming a dazzling skyline.

    As they passed through a tunnel, the light outside dimmed. The car¡¯s interior lights <b>cast </b>reflections of their profiles on the window. mehe looked at Witham¡¯s reflection.

    His features were sharp, and his silence made him seem even more unapproachable. He was no longer <b>looking </b>at the tablet. His head was propped up on his hand, eyes closed, as if he were resting-

    Emelle quickly realized they weren¡¯t returning to Eastbay, nor were they going to her apartment. They were going somewhere she didn¡¯t recognize,

    She immediately asked Abel, ¡°Where are we going?¡±

    ¡°Lakeside Vi<b>,</b><b>¡°</b>William answered

    Emelie was taken aback ¡°Right now?¡± <b>she </b>thought it was tomorrow.

    She quickly realized another problem. ¡°But I haven¡¯t packed anything.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s your problem,¡± William said tly ¡°I told you to go back early and pack. You chose not to listen.¡±

    Emelie had no way of knowing he would leave so abruptly,

    ¡°I didn¡¯t bring any clothes, What am I supposed to do at the vi?¡± Emelie knew that the vi was in a remote area where shopping for necessities wasn¡¯t convenient.

    William wanted her to face the consequences for not listening ¡°That¡¯s your problem.¡±

    Emelie was speechless. She bither lip. ¡°Stoop the car at the next exit so I can finda clothing store.¡±

    William didn¡¯t respond, and Abel naturally didn¡¯t stop

    William opened his eyes and <b>lowered </b>his elbow. He shifted his position<b>, </bzily turning his head towards her. ¡°You can stay in your room and wear my clothes thave plenty of shirts.

 Chapter 264

    Chapter 264 Never Enough SleepExclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

    Chapter 264 Never Enough Sleep

    Emelie chose to let it go. It was winter, <b>so </b>it was not easy to sweat. Not changing clothes for two days wasn¡¯t a big deal.

    However, she quickly thought of a solution and contacted <b>a </b>sales assistant from a brand store she frequented. She asked the sales assistant to pick out a couple of outfits and offered to pay extra for express delivery to Lakeside Vi.

    However, it was alreadyte, and the sales assistant <b>had </b>gone home. <b>She </b>apologized and promised to arrange it first thing in the morning. Emelle thanked her.

    They arrived at midnight. Charles came out to greet them personally.

    When he saw Emelie, his interest was piqued. ¡°Mr. Middleton brought Ms. Hoven too? That¡¯s great. The more, the merrier. We¡¯re all awake and ying poker upstairs. Do you want to join us?

    william nodded and turned to Emelie. ¡°Are youing?¡±

    Emele politely declined. ¡°Mr. Middleton, I¡¯m a bit tired¡±

    ¡°Ms. Hoven, go back to your room and get some rest. You¡¯ve had enough for today. We can have some fun tomorrow.¡± Charles said with a smile.

    William nodded <b>in </b>agreement, letting her go Charles had one of the vi¡¯s maids lead Emelle to a suite.

    Lakeside Vi was a Baroque¨Cstyle building. It was extravagant and opulent. The corridors were adorned with vibrant paintings. The courtyard was illuminated with bright lights and featured a Venus de Milo statue.

    Emelie walked along the corridor, her feet sinking into the plush carpet that felt like walking on clouds. The air was filled with the scent of high¨Cend perfume.

    She remembered something and asked the maid, ¡°Do you provide disposable underwear and sanitary pads here?¡±

    The maid answered respectfully, ¡°Yes, they¡¯re in the bathroom drawer.¡±

    Emelie was relieved. She replied, ¡°That¡¯s great.¡±

    As she neared her room, Emelie encountered Elena in the hallway. Emelle nodded politely. Elena paused briefly, then smiled back in acknowledgment. Emelie entered her room while Elena headed to the poker game.

    These were all suite. With two bedrooms, a study, and a living room.

    Emelie went straight to the second bedroom. She opened the closet and found that they provided bathrobes for guests, so she didn¡¯t bother changing After washing her face and hands, shey down on the bed. It wasn¡¯t just an excuse, she was genuinely tired.

    <b>These</b>

    e past few days, she¡¯d felt like she could never get enough sleep. Now, it was already past one in the morning

    she replied to a message. Then<b>, </b>she wrapped herself in the nket and fell asleep.

    However, her sleep was not deep. When she felt the mattress beside her sink, she abruptly woke up.

    William was kneeling beside her. His hands rested near her head, bovering over her.

    In the darkness, their eyes met.

    Seeing her awake, he didn¡¯t beat around the bush. He lowered his head to find <b>her </b>lips.

    Then his hands began to wander under her clothes.

    Emelie was just awakened and not yet fullyposed. She instinctively grabbed his wrist.

    Awwe of rejection surged from the depths of her being It spread through her entire body. Her head jerked around in a frenzy of evasion. ¡°Mr. Middleton!

    Why are you hiding? william¡¯s voice was low, resonating like a drum in her ears.

    Emelie¡¯s eyes flickered, then she said, ¡°You startled <b>me </b><b>all </b><b>of </b><b>a </b>sudden.¡±

    William didn¡¯t say whether he believed her or not

    Undoing his shirt button, the room remained unit. Only the courtyard¡¯s light filtered in, casting a sensual glow down his slender neck. It disappeared into the shadows of his corboneentuating his sexiness.

    Suddenly, Emelie sneezed

    William remained silent

    Exuelie quickly turned her head she grabbed some tissues from the tissue box on her bedside table. She then covered her mouth and nose as she sneered twice in <b>a </b>row.

 Chapter 265

    Chapter 265 Suspecting Her Intentional Avoidance

    William¡¯s brows burrowed rightly as he reached up to turn on the bedsidemp. Emelie¡¯s nose was slightly red from the consecutive sneers, <b>and </b>tears glistened at the corners of her eyes.

    Under his gaze<b>, </b>she sneezed <b>again</b><b>. </b>William¡¯s earlier good mood vanished <b>instantly </b>as he rose from the bed and asked in a deep voice, ¡°Are you feeling cold?¡±

    Emelie <b>snifted</b>. ¡°It might be because you¡¯re giving off a chill¡±

    William had just erburned from outside, <b>and </b>the plecting cold of the winter dawn still Engered on him.

    find it.

    Unconsciously, he moved a little further away from her. He observed her curled up from under the covers <b>and </b>furrowed his brows again. ¡°Sleeping in jeans, don¡¯t you fin ufortable?¡±

    ?

    Emelie pondered that even if she was ufortable, she had to endure it. Did she have to wear a bathrobe? Wouldn¡¯t that be even more convenient for him?

    ¡°I didn¡¯t bring a <b>change </b>of clothes, so I¡¯ll just make do.¡±

    william unbuttered his shirt and nced at her indifferently. ¡°Your clothes are also in the case, go get them yourself.¡±

    Emelie was taken aback. ¡°Mr. Middleton, you helped me pack my clothes?¡±

    Will smirked Tightly. ¡°Or is it that you prefer to wear my clothes?¡±

    melle was somewhat surprised that he would still help her with her clothes, in the past, when he went on business trips or outings, she would help him pack.. Now, when he went on business trips or outings, <b>should </b>it be the housleper who packed? Anyway, she didn¡¯t believe he did it himself.

    of he had <b>indeed </b>instructed the housekeeper to bring her clothes, that would have been very kind of <b>him</b>.

    Emelie calmly said, ¡°My main concem is that if I wear the same clothes for several days, it would reflect poorly on you, Mr. Middleton.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so thoughtful William nced at her. He seemed somewhat intrigued, while Emelle grabbed a tissue and blew her nose.

    William Immediately humed and headed back to the master bedroom.

    Filo <b>listened </b>carefully to the sounds from the adjacent room. She heard the bathroom door click shut. She swiftly got out of bed and entered the master bedroom. Wm¡¯s <b>suitcase </by open <b>on </b>the floor<b>, </b>half filled with her clothes, she took her clothes and returned to the secondary bedroom<b>. </b>She then remembered something and tumed back to lock the <b>door</b>.

    Emelie didn¡¯t change her clothes immediately. Instead, she waited quieth. She heard William finishing his shower, then pacing around the room <b>in </b>slippers. After the hairdryer stopped, she instinctively held her breath.

    After another ten minutes, everything became quiet on his side. It indicated that Wim had likely gone to sleep. Emelie finally breathed a sigh of relief and dared to change <b>her </b>clothes.

    As she took off her shirt, she suddenly caught a whiff of a faint yet pleasant perfume scent, somewhat reminiscent of gardenias. She found <b>it </b>odd and brought the clothes to her

    sea salt.

    It was on her clothes, but it wasn¡¯t hers. Where could it havee from? She didn¡¯t notice <b>it </b>before. Was it transferred from William?

    Then, where did William get it from?

    Emelle could only conclude that the scent belonged to a woman. It seemed to be from someone que sophisticated and elegant,

    The next morning, Emelie was awakened by the heat. At first, she thought it was because the underfloor heating in the vi was too hat She groggily turned over until she feltsProperty ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.

    she was being held in someone¡¯s arms.

    She immediately opened her eyes and realized <b>that </b>she was being embraced <b>by </b><b>Williams</b><b>, </b><b>who </b>was <b>still </b><b>asleep</b>. He wore a robe with a slightly open cor, <b>emitting </b>a <b>masculine </b>scent and warmth that enveloped her.

    Alter a few seconds of confusion, she suddenly sat up

    She thought. ¡°How did he get in? Didn¡¯t <b>lock </b><b>the </b>door?¡±

    <b>William </b>was disturbed <b>by </b>her movements. He looked grumpy and furrowed his brow, ¡°What¡¯s wrong<b>?</b>

    Emelie had already figured it out. <b>This </b>suite belonged to him, so he bad keys to every room and could easily enter. She didn¡¯t confront him.

    Emelle pursed her lips and said, ¡°I¡¯m up¡±

    The questioning was able. He now felt enticed to sleep with her whenever he pleased.

    Willed his eyelids. He grabbed her hand and pulled her back as she moved to get up.

    ¡°Sleep <b>a </b>little longer. Nobody else is up yet, and there¡¯s nothing interesting to do right now.¡±

    Emelle¡¯s cehead <b>bumped </b>against his chest<b>, </b><b>and </b>she caught a whiff of his snowy scent up close. <b>Today</b>, there was an additional hint of warmth to it, but she quickly regained herposure.

    It was like balton a trap. It she indulged, she would end up ensnared. She whispered, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll explore on my own. I was quite intrigued by the vist night¡±

    Willem persisted, ¡°Sleep for another hour<b>, </b>and then I take <b>you </b>around ¡±

    ¡°ribe hungry as soon as I wake up. I want to go for breakfast.¡±

    After her repeated refusals and incessant chatter, William grew impatient. He released her hand and turned away. <b>Then</b>, he muttered, ¡°<b>Get </b>out.¡±

    Emelie promptly got out of bed. She grabbed her clothes, and headed to the master bedrooms to change and freshen up<b>. </b>Then, she left the state.

    Once she had left, will opened his eyes She had drupted his sleep. He sat up, his long legs bent, and elbows rested on his knees as he pushed back the strands of hair from

    his forebead

    Chapter 265 Suspecting Her Intentional Avoidance

    Suddenly, he had the suspicion that Emelie had been avoiding him all along.

 Chapter 266

    Chapter <b>266 </b>Asking Her to Signa Ten¨CYear Contract

    William¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly <b>as </b>he picked <b>up </b>his phone and dialed Ashton. ¡°Is Sophie¡¯s assistant still watching over Emelie¡¯s mother?¡± he inquired.

    Ashton confirmed, ¡°Yes, they¡¯re scheduled to continue until tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Have the legal department prepare a contract,¡± William instructed

    k to the

    Emilie asked a <b>maid </b>where breakfast was served, and she was directed to the vi¡¯s dining room. She ordered a te of pancakes and was just about to hand the menu <b>back </b>weiter when a casually dressed William took a seat across from her.

    ¡°Order one for me too,¡± he requested casually.

    Emelieplied<b>. </b>She noticed his subdued mood, perhaps due to the morning¡¯s events. After a moment¡¯s thought, she asked, ¡°Why not get a little more sleep, Mr. Middleton? You were uptest night,¡±

    ¡°Someone kept me from getting any rest, William replied. He poured himself a ss of water.

    ¡°In that case, what not go back to sleep after eating, or take a nap at moon? Emelie suggested.

    William¡¯s eyes met hers as he asked, ¡°Will you join me for a napText ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie maintained herposure. She met his gaze evenly. ¡°If I feel sleepy at noon, 1 might.¡±

    William didn¡¯t avert his gaze. He just kept looking at her Emelie met his gaze calmly, without any hint of submission,

    Suddenly, William inquired, ¡°How¡¯s your mother after yesterday¡¯s hospital visit?

    ¡°She¡¯s awake,¡± Emelie said with a smile. She was unable to conceal her joy. ¡°The doctor said her body <b>functions </b>are improving, thanks to the doctor Mr. Middleton arranged.¡± William nodded slightly. ¡°Check your email¡±

    ¡°Email? What¡¯s going on? Emelle asked as she took out her phone and logged into her email she had just seen the new email subject¨CCloudex Corporation Labor Contract Before she could react, William took a sip of water and casually said, ¡°The legal department should have sent you the contract. If everything looks fine, you may go ahead and sign

    Emelie¡¯s expression was changed dramatically! Signing a contract her eyes flickered.

    Williamsat across from her. He quietly looked at her. Emelle pursed her lips and opened the document

    She quickly scanned through it <b>until </b>she reached the line about the duration. Then, she couldn¡¯t help but blurt out, ¡°Ten years<b>?</b>¡±

    He wanted her to sign a ten¨Cyearbor contract. In these ten years, she <b>couldn¡¯t </b>resign<b>, </b>couldn¡¯t switch jobs, and couldn¡¯t engage with otherpanies. Otherwise, she would have to bear a huge penalty.

    She looked at William in astonishment.

    ¡°Why are you so surprised? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m asking you to work for <b>me </b>for free for ten years,¡± <b>William </b>said, <b>his </b>lips curling slightly

    Emelie immediately Lightened her lips. She felt that there were other implications in his words, especially the words ¡°work for me¡°,

    ¡°Your annual sry, I¡¯ll increase it <b>by </b><b>25 </b>percent, and it¡¯ll increase by five percent each year thereafter. This sry is not low. What else are you unsatisfied with? William calmly stated

    She was dissatisfied with everything. Emelle gripped her phone tightly, blinking rapidly.

    She hadn¡¯t expected William to suddenly want her to sign a contract¡­ Did she reveal a w somewhere?

    Emelie couldn¡¯t believe William wanted her to work for him for a whole decade<b>, </b>especially considering herstbor contract was only for three years.

    Being around him for ten days was already challenging enough, let alone imagining what ten years of working for him would be <b>likel</b>

    She outright stated, ¡°I don¡¯t ept this contract. Do you even realize what ten years means? There¡¯s no way I can agree to this. Mr. Middleton, you¡¯re being unreasonable!¡± William raised an eyebrow. ¡°Given your capabilities, even if I were to give you ten years, you wouldn¡¯t be able to arrange <b>for </b><b>a </b>medical team of this caliber to fly in from Lables to perform surgery on your mother. So, if I ask you to work for me for ten years, am I being unreasonable?

    ¡°1..¡± Emese was at a loss for words.

    Setting down his cup, William leaned <b>closer</b>. His tone was lower with a hint of danger.

    cperhaps you can tell me, how long did you originally n to stay by my side? Just likest time, three years? <b>Or </b>maybe.. three days?

    The critical 72 hours after Greta¡¯s surgery coincided perfectly with three days

    Wim¡¯s suspicions were indeed valid.

    Emelie looked at him. There was a hint of intrigue in William¡¯s deep gaze, stemming from his unexpected realization that she dared to y tricks on him. His gaze grew more Intense

    ty would dare to adroit

    banelle believed that if she dared to reply ¡°yes¡°, her mother would immediately be kicked our of the 10U even out of the hospital. No hospital in Capehatt City her<b>, </b>nor would any doctor dare to treat her after that.

    Chapter 267 Emelia Shows Her Vitherable Side

 Chapter 267

    Chapter 267 Emelia Shows Her Vulnerable Side

    Emelia held her breath, trying to stay calm. ¡°It¡¯s not that. I thought it would be three or five years<b>, </b><b>but </b>ten years was unexpected. However, thinking about it, work is work no matter where you do it. Working for Cloudex Corporation for ten years is certainly worthwhile.¡±

    William responded, ¡°Then sign it. An electronic signature is legally binding. I¡¯ll watch

    He was relentless

    you do it¡±

    Emelie put her phone down and said, ¡°I trust you, Mr. Middleton. But ten years¡­ If I live to be so years old, that¡¯s one¨Ceighth of my entire life. Considering I¡¯ve already lived 25 years, I don¡¯t have much time left.¡±

    William scoffed and said, ¡°It¡¯s just a contract. You talk as if I¡¯m asking for your life.

    ¡°Even if it¡¯s not taking my life, it¡¯s certainly <b>taking </b>half of it.¡± Emelie lowered her bead and gave a bitter smile.

    ¡°I graduated college at 22 years old and started working for you. Alter leaving, I was left with nothing but a sick body.¡±Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

    She had no makeup <b>on</b><b>, </b>relying on her naturally good son. Herplexion was wless under natural light, but without lipstick and blush, she looked pale.

    William¡¯s dark eyes were like deep waters as he silently watched her

    Emelleted her head<b>. </b>Her eyes were clear and expressive<b>, </b>carrying a certain sadness that made her look pirable.

    ¡°If getting cklisted after leaving and bing unhireable in the industry counts as a <b>¡®</b><b>gain</b>¡®, then being used by Daphne and Olivia of being the other woman in your rtionship, even though I was with you first is also a ¡®gain. I never imagined I¡¯d experience such a life.¡±

    She rarely showed weakness.

    No, she never showed any weakness.

    One could have been easily fooled by her slender figure, soft voice, and seemingly endless patience.

    Even when furious, Emelie rarely raised her voice, but she had an unyielding spirit.

    That was why he often said she didn¡¯t understand dependence, that she wasn¡¯t endearing.

    But now, she was expressing her grievances.

    William felt a strange itch in his throat, like a feather brushing against it. After a few seconds, he spoke coldly, ¡°All this talk just to avold signing.¡±

    ¡°I can sign, but <b>I </b>need mywyer to review it first. If she says it¡¯s fine, then I¡¯ll feel secure.¡± Emelie countered immediately, ¡°Surely, you wouldn¡¯t deny me the time to consult mywyer, would you?¡±

    William asked, <b>¡°</b>Yourwyer is Ashley Thornton, right?¡±

    Emelie replied, ¡°Yes.¡±

    William eximed, ¡°Her fees aren¡¯t cheap¡±

    Emelie remarked, ¡°<b>We¡¯re </b>friends now. It¡¯s posta consultation, so she¡¯s not charging me.¡±

    William leaned back, the oppressive pressure he had been exerting easing ¡°Do as you wish. Send it to <b>her</b><b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    Before Emelie could breathe a sigh of relief, he added, ¡°Ms. Thornton is known for her efficiency. It¡¯s <b>just </b>a contract. She shouldn¡¯t need long. Can she get back to you by tonight?¡± Emelie¡¯s attempt to gain sympathy had only bought her a single day, William was certainly not someone easily swayed by emotions.

    He was cold, wise, and relentless.

    She couldn¡¯t avoid this issue forever. He wanted her to sign before her mother was out of danger, before tomorrow.

    She closed her eyes briefly. ¡°She should be able to.¡±

    Then,

    William smiled, the morning sun casting a simmering light in his eyes. ¡°Once your mother is out of danger and moved from the ICU, I¡¯ll allow you to spend a day with her. Th you return to work on Tuesday.¡±

 Chapter 268

    Chapter 268 Asking Herto Hold the Umbre

    Emelie had engaged in a mental duell with William, draining her energy. She signed and turned to look out the window. ¡°Are those targets on thewn for archery or shooting

    The waiter brought their breakfast over, William smiled and said, ¡°They¡¯re archery targets, but there is also an indoor archery field¡±

    ¡°Archery targets, huh?¡± Emilie sounded interested.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

    William had a bowl of oatmeal with fresh berries. He picked up his spoon. Seeing her curiosity, he offered, <b>¡°</b>Would you like to try archery? I can take you there.¡±

    Between sleep and archery, Emelie chose thetter. So, after breakdast, they headed to thewn together.

    She thought they¡¯d be alone. But to her surprise, they encountered Bryan, Patricia, and a girl she hadn¡¯t seen before. The dynamic among the three was a bit tense.

    With their arrival, they shifted their attention elsewhere.

    Bryan turned to them with a natural smile. ¡°I thought we were the only ones out this early. Are you and Ms. Hoven here for archery too?¡±

    William nced at Patricia before replying, ¡°The weather is great today. It¡¯s perfect for outdoor activities.¡±

    Bryan agreed. ¡°It¡¯s been sunny these past few days. When Charles suggested it, I agreed. He¡¯s probably invited quite a few people.¡±

    Hen then introduced the unfamiliar girl. ¡°This is Cam Jackson from the Jackson Corporation.¡±

    Cam waved energetically. ¡°Hi there!¡±

    William nodded. Given the encounter, he extended an invitation. ¡°Mr. Swanson, would you like to join us for a few rounds?¡±

    Bryan readily epted. ¡°I¡¯d love to.¡±

    Patricia suddenly interjected, ¡°How should we form teams? There are only two of you on Mr. Middleton¡¯s <b>side</b>. On Mr. Swanson¡¯s side, there¡¯s just me avable to join.¡± Cam immediately protested. She spoke up, ¡°Why do you get to join Mr. Swanson?

    Patricia wore a white tracksuit with red trim that made her look bright and alluring. Her skirt barely reached her thighs, but she didn¡¯t seem cold.

    Leaning on a golf club, she smirked, ¡°Because I can shoot arrows, and you can¡¯t You¡¯ll just hold Mr. Swanson back.¡±

    Cam was <b>furious</b>. She stomped her foot and called out to Bryan, ¡°Bryan.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll teach you,¡± B

    Bryan reassured her. He ignored Patricia

    Cam bearned with joy and turned to Patricia, gloating.

    Emelie noticed Patricia still ware a smile, but her smile faded as Bryan led Cam to put on their gear. <b>A </b>hint of loneliness appeared on her face.

    Patricia walked over to a bench by thewn and sat down. She was dressed and ready, but there was no ce for her on the field.

    It was clear this was a y between two women vying for one man¡¯s attention, and Bryan favored Cam,

    ¡°Emelie,¡± William called

    Emelie lowered her gaze and said nothing, then walked over. She wasn¡¯t close to Patricia, and they even had some past conflicts, so there was naturally nothing to say. The archery attendant, Ss Morgan handed protective gear to William and Emelie. As William pot on his gloves, he signaled to Ss, ¡°Grab an umbre and hold it for her.¡± Emelie was slightly taken aback and looked up at him.

    Wim calmly said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you feeling hot? I saw you tugging at your cor,¡±

    Emelie was not hot. She was wearing an itchy turtleneck sweater. She had only palled at it twice, but William had notked even the small gesture.

    Ss already held an umbre over Emelie¡¯s head. She didn¡¯t want to embarrass him. Since she hadn¡¯t applied sunscreen, she thanked Ss and William, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Middleton¡±

    William responded lightly with a hum

    Cam noticed the scene. She rugged on Bryan¡¯s arm and pouted, ¡°I want an umbre too!<b>¡±</b>

    Bryan was about to call for Ss when Cam¡¯s eyes lit up with an idea. ¡°Why <b>don¡¯t </b>we let Ms. May hold it? I¡¯ll give her something to do instead of just sitting there.¡±

    As Emelie adjusted the velcro on her gear, she nced at Bryan. <b>He </b>hesitated for a second before nodding in agreement. Patricia was summoned.

    She looked at the umbre in her <b>hand</b>, then at Bryan. Her gaze was filled with a silent plea

 Chapter 269

    Chapter 269 He Felt <b>a </b>Sudden Shock

    However, Bryan ignored it all

    Cam crossed her arms, looking even more smug. ¡°Some people are just pathetic. No one asked her toe, yet she clings on desperately like a leech. If she loves serving others so much, then she should do it well. That¡¯s the only value she has.¡±

    As a mere bystander, Emelie found <b>those </b>words harsh.

    Cam blinked <b>and </b>said, ¡°Oh, Ms. May, don¡¯t get me wrong, I wasn¡¯t talking about you. But could you hold up the umbre? I¡¯m getting <b>sunburned</b>.¡±

    Patricia¡¯s makeup concealed her true expression, but her lips were pressed tightly together.

    Emelie sensed that Patricia¡¯s emotions weren¡¯t stirred by Cam¡¯s humiliation but by Bryan¡¯s indifference despite hearing everything.

    <b>she </b><b>couldn¡¯t </b>help but nce at Wiliam Patricia had worked for him for a while, and now she was being humiliated. She wondered <b>what </b>would his reaction be.

    Wim frowned.

    But his frown was directed at Emelie. ¡°Is your chest protector on backward?

    Emelie blinked and looked down. It seemed she had worn the chest protector the wrong way.

    The protector was designed to cover the heart, and it should be worn on the left shoulder. But she had it on her right.

    ¡°Is your heart on the right side?¡± William shook his head and walked over. He seemed to help Emelie

    However, Emelle quickly stepped back ¡°I can do it myself!¡±

    The location was too sensitive.

    Emelle quickly tore open the velcro. She readjusted her chest protector, and Wiim couldn¡¯t help but squint as he noticed the curve it pressed against her.

    Emelie focused on fixing her gear, while Patricia had already raised the umbre. Her expression was now natural, and she stood behind Cam without resistance.

    Emehe felt a slight difort in her heart. She couldn¡¯t help but feel that all these men were too quick to tire of women. No matter how close they y were to a woman before, they could easily treat her like <b>a </b>stranger the next moment.

    William asked, ¡°Which type of bow are you choosing?¡±

    There were traditional bows andpound bows avable, both resembling the kindmonly seen in movies and TV shows. The difference was that the traditional bows <b>had </b>only the bow body and string, while thepound bows had an arrow.rest.

    The arrow rest was where the arrow was ced Bows without an <b>arrow </b>rest required uisng one¡¯s fingers to hold the arrow in ce.

    The traditional bow was simple yet the most challenging to master, and both Willian and Bryan chose it unanimously. Emelle had learned to handle both types adequately but <b>opted </b>for thepound bow, which was easier to handle, albeit more strenuous

    The four of them lined up. Each took turns to nock an arrow, draw the bow, and aim at the distant targets.

    With a whistle from Ss, they all released their grips simultaneously.

    With three loud thus, three arrows hit the target, with only Cam missing the mark. Not only did the other three hit, but they allnded bullseye. Bryan chuckled, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that you¡¯d be so good at <b>archery</b>, Ms. Hoven¡±

    William nced at Emelle. His <b>eyes </b>betrayed a hint of surprise. ¡°I remember your first time shooting arrows, you didn¡¯t even know how to aim properly. It took me half a day to teach you, and you barely hit the edge. When did you get so good at this?¡±

    Emelie took another arrow and nced downward. She said, ¡°That¡¯s when Mr. Middleton didn¡¯t know Thad learned to shoot so well¡±

    It was <b>a </b><b>bit </b>of a redundant statement<b>, </b><b>of </b><b>course</b><b>, </b>it was when he didn¡¯t <b>know</b>. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have asked. But it was also a stark reality.

    How long she had been learning, and he had beenpletely unaware. This indicated the extent of his precious neglect

    William became aware of this Implication. He stared at her intently.

    As Emelle drew back the bowstring, her movements were graceful and precise. From her shoulder to her arm, she disyed <b>taut </b>and powerful lines.

    Her eyes locked onto the target ahead <b>as </b>she blinked. The next moment, she released her fingers.

    The arrow shot out like lightning, hit the bullseye once again, <b>shaking </b>the white feathers as it lodged in ce.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    At that moment, William felt a certain nerve in himself tramble, as if responding to something profound.

 Chapter 270

    Chapter 270 Treated <b>as </b>if Never Existed

    William took a deep breath and grabbed another arrow.

    The skill levels of the threepetitors were evenly matched, while Cam missed the target with three consecutive arrows, one even dropping hallway Consequently, Emelie and William won the first round.

    Just then, William¡¯s phone rang. He gestured to Bryan, who nodded. ¡°Go ahead, Mr. Middleton. I¡¯ll have another round with Ms. Howen.¡±

    Wim hadn¡¯t forgotten that Emelie was originally supposed to join Swanson Corporation.

    William squeezed Emelle¡¯s fingers lightly and said, ¡°For the second round, I¡¯ll let you and Mr. Swansonpete. I¡¯ll ept the oue either way. Ms. <b>Hoven</b>, do your best.

    Emelle pressed her lips together. ¡°Alright¡±

    William walked away to take the call. Bryan switched to apound bow and approached Emelie. ¡°Thepound bow is more strenuous than the traditional one. Ms. Hoven, you look delicate<b>, </b>but you¡¯re quite strong.¡±

    ¡°Strengthes with practice. The traditional bowcks an arrow <b>rest</b><b>, </b>making uracy harder to control. You and Mr. Middleton are skilled with it, which is impressive,¡± Emelle <b>sald </b>camestly.

    ¡°We think having an arrow rest means being controlled,¡± Bryan said as he drew his bow.

    Emelie raised an eyebrow. She found the statement enlightening. Thepound bow, with its arrow rest, dictated how and where the arrow should be ced and shot.

    Whether it was William or Bryan, these titans of industry whomanded business empires despised being controlled or restricted. Their preference for traditional bows was

    evident

    It was essentially about ¡°following their rules.¡± They shot the way they wanted to. This represented their strong desire for <b>control</b>.

    Bryan released the string, and with a thud, the arrow struck the bullseye again

    William nced over at them from a distance.

    ¡°Mr. Middleton, you haven¡¯t visited me for two <b>days</b>¡­¡±

    The woman on the other end of the line sounded pititul.

    Seeing that they were just having an archery contest, William turned his attention back to the call. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy.¡±

    Bryan switched bows, and Emele did the same.

    Bryan said, ¡°Ms. Hoven, if you¡¯re morefortable with thepound bow, you can stick with it. It¡¯s fine.¡±

    Emelie shook her head. They should both switch from their farr bows to make thepetition fair.

    She drew the traditional bow. Bryan walked over to her and raised her arm slightly. ¡°This way, your aim will be more urate¡­ Have you decided to return to work at Cloudex Corporation?¡±

    Emelie instinctively nced <b>in </b>William¡¯s direction. He wasn¡¯t paying attention to them

    Bryan asked quietly, ¡°Does Sam know?

    Emelie kept her eyes on the distant target and replied softly, ¡°I don¡¯t n to return to cloudes Corporation.

    Bryan frowned. ¡°Then, what about Mr. Maddleton?¡±

    Emelie replied, ¡°A temporary situation came <b>up</b><b>, </b><b>but </b>I can handle it.¡±Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    Bryan didn¡¯t press for details. He simply said, ¡°My secretary is on matemity leave, and since you were supported to join, I didn¡¯t hire a new secretary. This has caused a lot of inconvenience at work. I need a definite date from you, Ms. Hover¡±

    In other words, he was asking when she could start working at his corporation.

    Emelie paused and said, ¡°Tuesday¡±

    ¡°<b>Alright</b>, I¡¯ll wait until Tuesday. If you don¡¯te, the offer will be vold<b>, </b><b>as </b>if it never existed.¡± Bryan stepped back a bit ¡°shoor¡±

    Emelle released the arrow, it hit the target but only scored an eight.

    Bryanplimented her<b>, </b>¡°That¡¯s <b>quite </b>good.¡±

    Emelie shrugged ¡°A bet¡¯s aber¡±

    <b>¡°</b><b>That </b>makes It a tie, <b>one </b>to one. When Mr. Middleton returns, we¡¯ll start the third round. I need to make a work call too. Bryan handed his bow to Ss. ¡°Ms. Howen, I¡¯ll take my

    Ive now.¡±

    After Bryan lett, Emelie decided not to continue either. She walked over to a bench and casually ced her bow beside it. Then, she twisted open a bottle of water for a sip

    Just then, Emelie felt someone¡¯s <b>gaze </b>on her. She followed the feeling and met <b>Patricia¡¯s </b>eyes. Patricia had been watching them since the match started.

    Patricia, observing the game, said thoughtfully, ¡°It seems like you never bebeve that just because you¡¯re a woman, you should be given an advantage.¡±

    Emelie responded calmly, ¡°Why should I be given an advantage just because I¡¯m a woman?

    Patricia paused. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder why should women be given the advantage why had she instinctively thought <b>that </b>when womenpeted against men, they <b>should </b>naturally be given the advantage?

    This is apetition Agreeing topete means epting both winning and losing as basic principles.¡±

    Patricia lowered her gazo, deep in thought.

 Chapter 271

    Chapter 271 Delusions

    Only three women were left on thewn. Unlike Patricia, Cam didn¡¯t have any profound thoughts about the situation. Instead, <b>she </b>rolled her eyes andined, ¡°What¡¯s so fun about archery? My hands hurt!¡±

    Patricia responded coldly, ¡°I told you that you¡¯d only drag Mr. Swanson down. Ms. Jackson, you need <b>to </b>have some self¨Cawareness. What¡¯s the point of forcibly taking something? If you can¡¯t handle it, then you can¡¯t handle it. In the end, you¡¯ll still lose,¡±

    This remark wasn¡¯t just about archery. It also hinted at rtionships with men.

    Cam was not being entirely foolish. She caught the underlying meaning

    ¡°You

    she snapped, turning sharply to face Patricia. But Patricia stood there casually. She held an umbre with one hand and crossed her arms.

    Sunlight bathed her, highlighting her legs, which were so fair they reflected the light

    Patricia¡¯s beauty was dazzling, Cam suddenly realized that having Patricia hold the umbre for her, initially intended as a humiliation, had backfired Standing together, Cam <b>only </b>ended up embarrassing herself.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    Cam was already furious with Patricia<b>. </b>She was further enraged by her sarcastic tone. She pushed her hard. ¡°You wretch! How dare you stand beside me.¡±

    <b>Patricia </b>didn¡¯t expect her to push her<b>, </b>caught off guard. She was pushed back a few steps and identally stepped on Emelie¡¯s foot. She instinctively said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±

    Before Emelie could respond<b>, </b>Camunched in to another trade.

    ¡°Stop pretending to be so cultured! I know your character. You think a pretty face can temporarily dazzle a man, and you start imagining yourself as their queen? You¡¯re pathetic. ¡°When men get bored of you, they¡¯ll toss you aside and forget you ever existed!¡±

    Emelle looked up at her, while Patricia retorted coldly, ¡°Cam, have you lost your mind? She¡¯s under Mr. Middleton¡¯s protection.¡±

    ¡°So what? You were under Mr. Middleton¡¯s protection before <b>too</b>, weren¡¯t you?¡± Cam sneered,

    ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know everything. I¡¯ve done my research. You started with Bryan, and when he got tired of you, he passed you to Mr. Middleton. Now that <b>he¡¯s </b>bored of you too, he¡¯s moved on to his new favorite¨Cher.

    ¡°In this situation, Mr. Middleton will also grow tired of her soon enough, whether It¡¯s Ms. Hoven or Ms. Ruiz They¡¯ll be cast aside just the same.¡±

    she boasted arrogantly, ¡°But I¡¯m different from you both. I came from the Jackson family, a true heiress of noble birth. I¡¯m matched perfectly with Bryan. To put it bluntly, you two are just toys, tools to be shared. Someone <b>like </b>me is a woman worthy of being married!¡±

    Patricia listened with amusement. She looked at her with a smirk. ¡°Someone like you?!!

    Emelie remained silent. Her expression was unchanged as she twisted open the bottle of mineral water.

    To Cami, their apparent inability to counter only confirmed that she had hit a nerve. She became even more proud.

    ¡°Yes, I am. We were proper girls from respectable families. You were far below me, and she was even further inferiorpared <b>to </b><b>Ma</b>. Allen. In our presence<b>, </b>you two only had the role of holding umbres for us. Competing with us on the same stage? You two weren¡¯t even close. Ah!¡±

    Her final exmation came as Emelle, who was seated beside <b>her</b><b>, </b>suddenly grabbed the bow leaning against the bench before fitting an arrow, drawing the string, and swiftly aiming it at her.

    The triangr metal arrowhead gleamed <b>with </b>cold menace in the sunlight, sharp <b>as </b>a predator¡¯s w.

    Cam¡¯s face burned pale. She instinctively stepped back, only to have Patricia grab her by the back of her neck.

    She couldn¡¯t move back. She froze in ce. Her eyes widened with fear because just three inches away was the arrowhead.

    If at that moment Emelie¡¯s fingers ckened, she would be pierced through the heart and killed instantly

    she screamed, ¡°Don¡¯t!¡±

    Emelie looked at her from head to toe. She calmly stated, ¡°On the field ofpetition, there¡¯s no distinction between men and women, nor between high <b>and </b>low. Ms. Jackson, you see yourself as superior, but forgive me for being blunt. Your level doesn¡¯t even quality as my opponent.¡±

    Cam gritted her teeth. ¡°You you.

    ¡°Your pride in your background and reputation are given to you by your parents, and the only way you can repay them is by being polite and courteous. <b>You </b>should avoid any actions or words that might reflect poorly on them and spare them from embarrassment. Otherwise, you might invite unpleasant greetings¡± from others.¡±

    Emelle nodded slightly as she held the arrow, pointing it up and down. Cam tensed all over, <b>and </b><b>she </b>spoke slowly, ¡°This is a grave offense.<b>¡±</b>

 Chapter 272

    Chapter 272 Do You Understand?

    <b>Cam¡¯s </b>face became paler and puder. Emelle was afraid that she might faint, so she set down her bow

    Patricia ao let go of her neck and leisurely sat down on the bench.

    Cam¡¯s legs felt week, nearly causing her to stumble to the ground. She red at Emelie and Patricia in frustration. ¡°L.. I¡¯ll tell Dryan when hees back!

    Enelle and Patricia responded indifferently, ¡°Suit yourself.¡±

    Cam wanted to do something, but facing the two beautiful faces, she felt powerless. In the end, she stomped her foot in annoyance <b>and </b>walked away. Just as the two men who had left a mument apo returned.

    Wim naturally <b>sensed </b>the subtle atmosphere <b>and </b>nced at Emelle. ¡°is everything alright!

    ¡°at¡¯s nothing serious. My hand hurts a little. Mr. Middleton, why don¡¯t you and Mr. Swanson have the third round? I¡¯ll sit this one out¡±

    Emelte rubbed her an Pulling the bow had strained her palms and arm ligaments.

    william didn¡¯t insist. He nodded in agreement.

    As he turned to <b>leave</b>, he signaled to Ss and said, ¡°Bring a warm towel for her¡± Ss quickly brought Emelie a warm towel, which she ced on her palms.

    Patricia smiled and remarked, Wilm takes good care of you. No wonder you dared to contront Cam directly just now. <b>Her </b>family does <b>have </b>some background, otherwise, the Swanson family wouldn¡¯t have <b>arranged </b>for her <b>to </b>marry Bryan.¡±

    I was simply about seeking justice for herself.

    Emelie remained expressionless. Her decision to take action had nothing to do with Williams backing her up. It was

    Why should she endure baseless Insults?

    But <b>she </b><b>didn¡¯t </b>need to exin these words to Patricia. They weren¡¯t friends, and Emdie still felt indifferent towards Patricia.

    Suddenly, Patricia said, ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to apologize to you.¡±

    ¡°Apologize?¡± <b>Emelle </b>looked at her. ¡°For what?¡±

    Patricia pursed her lips. ¡°I heard about what happened in Wistour Ctyter on to some extent, it stemmed from me leaving you in the wilderness. I didn¡¯t expect such serious repercussions. I¡¯mony.¡±

    Emelle held the towel. Her nails were <b>not </b>manicured, now a tender pink after being moistened by water. She simply said, ¡°Lept <b>your </b>apology.¡±

    Patricia asked, ¡°epted, but not forgiven, right?¡±

    Yes. Emelle wasn¡¯t that generous. One apology didn¡¯t warrant an ¡°it¡¯s okay¡± in return.

    Her rtionship with Wim was now in a <b>mess </b>because of what happened in Wintour City

    ¡°Ms. Hoven, you seem to hold grudges.¡± Patricia <b>smirked</b>. ¡°But this is what I owe you. If you ever need my help in the future, just ask. Whatever I can do, I¡¯ll definitely help you.¡±Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie thought for a moment before nodding, ¡°I remember that ¡±

    Although she couldn¡¯t think of anything she¡¯d need Patricia¡¯s help with now, having another option was always good.

    Patricia looked towards the archery field, her gaze distant, but gradually tinged with sadness.

    Emelie flowed her game. She sar Bryan standing behind Cam, teaching her how to pull the bow,

    The <b>man¡¯s </b>chest pressed against the woman¡¯s back their posture intimate. Watching them, Emelie was reminded of herself

    She had dared to act against Cam not because of William, but because William had taught her that when faced with injustice<b>, </b>she could fight back directly

    Her two favorite sports now were archery and golf

    Emelle was particrly skilled at golf she had once achieved a hole¨Cin¨Cone. Initially, she didn¡¯t even understand the baske rules and was maliciously mocked by aclient from

    Lablos.

    ¡°Ms. Hoven¡¯s ¡®balls¡® look great, but I didn¡¯t expect that she couldn¡¯t y golf.¡±

    At that time, she was new to her secretarial position and hadn¡¯t yet developed her current poise. She turned pale with anger.

    She understood the crude implication. <b>She </b>stood frozen and was unable to respond.

    William walked up behind her, his expression calm. He took her hands in his, guiding her.

    ¡°Spread your feet shoulder¨Cwidth apart, bend slightly at the waist. Grip the clubbed with your left hand and the shaft with your right. The clubhead should hit the ball smoothly, using your wrist¡¯s strength

    ¡°Before swinging look at your target several times, then adjust your body and swing angle ordingly¨Cdo you understand?¡±

    Her mind was in a whirl. ¡°Dott

    William continued, ¡°What¡¯s your target?¡±

    She answered haphazardly. She was still fustered from the earlier insult and partly because his chest was pressed against her back in such a public setting, she felt embarrassed. She randomly chose a hole that <b>wasn¡¯t </b>too far, thinking it would be easier. ¡°Uh, the third hole?¡±

    Will chuckled. ¡°Wrong.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Your target is this¨CHesoddenly changed her stance and swing <b>the </b>club forcefully. The ball flew and struck the Labios client¡¯s face directly.

    The client screamed. He clutched his bleeding nose and copsed, ¡°Ah!¡±

    Emelle was stunned. William didn¡¯t even nce at the client. He calmly signaled the caddie to set up another bull.

    ¡°When you need to light back, do it. My people don¡¯t stand there and get humiliated. <b>Do </b>you understand this now?¡±

 Chapter 273

    273 For Her

    William had taught her many skills, and golf was the one she excelled at the most. Maybe it was because that was the first time he had stood up for her, teaching her not to Chapter tak every insult.

    The towell in Emelie¡¯s hand had gone cold, but she still held onto it. Water dripped from her fingertips to the ground like tears.

    William had been good to her. This only made his betrayal painful, revealing his true, ugly nature

    Patricia sald William was <b>good </b>to her now. His current ¡°kindness¡± was a transaction, a form of ckmail, a possessive obsession that kept him from letting her go. It meant

    nothing.

    Patricia stopped watching Bryan and Cam¡¯s intimate moment. She recalled something. She turned to Emelle and said, ¡°I actually have no rtionship with Mr. Middleton. You should be more wary of another woman.

    Emelie handed the towel to Ss and looked at her.

    ¡°It¡¯s the woman Cam mentioned earlier, Ms. Allen. We yed poker togetherst night, and I got the feeling that she¡¯s interested in Mr. Middleton,¡± Patricia said seriously.

    Elena? Emelie hadn¡¯t expected this. She barely remembered her, only that she was Charles¡® cousin with an exotic¨Clooking <b>face</b>.

    She didn¡¯t care who was interested <b>in </b>William, but since Patricia was kind enough to tell her

    William suddenly smiled. ¡°How long ago was that? Are you still jealous?!!

    Emelie was speechless. She was simply curious.

    But if he insisted on calling it jealousy<b>, </b><b>so </b>be it. Otherwise, denying it would lead to endless teasing

    william looked down at her. ¡°Why are you still wearing the chest protection if you¡¯re done ying? Doesn¡¯t it feel restrictive?Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    Only then did Emelie realize she still had the chest protection on, just <b>as </b>she was about to <b>turn </b>and remove it, William reached out and ripped open the velcro strap under her chest With the restraint gone, <b>her </b><b>chest </b>visibly rxed

    Emelie felt a surge of anger at being treated this way in broad daylight, in front of everyone. She pursed her lips and quickly took off the chest protection. She handed the equipment to ss,

    William grabbed her arm. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?

    He could sense her displeasure, but he was always so willed. ¡°Is there any part of you that isn¡¯t mine? is there anywhere I can¡¯t tooch?¡±

    He had always considered her his possession. He believed he could do whatever he wanted.

    Emelle¡¯s voice was firm. You can think whatever you <b>like</b><b>. </b>No one can change your mind anyway¡±

    William looked at her for a moment before pulling her into his arms, <b>his </b>voice low and coaxing. ¡°Sweetie, is something this small worth getting upset over<b>?</b>

    No one could change his mind<b>. </b>That much was true.

    But William was in high spirits now, so he added<b>, </b>¡°You can try. Maybe <b>I¡¯ll </b>change for you.¡±

 Chapter 274

    Chapter 274 Kidney Supplementation

    At noon, they indulged in a feast of the wholemb, showcasing 108 different ways of preparing it.

    From themb¡¯s head to its hooves, every part was transformed into several dishes. It included <b>a </b>sulent whole roastedmb, bothvish <b>and </b>delicious.

    Everyone praised Charles¡® thoughtful arrangements.

    charles was in a good mood. ¡°Winter calls formb, the ultimatefort food. By the way, we have natural hot spring pool here in the vi. Since there¡¯s nothing scheduled for the afternoon, thedies can rx and soak in the hot springs. It¡¯s perfect for winter.<b>¡±</b>

    Someone teased, ¡°This arrangement is just too perfect. No wonder everyone says Charles is <b>a </b>friend to women.¡±

    Everyone raised their sses <b>in </b>a toast to Charles, the atmosphere was jovial and harmonious

    William took a sip of wine, then leaned in toward Emelie ¡°This afternoon, you can join them for the hot springs. We have some matters to <b>discuss</b>.¡±

    Emelie understood immediately.

    Of course, she thought to herself, why would William waste two daysing here for leisure without any purpose? Even if he truly wanted a vacation, he would spend it with his genuine friends like Jayden and Es. This meeting with Charles and Bryan must be business¨Crted,

    She nodded<b>. </b><b>¡°</b>Alright.¡±

    William¡¯s gaze shifted to the soup in her bowl, and he raised an eyebrow. ¡°Is it delicious? I see you¡¯ve filled your bowl for the second time.¡±

    Emelle delta pang of embarrassment at being called out for eating too much.

    She cleared her throat. She quietly rmended, ¡°It¡¯s quite tasty. Mr. Middleton, you should try it. I¡¯m not sure which part of themb it is though?¡±

    The soup contained ingredients like white <b>radish</b>, tomatoes, and fresh coriandertro besides themb of unknown origin. Ginger and pepper were added for warmth.

    Emelie tried to identify the pieces of meat in the soup when William suddenly said, ¡°It¡¯smb tail¡±

    Emelle misheard it <b>as </b>a simr¨Csounding word and choked, caught off guard. ¡°What?¡°¡±

    ¡°Lamb tail,¡± William said deliberately. There <b>was </b>a mischievous glint in his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s good for your kidney and vitality. Men are too embarrassed to eat it. You¡¯re the only woman at the table<b>, </b>and you¡¯re slurping <b>it </b>up without end, one bowl after another.¡±

    Lamb tails were good for the kidneys.

    Emelie suddenly had a strange feeling about the previously enjoyable soup, <b>making </b>it difficult to swallow now.

    She nced nervously at the others at the table, relieved to <b>find </b>that no one was paying attention to her. Then, she hesitated and looked at William.

    She actually wanted to ask if she could call a maid to pour it out for her. However, William seemed to misunderstand her hesitant look and smirked lightly. ¡°You served yourself, and you should finish your food. I don¡¯t need this stuff.¡±

    Emelle didn¡¯t want him to eat it for her. What kind of rtionship did they have that would make her think of letting him eat her ¡°leftovers¡°? William¡¯s tendency to think in that direction was quite abstract

    After finishing the meal, Emelie went back to her <b>room </b>for anap. She had been on guardst night. She was afraid that Wiim might suddenly barge in, so she <b>hadn¡¯t </b>slept deeply Combined with the natural drowsiness of winter and the satisfaction of a full stomach, she just wanted to snuggle under the covers.

    She knew William wouldn¡¯t return to the room in the afternoon, so she slept soundly. <b>She </b>woke up at 4:30 pm.

    She remembered the natural hot spring that Charles mentioned at the lunch table. Since she had nothing else to do, she asked a maid to take her there. The entire hot spring area was quiterge, with several pools of different sizes and effects.

    There were pools for warming the womb, detoxifying, and rejuvenating the skin.

    When Emelle arrived, most of the pools were already upied. The women seemed to know each other<b>, </b>chatting in groups of two or three.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

    No one greeted Emelie and she didn¡¯t know any of them, so she found a small pool with no <b>one </b>in it. She sat on the edge and soaked her legs.

    She took out her phone to send a message to Eliana, asking about her mother¡¯s condition Eliana replied with a voice message.

    She sounded cheerful as she said, ¡°Mom <b>can </b>speak now. She even told me that she wanted chicken soup. I <b>told </b>her that I¡¯ll cook it for her when she¡¯s able to eat, and she asked for there to be more pepper in her soup.¡±

    Emelie chuckled. ¡°Mom has always loved pepper.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, the doctor said that Mom¡¯s condition is all normal. She can be transferred to a regr ward tomorrow,¡±

    Emelie kicked her legs in the <b>hot </b>spring pool she felt happy about her mother¡¯s recovery. But when she remembered the contract that Willum had <b>given </b><b>her</b>, her smile gradually

    faded.

    She couldn¡¯t send the contract to Ashley<b>, </b>as she couldn¡¯t sign it. But William wanted her to sign it tonight..

    She looked down at the surface of the <b>pool</b><b>, </b>lost in thought

    Suddenly, there <b>was </b><b>a </b>ripple in <b>the </b>pool someone had entered the water from the other side.

    Emelle instinctively looked u

    Jup

 Chapter 275

    Chapter 275 Drowning

    Unexpectedly, it was Elena. She wore a conservative yet fashionable dark green one¨Cpiece swimsuit, a color that suited her fairplexion perfectly

    Elena had fair skin, so she effortlessly carried off the look.

    Emelie politely smiled at her.

    Elena sam over from the other side of the pool and asked, ¡°Ms. Hoven, why aren¡¯t you getting in the water?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t bring my swimsuit, so I can only soak my legs,¡± Emelie replied,

    Elena smiled. ¡°<b>Oh</b>, <b>I </b>see. I thought you were afraid of water because you had almost drowned as <b>a </b><b>child</b>, so you wouldn¡¯t even get <b>into </b>the hot spring pool. I was just about toe over to help you.¡±

    Her unexpected remark left Emelie momentarily stunned.

    Almost drowned? She had indeed nearly drowned once during her high school swimming ss, but how did Elena know?

    Emelie pondered this for a moment before <b>asiding </b>about it

    Elena¡¯s long ck hair floated treely on the surface of the pool. It gave her the appearance of a mermaid emerging from the water,

    she tilted her head and said with a smile, ¡°I also attended Catalina Hills High School. I was there that day when you nearly drowned.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Emelie was even more surprised.

    ¡°That day when I saw you at the stone Bistro, Trecognized you,¡± Elena said. She noticed Emelie¡¯s astonished expression and smiled as she continued, ¡°<b>When </b>I found out that you and William were together, I had that same expression.¡±

    Emelie couldn¡¯t help but feel that it was too coincidental

    She nced at Elena again. She tried to recall, but she still couldn¡¯t remember.

    After a brief moment of surprise, Emelie readjusted her expression and smoothly shifted to the tone one might <b>use </b>when meeting an old ssmate.

    She exchanged pleasantries. ¡°It¡¯s quite a coincidence to meet a fellow alum. I rarely encounter ssmates from our school days. We were likely in the same year, right? Ms. Allen, which ss were you in back then?Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

    Elena leaned against the pool wall, her face devoid of makeup as she soaked in the hot spring. Theck of cosmetics diminished the exotic aura slightly, but she remained <b>a </b>beauty nheless,

    ¡°I was in ss 8. Ms. Hoven, weren¡¯t you in ss 67I was rtively unknown at the time, so it¡¯s normal if you don¡¯t remember me I remember you because you were quite famous back then¡±

    Emelie¡¯s fame stemmed from her fervent pursuit of Wesley during their school days. As expected, Elena¡¯s next question was curious. ¡°Weren¡¯t you chasing after Wesley back then? How did you end up with William.¡±

    Emelie paused for a moment. Then, she exined casually, ¡°That¡¯s all in the past. It¡¯s almost ten years ago now. I¡¯ve mostly forgotten about it.¡±

    Elena smiled faintly. ¡°While studying and working abroad, Thappened to run into Wesley. He hasn¡¯t forgotten our school days. He even remembered that I was standing next to <b>William </b>at the time.<b>¡±</b>

    Emelie looked up at her. What was she trying to imply with that statement?

    However, Elena seemed to be just making casual conversation. ¡°By the way, Wesley is preparing to return to Capebatt City for business development. He recently acquired <b>a </bpany and is nning a reserve merger for a public listing

    ¡°It seems like a significant move. I feel like he¡¯ll officially enter the business circle of Capebatt City before his senior years.¡±

    Emelie <b>didn¡¯t </b>quite understand if Elena wanted to discuss famous ssmates from their student <b>days </b>or if she had another purpose in mind.

    Hence, she simply replied, ¡°I am currently on vacation and haven¡¯t started working yet, so <b>I¡¯m </b>not up¨Cto¨Cdate on these matters.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s convenient that you¡¯re not working yet¡± Elenachuckled.

    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®convenient?¡°¡±Emelie asked.

    Act Fast Fine

 Chapter 276

    Chapter 276 Rejection

    What Elena meant was, ¡°You can join Wesley¡¯s <bpany </b>since we¡¯re all old ssmates.¡±

    Emelie said nothing.

    Her mobile rang and so she pulled her legs back using this opportunity. ¡°I¡¯m going to pick up a call. Enjoy yourself, Ms. Allen. I should head back now

    Elena raised her head and said, ¡°I don¡¯t have my mobile with me right now. If we meet each other tonight at the table, let¡¯s exchange numbers.¡±

    Emelie put on her footwear and got out of the hot spring pool. She then turned off <b>the </b>rm she had set on her mobile¡­ This was the rm she had set for herself in the afternoon just in case she overslept.

    She disliked discussing others about <b>Wesley</b>

    Acquiring apany? Reverse merger? Returning to Capebatt City?

    Were they all true<b>?</b>

    After she left Cloudex Corporation, the only one <b>that </b>could pass information from <b>the </b>industry to her was Mona. However, she was also having her vacation and she knew nothing about what was going on in the industry.

    Emelie then remembered the time they not each other <b>under </b>the moon in Wimstour City.

    After she managed to catch the person that was taking pictures of her in secret and threw away <b>the </b><b>camera</b>, she no longer felt someone was stealthily photographing her. She wondered if it was because he didn¡¯t onder anoncebeto follow her, or the person that was following her had be experts that she could no longer detect easily.

    She <b>stood </b>there for a while as the wind blew, carrying to her the coldness in the air.

    Emelie <b>lowered </b>her head and looked. While she was simply sitting by the side to soak her legs, the hem of her skirt had also be wet.

    She should return to her mom to get changed

    She <b>knew </b>the way back, and so she did task the maid <b>to </b><b>show </b>her the way. When she reached theer of theidor, she suddenly saw two figures over there.

    It was a man <b>and </b>woman. It was Patricia and Bryan

    Patricia suddenly put her arms around Bryan¡¯s neck and tipped her toes to kiss his lips.

    Emelie wanted to move away because it was impolite to state, but Bryan moved eam faster than she did without any hesitation, he pushed Patricks away.

    Ever Emelie was taken aback by how docishvebe was

    Patricia stumbled, and her back hit the wall she raised her head, wanting to give her usual, nonchnt side. ¡°You¡¯re not going to let me kiss anymore? You¡¯re going to protect yourself for Ms. Jackson¡¯s sake from now on!¡±

    But even as a bystander, Emelle could taste the bittemess as she looked at that smile

    Bryan¡¯s back was facing Emelie, so she couldn¡¯t see the expression on his face. But his tone was chilling as he said, ¡°I told you that it¡¯s already over between us. Why did you follow me here<b>?!</b>

    Patricia gulped. ¡°Cais e not end this?

    Bryan was <b>silent </b>for a moment, but his demeanor wasn¡¯t as cold anymore. However, his tone was still filled with estrangement<b>, </b>and his words were extremely harsh as he said, Patrick, let¡¯s go our separate ways amicably<b>. </b>I¡¯m going to get married soon.¡±

    Her tears Immediately fell ¡°Can¡¯t be the one to marry you?¡±

    Bryan simply <b>said</b>, ¡®The Swanson family can¡¯t hear the humation¡±

    There was a moment of silence.

    Emelie didn¡¯t continue listening and headed back to her room <b>from </b>other direction.

    However, Bryan¡¯s words still haunted her. The Swanson family couldn¡¯t bear the humiliation. Did he mean that <b>Patricia¡¯s </b><b>status </b><b>wasn¡¯t </b>good enough for her to marry into the family?

    why? Was she unworthy because their families weren¡¯t on the same level? Or was it because <b>Patricia </b>was known as <b>Weston¡¯s </b>Socialite queen and it made him feel ashamed?

    If it was the former, then did Bryan only find out that they weren¡¯t suited for each other? But didn¡¯t he <b>know </b><b>about </b>it a long time ago? He didn¡¯t findit problematic when he charmed her and they were mingling with each other, but now he looked down <b>on </b>her for this?

    Hit was thetter, had he thought of why Patricia called the Socialite queen? It was because she was the manager of themerce department.

    The more well¨Cknown she was<b>, </b>the <b>stronger </b><b>the </b>evidence <b>of </b>how Intle she cared about everything else when <b>it </b><b>came </b>to her work. Didn¡¯t <b>she </b><b>do </b>all this for Swanson Corporation and him?

    And now, he was ing

    was going to ditch hat with a simple ¡°I¡¯m going to get married soon and allow his new loves to humiliate her by ordering Patricia to hold an umbre for her and

    Emelie stopped <b>on </b>the spot

    Sheslowly putted <b>out </b><b>a </b>breath.

    She was getting to agitated as she subconsciously stepped into Patricia¡¯s <b>shoes</b>.

    Emel started walking once <b>again</b>. When she reached the <b>door </b>of her room, she swiped her keycard to unlock it

    As she walked to the <b>secondary </b>bedroom to <b>change </b>her clothes, perhaps because of Bryan¡¯s speech <b>about </b><b>how </b>the Swanson family couldn¡¯t bear the humiliation<b>, </b>she remembered what Wiliam said in her before.

    Maybe that was why she was so empathetic to her plight.

    They were probably the same. She was to William just the how Patricia was to Bryan.

    The men wouldn¡¯t mind having some fun with them if they were interested. However, they <b>had </b>never thought <b>about </b>treating them seriously and marrying them.

    That was because they already knew what kind of person their whes should be

    Emelie changed into something warmer. At the same time, she had also received a text from William<b>, </b>mentioning that she should find <b>a </b>maid to take her to ¡°Satyr¡¯s Hovel¡°. It was almost time for dinner<b>.</b>

    It was already six in the eveningR¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    Emelie left her room and asked for a maid to take her there

    Daylight during Winter always disappeared without much of a sign. When she walked out of her room, she could still see rays of golden light in the horizon as the sun began to set But by the time she reached the small building called Satyr¡¯s Hovel<b>, </b>darkness had already fallen.

    She turned around and saw the lights in the vi lighting up in order, from the furthest one to the one closest to her, once again lighting up the Vereios¨Cstyle vi.

    Looking at the Lakeside Vi in the middle of the night, it felt a lot like an aristocratic residence from around thousands of <b>years </b>ago:

    Emelie turned around and entered together with the maid.

    It was at this time when two women walked past her and whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s go! Elena and Patricia have started fighting in front of everyone!¡°

 Chapter 277

    Chapter <b>277 </b>Taking Responsibility

    Prica and Elena

    Emelie frowned, and her suspicions grew. How was that possible? Weren¡¯t they supposed to stay in their ownnes?

    She couldn¡¯t help but hasten her footsteps

    Elena didn¡¯t soak in the hot spring pool for long after Emelle lett.

    She went back to her room, got changed, and put on her makeup before heading to Satyr¡¯s Hovel.

    When she went in, Patricia was already sitting next in William and having her a colled around William¡¯s arm adtectionately, her head on his shoulder

    Elena wased Patricia wasying around or she was simply disinterested.

    ¡°Pick this one,¡± Patricia pointed at a card in William¡¯s hand.

    However, William picked two other cards and deat them out instead. ¡°You <b>do </b>know that you shouldment during a game of chess, right? It¡¯s the same for acard game.¡± Patricia plucked a grape and stuffed it into William¡¯s <b>mouth</b><b>. </b>¡°You won¡¯t listen to me? Then, choke on this!¡±

    Elena

    Patricia. The business manager of the Swanson Corporation from Weston. She <b>was </b>also famous in Weston for being a socialite, as well as Bryan¡¯s lover. No, it would be more urate to say that she was the abandoned ex¨Clover.

    That was because Bryan was going to marry Cam Jackson <b>soon</b>.

    was this <b>a </b>case of her trying to pester Will

    She also knew that when Patricia traveled to Wintour Cityfor work some time ago, there were rumors about her and <b>william</b>. So was after she was ditched by Bryan?

    Elena walked over and started speaking in a police tone. However, her words were anything but polite. ¡°Can you move, Ms. May?¡±

    Patricia looked up and saw it was Elena. She was amused. ¡°There are so many empty seats here, why are you asking for mine?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s something that I want to speak to Mr. Middleton about,¡± then said with anonchnt <b>tone</b><b>, </b>but Patricia could clearly feel her smug attitude regardless.

    She let out a seat <b>and </b>grabbed William¡¯s arm, Lanting her with a dry smile. ¡°What will you do if I don¡¯t?

    Elena didn¡¯t say anything else to her <b>and </b>simply looked at William, ¡°Mr. Middleton, can we speak in private?¡±

    William raised his eyes, remembering the day she talked about their rtionship back in highschool in front of the Destania restaurant,

    He gave his cards to a man nearby without much thought. ¡°Continue for me.¡±

    She then got up and walked away with Elena.

    Patricia was left behind.

    Bryan¡¯s expression remained cool and collected as he continued to y with the other man, but Cam, who sat on his soda¡¯s armrest said, ¡°So what if you force your way and sit

    to <b>him</b><b>? </b>If you can¡¯t handle it, you can¡¯t handlet¡±

    is what Patricia <b>told </b>her earlier in the afternoon.

    That wasText ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    Patricia gave her <b>a </b><b>stare</b>, but Cam wasn¡¯t afraid of her at all thanks to Bryan. ¡°<b>Why </b>are you staring at me? Chase after Mr. Middleton if you can.¡±

    Patricia picked up the ss of wine on the table <b>and </b>gave <b>it </b><b>a </b>sip. She then swirled the wine that still partially filed the ss and looked at Bryan, who was still being indifferent

    She smiled

    She suddenly stood up and chased after William and Elena. She immediately grabbed Elena¡¯s hand and immediately sshed the wine on her tace.

    Elena was takenpletely by surprise. All she could do was to close her eyes as the wine trickled down her face. To say that she was stunned was an understatement

    Emelie <b>came </b>in at this exact moment and even she was also taken aback

    Coming in after her was Charles. He went out to check if the food was ready to be served and didn¡¯t expect to see her <b>cousin </b>harassed the moment he came back in.

    Hestopped conducting himself in his usual carefree manner <b>and </b><b>stared </b>at Patricially.

    There were dozens of people inside, but none of them were making a sound

    No one expected that Fatricia would do something so crazy.

    However, she feltino <b>terror </b>at all adte stating such a disturbance. Her smile was wide and <b>bright</b>.

    Charles bithis lips and said, ¡°<b>She¡¯s </b>with you, Mr. Swanson?Shouldn¡¯t you give me an

    in exnation?

    Bryan finally locked his eyes on Patricia.

    But all he said was, ¡°Whoever started this will bear all responsibiltyherse

    Meaning that if Charles wanted an exnation, he could ask Patricia for one

    He threw Patricia under the <b>bus</b><b>, </b><b>and </b>allowed Charles to dead with it as he wished.

    Patricia looked at Brym and smiled but there was only despair in that smile of hers.

    Enelle understood <b>it </b>now. She <b>had </b>ced her bet by attracting there the one person she shouldn¡¯t have in this ce by <b>starting </b>thismotion with Elena. She wanted to bot that Bryn would protect her.

    Unfortunately, she lost herbet in disappointment.

    Elena grabbed the towel that the maid quickly handed to her and wiped the wine off her face. ¡°It¡¯s fine All I need is to go <b>back </b>and get changed¡±

    But <b>Cam </b>refused. ¡°You¡¯re <b>being </b>too kind with her, Ms. Allen. That¡¯s why she has the <b>courage </b>to act against you without fear. Go back to your room and change?It you ask me, just make her undress herself and give her dress to you. Am I right, Mr. Davis?

    Chapter 277 Taking Responsibility

    Undressing in front of so many people!

    As it was quite warm inside, Patricia had already removed her jacket when she came in. All she was wearing at the <b>moment </b>was a red slip dres If she undressed herself, all she would be wearing were her underwear.

 Chapter 278

    Chapter 278 No Misunderstanding

    Charles didn¡¯t agree with Cam¡¯s suggestion ¡°Forcing a girl to undress publicly is inappropriace. The

    Emelle immediately followed up, ¡°The score¡¯s settled then.¡±

    Only then did Charles see Emelle who was about two steps in front of him. He narrowed his eyes <b>and </b>asked, ¡°What do you mean by the score¡¯s being settled?¡±

    Emelie¡¯s words attracted the attention of <b>everyone </b>inside the room. She then said, ¡°I¡¯m still here, but Ms. Allen wanted to take Mr. Middleton away. That¡¯s also quite disrespectful

    Elena was somewhat surprised and immediately said, ¡°I just wanted to have <b>a </b>chat with him!¡±

    <b>Emelle </b>narrowed her eyes. ¡°Really?

    Originally, it was a matter between a man and two women. But after Emelie opened her mouth, it became a matter between a man and three women. The others exchanged nces but no one was brave enough to interfere

    woman who wanted an

    That was because the one who started themotion was the woman who was brought here by Mr. Swanson, the victim was Mr. Davis¡¯s <b>cousin</b>, and the woman who exnation was Mr. Middleton¡¯s official partner in this <b>p</b>

    Not only did each of them have their own stances, it also involved the three most prestigious men who were present. If they interfere without much thought, it wouldn¡¯t end well.

    for them

    <b>¡°</b><b>It¡¯s </b>just a misunderstanding¡±

    William calmly said amidst the calm and gave Emelie a nce<b>, </b>his intention unknown. Then, he picked up a ss of wine from the table next to him.

    ¡°My cousin has behaved immaturely tonight and has hurt your cousin. For this, I apologize on her behalf, Ms. Allen, Mr. Davis. Consider this toast as my apology.¡±

    His cousin had hurt Charles¡® cousin? Did that mean that Patricia was William¡¯s cousin?

    Everyone was shocked.

    They knew that Patricia was Swanson Corporation¡¯s business manager. They also knew her reputation as Weston¡¯s <b>Socialite </b>Queen. They even knew about the rumors between Bryan and William.

    But they had never heard that she was William¡¯s cousin before.

    After Emelie heard what he <b>said</b>, she realized the truth. So, that was their rtionship. The curiosity she had at thewn that morning had finally been satisfied

    Since <b>William </b>had exined his stance in this and apologized, Elena bit her lips and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯ve already said that it¡¯s <b>fine</b>. <b>As </b>you¡¯ve said, it¡¯s just a misunderstanding, I just hope that Ms. Hoven won¡¯t misunderstand the rtionship between me and Mr. Middleton.¡±

    Emelie nodded. ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    However, what she meant by not misunderstanding the rtionship between her and William could <b>mean </b>something else entirely by simply changing the tone That was the wonders <b>of </b></divnguage.

    William then asked, ¡°What do you mean by misunderstanding?¡±

    However, Emelie didn¡¯t answer. He also didn¡¯t push her for an answer, but he was simply annoyed. ¡°Why are you standing so far away? Come over here.¡±

    Emelie <b>paused </b>and walked to his side in the end

    When she walked over, Elena also quietly took a step back.

    Patriciasnatched the wine that William was going to drink. She would settle her own business herself. ¡°Even if someone has to apologize, I will do it myself.¡±

    She walked over to the coffee table.

    Cam, who just realized that <b>Patricia </b>was Wiliam¡¯s cousin, thought that Patricia was going to ssh the wine she was holding at her when she came approaching, Camquickly hid <b>behind </b>Bryan.

    She suddenly remembered what she said to Patricia smugly when they were practicing archery in the morning.

    While she was <b>a </b>properdy <b>and </b>was deemed appropriate for Bryn. But she was William¡¯s cousin. Which meant that she was rted to William¡¯s maternal family. Everyone knew that his mother¡¯s side of the family was as influentis the Middletons. Which meant that, like her, Patricia was also a properdy.

    Cam immediately felt the stung of her own words on herself. She bit her lips and didn¡¯t dare to look up. However, she also had questions. Did Bryn know about her identity? If she knew, then their status would fit each other well, correct? Why wouldn¡¯t he give Patricia a

    any recognition?

    Patricia wasn¡¯t there for Can though. She simply walked over to the coffee table and grabbed a bottle of whiskey,

    She then turned to Elena and said, I¡¯ve crossed the line today, Ms. Allen. I¡¯m sorry¡± She then finished the wine in one big gulp <b>as </b><b>she </b><b>raised </b>her head.

    She then poured her ss full of whiskey and said to Charles, ¡°1also like to offer my apologies to Mr. Allen for ruining your party.¡± She then finished in the same way as the wine.

    Charles raised his brow

    Whiskey was a strong drink. Even a man would stumble after drinking such a big ss of it, but Patricia could still put the bottle and winess back on the table and give everyone ¡°I¡¯m sorry, everyone I drank a little too much tonight, and my mind is clouded. From now on, my mind won¡¯t be clouded anymore.¡±

 Chapter 279

    Chapter 279 Stealing One¡¯s Partner

    The victim Involved could say nothing as Patricia had offered the sincerest of apologies.

    Charles then <b>said</b>, ¡°We¡¯re all friends here, so this is considered over. The feast is ready, so let¡¯s go <b>down </b>to <b>have </b>dinner.¡±

    Everyone silently agreed to move past this and stood up

    Patricia didn¡¯t look at anyone and left alone. However, she <b>wasn¡¯t </b>heading to the feast.

    Emelie was concerned and wanted to follow Patricia, but William grabbed her hand. ¡°Where are you going? Did you miss me after not seeing me for a whole attemoon?

    Those who didn¡¯t know the truth herween them would think that he was flirting with her if they heard it

    However, Emelie wasn¡¯t bold enough to assume that. She simply thought that she must have somehow offended him after opening <b>her </b>mouth suddenly just now and he was thinking <b>of </b>ways to teach her <b>a </b>lesson.

    He and Charles were business partners but she helped Patricia, implying that charles¡¯s cousin was trying to steal her partner. And unlike Patricia, she didn¡¯t apologize <b>to </b>Charles and Elena Charles was to take this <b>against </b>him, it would affect his interests,

    william hated it when women brought him necessary problems.

    She did well conceming this in the past three years<b>. </b><b>That </b>was why she chose not to tell him even about the abortion.

    Emelie said in a gentler tone, ¡°Mr. Middleton, I¡¯m going to look after Patricia She drank a lot.¡±

    ¡°She <b>can </b>drick as well as you.¡± A ss of whiskey wouldn¡¯t be enough to take her down.

    But they were cousins afterall, and William did have some concem. He let her go and said, ¡°Come look for me after you send her back to her room,¡±

    Emellenodded before chasing after Patricia by heading to the direction she lett

    The people inside the room had almost left and Will was also heading downstairs, only to see Elena still standing them

    It was as lf Eleta was waiting for him to look her way. She then said, ¡°It seems that Emelle has misunderstood

    Win paused slightly <b>and </b>asked, ¡°heard that you met each other in the afternoon at the hot springpool.¡±

    rtionship. Should I exin it to her?

    Elena was slightly cback and said, ¡°We did have a small chat, but I didn¡¯t mention anything about us in highschool¡±

    William then asked nonchntly, ¡°Which part of highschool?¡±

    Elena pursed her lips a little when she opened her mouth to speak again, she no longer kept her distance by calling <b>him </b>¡°Mr. Middleton¡± anymore. ¡°Wim<b>, </b><b>I¡¯m </b>getting it. I wanted to split up all those years ago on impulse. I still like you. The reason <b>I </b>came back this time is because of you.¡± William betened before giving her a sneer.¡°So, she didn¡¯t misunderstand anything.¡±

    She didn¡¯t

    understand that Elena wanted to steal her partner away.

    Elena cook another step forward and grabbed William¡¯s sleeve, her voice gentle and tempting like a drizzle at <b>the </b>beginning of Spring.

    Then Will you allow me?

    Emele went downstairs and saw Patricia sting on <b>the </b>steps right outside of Saly¡¯s Hovel. It seemed like the alcohol <b>had </b>gotten to her and that she was feeling unwell as she buried her head between her knees.

    When Emelie saw her shuddering in the cold wind, she sighed and removed her jacket. She walked over and put it on her.

    Patrick suddenly raised her head

    In that instant, there was joy in her eyes

    But when she saw that it was Ene, the light dimmed.

    Emelie know. ¡°You thought was Bryan?¡±

    There was since

    Patricia gave a bitter smile. ¡°I¡¯m lying to myself He didn¡¯t even say a word to me just now, so he naturally would ¡°e after me, right?

    Emelie couldn¡¯tofter her any words of constion, so she simply sat next to her and apanied her.

    In melle¡¯s memories, Patricia wasn¡¯t someone that would tell others about her feelings. But she wasn¡¯t sure if it was because of the alcohol or because of the strong emotion was having, she started blunting out in murmus fog.

    ¡°Bren and was the one who mistook him for someone else <b>right </b>from the very beginning¡±

    Emelie wasn¡¯t sure she understood it correctly. ¡°Mistook him for someone else?

    How did that happen?

    Patricia lowered her head and started rummaging through her purse and took out a pack of cigarettes for women and a lighter, asking her if she minded

    Emelie shook her head. ¡°<b>Go </b>ahead.¡±

    There was a shoffice and light, and a pal of smoke came out from Patricia¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°I¡¯m not actually called Patricia May. My real family name is Wade. My names Patrice Wade.¡±

    ¡°The Wides and the Swansons he been cooperating for a long time, and they have both wanted to strengthen this rtionship through insage for <b>a </b>long time. As the only daughter in the Wade family, I¡¯m destined to carry our this day.

    son of the Swanson family. That day, I thought dut

    *When I graduated from university and came back from overseas, my family <b>held </b><b>a </b>party for me to get to know the youngest son of the 5 fryn was the son any family had Intended for me to marry.¡±

    Chapter 180 Romeo and Juliet

    The Wades <b>were </b>based in Eprand

    And the older generation in Eprand all led to invite a theaterpany to perform, regardless of whether it was <b>for </b>a celebration or for mourning ¨C

    When a scene <b>was </bpleted and they needed to change sels, a green screen would be pulled up on stage.

    When Patricia was younger, she liked to climb up the stage and pull up the screen to quietly peek at how the production crew was setting up the stage <b>and </b>how the cast would put

    their makeup.

    Twm when she was older, she didn¡¯t change her bad habit and still led her younger rtives to climb up to the stage.

    of her younger rtives had asked, ¡°What¡¯s the next scene?

    <b>Patricia </b><b>was </b>also quite curious when she saw the staff setting up a scene with walls <b>and </b>coods. She was still investigating it when she heard her parents¡® bughtering <b>from</b>

    ¡°There she is! she still likes to peek at the theaterpanyjust like when she wasntlee down here, Patric. How many times do I have to tell you that it¡¯s impolite to peek at the actors putting on their makeup?

    ¡°<b>Besides</b>, you¡¯re much older now too, Aren¡¯t you embarrassed to still be ying around with your younger rtives?

    ¡°tapologize that you had to see her like this.¡±

    Patricia <b>understood</b>. This had to be herance

    Shesuddenly wanted to poll open the screen and take a look

    At this time, the rambling <b>sound </b>of the drams started to y from behind the stage. The next scene was ready, and the screen in front of her was slowly pulled open as the drifting. background music started to be more promment.

    The young man who was standing next to her parents looked over

    Just like how the groom raised up the veil of the bride during their wedding day, a pair of eyes on stage locked onto another pair of eyes off stage.

    That was how <b>Patricia </b>and Bryan met for the first time.

    Patricia smiled with tears in her eyes. ¡°The theaterpany was performing Romeo and Juliet. When Romeo first saw Juliet at the <b>dance </b><b>hall</b>, he fell for her at first sight¡®

    When it came to Bryan, it had been love at first sight for her.

    Only after her parents¡± official introduction did she find out that he was not the son that she was supposed to get married to. The Swanson family had five children, and three of

    them were <b>som</b>

    The son that she was supposed to my was unhappy with this marriage, so he had refused toe to the party. Hm older brother had <b>gone </b>there to exin the situation and to apologize.

    But no one had expected Patricia to fall <b>in </b>love at first sight with Bryan and not want anyone else.

    Emelie could never have guessed that they had started out like thatR¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    Sheknew that <b>in </b>their social circle, usually, if the groom couldn¡¯t join the party and someone from his family had to apologize on his behalf, everyone knew that there would be a marriage between them.

    This was because they were worried for the bride and her family, that they would be the tople of gossip by outsiders.

    Why didn¡¯t the groome? Was it because their rtionship had worsened?

    Emelie then asked, ¡°What happened next? How did things be like this?¡±

    How did Patrice Wade be Patricia <b>May</b><b>?</b>

    How did the treasured daughter of the Wade family be Weston¡¯s famous Socialite Queen?

    How did the ncer of Bryan¡¯s younger brother be beyan¡¯s unrecognized lover?

    Patricia took another puff of her cigarette and her eyes <b>looked </b>down. She looked dejected as she was surrounded by the smoke.

    <b>¡°</b><b>At </b>the time, he had work in prand and stayed in my home for a few days but I couldn¡¯t stop myself <b>from </b>flirting with him. The more flirted with <b>him</b>, the more liked him and the more liked him, the more I felt that he was the man wanted.

    ¡°I refused but kept on pestering him. When he was in his moment of weakness, I seized the opportunity¡±

    After a chaticevening, everything had gone off the rails since <b>then</b><b>.</b>

    ¡°Alter that, I kept on thinking that maybe it was allmpshaded. In R and Juliet, the two of them had to elope. In the end, Bryan and 1 eloped.¡±

    <b>But </b>to be more precise<b>, </b>she had chased after Bryan from Eprand to Capebatt Cry, unwaveringly and unrepentantly.

    Her parents had cursed her. Despite being engaged with the younger brother, she had seduced Bryan instead. if news of this were to spread, the Wade family¡¯s reputation would be

    Patricia had them told them to forget about her and pretend as if their daughter had never existed in the family.

    She <b>changed </b>her name from Patrice Wade to Patricia May and would never mention her <b>identity </b>to anyone. That was how she ended up with Bryan.

    She was originally someone so high and mighty in the end, she fell so far from grace that anyone could trample her however they like.

    Emelie had no words as she simplyeted the wrong understanding in her heart¡­

    When Bryan said that ¡°the Swanson family can¡¯t bear the humiliation¡°, he didn¡¯t mean how lining they were for each other.

    It was because the Swanson family couldn¡¯t ept the scandal of how their older son married the fiancee of their younger son.

    <b>Patrol </b>sided her cigarette and let out a quiet smile. ¡°<b>I </b>know I deserve this. Everything that happened <b>so </b>far is <b>a </b>result of my own actions, I <b>don¡¯t </b>deserve <b>any </b>sympathy.

    ¡°I¡¯m blinded by love and even my friends scolded <b>me </b>many times. There are plenty of men <b>in </b>this world. Why must obsess over Bryan

 Chapter 280

    Chapter 280 Mereo and Juliet

    2/2

    She raised her head and looked at the crescent moon hanging in the night sky, tears forming in her eyes that refused to fall. She gritted her teeth and said, ¡°That¡¯s right! It can¡¯t be anyone else! All I want is one Bryan Swanson!¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t believe she deserved it. In the end, when it came to <b>love</b><b>, </b>only those who were experiencing it would know how it truly felt.

    <b>She </b>simply asked, ¡°Are you regretting it now?

    Chapter 281 Reward

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Patricia said. ¡°I don¡¯t feel <b>any </b>regrets right now. I just feel sad right now. Even after all these years, I still can¡¯t warm his heart. I think I finally managed to teach him something, but it seems like all my work is going to benefit someone else instead.¡±

    Emelie <b>said</b>, ¡°Let some time pass. Then, you¡¯ll find out <b>if </b>you¡¯ve made the right choice letting this man into your life.¡±

    Patricia smiled. ¡°<b>Right</b><b>.</b>¡±

    It could be helpful to step a little further away to be able to see the whole picture. Many things required time to pass before it could be said it something was right or wrong. <b>Patricia </b>had calmed down, Out of curiosity, she asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask me which son was the one I had an engagement with?¡±

    Emelie them said, ¡°It¡¯s Samuel, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    When she  in Winstour City, William had told her that Samuel had a fiancee

    She <b>had </b>also asked Samuel about it and he didn¡¯t deny it. However, he also exined to her that neither of them liked each other. She had also gotten quite <b>close </b>to his older brother in <b>the </b>past few years.

    Everything was fitting neatly into ce.

    Patricia <b>nodded</b>, as she expected.

    There wasughter from <b>inside </b>the building. The <b>feast </b>had started. Patricia said, ¡°You should go. I¡¯m going back to my room¡±

    Emelie shook her head she won¡¯t interested in events like that <b>anyway</b>. ¡°Tile with you.¡±

    After Emelie walked Patricia back to her room, she headed back to her own.

    She still thought about <b>it </b>a lot. She and Patricia. They were simr, yet notpletely abke.

    They were simr in the sense that they had given their all to a man despite all the shame What was <b>dissimr </b>was that Patricia was William¡¯s cousin. No matter what, he would always protect her.

    When Emelie was nearing her room, she received a text from Patricia

    She thanked her <b>first</b>, saying that she would send her jacket back in the mail once she had cleaned it. She had to leave promptly.

    Emeletexted back out of <b>concern</b><b>. </b>¡°You <b>drank </b>a lot. Why don¡¯t <b>you </b>leave tomorrow?!

    ¡°I was just one ss of whiskey. It¡¯s not strong enough to make me drunk. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll have someone from the estate to drive me.¡± Emelie replied, ¡°Alright Take care.¡±

    As she rummaged for her keycard to unlock her door, she wondered to herself if Patricia would ever return to

    Corporation after this. She had been very disappointed with

    Bryan tonight. She even said something like ¡°for someone else¡¯s benefit, Was she not going to fight to keep <b>him </b>with her?

    In that case, her parents would probably forgive her and take her back, right? That was how parents had to be. When they were angry, they could be only angry.. but they could never bring themselves to be so harsh. They could forgive <b>her </b>if she was willing to apologion..

    Emelie entered her room. Because she was deep in her chaotic thoughts, she wasn¡¯t paying attention. She moved to switch the lights <b>on </b>when someone grabbed her hand. Aman dragged her inside and mmed the door closed

    Emelie caught a whiff of tresh powdered <b>snow </b>from the man was William

    ¡°Mr. Middleton?¡±

    William granted with acknowledgement before forcing her against <b>the </b>door and immediately kissing her

    Emelle¡¯s heart started to race. All her grief and sadness disappeared. All that was left was anxiety.

    She quickly pulled her head to the side to evade him. ¡°Mr. Middleton why are you back?

    ¡°Dan¡°t I tell you toe finde alter sending Patriciaback? William¡¯s breath was hot. Emelie didn¡¯t dare move a muscle. ¡°Since you didn¡¯te for <b>me</b>, I had to find you Instead.

    ¡°Patricia was upset, so I chatted with her a little to calm her down.

    He then said, ¡°Good for you. Now, stay still and don¡¯t move.¡±Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    william was quite sure of what he wanted. From the top, <b>he </b>wanted her lips. From the bottom,

    he wanted her hips.

    Emelie could sense <b>his </b>intense desire. She didn¡¯t understand why her body froze and she <b>was </b>unable to obey him. ¡°Wait, wait! The door knob <b>is </b>right underneath me. It hurts.¡±

    It was obviously not a very good excuse to buy time, because William simply dragged her deeper into the room. Emelie telt a cold shiver run through her. Not only did Win want to sign that contract with her, he wanted her too<b>!</b>

    In the lightless room, he started to explore her body, ¡°Why did you help Patricia?!

    Why <b>did </b>she help Patricia<b>?</b>

    Emelie¡¯s thoughts raced<b>. </b>She wanted to get away from <b>him</b>, but <b>she </b>was also thinking about that question.

    She gured it was because no one was going to help Patricia. Not Bryan, not William. When she saw how Patricia was being humiliated, she remembered how she had also been Just as alone and helpless many times

    <b>That </b>was why she wanted to help her.

    However, William obviously didn¡¯t see it <b>that </b>way. ¡°Because you¡¯re jealous? You¡¯re jealous of Elena?

    Enelle nooded to think hard before she could understand his logic. He thought that she was jealous of Elena and <b>since </b>Patricia was antagonizing Elena, she decided to help Pancia since<b>, </b>when all was <b>said </b>and done, what Patricia did was a great help to her.

    It was too ridiodos

    wanted to retort.

 Chapter 281

    Chapter 2811 Reward

    However, the man didn¡¯t have much patience as he held her hands over her head. He lowered his head and she could see the glint of his eyes even in the darkness. ¡°I had yourmb tail soup today. Let¡¯s find out how effective it is,¡±

    It was true.

    That afternoon, Willmate the soup that Emelie couldn¡¯t finish

    She was looking at him like she had seen <b>a </b><b>ghost</b>

    She might as well have been looking at something worse than a ghost William pulled his shirt upward, and her blood man <b>cold </b>immediately.

    She yelled, panicked, ¡°Wait, Mr. Middleton! I¡¯m on my period!¡±

    william smiled icily. ¡°<b>You </b>were soaking in the <b>hot </b><b>spring </b>this afternoon and now you¡¯re on your period?¡±

    Enelle gritted her teeth. ¡°I wasn¡¯t <b>bathing </b>in the hot spring. I was only sitting at the edge and soaking my feet. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask Ms. Allen<b>.</b>¡±

    William¡¯s lips were forming a smile, but he looked at her with frosted yes, ¡°If you don¡¯t want this, let¡¯s talk business then. <b>Did </b>Ashley respond to you already?¡±

    Emelie pulped and raised her hands to push him away. ¡°Thaven¡¯t checked my email yet. I¡¯ll go and take a look now¡­Ngh!¡±

    She had just started to get up from the bed when Wim grabbed her shoulders and pinned her to the headboard.

    Emelie gasped in pain when her shoulders hit the headboard¡¯s carved patterns.

    William had already seem right through her. ¡°Do you think <b>I¡¯m </b><b>a </b>fool, Emilie? You never sent the contract to Ashley, did you? You didn¡¯t want to sign the contract. You didn¡¯t want to <b>return </b>to cloudex Corporation, <b>or </be back to my side, and or want to have set with me

    ¡°you pretend to agree because you wanted me to get a doctor to operate on your mother. Now that she has recovered and is no longer in danger, you want to get rid of me. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelle looked at him and held her breath as she saw the obvious anger on his face.

    ¡°Do you think you can get away with everything this world has to offer? His hands that were gripping hard on her shoulders moved to her neck. He held her neck firmly but had not put any strength in yet. Still, Emelie¡¯s face paled as she realized that he was holding her life in his hands.

 Chapter 282

    Wim asked slowly, ¡°And how many lives <b>do </b>you think you have to be able <b>to </b>y with my feelings?¡±

    Emelie pursed her lips.

    She then forced words out of her mouth, ¡°I told you I¡¯m on period, and that¡¯s the truth. There¡¯s <b>no </b>need for me to lie. If you don¡¯t mind it, <b>you </b>can do it anyway. I won¡¯t stop you.¡± William retracted his hands and looked at her sitting on the bed. ¡°<b>Then </b>undress.¡±

    Emelie was shocked.

    Humiliation Instantly washed over her.

    The way Willem looked at her was like he was looking at someone he didn¡¯t need to cespect, te looked <b>at </b>her like he could do anything the wanted to do to her. She was <b>just </b>a tool that he could use to satisfy all his desires. With <b>nary </b>a smile, <b>he </b><b>said</b>, ¡°All of it, of.¡±

    Emelie almost stopped breathing, which was a normal response for her. When her anger had reached a boiling point, her ears would heat up. She forced tears back into her eyes as her neck grew tense and hard.

    A few secondster, <b>the </b>picked herself up

    p and started to remove her shirt.

    was afraid of the cold, which was why she wore a lot. She removed all of it, starring with her sweater, her knitted vest, her thermal undergarment, and finally her underwear. waspletely undressed and fully exposed <b>hersel</b>R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    Meanwhile, William simply watched. An unreadable emotion brewed in his eyes.

    She was wearing a pair of skinny jeans. She removed the button and started <b>to </b>pull them down. Her skin was fair without a single w. There was <b>a </b>small birthmark to the right of berhip which looked like a small crescent moon

    Emelie held the edges of her underwear. She couldn¡¯t tell why she was trembling <b>Was </b>it the cold? The embarrassment? The anger? Or was it the humiliation?

    William nced at her and saw a sh of white in her undergarment.

    It was <b>a </b>sanitary pad.

    ¡°Should I go on?¡± ¡°The <b>tone </b>of Emelie¡¯s voice had changed. It was trembling. ¡°Do you want to see the blood?

    William had decided that it was dirty and that he didn¡¯t want to see anything remotely of the sort. He grabbed the clothes that she had just taken off and dumped them on her. ¡°You¡¯d better not have other intentions, Emelie

    He then turned around and got out of the bed.

    Before long, Emelie heard the sound of the door being closed.

    He left

    Emelie lost all her strength in that instant as she copsed in her bed. Her body was still shaking as she held herself up on the mattress and her hands were curled into fists That was how William was. He was always like that.

    How could she not hate him? How could she keep herself from unleashing her vengeance upon him<b>?</b>

    Wim left the room, feeling the dryness in his throat and heart,

    He raised his head and saw someone standing next to him.

    Elena asked, ¡°Do you want toe with me, William?¡± William walked over without any hesitation.

 Chapter 283

    Chapter 2831 Want to Court You

    The night ended and morning came.

    Emelie barely slept the whole night.

    She was paying attention to what was happening outside. Wim did not return.

    Emelie¡¯sce had paled<b>, </b>and it was easy to tell that something had happened. However, she didn¡¯t have her makeup with her so she couldn¡¯t hide it. She sply let her face be bare She went to the dining room to have something toeet. Then, she went to wait outside the vi

    The guests started to leave the vi one by one, ending their two days of vacation. Emelle still did not see William, nor did he contact ber of course, <b>she </b>wouldn¡¯t be the first to contact him either

    Aber lunch, he was still nowhere to be found. Emelie decided to stop worrying about him and went back to her room to pack up. She began to prepare to call for a cab to return to thecity.

    However, she had just stepped out of the vi when <b>a </b><b>car </b>stopped right next to her.

    Believing herself to be blocking the mad, Emelie moved to the side.

    The car¡¯s window rolled down. Charles stuck his arm out from it and rested it on the window frame. With a smile, <b>he </b><b>asked</b>, ¡°Leaving on your own, Ms. Hoven?

    Emelie was <b>surprised</b>. ¡°Mr. Davis¡±

    <b>Charles </b>beckoned <b>her</b>. <b>¡°</b>Get in. I¡¯ll give you <b>a </b><b>ride</b>.¡±¡±

    Emelie rehased without making it obvious. ¡°I don¡¯t want to trouble you. I¡¯ve already <b>called </b><b>a </b><b>cab</b>.¡±

    ¡°Then caverit.¡±

    It appeared that Charles wanted to give <b>her </b>a ride no matter what her answer was.

    Emelie parsed her lips <b>and </b>said, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Davis!

    She did not have luggage. Her clothes were in the bag that she was carrying she got into the passenger¡¯s <b>seat </b><b>and </b><b>put </b>on her seat belt before Charles started <b>his </b><b>car</b>

    *Why didn¡¯t you leave with Mr. Middleton?¡±

    Emellethen said, ¡°I reckon he has <b>something </b>else to attend to.

    Charles raised an eyebrow ¡°What? You didn¡¯t know that he <b>already </b>lett <bst </b>night¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    Enelle could feel her head begin to pound. William leftst night?

    ¡°Looks be didn¡¯t tell you,¡± Charles said as he made <b>the </b>discovery. He turned the steering wheel in one hand. ¡°Don¡¯t you know his itinerary, being his secretary

    bizarre.¡±

    Emele found the way he drove to be quite sloppy and she found herself gripping <b>the </b><b>sadely </b><b>handle </b>above her quite tightly. ¡°I¡¯m not Mr. Middleton¡¯s secretary right now.¡±

    Charles grinned. ¡°That¡¯s great. Why don¡¯t youe over to mypany?¡±

    Embe turned to look at his wide grin

    When need be, women were quite sensitive toward two <b>things</b>. One was toward a romantic rival, <b>and </b>another was toured those who had wicked intentions with them. She bummediately asked, ¡°Is business the reason you¡¯re inviting me to join you??!!

    <b>Charles </b>had not expected her to be so straighdonward. He blurted outughing.

    How

    Ele didn¡¯t like the sneaky way of doing things either. If he was interested, then he would make it clear that he was interested. He already wanted her when he saw her on the ship. He said, ¡°If youe to my ce, I¡¯ll ge you money even if you don¡¯t work.¡±

    ¡°So, sugar dating

    ¡°<b>Tak </b>calling it sugar dating is so vulgar. We can be an official couple, charles said ¡°I do like youulot.¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t feel any joy from being ¡°confessed to by a rich, handsome man like him<b>. </b>All she felt was disgust.

    She coldly <b>said</b><b>, </b>¡°Stop taking me for a fool, M. Dave. We haven¡¯t spoken much and have only <b>made </b>each other¡¯s <b>acquaintance </b>nice. <b>What </b>is there to like?

    My eyes seem to like you quite e bit.¡±

    He should just say that he was attracted to her beauty, Emelie refrained from sang another word and looked outside the window

    Charles nonchntly said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. If you think that we don¡¯t know each other well enough and find <b>my </b>confession to be too hasty. I can court you You can agree to my proposal whenever you feel like I¡¯ve on you over.¡±¡±

    All Emelie felt was the sense that young men from all the privileged families were learning more and more tricks and showing them up their sleeves.

    ¡°Right, where do you want me to drop you off ther?

    ¡°Central Hospital¡±

    Charles looked at her ¡°Are you unwell? Are you giving me a chance? You¡¯re giving me a chance to present myself so soon.

    Eine <b>rolled </b>her ey

    She caught her beenth and said, ¡°<b>Not </b>me, but my family. And I would prefer it if you didn¡¯t call me Ms. Hoven. You can address me by my full name, Einelle Hoven.¡±

    charles rehand. ¡°<b>That </b>doesn¡¯t make us sound acquainted at all. Doesn¡¯t feel right for a prospective couple¡±

    ¡°I know that it¡¯s going to be quite <b>a </b>distance from here to the city. If you¡¯re bored and want some fun, I¡¯m willing to be your target, for the <b>time </b>being. However, I beg that you don¡®| nay tomething like that in public.¡±

    Charles remained unmow ¡°All want is for you to be my partner¡±

    Esselie had been angry at Wimst night, and now she was angry at Charles. All she wanted was for all of them to just the

 Chapter 284

    Chapter 284 Impersonation

    Chacks turned the steering wheel and nced at mele. Then, he smiled. ¡°I was joking. I simply wanted to make you smile because your face <b>is </b>so sour I was worried that it was because I was a bad host and you didn¡¯t have a good time.¡±

    Encledide want this special treatment.

    She thought Charles was sick in the head

    However, he was not someone that <b>she </b>could afford to cross, <b>once </b>she was at the entrance of the hospital, she maintained her distant expression and said, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Duds.

    charles smiled. ¡°You¡¯re wee. By the way, I¡¯m not joking about courting you though. If there¡¯s anything that I didn¡¯t do well enough, please forgive me

    Emelie frowned but she knew that there was no point in wasting her breath with han. So, she turned and entered the hospital

    Charles watched her tigure as she left and wanted to light up a cigarette out of habit. But when he remembered what happened in the Eastania <b>restaurant</b>, he decided against it

    He drove his car away. As he passed by a garbage bin, he rolled down his car window and threw out two items.

    It was a pack of cigarettes <b>and </b>alighter.

    Since he said that he was going to stop smoking, he decided that he should be serious about it.

    ¨C

    Once Charles had driven away, Ern¨¦lie stepped out of the hospital again.

    She looked at the time. It was half¨Cpast three and it was almost teatime

    She got another cab and went to a <b>Inish </b>cafe.

    The waiter asked, ¡°Excuse me, did you make a reservation?¡±

    Emelie nodded. ¡°I did. Under Mrs. Middleton.¡±

    The waiter immediately took her to the VIP seats.

    ip of ck <b>tea</b>

    Vanessa, who was wearing a dark green velvet dress, was already seated at the front of the table. She was gracefully enjoying a cup

    Emelie had asked Vanessa out for teast Friday. <b>She </b><b>had </b>finally told her that she had some free time that afternoon and she could meet up and have tea with her.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for beingte, Mrs. Middleton,¡± Entelle apologized.

    Of course, Vanessa didn¡¯t hold it against her ¡°It¡¯s fine Why don¡¯t you take <b>a </b><b>look </b>at the men and see what you want?!

    Emelie nodded, ordered <b>a </b>cup of Auran ck Tea, and said, ¡°<b>You </b><b>look </b>much better than thest time we met.¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Do1? Maybe it¡¯s became I¡¯ve started making herbal tea and it¡¯s working is magic, Vanessa smiled. However, you don¡¯t look so well, mele. I¡¯ll send you the recipeter <b>and </b>you should give it a try. We women need to have sufficient nourishment <b>unce </b>we hit a certam age, <b>you </b>know.¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t refuse and thanked her with a smile, ¡°How¡¯s Mr. Middleton

    ¡°He¡¯s fine.¡± Vanessa moved a te of food towed her. Her eyes filled with joy.

    ¡°You worry so much about your own family, but you still make an effort to care about me and your boss. I¡¯m d that we didn¡¯t waste our efforts investing in you. Right, your matur must be much better now after the surgery, right? <b>And </b>you father. Is be still recovering from the bone fracture?¡±

    ¡°My <b>mom </b>should be moved out of the DCL soon. My dad is also <b>seeing </b><b>a </b>doctor.¡±

    Vanessa then and, ¡°Then, is there something you wanted to tell <b>me</b><b>?</b>¡±

    Emelie got straight to the point. ¡°I want to ask for your help¡±

    William wants me to go back to loader Corporation to work.¡±

    Vanessa blinked. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a good thing?¡±

    ¡°Idon¡¯t want to go back. He said have to decide by <b>Tuesday</b>, but I¡¯ve already promised to work with Swanson Corporation on Tuesday. Is there any way you can help me stop him?

    ¡°Well.¡± Vanessa hestated. ¡°You know that I want you to go back to work in Clouds Corporation as well. <b>You¡¯ve </b>worked there for so many years. It would be great since you already know thepany so well¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t give up. ¡°I have my own things to consider. If you help me, I won¡¯t tell anyone about the young woman called Xenia and the baby inside of her.¡± Vanessa¡¯s expression started to change. ¡°Are you ckmailing <b>me</b>, Enelei

    ¡°<b>of </b>course not¡± Emelie then continued, ¡°It¡¯s just that you promised to free my <b>dad </b>from prison, but William did it first. He freed my dad, so I have no choice but to <b>change </b>my conditions and ask for your help with this instead.¡±

    Vanessa said nothing

    Emelie pleked up her cup of ck and sipped.

    In the beginning, <b>she </b>thought that Vanessa was the one who helped her dad. But then, her oldest sister took a picture of the person who escorted her dad back to town and sent it to her. She mumtioned that the person didn¡¯t look like someone from the prison.

    When she looked closer, she realised it was Ashton,

    Only then did she know that William was the <b>man </b><b>behind </b>it.

    She didn¡¯t know why someone like William, who often expected favors in turn for Lovers, did not mention a word of this to her Perhaps he believed that she was already his and It was pools to this against her.

    However, there was no <b>mistake </b>that Vanessa portrayed herself as the p

    person who did the deed and took credit <b>for </b>it.

 Chapter 285

    chapter 285 You Tricked Me

    However, Vanessa¡¯s face was one of surprise.

    ¡°Will¡¯s the one that your dad tree? I did der my subordinates to act on it. When you called me that day and told me that your dad was free, I thought my men were the enes that did it

    Emelie corroborated. ¡°Maybe your subordinates dropped the hall and kept <b>it </b>a secret.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to teach them a lesson,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°But, that aside, from the looks of it, William does care about you. Why aren¡¯t you willing to return to work by his side?¡± Emele didn¡¯t exin much and said, ¡°This is the only thing really need your help with, Mrs. Middleton.¡±

    Vanessa could only look disappointed and sich. ¡°Wright. I respect your decision. I heard from my husband that an old friend of his passed away. He should be <b>going </b>to pay his final respects personally, but he is

    ¡°suppose there¡¯s no choice but to have William go and represent him. It¡¯ll be in prand, which means he won¡¯t be back for two or three days.¡±

    Duelleherved a sigh of relief, which felt <b>like </b><b>a </b>long timeing.

    <b>¡°</b>Thank you, Mrs. Middleton¡±

    Emelle left the cafe and took a cab back to the hospital.

    The sky started to duken as the traffic became heavy. <b>She </b>sat in the <b>back </b>of <b>the </b><b>cab</b>, looking outside the <b>window </b>with a calm expression.

    William was right

    She was nning to use his resources to treat her mother and then discard him from the very beginning

    <b>When </b>she said that she would never retum to his side, she meant it!

    in the two days that followed, William didn¡¯t contact Emelie at all. He probably didn¡¯t want <b>to </b>see her after they separated on bad terms at the vi that night.

    It was great for Emelle.

    On Tuesday morning, Emelie reported for duty at Swanson Corporation.

    Since Bryan had informed the department and Emelie was well prepared<b>, </b>shepleted the paperwork <b>to </b>join thepany on the spot

    Bryan extended his hand to her. ¡°Wee to the Swanson Corporation, Ms. Hoven.¡±

    Truelie smiled. ¡°<b>Thank </b>you <b>for </b>giving me a chance¡±

    <b>She </b>immediately started limating herself to her new work. Despite not working for three months, she <b>didn¡¯t </b>need <b>a </b><b>lot </b>of <b>time </b>to get back in the saddle. She even attended an industry summit with Bryan that afternoon

    telecould finally showcase her professional <b>side</b>. While <b>she </b>had to assure her new role immediately, she didn¡¯t make any mistakes and helped Bryan get everything organized.

    Bryan was very happy.

    After the summit, all the attendees prepared to take a group photo, Emelie was supposed to stand out of the shot. However, Bryan called her to join in,

    Imele was shoned for a moment before she walked over to stand behind him.

    There was <b>a </b>snapping <b>sound </b>and the <b>photo </b>was taken. That photo appeared in the public blog belonging to the summit¡¯s organizer that very evening

    Jayden was on his way home aber work and clicked on the blog. He was thinking of getting updated on what was happening in the industry. He didn¡¯t expect to see a smartly dressed the standing next to Bren

    He blurted out augh. What was this:

    A sessful covert operation? Cutting the root of a problem?

    He immettely sent the blog post to Will and couldn¡¯t help but deel happy at his friend¡¯s misfartime. He even sent him a recorded voice message.

    ¡°Will, while you¡¯re away for that funeral, you need to remain at the top of your game at all times and stay updated. Read more professional <b>blogs </b>like this one. It¡¯s good for <b>you</b><b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    At award in Central Hospital, Ele prepared some hot water in a basin to wash her mother.

    Carta had been moved to a normal ward. She had already woken up and could eat like a normal person. She had also tried walking but was a little slow.

    That was normal she had been in the Outer so <b>long </b>she would only get better after spending more time recuperating

    Emelie closed the waterp and added a drop of essential of into the water. She was about to take the basin out when her mobile rang

    She didn¡¯t even see the name of the person calling, but she could <b>have </b>already guessed.

    It was William.

    She parsed her lips and picked it up

    After picking up, there was only silence for the whole minutes she could hear was the sound of his breathing

    William was still in Eprand. The winter over there was much colder than it was in Capebett City. But the chill seemed to be able to reach her through her phone line.

    She made the first move. ¡°Mr. Middleton¡±

    Then, she heard the man chuckle.

    ¡°bundle,¡± he said. ¡°To think that you would really trick me like this.¡±Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

    Since Emelie was bold enough to do it, she was prepared for him to find out. She also chuckled. ¡°William, If you can tick me with a photo that never existed, why can¡¯t I tuck you

 Chapter 286

    Chapter 286 Being Cheap

    Lele <b>didn¡¯t </b>get has heused that photo to threaten and force her to do all those things, and how he maliciously told her the photos never existed in the ent

    She wanted him to be what it was like being toyed with, too

    ¡°All in all, I¡¯m still the one at a disadvantage, William. Do you know how hard It¡¯s been for me to endure you<b>?</b>

    Wiliam¡¯s tone .chilling, ¡°quite difficult, it seems,¡±

    Emelier lips and immediately hang up.

    When William heard his call was hung up in a beep and the screen went dark, he let out augh from his pent¨Cupanger

    He suspected that Emelle had nned to do that, but when he found out she really did Hedidnot expect it to feel far more different than what he imagined.

    What did she say?

    She had been enduring him?R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    what did she think he was doing to her?

    aldn¡¯t eat. He <b>asked </b>his driver to get her a foldable bed when she only wood stock still outside the 2. He even

    He took her to ent when she was taking care of her mother and couldn¡¯t

    took her home to wash up, change her clothes, and skep.

    He would take her rowing when she wanted, and he would take her to the archery field when she wanted to practice. He even finished hermb <b>tail </b>soup that she didn¡¯t know what to do with when she couldn¡¯t finish it.

    Was he not treating her well? Was this how <b>she </b>repaid him?

    As far as vim was concerned<b>, </b><b>she </b>was trying tomit suicide yet again..

    He vicioudy pulled open the top¨Cmost button on her shirt with a fruity expression on his face. Suddenly, somene Lepped on his shoulder.

    William suddenly turned around and Patricia yelped. ¡°joez, who pissed you off? What¡¯s with the face? You¡¯re scaring me.¡±

    They were all there for the funeral

    william put his phone away<b>. </b><b>¡°</b><b>it¡¯s </b>nothing<b>.</b>¡±

    ¡°Theod everything even if you don¡¯t want to tell me. I heard you say Ms Hoven¡¯s name. <b>Did </b>she upset you? Patricia made an urate guess

    Wiliam <b>nced </b>at her and asked, ¡°<b>You¡¯re </b>not going <b>back </b>to Swanson Corporation?

    ergo back to Weston

    Patricia pot her hands behind her back and walked a leisurely. ¡°I¡¯m not. I¡¯ve resigned and will never go back to

    Patricia May was guna. From now un, only Patrice Wade of <b>Eprand </b>remained

    Williamchuckled ¡°Since you¡¯re not gong back, she took your ce.¡±!

    Patrice blinked in surprise. ¡°Ms. Howe¡¯s working at Swanson Corporation? so suddenly? Didn¡¯t you say that she¡¯s going back to Cloudex Corporation?¡±

    William almost couldn¡¯t control himself when the mentioned it. He turned and looked at the funeral parlor decorated in ck and white ¡°There¡¯s nothing for <b>me</b>

    me in dobre. I¡¯m

    leaving.¡±

    ¡°I have nothing to do bere either. I¡¯ll go with you! Parke didn¡¯t care whether William wanted her toe or not and forced herself into his car

    <b>She </b>was curious SecuruL

    ¡°What happened? Did you think that she would go back<b>? </b>Or did she promise that she would go back and go back on her word? Tell me, cousin.¡± Patrice wanted all the details,

    When William sand Emelle wanted to go back to <b>ude </b>Corporation, his tone was filled with assurance. But that day, at Lakeside Vi, she saw herself how good the rtionchip seemed. Could they have not made peace at all?

    William couldn¡¯t be bothered with her, but she kept on pestering He eventually <b>told </b>her about the ¡°deal¡± in simple term out of helpless

    The first thing that came to Patrice¡¯s mind when he was <b>done </b>was that she was impressed.

    Even though <b>she </b>looked as obedient as she did. Emelle was bolder than she gave her for

    To her knowledge, no one had dared to act with such duplicity when William was involved. She promised to do one thing but she did theplete opposite of what she promised In secret. Was there a difference between that and dancing in front of hungry tip?

    She was so impressive.

    Epeand was located in the North. In December, the wintry winds howled. The trees on the mad <b>rustled </b>from the winds. However, Patrice <b>couldn¡¯t </b>tell what was colder the weather

    or her cousin.

    Shepwethought and said, ¡°I think you need to reflection yourself too. Why was she willing to spend so much effort to not rebem to your side?¡±

    Wim anded.

    Parke knew why he was smiling. Deflecting on how he treated Euclief was she worth it?

    ¡°There is That¡¯s the problem,¡± Fatrice pointed L

    ¡°At first, thought you didn¡¯t care much about Ms. Hoven. But now, <b>I </b>sense that you have some teelingster het too, otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t keep hovering over her.¡±

    Willen gave her a look. It was dark and cold

    Fatwas shocked ¡°Don¡¯tirli me you don¡¯t think that you¡¯re hovering whom you¡¯re threatening her and proming her so many things just to get her back by your side? Viliam posted his thin lips and looked away mysteriously

    Paitke slowed her elbow at him ¡°That¡¯s why you crally do care about her, you have to change<b>. </b><b>You </b>can¡¯t keep on thinking that she doesn¡¯t deserve you doing this that to har

    rably isn¡¯t worth it, then why are you hovering over her like <b>that</b><b>? </b>Are you trying to be cheap en pupose

 Chapter 287

    Chapter 287 Strange Miscarriage

    The driver almost crashed the car. Only someone like William¡¯s cousin could say something like that to him¡­

    William also closed his eyes. The way he did it indicaten pupose

    257 Drange Miscamage Chinter

    ed that he was warning het.

    Patrice chose to ignore itpletely

    Shecontooed, ¡°Ms. Hoven is alone, <b>she¡¯s </b><b>a </b>human, and she has feelings and opinions. Even an animal will want to escape if you beat or starve it.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    You need to respect her and let her know that, in your eyes, she has her identity untethered from yours. Only then will she stop rejecting you.. To be honest, threatening a woman to stay by your side doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re <b>a </b>good guy. If she wants to star by your side no matter what sacrifices she has to make<b>¡­</b>

    ¡°Now, that would <b>be </b>good.¡±

    Bam suddenly remembered how Emelie used to be.

    After a moment of silence, he asked, ¡°If you know so much, why did you do so many foolish things for Bryan?¡±

    Patrice almost choked. ¡°Well, it¡¯s my first time being a human too. It¡¯s fine as long as we learn and change. You know what they say, to err is human. What¡¯s important is that we¡¯re changing for the better.

    ¡°Not to mention that I made my mistakes and know what my mistakes are, I¡¯m giving you a cheat sheet here, so why are you st attacking me?¡±

    William was somewhat annoyed and said with a frown, ¡°Just focus on yourself. If Uncle Walker hadn¡¯t passed, do you think your parents would let this slip so easily?¡±

    Patrice pouted and said nothing.

    The driver sent her back to the <b>Wades </b>residental home. William staved <b>at </b>a hotel

    Before Patrice got out of the car, she sighed. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m cheap? other people look at me like they look at Ms. Hoven, and that¡¯s how she <b>looks </b>at herself <b>when </b>she¡¯s with

    ¡°I have relinquished all my feelings for Bryan. That¡¯s why I left. Ms. Hoven has also relinquished all her love for you. That¡¯s why she left too. Bryan won¡¯te for me. It¡¯s ow between us. If you don¡¯t want things to end between you and Ms. Hoven, think about what I said and change how you treat her.¡±

    Before William could even respond, Patrice got out of the car, mmed the door behind her, and went home

    She truly believed that Emelle was <b>a </b>good woman, and was especially impressed with how independent she was. Emelie was her role model, and she wanted to live the way that she

    dd

    However, it was clear that William wasn¡¯t nning to let Emelie go. If he was going to force it, Emelle was going to suffer in the end

    She had to help her to get through to William, even i was to repay her for helping her when she threw <b>wine </b>at Elena. A rich and powerful man and a woman who couldn¡¯t even findber next meal¡­ There was no mistake that thetter would be at a disadvantage

    William unbuttoned another one of his shirt¡¯s buttons. However, he still felt restrained and warm, so he rolled down the car window and let the icy air rush in

    Patrice¡¯s words echoed in his ears and his eyes closed. There were no emotions on his race other than the frigid chill

    The driver carefully asked, ¡°Sir, should we return to the hotel?

    William leaned back in his seat and took out his mobile. He didn¡¯t tap on any apps after he unlocked his screen and simply stared at his wallpaper.

    Suddenly, a message appeared. It <b>was </b>from Lyle

    when you asked me to investigate Ms. Hoven¡¯s muscamage? Hound something strange.Look¡±

    William¡¯s eyes narrowed

    When Emelie was with Swanson Corporation, she was also the head <b>secretary</b>.

    However, Bryan¡¯s support department worked differently than Wim¡¯s. He only had one secretary and he passed everything to the secretary. Then, his secretary would divide the tasks between four <b>personal </b>assistants

    That meant <b>that </b>Emilie had even more responsibilities as <b>she </b><b>had </b>to personally delegate the tasks to the personal assistants. She was once again so busy that <b>she </b>couldn¡¯t stand still for even asecond

    When she was busy, she had no time to think about anything else. She could only feel anxiety about one thing

    Wir

    I had beence she revealed everything during their call However, he hadn¡¯t done anything at all,

    Of course, Emelie believed that just because he hadn¡¯tacted didn¡¯t mean that he had given up on her. She believed that he was preparing for something huge

    Regardless, she would deal with it when it came

    elle organized the tiles and then walked into the CLO¡¯s office with the tiles in hand.

    When she walked into firyan¡¯s office, she was taken by surprise when saw a certain someone inside.

 Chapter 288

    Chapter 288 Trampled Heart

    It was Charles Davis.

    Emelie was silent for a moment.

    She frowned for a fraction of a second before returning to normal and said, ¡°Good morning, Mr. Davis.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not feeling good. My heart is in pain.¡±

    Charles sa

    on the couch with his legs crossed. With his handsome face and dashing smile, he looked even more like an irresponsible nepo¨Cbaby than he usually did.

    ¡°Ms. Hoven, you never thanked me for all the flowers I <b>sent </b>you. I was beginning to suspect that I had sent it to the wrong address, <b>so </b>I came here to check¡±

    He then continued toin. ¡°And then, I heard from your janitor here that you would sign for the flowers and immediately dump them in the bin. The way you trampled on my heart has made it hard <b>for </b>me to breathe.¡±

    It was true. Ever since Emelie started working at Swanson Corporation, Charles would <b>send </b>her flowers every day. They were quite expensive, featuring shining tulips or white roses. He sent her a whole <b>bouquet </b>each time and it attracted too much attention.

    She called him the first time to refuse him. Then, she sent him a message to refuse him the second and third time. She began throwing them into the bin the fourth time and onward.

    She even did it in front of the delivery boy who delivered the flowers to <b>drive </b>the point. She believed that the delivery boy would tell him. If he knew what she <b>was </b>doing with them, yet continued¡­She couldn¡¯te up with the perfect adjective yet, so she had to settle with annoying for now.

    Emelle said without a change in her expression, ¡°If that¡¯s what you¡¯re aslding about, then allow me to exin one more time. Please don¡¯t buy me any more flowers. They¡¯re quite expensive. With the money you save, you can donate to a charity!

    Charles lowered his legs, put his elbows on his knees, and put his head in his hands. He intentionally warped what she said. ¡°It you don¡¯t like flowers, I can buy you something else Cake? Coffee? <b>I </b><b>could </b>even treat your entire department to tea in your name?¡±

    Emelie calmly said, ¡°If you do <b>that</b>, then I¡¯m going to call the <b>cops </b>for harassment¡±

    Charles burst outughing.

    Bryan walked out of the lounge and nced at Charles. <b>¡°</b>Youe to mypany and harass my secretary. Where¡¯s your respect, Mr. <b>Davis</b>?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to get myself a girlfriend, that¡¯s all,¡± Charles said with a smile. The beauty that seduced me is in Weston. If I don¡¯t see her, I can¡¯t even sleep.¡±

    Emele refused him respectfully. ¡°Thank you for your praise, but I don¡¯t believe I¡¯m worthy of it, Mr. Davis. There are plenty of good women. Please don¡¯t waste your efforts on me.

    Charles didn¡¯t buy it. ¡°You might not have any feelings for me now, but you might if I continue to court you. Who knows, right?¡±

    Emelie held her breath and chose not to continue the conversation. She <b>set </b>the documents on the table. ¡°Mr. Swanson, these agreements need your signature.¡±

    Bryan nodded. ¡°Have a PA to make two cups of coffee

    After Emelle left, Bryan opened the documents and told his friend a fact without reservation. ¡°My younger brother also likes Emelle. Firste, first serve. Get in line.¡±

    Charles raised his eyebrow with disregard. ¡°I don¡¯t like queues. I like going directly to the end and stealing the prize first.¡±

    He was willing to disregard his manners for her. ¡°I can call you ¡®Big Bro¡® too. Big bro, about the party at the Navarro house, could you please give me a hand?¡±

    Bryan was <b>a </b><b>strong </b>and tough man who exuded machismo. He closed his eyes as if thinking of something

    An hourter, Bryan called Emeletoe in and she was handed <b>a </b>task. She would represent Swanson Corporation in celebrating the newly born Navarro twins one¨Cmonth¨Cold celebration

    Charles said with a smile. ¡°The heading to the party tonight as well, Ms. Hoven Why don¡¯t we go together?

    Emelie didn¡¯t have the right to refuse.

    The Navarros of Weston were also a famous family. When Mrs. Matilda Middleton got twins as grandchildren, she <b>was </b>so happy that she invited all her friends and families to arge party to celebrate with her.

    Matilda was also a living legend within the industry. Those who were invited always showed their respect and attended her parties as long as they had the time.

    When Emelie held Charles¡¯s arm as she entered, she suddenly remembered that the first time she heard about Matikia was because of William.

    ¡°She and her husband were childhood friends and they loved each other very deeply. Unfortunately, Fate is a very cruel mistress. Her husband passed away at a very young age <b>from </b>heart disease, leaving her behind with her children.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Her family came to bring her home but she refused. She took care of the children and raised the Navarros back to their former glory. It was all thanks to her that the Navarros managed to get to where they are today¡±

    There were very few times that Wim expressed sincere admiration. The time when he talked about Matilda, all she could hear in his tone was the respect he had for her That was why he might be at the party,

 Chapter 289

    Chapter 289 Hand¨CWritten Love Letter

    ¡°You keep looking around. What are you looking for?¡± Charles suddenly asked. He had noticed Emelle was distracted.

    Emelle retracted her attention <b>and </b><b>said</b>, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    Charles picked up a cocktail from the table and gave it to her. ¡°If you¡¯re looking for Mr. Middleton, he¡¯ll definitely be here tonight.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Swanson asked me to deliver his regards to Mrs. Matilda, so I¡¯m looking for her,¡± Emelle <b>said </b>calmly and then refused the cocktail. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±

    Charles sighed as it he was hurt. ¡°Why <b>are </b><b>you </b>refusing <b>a </b>drink from me? Am 1 so unsuited to be the right man for you? <b>Am </b><b>I </b><b>not </b>handsome enough? Is it because I haven¡¯t put in enough effort to court you?¡±

    ¡°While we¡¯re listing things we don¡¯t understand, allow me. Why are you suddenly so interested in me?¡±

    Charles replied, ¡°That¡¯s why you shouldn¡¯t have thrown away the flowers thought you. I personally wrote letters to you. If you read them, you¡¯d know why I like you.¡±

    Emelia paused for a moment and turned to look at him.

    Charles was quite <b>handsome</b>. He <b>had </b>almond¨Cshaped eyes, a tall nose, and an ever¨Cpresent smile. He sported a tall, and he looked quite dashing in a suit.

    Even then, he still gave her a bad impression.

    The type of impression belonging to someone who flinted around.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.

    A man like that would be very popr in entertainment establishments like discos and bars, He was handsome and rich, so if someone were to even share his bed for one night, let alone <b>a </b><b>ss</b>, they would consider themselves quite lucky.

    However, the were to try to flirt somewhere else, most, if not all women, would avoid himpletely.

    He looked like the sort of flirt that <b>toyed </b>with a woman¡®

    Emelie then said, ¡°There was no letter in the bouquet.¡±

    When she was disposing of the flowers, she had been worried that he had hidden something precious in the bouquet and he would ask her to pay him back if it was valuable. That was why before she threw them away, she gave them a good once¨Cover. That was why she was very sure that there was nothing in them.

    ¡°Maybe I forgot to put them inside,¡± Charles said with <b>a </b>smile. ¡°But I¡¯ll put it into the bouquet tomorrow, so remember to keep it.¡±

    Right there. It was like second nature to this man. Lying was so easy for him

    Emelie didn¡¯t respond. He probably had nothing to do, so out of boredom he was trying to spend his time with her. If she refused him too strongly, it might awaken his desire to conquer her that was somon in men e him who were used to having praise heaped on them He wouldn¡¯t let her go if that happened.

    If it got too <b>far</b>, she might have to turn to William.

    That was why she would rather just put him aside. Once he had been ignored a few times and realised how boring she could be, he <b>would </b>eventually stop.

    Emelie grabbed a cocktail herself and took a sip. From the corner of her eye<b>, </b>she saw William enter the banquet hall

    She really <b>wasn¡¯t </b>trying to notice him.

    The reason that she even saw hime in was because, <b>no </b>matter where he was, he would always be the most eye¨Ccatching man

    He was wearing a three¨Cpiece suit consisting of a jackost, vest, and shirt. The fabric was thick and of good quality material, but it didn¡¯t make him look bulky or old¨Cfashioned Instead, it aplished the feat of emphasizing his aloof temperament to the fullest,

    The moment he entered the banquet hall, heid his eyes on no one, If others did this, it would be seen as arrogance. But it was only natural for him to be of such pride thanks to

    his status.

    William hade, as expected.

    However, he was there with a partner. That was what surprised Elie

    It wasn¡¯t Daphne. It was Elena

    Charles opted to say at this moment, ¡°The reason I know that he was definiteling is because Elena told me that she would be attending with him.¡±

    Emelie then replied, ¡°<b>I </b>set.¡±

    She thought to herself that everyone who was anyone already gossiped and reported to the tabloids when he came to parties with Daphne. So, why did he not take Daphne this time but Elena <b>instead</b>?

    Charles managed to satisfy her curiosity at this time. ¡°Elena has epted Mr. Middleton¡¯s invitation and joined Clouder Corporation<b>. </b>She¡¯s currently in charge of a project in Cloudex Corporation<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    Emelie politely responded. ¡°She¡¯s a great woman.

    Charles looked at her with mixed emotions at how she was handling it so well. ¡°Weren¡¯t you <b>looking </b>for him? I¡¯ll take you over there so you can greet him.¡±

    Emelle didn¡¯t even respond but Charles <b>had </b>already walked her over, cupping her small waist without waiting for her permission. With a smile, he called out, ¡°Mr. Middleton.¡± Wim¡¯s eyes fell on Emelle. When he saw Charles¡® hand on her waist, he said in <b>a </b>cold tone, ¡°Mr. Davis.¡±

    Emelie had pulled her wits together. With a natural expression, she greeted him. ¡°Mr. Middleton¡±

    William Inked at her for three seconds without a change in his expression. He simply raised his eyebrow and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you working for Swanson Corporation now? Why <b>are </b>you will Mr. Davis?<b>You </b>found yourself another boss?¡±

    Chapter 290 Good Fortune Ahead

    Emelle exined without showing weakness, ¡°Mr. Swans was needed elsewhere urgently and appointed me to represent Swanson Corporation to congratte Mrs. Matilda for having beins in her family Mr. Davis and I just happened to take the same route¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯re still with Swanson Corporation.¡± William¡¯s attode was lukewarm at most. He had a <b>ss </b>of red wine in his hand and swirled it lightly, making the liquid in the ss crash like waves in the ss. Hisce was sold

    Tomelie¡¯s heart also thumped like the red wine, as it also being swirled in the cage of his hamil.

    This was the first came they had seen each other since the truth hade out

    How would William deal with the person who had openly tricked him?

    Emelie felt that she wouldn¡¯t be suprised if he were to use the simplest and most brutall way to publicly humiliate her. Likely by sshing <b>her </b>face with wi

    William did indeed extend his hand forward to her while holding the ss, but he didn¡¯t throw it at her. It only tilted slightly in her direction. ¡°Then I wish you good fortune ahrad at Swanson Corporation.¡±

    Emelie¡¯s eyes slightly glittered with hope

    Was he..congratting her?

    After a moment of <b>silence</b>, Emelle said, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Middleton¡±

    The two of them clinked their sses despite the thoughts that aged in their minds

    Emelie had only wanted to take <b>a </b>sip, but when she saw that william had downed it all at once, he had no choice but to finish it.

    <b>¡°</b>oh, honey. Don¡¯t drink too much on <b>an </b>empty stomach. It¡¯s not healthy.¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t expect Charles to suddenly say something. She was stunned for a moment <b>and </b>he grabbed her <b>wine </b>ss. There was still a mouthful left in the ss and be finished

    Emelie looked at him as if she had seen a ghost she almost blurted out, ¡°<b>Are </b><b>you </b><b>crazy</b>?¡±

    William <b>also </b>narrowed his eyes.

    Elena was shocked. ¡°My dear cousin, are you and Ms. Howen..

    Charles put the <b>ss </b>on a <b>tray </b>held by a passing walter and said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m sorry if you find that funny. I¡¯ve been trying <b>to </b>court Ms. Hoventely, so I need to show how

    Court? it was impossible to tell what William was feeling. ¡°Really?¡±

    Charles then asked as if they both had a mutual understanding of the situation, ¡°You don¡¯t mind, do you?*

    Emelie used to be William¡¯s partner. Now, he wanted to pursue ber<b>, </b>which was why he was being ¡°polite¡± by asking her ex¨Cpartner if he minded it

    William¡¯s was alot as he said, ¡°Eryone has the right to court someone else. As <b>long </b><b>as </b>Ms. Hoven is consenting, I don¡¯t see why should care¡±

    He was so understanding that he seemed <b>possessed</b><b>. </b>Despite being <b>near </b>him for so many years, even Emelle <b>couldn¡¯t </b>understand or see through the trick he was ying.

    Emelie quickly analyzed the situation in her mind. Should she immediately reject Charles <b>and </b>say that she had no interest in Charles? Or should she remain silent and let the sibustion remain ambiguous?

    But both options seemed to be bad

    For the former, she belinced that she didn¡¯t owe William an exnation for her personal life

    As for thetter, if she was being honest, she was still scared that she would piss William odl.

    His words still echoed in her mind, as if he was whispering them in her ears. He had repeated it many times, to beg her to return to <b>his </b><b>side </b><b>or </b>remain alone until the end.

    When it came to work, she was ready to die after deceiving him. Since her father <b>was </b>freed from prison and her mother had recovered from her sickness, she didn¡¯t have to worry about anything ehe. She was ready to face whatever consequences he had for her.

    But that didn¡¯t mean she was going to ask for more trouble. She would only make things and faster for herself if she were to mage him further after deching him once.

    Of course, <b>she </b>wasn¡¯t really going to choose either of the options he gave her. She epted that she might <b>remain </b>single forever. If <b>she </b>really did meet someone she liked, she would still have a rtionship with him.

    The issue was that she didn¡¯t ke Charles all that much.

    It was a bad idea to anger someone like William for someone she had no intention of being with

    As the four of them stood there and chatted, many of the guests burned to look at them<b>. </b>Two of the four most influential leaders within the country were <b>standing </b>together. It <b>was </b>enough for them to gossip about, as what they could be talking about was even worth guessing

    <b>Camda </b>hadice to find Bryan But after a walk around the banquet hall, she didn¡¯t see the man.

    Then, she heard two women¡¯s curious chatting. <b>¡°</b>Who¡¯s the woman next to Mr. Davis?

    ¡°thead she¡¯s from Swanson Corporation, representing thepany to congratte Mrs. Matilda,¡±

    Cam locked over <b>and </b>sow Emelie.

    ¡°She¡¯s quite poetry. I wonder what her role is at thepany¡±

    What mole? The boss¡® bedpanion, probably. Cam was so angry that <b>her </b>eyes

    shote

    Didn¡¯t Elle belong to William Why was she at Swanson Corporation? it had to be because william had grown bored of her and we her to Bryan. All those men were alike, then partners changed so frequently.

    She was willing to overlook it if it was someone else, but it was Emelle

 Chapter 290

    Chapter 290 Good Fortune Ahead

    Cam didn¡¯t forget how Emelie threatened her by alming an arrow at her when they were at the archery field at the Lakeside Vi.

    She gritted her teeth. After Patricia was gone, then came another in the form of Emellie. Patricia was from the Wade family, but Emelie couldn¡¯t havee from a rich family too could she? Or was she a gold digger?

    She <b>couldn¡¯t </b>bel

    <b>She </b>was just someone who needed a man to live!

    She didn¡¯t care if she had to depend on some other man, but if that man was Bryan<b>¡­ </b>Cam decided she had to settle the score and teach her a lesson!

    <b>Cam </b>called over a waiter and took him to a concealed <b>location</b>. She folded her arms in front of her chest and said, ¡°Do something for me and I¡¯ll pay <b>you</b>!¡±

    Chapter 291 The Two Demands

    When others looked at them, they would think that the four of them were just having a friendly chat. However, Emelie was bing very ne

    Luckily, Elena prompted William at this time. ¡°Mr. Middleton, Mrs. Matilda is down here. We should en say hello.¡±

    Willum gwe Emelie one final look and nodded. ¡°See you around.¡±

    <b>And </b>then, she walked over with Elena to speak with Matida

    <b>There </b>was silence

    Emelie felt that everything had be so surreal.

    It was the <b>first </b>time they¡¯d seen each other since she revealed her intentions. No act of vengeance would <b>scare </b>her. He wasn¡¯t even deliberately making things difficult for her or verbally ridiculing her.

    William excused himself and left. Could it be that he felt that it was getting pointless to force her to do anything and decided to let her go

    She was caughtpletely off guard when she realized she had survived an expected cmity Emelie¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t help but follow William¡¯s figure and wonder why he had suddenly changed.

    Charles saw how Emelie stared at William leaving.

    Wounded, he <b>said</b>, ¡°Your current partner is right here, but you keep staring at your ex. Consider how that can be a bit humiliating for me, could you?

    Emelle bamed around and said, ¡°I don¡¯t remember agreeing to be your girlfriend, Mr. Davis

    ¡°What I mean by ¡°partner¡± does not <b>have </b>to be <b>about </b>being romantically entangled. I¡¯m just trying to say that you used to appear in banquets <b>and </b>parties with Mr. Middleton, but now you¡¯re with me,¡± Charles sald with a frivolous smile.

    ¡°However, if that¡¯s how you understood it. Hm.. Tunderstand. You must be interested in me too, a

    wen¡¯t <b>you</b><b>?</b>

    Emelie was getting tired of him. ¡°If it really is that hun for you to argue with me, Mr. Davis, you should practice with someedians who would appreciate what you have to say more than I do¡±

    <b>charles </b>paused as if to think<b>.</b>

    Then, he looked down <b>as </b>it he was serious. He said sincereh, ¡°At first, I wanted to say that you¡¯ll find out just what a cunning linguist can be, but I say to the girls I¡¯m not serious with But you? I¡¯ll refrain because I¡¯m being sincere with you. I don¡¯t want to make you feel ufortable <b>or </b>offend you.¡±

    If Emelie was ten years younger, she might be stunned by his romantic words.

    But she was <b>older </b><b>and </b>could see through all the tricks he had up his sleeve. ¡°You didn¡¯t <b>want </b><b>to </b>say it, but you sad it anyway,

    Not only did she retort, she even made sense of his nonsense. She was really quite good at this.

    Charles <b>said </b>innocently, ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry. That¡¯s not what I meant. Please forgive me. This is the first time I¡¯ve courted a woman I like and I¡¯m rather inexperienced, so I apologize if <b>you </b>find me to be a bit reckless and awkward.¡±

    There was <b>a </b>moment of <b>silence</b>.

    Out of anger, Emelie had tough out or she would hit something

    While William was listening to Matilda, he looked to the side disinterestedly.

    He <b>saw </b>Eneli <b>turn </b><b>around </b>and leave after looking at Charles with disbelief.

    Charles did not look like he was about to give up and continued to tease her with his <b>head </b>best low. They really did look like a couple in a fight

    William¡¯s expression became even. colder. His thumb and index fingerbrushed together behind his back as thoughts crossed his mind.

    ¡°Did you hear <b>what </b>I <b>said</b>, William?¡± Matilda <b>said</b>, unhappy that he was bing distracted

    ¡°I did. You were telling me to find someone and get engaged. Once I <b>do</b>, l¡¯Ebe much moreposed, especially with a family <b>and </b>child to care for,¡± William said calmly,¡± Those who don¡¯t know anything about me would think that I¡¯m very rebellious. Did my father ask you to tell me that?i

    Matilda didn¡¯t deny it. She then looked at <b>Elena </b>who was standing next to her, but she didn¡¯t intend to ask her of her identity. She simply said, ¡°You know how anxious your dad is. He doesn¡¯t demand much of the kind of person you¡¯re looking for.¡±

    <b>William </b>remembered something. Contempt brewed in has eyes as be snorted. ¡°He isn¡¯t asking for much<b>, </b>correct¡±

    There were only no demands<b>, </b>really.

    Firstly, his partner had to be a woman

    Secondly, she had to be able to give birth

    Matilda parted his hand and said, ¡°The twins are upstairs. Go see them. You¡¯ll grow fond of children after you look at them. Perhaps, you¡¯ll understand your father¡¯s feelings when <b>you </b><b>do</b>.<b>¡±</b>

    Emelie didn¡¯t want to be anywhere near Charles anymore. He was so much more of a clown than she had expected. <b>She </b>looked at Matilda and noticed that William was almost done with her she moved to go over and greet MatildaR¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    Charles wasn¡¯t in as much of <b>a </b>rush. He looked at Emelie and switched gears. ¡°This color looks great on you¡±

    Emelie subconsciously looked down and looked at the dress she was wearing

    She was wearing along, white dress. It was in and had no embroidery as it hugged her neck and revealed her skinny shoulders. She looked modest yet elegant.

    Wearing an outfit like that to a banquet like this could never go wrung.

    Emelie half¨Cheartedly said, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Davis¡°.

    charles revealed a wide grin, ¡°But you would look so much better in a traditional dress.¡±

 Chapter 291

    Wounded, he <b>said</b>, ¡°Your current partner is right here, but you keep staring at your ex. Consider how that can be a bit humiliating for me, could you?

    Emelle bamed around and said, ¡°I don¡¯t remember agreeing to be your girlfriend, Mr. Davis

    ¡°What I mean by ¡°partner¡± does not <b>have </b>to be <b>about </b>being romantically entangled. I¡¯m just trying to say that you used to appear in banquets <b>and </b>parties with Mr. Middleton, but now you¡¯re with me,¡± Charles sald with a frivolous smile.

    ¡°However, if that¡¯s how you understood it. Hm.. Tunderstand. You must be interested in me too, a

    wen¡¯t <b>you</b><b>?</b>

    Emelie was getting tired of him. ¡°If it really is that hun for you to argue with me, Mr. Davis, you should practice with someedians who would appreciate what you have to say more than I do¡±

    <b>charles </b>paused as if to think<b>.</b>

    Then, he looked down <b>as </b>it he was serious. He said sincereh, ¡°At first, I wanted to say that you¡¯ll find out just what a cunning linguist can be, but I say to the girls I¡¯m not serious with But you? I¡¯ll refrain because I¡¯m being sincere with you. I don¡¯t want to make you feel ufortable <b>or </b>offend you.¡±

    If Emelie was ten years younger, she might be stunned by his romantic words.

    But she was <b>older </b><b>and </b>could see through all the tricks he had up his sleeve. ¡°You didn¡¯t <b>want </b><b>to </b>say it, but you sad it anyway,

    Not only did she retort, she even made sense of his nonsense. She was really quite good at this.

    Charles <b>said </b>innocently, ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry. That¡¯s not what I meant. Please forgive me. This is the first time I¡¯ve courted a woman I like and I¡¯m rather inexperienced, so I apologize if <b>you </b>find me to be a bit reckless and awkward.¡±

    There was <b>a </b>moment of <b>silence</b>.

    Out of anger, Emelie had tough out or she would hit something

    While William was listening to Matilda, he looked to the side disinterestedly.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    He <b>saw </b>Eneli <b>turn </b><b>around </b>and leave after looking at Charles with disbelief.

    Charles did not look like he was about to give up and continued to tease her with his <b>head </b>best low. They really did look like a couple in a fight

    William¡¯s expression became even. colder. His thumb and index fingerbrushed together behind his back as thoughts crossed his mind.

    ¡°Did you hear <b>what </b>I <b>said</b>, William?¡± Matilda <b>said</b>, unhappy that he was bing distracted

    ¡°I did. You were telling me to find someone and get engaged. Once I <b>do</b>, l¡¯Ebe much moreposed, especially with a family <b>and </b>child to care for,¡± William said calmly,¡± Those who don¡¯t know anything about me would think that I¡¯m very rebellious. Did my father ask you to tell me that?i

    Matilda didn¡¯t deny it. She then looked at <b>Elena </b>who was standing next to her, but she didn¡¯t intend to ask her of her identity. She simply said, ¡°You know how anxious your dad is. He doesn¡¯t demand much of the kind of person you¡¯re looking for.¡±

    <b>William </b>remembered something. Contempt brewed in has eyes as be snorted. ¡°He isn¡¯t asking for much<b>, </b>correct¡±

    There were only no demands<b>, </b>really.

    Firstly, his partner had to be a woman

    Secondly, she had to be able to give birth

    Matilda parted his hand and said, ¡°The twins are upstairs. Go see them. You¡¯ll grow fond of children after you look at them. Perhaps, you¡¯ll understand your father¡¯s feelings when <b>you </b><b>do</b>.<b>¡±</b>

    Emelie didn¡¯t want to be anywhere near Charles anymore. He was so much more of a clown than she had expected. <b>She </b>looked at Matilda and noticed that William was almost done with her she moved to go over and greet Matilda

    Charles wasn¡¯t in as much of <b>a </b>rush. He looked at Emelie and switched gears. ¡°This color looks great on you¡±

    Emelie subconsciously looked down and looked at the dress she was wearing

    She was wearing along, white dress. It was in and had no embroidery as it hugged her neck and revealed her skinny shoulders. She looked modest yet elegant.

    Wearing an outfit like that to a banquet like this could never go wrung.

    Emelie half¨Cheartedly said, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Davis¡°.

    charles revealed a wide grin, ¡°But you would look so much better in a traditional dress.¡±

 Chapter 292

    Chapter 292 Who Else Saw You

    Charles remembered when Emelie had wom that stylish soft¨Cgreen gown on the cruise.

    Her hair was tied back with a hairpin <b>as </b>she walked up the stairs. The way she walked and swayed was like that <b>of </b>a willow tree swaying its branches by the rivers of Eastania calm Spring

    He suddenly realized that his Interest in her had grown from then onward.

    Emelie said, ¡°If you want to make a booking, you¡¯re talking to the wrong person

    in the

    Charles cared little and said, ¡°I know <b>a </b>callor who¡¯s very good at making such gowns. I¡¯ll go and book a gown of this color for you. <b>What </b>anProperty ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.

    are your measurements? Or maybe, I can personally take you to see the tailor. It would be better if he could take your measurements directly.¡±

    Emelie was silent again.

    Emelle realized that Charles was very good at one thing. He was very good at listening to only what he wanted to hear.

    She had met tyrannical men like William and chhatrous men like Samuel But she <b>felt </b>like she <b>had </b>seen them all now that she had someone as roguish as Charles.

    Emelie was at her limit and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Davis. I¡¯m going to the washroom.¡±

    And then<b>, </b><b>he </b>quickly left him.

    After a stretch, Emelie turned around and saw Charles <b>talking </b>to someone else. She speechlessly shook her head.

    She turned around and suddenly, a waiter <b>holding </b>a tray brushed by her.

    Emelie was shocked and immediately took a few steps back. There were a few sses of wine on the tray. If she walked into him, all of them would have spilt all over her without a doubt. A thought crossed her mind¡­ Was intentional?

    She raised her head and looked at the waiter. Before she could even ask what he was doing, someone suddenly pulled thece around her neck

    The <b>gown </b>that Emelie was wearing was tied at her neck, and it was supported by thatce alone. The moment that it went loose, she could immediately feel the gown falling apart. Luckily, Emelle reacted quickly and caught the fabric around her chest, stopping herself frompletely exposing herself. She immediately turned around.

    She saw Cam standing right behind her.

    Cam Immediately let <b>out </b>an exaggerated scream. ¡°How could anyone expose themselves in a ce like this? This isn¡¯t the way to be popr, is it?¡±

    Her screams Immediately attracted everyone¡¯s attention their way. Emelle did not expect that she would do something like <b>that</b>!

    William frowned and immediately walked over. He pulled his hand away from Elena

    However, Samuel was moch faster than he was. He immediately removed his jacket and put it around her.

    Emelie grabbed the fabric that <b>was </b>covering her chest and immediately grabbed a ss of wine from the waiter¡¯s tray. She threw it at Cam¡¯s face with a vibrant ssh of red. Cam shrieked. ¡°Have you gone mad, mel

    ¡°You wanted to make a fool out of me in public. I¡¯m simply repaying you in kind and making a fool out of you instead,¡± Emelie said coldly.

    ¡°Ridiculous! It¡¯s obvious that you were trying to expose murself! Why are you using me?¡±

    Emelie was enraged. ¡°Do you think people here are blind?¡±

    Cam immediately yelled, ¡°Who else could have seen

    Samuel immediately put Emelie behind him. ¡°I saw <b>it</b><b>.</b>

    ¡°I saw it too,¡± Charles quickly walked over. With a snap of his fingers, several waiters Iramediately lifted the screens that were used as decoration in the banquet hall and formed a wall around Emelie, protecting her from everyone¡¯s gaze.

    Emelie quickly secured thece back around her neck. She could feel nothing but anger inside of her.

    She had seen plenty of women get into fights out of jealousy. She had also seen many cases of them falsely using each other.

    She did not think herself Cami¡¯s enemy, but she had just wanted to undress her in public!

    Cam¡¯s force of will had weakened but she still refused to admit that it was her fault. A pampered princess like her who had been spoiled by her family believed that they could <b>get </b>away with anything, without considering the consequences.

    ¡°Of course all of you are helping Emelie. Everybody knows she¡¯s friends with Samuel and she was just at Wimstour City with him not long ago. Now, she¡¯s here with Mr. Davis, so of course he has a good rtionship with her. It would be strange if none of you came to her defense and spoke up for her.¡±

    Her underlying message was clear <b>that </b>Samuel and Charles¡® ounts weren¡¯t dependable and Emelie had a tamished reputation. For her to have such ambiguous rtionships with so many men made her an improper woman,

    Emelie walked out of the screens and looked at Cam. She suppressed her ire the best she could. She opened her mouth to say something

    But, before she could Ispeak<b>, </b>a voice reached them all first,

 Chapter 293

    Chapter 293 Boundary Defined

    Emelle suddenly turned and looked

    William coldly said, ¡°I¡¯m not here with Emelle, and my rtionship with her is quite normal. You won¡¯t think that I¡¯m speaking for her, will you?¡±

    ¡°1..¡± Cam wanted to say that there was nothing normal about their rtionship. She <b>had </b>be his woman not that long ago!

    While <b>she </b>was bold enough to talk back to Charles, she didn¡¯t dare to do <b>it </b>to William.

    It was not because William was much more influential than Charles, it was because Charles was much more

    re easygoing. She also knew that he wouldn¡¯t get angry easily.

    <b>But </b>William was different.

    His presence¡­ Just him standing there was enough to scare her.

    ¡°You. All of you are bullying me!¡± Cam started to cry instead.

    Emelie sneered ¡°Stop ying the victim. You¡¯re the one harassing <b>Mrs. </b>Matilda!¡±

    Cam looked at her with wide eyes. ¡°What are you saying?1 did not!¡±

    Emelie walked over to her and said, ¡°We¡¯re here today to celebrate her grandchildren. She invited you toe here for a feast and to share her joy with you just how much do you hate her for doing this <b>on </b>such a happy day? If this isn¡¯t harassment, what is?¡±

    Charles looked at them with mixed emotions. Emelie was much better at arguing than <b>he </b>was. In just a few sentences, she <b>had </b>managed to gain the upper hand.

    Cami had only wanted to embarrass Emelie <b>against </b>her, ¡°You. ¡±

    I didn¡¯t think too much about what she was doing or where she was. But her face became pale after such an usation was made

    ¡°I¡¯m sure Ms. Jackson didn¡¯t do it intentionally,¡± Matilda¡¯s voice cut through the air and all the guests made way for her.

    She was older than sixty, but the spirited old woman walked to the center and said inly, ¡°She¡¯s simply had too much to drink. Someone,e over here and send the girl home.

    She wasn¡¯t just sending her home. She was getting rid of her!

    Cam wasn¡¯t the only one being disgraced. Her own reputation, her parents¡® reputation, and the Jackson family¡¯s reputation had been ruined.

    Cam¡¯s face quickly lost color. She had finally found out how it felt to have her own scheme backfireon <b>her</b>. Why did she even decide to intimidate Emelie?

    A servant came up to her and said, ¡°Ms. Jackson, this way.¡±

    Emelle walked over to Matilda and sincerely said, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Mrs. Matilda We almost ruined such a joyous asion. I¡¯m Bryan¡¯s secretary and am here to represent the Swanson Corporation. Something urgent came up and Bryan couldn¡¯t make it today. Allow me to offer you our most sincere apologies on his behalf.¡±

    ¡°Someone else wanted to do you harm. You¡¯re the victim What¡¯s there to apologize for?¡± Matilda was a very observant woman and understood everything with a look. ¡°I should be the one thanking you for providing us all with such a good show. Get me some wine.¡±

    The waiter immediately walked over with a tray and Matilda picked up two sses of wine. She gave Emelie one and they clinked their sses.

    Emelie couldn¡¯t help but smile. It was all thanks to how decisive and magnanimous Matilda was that she was able to stop the Navarro family from falling and build it up to what it

    Matilda turned around <b>and </b>looked at William ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were joining me upstairs to see the twins?

    Emelie and William¡¯s eyes met and they both locked away. It was as if they had really draen a clear boundary between them, that they wouldn¡¯t interfere in each other¡¯s lives

    anymore.

    William nodded and followed Matilda upstairs without so much as a wandering nce.

    Emelie couldn¡¯t tell what she was feeling and simply said to Samuel, ¡°Thank <b>you</b>, Mr. SwansoIL¡±

    Charles refused to remain forgotten and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t I help you too? Why didn¡¯t you thank me? Don¡¯t make your ses so obvious, Ms. Hoven.¡±

    on the rais.

    but it was all take.

    The moment she saw him, tree could feel the tension rising again. She was right, it seemed like he was ready to draw the boundary between them tonight, but it was Now, he was onto her again.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.

    And the moment he was on to her, she suspected that he

    ¡°You¡¯re representing the Swanson Corporation, I¡¯m representing the Swanson family.¡± Samuel also noticed that a lot of the guests¡® eyes were stillid on Emelie and it was making her ufortable. He then said, ¡°Let¡¯s chat outside¡±

    Emelle nodded and they left the banquet hall

    Charles was left alone.

    He stared at Samuel and narrowed his eyes.

    He got it now. Ils rived wasn¡¯t William. It was him!

 Chapter 294

    Chapter 294 Samuel¡¯s Confession

    The Navarros organized the celebration in their own home. The entirety of their mansion, inside and outside, was lit up brightly and decorated vividly

    Emelie and Samuel walked out of the banquet hall and reached the garden. Samuel found the wind to be too strong and noticed that Emelie was wearing only <b>a </b>sleeveless gown. He was worried that she would catch a cold.

    So, he said, ¡°You¡¯ve already <b>made </b>an appearance to Mrs. Matilda. We can leave first Let me send you home.¡±

    Emelie shook her head ¡°Give it some more time. The banquet isn¡¯t even half done.¡±

    No one might notice it if she left now, <b>but </b>she was used to being considerate and respectful in all aspects. She wouldn¡¯t do anything that would open her to criticism.

    Samuel then wrapped the jacket he put around her even tighter. He walked over to where the wind was blowing from to block them

    He lowered his head to look at her face and asked, ¡°<b>You </b>look very tired. Is it because you have no time to rest because <b>of </b>how busy you are with work?¡±

    ¡°I just joined thepany. I¡¯m still getting familiar with the work so I¡¯m busier <b>than </b>usual. But it¡¯s going to get easier as I get used to it,¡± Emelie said withoutining. She could still ept this level of work

    Samuel then said, ¡°You need to watch your health, too. I¡¯ll check with Nehemiah and see if there are any herbal concoctions he knows of. If you don¡¯t have time to make them, 1 can do it for you. I¡¯ll be <b>staying </b>home during the winter holidays anyway and I¡¯m free, I can deliver it to you once I¡¯m done ¡°

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it would be right for me to bother you like that

    ¡°I¡¯m willing to do it for you¡±

    Emelie smiled. ¡°You¡¯re a <b>kind </b>man, Mr. Swanson. But if I ept it with ease, then I¡¯ll be the one crossing the line.¡±

    What kind of rtionship would they be in if she let Samuel do that for her?

    <b>Samuel </b>could only stare at her after she said that.

    He was trying to tell her something using the silence.

    Emelie bit her lips.

    They continued to keep in touch online after they returned from Wimstour City. But tonight was the first time they had seen each other in person in a long time.

    Samuel asked her out for dinner <b>a </b>few times and <b>she </b>kept saying that <b>she </b>was busy. While she was indeed busy, she wasn¡¯t so busy that she didn¡¯t even have time to <b>have </b>a meal with him

    If she were to be frank, she was avoiding him.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.

    The reason she was avoiding him wasn¡¯t because she was hiding her other self from him. She was telling the truth when she refuted William in the car that day. She didn¡¯t care about what set Samuel apart because he would never hurt her,

    The reason that Emelie couldn¡¯t face Samuel was because she knew that Samuel was interested in her, but he continued to see her unable topletely sever her ties with William.

    If it wasn¡¯t because of the birth control pills, it was the call after they didir. She didn¡¯t know how she could continue her muddled rtionship with him in such conditions.

    But as expected of a university professor, Samuel had both high and EQ He didn¡¯t even need to hear what Emelie had to say to know what she was worried about.

    He lowered his head and looked at Emelie Between being in direct and being track, bechose thetter.

    ¡°Don¡¯t hide from me, Emelle. I know you I¡¯m ready to bear the responsibility together with you, be the issue you or your family. I¡¯m not a young man and I know very well what I want. I¡¯m here tonight because I knew you were going to be here at the banquet.

    <b>¡°</b><b>Since </b>I¡¯m here for you, then I have no reservations about whatever it is that you¡¯re concerned about. That¡¯s why you don¡¯t have to worry about it for my sake¡±

    She thought that he would be concerned about her and William. But now, he stood in front of her and told her that he didn¡¯t mind.

    It would be a lie to say that Emelie felt nothing from that sincere and emotional confession

    Samuel was a very good man. He had apanied her when her dad was locked up behind bars, when her mother fell sick, and during the days she was cklisted and couldn¡¯t find a job.

    She <b>was </b>really thankful for him and was in awe that a good man like him still existed.

    He was like a pearl that shone in spite of the depths of the dark ocean.

    What he said tonight was the same as confessing. All Emelie needed to do was to <b>nod </b>and they could be together.

    Will stood by the windows on the second floor and looked at the pair of wild ¡°lovebirds¡± below with cold eyes. He could hear everything they were saying

    He wanted to know loo

    What would broefoe¡¯s auswer be to hun?

 Chapter 295

    95 Never Has You Again.

    However<b>, </b>at the very end, neither Wim nor Samuel heard Emelle¡¯s answer.

    was because, at this time, Samuel berangR¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    It was Mel¡¯scaling

    ¡°Samuel?¡± Samuel where we you<b>? </b>I¡¯m in trouble! Come save me!¡±

    Same frowned ¡°Calm down, Mnie What happened

    It was obvious that Mnie was in some sort of state as she mumbled,¡± was driving. And then I nced down at my phone. When I looked up, I saw someone trying lecrosi

    the score with her too.

    Willum said calmly, ¡°Aren¡¯t you here representing the Son Corporation to congratte the Norwinching one <b>month</b><b>? </b><b>The </b>kids are up here. Don¡¯t you want to

    Naturally speaking, she should go up <b>and </b>meet

    But with Wiliam up there, Enelle didn¡¯t want to go at all and puttely said, ¡°I¡¯ll go upter¡±

    ¡°Whyter? Can¡¯t youe up now tham¡¯s hand gripped the rail as he looked <b>down </b>at her. He could also see right through her. ¡°You¡¯re <b>scared </b>of me??

    melle replied<b>, </b>feeling her mouth <b>begin </b>to dry ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you understand ourmon tongue.

    Emelie won¡¯t sure how to it.

    Was that his attempt at <b>a </b>joke!

    William smird ¡°Enough. Didn¡¯t already wish you good for Corporation? I¡¯m done harassing you. Don¡¯t be afraid of me

    Emerely couldn¡¯t understand William¡¯s log. Could he have really been possessed?

    Wam frowned. ¡°Are you really not going toe up here?¡°¡±

    <b>In </b>the end, Emelle went up wasn¡¯t because <b>she </b>was provoked to do so, nor was it because she trusted his worthless promise.

    was because she was thinking that she <b>was </b><b>at </b>the Navarro home. Not only would the nanntes be there, but the maids and the bodyguards would be wound to as witnesses. William was still standing by the window. Compared to <b>inside </b>the room, it was darker out there and his expression was hidden in the shadows

    She couldn¡¯t really se his expression.

    All she could he was his locking on to her

    nelle <b>didn¡¯t </b>look and as she looked at the two babies on the small bed. They were both h old and very small and tender.

    She didn¡¯t know when William had approached her from behind. When <b>she </b>saw how gentle she was with the bables, he asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t they cute?¡±

    Em didn¡¯t even beslute ¡°Of course they are

    Willem had

    hands in his pockets. is toe was almost and when he <b>said</b>, ¡°We <b>could </b>have had such cute children to

 Chapter 296

    Chouter 296 Then Child

    Chapter 296 Their Child

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Emelie asked as she turned around, as if she didn¡¯t hear him clearly.

    The room was warm enough so William had removed his jacket and draped it over his arm. He was only wearing his white shirt and dark¨Cgray woolen vest.

    He was also wearing sleeve garters which emphasized the curves of his muscles, showing that he could both be refined and have an attitude at the same time.

    William knew that she didn¡¯t want to continue the conversation. How distracted did she have to be to not hear what he said when he was <b>so </b><b>close </b>and said it so clearly? He let out a sort, muted chuckle and said, ¡°Nothing¡±

    Emelie continued to look at the <b>twins</b>.

    It was true. She did not want to continue the conversation

    However, she didn¡¯t know why William had suddenly said something like that

    That child of theirs. He wouldn¡¯t let her have it even if she didn¡¯t have a miscarriage. He had <b>already </b>given her the answer when she had mistakenly identified her menstrual cramps as a miscarriage.

    She also didn¡¯t want in discuss children with him. It would be very strange and ultimately meaningless.

    The <b>twins </b><b>had </b>been sound asleep, but when Emelie bent over to <b>get </b>a closer look at them, one of the twins <b>suddenly </b>started to <b>cry</b>. Emelie was stunned and the other twin started to cry too.

    Emelie was quite shocked, thinking that she <b>had </b>woken them up.

    William held her hand and pulled her away from the beds.

    The nanny quickly came over and picked up the children. ¡°Oh, why are you crying?¡±

    Emelie was just about to answer when William squeezed her wrist. Emelle looked at him, confused. His expression was calm and the nanny also found out why

    ¡°Oh, because you pooped. The little ones are like that. When one <b>cries</b>, the other cries too. My apologies, but I need to clean them up.¡±

    Emelie nodded. ¡°Sure. Go on, now.¡±

    The nanny and a maid took one of them each into the bathroom

    Emelie sighed in relief. She thought she had identally hurt the children.

    William also said, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. Why did you try to admit to making a mistake so quickly?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to admit anything. I just wanted to tell the nanny what happened before they started crying so that they could find out why.¡±

    ¡°To me, you looked like you were trying to argue your way out,¡± William said. ¡°It¡¯s best to distance yourself. You <b>can </b>exin what happened when they ask you¡±

    If it was something else, of course, Emelie would have distanced herself. But when it came to kids<b>, </b>she was soft¨Chearted. She <b>was </b>worried that any dy would cause some kind of

    Consequences.

    She <b>gave </b>William a look. The man could never be a <b>father</b>. He <b>was </b>still analytical and logical, even when children were loudly crying

    Emelie then politely asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you take Ms. Allen to see the twins?¡±

    William looked at her and said, ¡°You¡¯re not with Charles either.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go down and look for Mr. Davis now,¡± Emelie <b>said </b><b>as </b>she turned around to leave.

    William realized <b>that </b>she was using his words as an excuse to leave andughed bitterly.

    She was making advances toward Charles downstairs while wearing Samuel¡¯s jacket. What an eyesore.

    When Liebe walked past him, he suddenly extended his hand and took the jacket from her.

    Emelie felt the chill and instinctively hamned around to grab it. ¡°Give it back!¡±

    William used this chance to grab her waist and pull her in, as if she had ¡°thrown herself into his arras¡°. He raised his eyebrow as he looked at her. ¡°Yes?¡±

    At the same time, he pulled back his arms so that her body would be even closer to hisContent is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie quickly ced her hands <b>against </b>his chest so that they wouldn¡¯t get any closer. The scent of fresh snow on the man once again entered her nostrils

    She pouted and raised her head. ¡°You wished me good fortune and said that you wouldn¡¯t harass me. What is this?¡±

    William replied naturally. ¡°You fell and 1 caught you. That¡¯s all¡±

    What an obvious lie! Enele held her breath and said, ¡°I can stand now, so you can let go of me.¡±

    Williams¡¯s eyes were fixed on her face as the hand holding her waist started to gently caress the thin fabric of her gown.

 Chapter 297

    Chapter 297 Three Times

    His pale was very warm and rule couldn¡¯t ignore his touch. Her body tightened. She was just about to say something when william let go of her and even politely took a step

    <b>back</b>

    So polite, just like when caught her from falling like a tree ¡°gentleman¡°.

    Emelie quickly fixed her gown and nced at him strangely. She then extended <b>her </b>hand, ¡°Give it back¡±

    William then gave the jacket that he had on his arm

    Emelie pulled her <b>hand </b>back. ¡°I want Mr. Swanson¡¯s jacket!

    William narrowed his eyes and be had <b>no </b>choice but to exin, That¡¯s Mr. Swanson¡¯s jacket. I need to give it back to him.¡±

    Willem¡¯s expression looked like he wanted to dump the jacket directly into the bin instead.

    But shetaew seconds, he gave the jacket back to her.

    Emelie quickly grabbed it, surprised that he was willing to listen for once.

    ¡°He wears pertame. You don¡¯t mind him being sodylike.¡±

    Samuel¡¯s jacket had a very faint cinnamon scent. It was warm and tender, However, it wasn¡¯t a very prominent scent on Samuel, and it wasn¡¯t as bad as he put it

    Emelie retorted in a low tone, ¡°That¡¯s just good manners.¡±

    hat because Will wasn¡¯t using it didn¡¯t mean it was normal. Attacking someone for wearing perfume without any reason. It was quite r

    However, he had let her off for a total of three times tonight was something that Emele didn¡¯t expect.

    In the past, it would have been improbable

    Emelie didn¡¯t put on the jacket again. She <b>simply </b>folded it property and put it on her arm. What she did made William took much better. ¡°The jacket that you lent Patriciast time. She asked me <b>to </b>get back to you ¡±

    Emelle nodded. ¡°You can send <b>a </b>runner and <b>have </b>it delivered to me.¡±

    ¡°SureSend me your current address,¡± William said. However, Emelie paused. She didn¡¯t want <b>him </b>to know where she was staying in Weston.

    She then said. ¡°Just write Swanson Corporation

    ¡°Worried I¡¯m trying to find out where you¡¯re staying? You¡¯re wary of me? <b>William </b>smiled faintly. ¡°It I really wanted to find out where you <b>live</b><b>, </b>do you think I¡¯d ask <b>you</b>?¡±

    <b>A </b><b>simple </b>investigation would reveal all he needed to know.

    Emelie lowered her <b>eyes </b>and said, ¡°You¡¯re overthinking things. That¡¯s not what I meant.¡±

    It was very rare for William to be so persistent ¡°If that¡¯s the <b>case</b>, let me send you home. We can leave this ce at any time.¡±

    Emelie could not help refusing him again. ¡°You¡¯re here with Ms. Allen, so you <b>should </b>send her home.¡±

    ¡°Ms. Allen can leave with your Mr. Davis,¡± Wil marched outward. ¡°Your jacket is in the car. Ik you¡¯d be here today so 1 brought it with me. Come downstairs and get it fromR¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    He was already at the door. ¡°Hurry, Ms. Hoven.¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t want to follow him, but she <b>was </b>scared that he would get angry if <b>she </b><b>said </b>no. All she could do was take her sweet time to descend the stars and look <b>around </b>for Charles.

    She had grown tired of the rogue earlier, but if he was here, she could then free herself from William

    However, she could <b>find </b>the man that was impossible to shake off earlier. Even Elena wasn¡¯t around.

    Emelle was forced to the parking lot. She purposefully made some distance between herself and the door of William¡¯s car. She politely said. ¡°You can give me the jacket over here

    William opened the door. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a ride. ¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. I shouldn¡¯t make you worry about me like this.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not making me worry.¡±

    ¡°<b>I </b>need to report back to my boss on the way, too. I don¡¯t want to disturb you!!

    Her every sentence <b>was </b><b>a </b>refusal

    William gave her a look and said, <b>¡°</b><b>You¡¯re </b>scared of me?!

    Emelle continued to be polite. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anyone who isn¡¯t scared of you¡±

    William chuckled. ¡°Speak inly.¡±

    Emelie paused and looked at him. ¡°You want to hear the truth?¡±

    William put his hands in his <b>pockets</b>, his eyes cold. ¡°I <b>said </b>what I said.¡±

    Tam scared<b>.¡±</b>

    Emelle let out a sigh and said truthfully. ¡°I¡¯m scared that you want to have your revenge on me, despite knowing that I¡¯ll be the one who needs to pay the price after doing that.¡± William gored at her as the darkness <b>in </b>his eyes deepened. Her slender figure stood silhouetted in the frigid winds. ¡°If you¡¯re scared and knew there was a price, why did you still

    <b>¡°</b>Because if 1 were topare both, I would rather bear all the consequences than stay with you,¡± Emelle said with a fowl.

    ¡°Mr. Swanson said that I looked tired and thought that it was <b>because </b>of my busy schedule. But most of it was because was scared that <b>you¡¯d </be looking for me.¡±

    william saw and noticed how open she was being. He didn¡¯t interrupt her or cut her off. He simply listened.

 Chapter 298

    Chapter 298 My Cousin is Not a Dad Man

    ¡°It¡¯s over between us, Mr. Middleton. I understand that you couldn¡¯t bear me leaving so suddenly. But that was so long ago. You should ept this. There¡¯s really no need to bother with me, <b>a </b>slut when you got tired of sleeping with.¡±

    He was the one who said it first Both about her being a slut and him tiring of sleeping with her.

    William took a step toward her.

    They <b>were </b>in the parking lot and it wasn¡¯t that brightly. She couldn¡¯t read his face. ¡°Speak. Don¡¯t stop. What else? What else did I say about you?Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    <b>Emelie </b>gave it a thought. There was too much. ¡°That I¡¯m beneath you, unworthy of you<b>, </b>uncultured,cking seriousness.¡±

    Even though she was just repeating his assessment of her, she could feel her heart tightening to the point that it hurt.

    No woman could be humiliated like that and still remain unmoved.

    ¡°Mr. Middleton, you can <b>have </b>many ways to kill boredom, you can have any woman you like with the snap of your fingers. But I¡¯m already giving it my all just so that I can help my family survive. It¡¯s true, <b>I </b>can¡¯t afford to risk anything.¡±

    Emelia¡¯s head hung low. She did not look at William¡¯s expression, or did she want William to see her face.

    It was as if time between them hadpletely stopped. All that moved was the wind

    the end, William said nothing and dumped the jacket into a bag for her. Then, he left in his car.

    Emelie watched thecar lights disappear into <b>the </b>darkness, then raised her hand <b>and </b>wiped her eyes.

    when she tek the moisture on her hand and saw the wetness on her finger, she forced a smile andughed at <b>herself</b>,

    She made herself cry¡­

    The reason that she yed the victim wasn¡¯t because she wanted william¡¯s pity. She <b>simply </b>wanted to awaken what was remaining of his conscience to let her go.

    <b>She </b>already did it once at Lakeside Vi. She realized then that even someone as cold¨Chearted as William could be affected by such trickery.

    No wonder Daphne could be so victorious everytime.

    Daphne was indeed quite <b>¡°</b>pitiful¡°.

    Things were pelling hard for her. She needed to leam from the person she detested the most just to survive.

    Emelie had no emotion on her face as she called for a cab. When the car came, she shot a text to Patrice saying that she had already received the jacket,

    Patrice immediately asked her, ¡°He returned to you so soon?¡±

    ¡°The Navarro <b>family </b>in Weston was celebrating their twins¡® first month. We met at the banquet incidentally and he returned it to <b>me</b>.¡±

    Patrice sent her an ¡°X¡± emoticon before replying, ¡°There was nothing incidental there. He definitely sought you out. I was the one who told <b>him </b>to <b>do </b>that. He should be treating you better after this.¡±

    So, Patrice said something to Wim and be listened. No wonder he was acting so strangely toward her.

    Whatever. He could do whatever he wanted. As long as she could continue to find a way to survive and make her fate easier. It didn¡¯t matter if he had to listen to Patrice or fall for her act. Either one would <b>do</b><b>.</b>

    <b>Patrice </b>gave <b>it </b><b>a </b>thought and <b>wanted </b>to advise both <b>sides</b>, <b>so </b><b>she </b>sent Emelie another message. ¡°My cousin isn¡¯t really that bad. That¡¯s just how he is and that has something to do with his parents. You know too, right? That they¡¯re divorced? The reason is because Vanessa cheated with my uncle.¡±

    Emelie then replied, ¡°I already exined it to him. All I want from him is for him to leave me alone. If you want to help me, please tell him to never show his face around me ever

    Patrice had wanted to tell her more about what happened between Henry, Whitney, <b>and </b>Vanessa But when she saw the message, she pressed the backspace button and deleted all

    the words

    She could feel it. Emelle really, really disliked her cousin. It would be impolite of her to try and force them together,

    Emelie <b>put </b>on her own jacket and put Samuel¡¯s jacket back into the bag,

    The cab had arrived. She got in and headed to the hotel

    She didn¡¯t rent a ce in Weston

    That was because it was less than <b>a </b>month from the new year, <b>so </b>it wouldn¡¯t be worth renting a ce. She discussed with the hotel for a quote for her to stay long¨Cterm and the price they offered included a daily breakfast buffet. It <b>was </b>well worth the money so she stayed with the hotel temporarily.

    The next day, Emelie went back to work as normal

    <b>A </b>personal assistant went over to her desk and put down a brown paper bag. ¡°Ms. Hoven, I met with a runner downstairs just now. The receptionist said that this is yours, so brought it up here since <b>I¡¯m </b>on my way.¡±

    ¡°Thanks<b>,</b>¡± Felesaid with a smile.

    The personal assistant returned to his desk after saying, ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±

    Emelie looked at the package, but the sender¡¯s detalls were left empty. She was quite curious. Who sent this to her?

    She opened and pulled out what was inside.

    Shedal not expect acertificate of title and

 Chapter 299

    Chapter 2<b>99 </b>A Romantic Purult

    Elle wonder in ce. She perough it and her own name wasted where the property owner should be

    Where the neighborhood property was located was <b>a </b>high¨Cend residential area close to Swanson Corporation

    Erlie couldn¡¯trava word

    Shegre herself a moment is brainstem. First of all, she could eliminate Sommet. He wouldn¡¯t do something so oundish Even if he were to buy her <b>a </b>property, he would let her

    Who would do something so ridiculous Emelie immediately sent a text to <b>Charles</b>. ¡°Mr. Davis, did you send something to thepany?

    Previously, he bought het persistent flowers I was very difficult for her at bo suspect that he was also the one who did this.

    Charles was likely bany as he didn¡¯t respond immediately. However, he called back within an hour. ¡°<b>Are </b>you trying to remind me that 1 haven¡¯t sent out the flowers, Ms. Hoven? I¡¯m listening to you and not wasting any money so I can donate to charity,¡±

    thefrowned and asked, ¡°So you didn¡¯t <b>send </b>me anything today?¡±

    charles span the ballpen in his hand and smird, ¡°That means you received a package of unknown origin?¡±

    He then pretended to be serious and said, ¡°Put it down and don¡¯t move it. I¡¯lle over right now and open it with you, it would be bad there¡¯s some kind of bomb in there and hurt my <b>ding</b>¡±

    As usual, Emelie got the important <b>part </b>and ignored the rest. ¡°There¡¯s nothing base, Mr. Davis. <b>Please </b>don¡¯te here. I won¡¯t keep you from your work. Goodbye¡±

    Then, she hung up

    charles looked at his phone with <b>a </b>smile and then called the secretary toe in. ¡°Did you find out what told you to get?¡±

    The secretary did and handed him a document.

    Charles gave it a flip¨Cthrough before giving the document a flick with his finger. He stood up with his car keys in hand. ¡°No need to follow meR¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    Emelie was still thinking about the possible argin of <b>the </b>certificate

    It wasn¡¯t Charles, then that left only one person William

    While meet that it was impossible, there was no other candidate lett.

    All along moment of hesitation, she need her phone to snap a picture of the certificate before sending it to William with a question mark.

    William replied not long after. ¡°How many people did you guess before you guessed it was ra

    It really was him!

    Emilie was confused ¡°why did you give me this?¡±

    William replied, ¡°Youined about me so muchst night, didn¡¯t you? My conscience in horting me, so I¡¯m giving you <b>this </b>aspensation. You <b>don¡¯t </b>have to live in a hotel.

    anymore

    Emelie stared at those woods and read them again fermere times before sending <b>back</b>. ¡°<b>Thank </b><b>you </b>for your goodwill, Mr. Middleton, but all I want is for you to not make things diicult for me either at my <b>work </b>or my daily life. I¡¯m already thankful for that, so can¡¯t ept such a valuable gift <b>from </b>you.¡±

    William cared little. It¡¯s the same price as a car. <b>It¡¯s </b>not that <b>expensive</b>¡±

    Emelie soll refused Tm madinga back to Cloudex Corporation.¡±

    ¡°<b>you </b>do, I¡¯ll make sure that no hotel in Weston will take you in.

    Imake was going to blow her lid. He just said that he wouldn¡¯t harass her, <b>and </b><b>yet </b>he was alrady Hlineatening to make her homeless!

    A minister, Wim deleted the message.

    It was as the thought that he was overdoing it too

    Emplestared in silence.

    William replied with something else. ¡°Theard that your mother isn¡¯t doing well after her surgery and your dad¡¯s injury in his leg hasn¡¯t fully healed. Can I get you a doctor?

    ¡°No thanks.lean deal with it myself. No need to trouble you.¡±

    Enele refusedical

    Wilson was till the same person in the end. He was already at his limit after showing all that goodil. He was getting inpatient since she was being so stubborn. In the end, he sentoneal age before <b>Ignoring </b>ter

    ¡°Do what you like!

    Emelie didn¡¯t wait and immediately called for the courier service toe and mail the certificateback to udex Corporation so that they could return it to Willum. She grew

    cious <b>the </b>longer it was in possession.

    She <b>then </b>quickly sent the tracking number to Williams to prevent something unlikely to happen, like her package going <b>missing</b>.

    How, Win didn¡¯t reply

    had been rejecting him sincest night. Someone as prideful as William did not kejection gracefully.

    in the attemoon, timelle was living <b>lunch </b>with a client. The discussion for coboration went smoothly and she personally sent the cent off in their car. She then walked back to Swaison Corporation

    She then saw a delivery boy sending towers and raised an eyebrow.

 Chapter 300

    Chapter 300A Romantic Pursuit

    As expected, it was him calling and her own phone rang

    ¡°Hello, is this Ms. Emelle Hoven? There¡¯s a bouquet that needs your signature.¡±

    who ordered the flowers?¡± Emelie asked, but she already knew the answer. It had to be Charles. He was probably going to say that she asked for it

    The delivery boy looked at the card and said, ¡°No firstname. Signed by a Middleton.¡±

    Emelie <b>was </b>confused in her silence.

    Emelie didn¡¯t know what William ment by that.

    the property waspensation<b>, </b>then what was with the flowers?

    She looked at the card. The word ¡°Middleton¡± was printed on it, but she could imagine that the man <b>had </b>somehow written his own name in mechanically printed words by hand.

    She had been his secretary in the past and had seen how he signed <b>his </b>own signature on various agreements countless times. His handwriting was very beautiful. It flowed like a cher, yet there was strength in it

    When she was still in love with him, the worshiped everything that he did. When there was nothing for her to do, she would imitate his handwriting and practice it on a piece of paper repeatedly.

    Wiliam Middleton

    William Middleton..

    She would write his name in neat and very seclous rows.

    There was a time that he saw it. He had looked at her with interest with a raised eyebrow. <b>She </b>was so embarrassed that she covered it with another document. <b>She </b>lowered her head and didn¡¯t dare meet his cold and provocative eyes as her ears bened redR¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    She looked at the card in silence.

    The Emelie in the present was supposed to have

    feelings or at least be ambivalent toward this. Why would she feel pain pricking on her skin when she remembered it?

    She put the card back into the bouquet <b>and </b>walked over to the entrance of thepany with it in hand. Then, she opened the bin <b>and </b>tossed it without any emotion on her face.

    Thanks to Charles, she was getting better and better at dumping flowers.

    After she was done, Emelle heard someone pping. She was momentarily stunned before she tumed around.

    Charles tried to hide his smile as he walked over. ¡°I <b>finally </b>get to see the look on your face every time you throw my flowers away.¡±

    Emelie wasn¡¯t sure what to say,

    However, she immediately returned to <b>her </b>professional self and politely asked, ¡°What brings you bere, Mr. Davis?

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you I was worried that something bad might happen to you? I¡¯m here to visit and check on you¡± Charles raised his eyebrow and nced at the bin. ¡°So, the unidentified thing that you received is a bouquet?

    Emelle didn¡¯t say no and instead used this chance to get him to leave <b>¡°</b><b>You </b>saw everything, didn¡¯t you? I¡¯mpletely fine. Please, don¡¯t let me stop you from your work.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m done with my work My only task left is to court my girlfriend¡± charles sald with a smile.

    Emelie acted as if she didn¡¯t know that she was the one he was talking about and said, ¡°Don¡¯t let me get in your way then I still have work, so I¡¯ll be going back up now.¡±

    Charles didn¡¯t mind. ¡°I¡¯ll wait until you¡¯re finished

    Emelie hastily walked back into thepany, not daring to hesitate for even a second.

    Charles retracted his attention and noticed a card by the bin from the corner of his eyes. It probably fell out of the bouquet when she was throwing it away

    He bent over to pick it up but paused for a moment <b>as </b>he couldn¡¯t stand the grime around the bin. However, the back of the card was facing upward and he couldn¡¯t see what <b>was </b>wrimen on the other side. So, he had no choice but to pull out his silk handkerchief from <b>his </b>packet to pick it up.

    It was signed by Middleton

    charles knew who bought the flowers

    He took out his mobile and snapped a picture of the bouquet in the bin. Then, be added, ¡°My girlfriend only epts my bouquets, Mr. Middleton. Please don¡¯t cross the line next

    William didn¡¯t respond

    Charles then put his mobile back. His eyes were full of glee and affection, but there was something else inside if one were to look carefully.

    William locked his mobile and tossed it on his desk. The mobile knocked into the ss pen holder and made a loud noise.

    Ashton, who was making her reports in <b>front </b>of him, was taken by surprise. <b>She </b>thought that she had said something wrong ¡°Mr. Middleton?

    ¡°<b>Continue</b>,¡± William said icily.

    Ashton didn¡¯t hesitate <b>and </b><b>quickly </b>continued. Once she had finished and received Willian¡¯s permission, she left <b>the </b><b>CFO¡¯s </b>office and finally let out a sigh of relief.

    After Emel left thepany, William had neither hired nor promoted others to be his head secretary. Ashton and Fabian had to deal with the daily tasks.

    However, the more she interacted with William, the more terrified she became. There was no such thing as practice makes perfect with William. He never showed if he was impressed. It made it hard for her to know what would win his approval

    For example, he had all but thrown his phone exlier, but his expression remained as calm <b>as </b><b>it </b>usually did. She wasn¡¯t even sure if he was angry

    She wondered how Emelie managed to survive <b>so </b>long under the high pressure of working with Will, let <b>alone </b><b>manage </b>to <b>maintain </b>an outstanding level of performance¡­ Wim didn¡¯t care what his subordinates thought of him.

    ite picked up his phone again and tapped open the best message to see the picture Charles sent him Girlfriend?

    Hesindederuelly. Right then, he wasn¡¯t <b>sure </b>if he should direct <b>his </b>ire at mele or Charles

 Chapter 301

    Chapter 301 Walt for <b>You</b>

    Ashton had just let out a sigh of reled when the phone rang again. At once, she became tense. ¡°Mr. Middleton<b>, </b>there anything you need?¡±Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

    ¡°Bock a ticket. I¡¯m going to Weston.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Ashton was cond. Didn¡¯t William just rebum from Weston!

    Befchen couldprehend his words, William ded the call and walked out of the office she quickly owed him

    William Instructed, ¡°I¡¯m going to inspect the branch other in Weston.¡±

    Ashton racked her brains. She needed toe up with a reason for why Willem would be staying in Weston for some time.

    ¡°Tangeright away.¡±

    They walked to the elewor

    When the elevator doors opened, Elena was taken aback to see them. But she smiled elegantly and asked, ¡°Mr. Middleton, are you going out?can you spare me ten minutes? I have some work to report to you<b>¡±</b>

    Emeleteller distracting thoughts. She formed on work, keeping herself busy until it was time to get off work.

    She chatted about work with one of the assistants as she walked downstairs

    The assistant asked if she wanted to have dinner together. Initially, she posted to <b>age</b>, but when she saw Charles sitting in the lobby, she couldn¡¯t help but be taken aback, Theast saw Charles too. ¡°Mr. Davis? Why didn¡¯the gouples?

    Emelie frowned. She said to the assistant, ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner together time<b>¡±</b>

    The stated to all something, and shelled. ¡°He must be waiting for you to get oft work, sicht?¡±

    Recently, tmele would receive flowers every day. Even <b>though </b>she didn¡¯t say who was from, how could she hide anything from the assistant when they were both in the same

    <b>charles </b>was pursuing me. It was a disclosed scart

    The assistant envied Emelle. As she was a nosy person, she said, ¡°.Dr is handsome and rich bean feel his sincerity. Ms. Howen, you won¡¯t find man like him again if you

    pect him. Hurry up and ept him.¡±

    Emeberesponded, ¡°There¡¯s nothing going on between me and Mr. Davis. You should hurry up and get off world!

    The assistant hummed in response. When she turned around, she rolled her eyes, she thought that Emelie was just in denial.

    Shereedtobelleve that mele didn¡¯t like Charles pursuing her elle probably just enjoyed being pursued and cherished. That had to be why she had let him hanging <b>and</b>

    Emel should be careful not to go too far.

    After the wastant left Emeliewalked over to thirds.

    Charles wire <b>a </b>suit with a ck coat. He sat on the couch in the lobby with his legs <b>crossed</b>. He watched as she approached him

    Emelie was the secretary. <b>Naturally</b><b>, </b>she needed to wear a t

    She wore a ck peakpel suit and flounce skirt. Her blouse was ck as well the locked neat and elegant

    As the heater kept the lobby warm, her coat was draped over her arm. Her high heels made a clicking sound as she willed across the tiled floor.

    ¡°Mr.Darts, what brings you here?¡±

    <b>¡°</b>Didn¡¯t tell you? I¡¯m waiting for you.¡±

    didn¡¯t expect Charles to wait for her the entire afternoon.

    With aplexe, she looked at him.

    Charles stood up. He might look sloppy, but he was a little over six feet tall. He was manly and gave all the demoar of a superior.

    But Emele was unmow

    with his hands in his pocket, he bent down to look at her at eye level ¡°since I¡¯ve waited for you for a long time, let me treat you to dinner. This is a reasonable request, right?

    Emelie <b>couldn¡¯t </b>rejecthim.

    Charles had reserved a table at panti che restaurant. There was a volinist ying the violin next to the table.

    After Charles ordered the food, the water brought over a bottle of wine. Charles waved to tell the water to step down. He took wine and poured it for Emele.

    Held, ¡°This wine has a low aleshot percentage. You can take it as a beverage to quench your thirst.¡±

    ¡°Thank you¡±

    Emelle asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be in Calcrest?¡±

    *Tourently have a project in Weston, so I¡¯ve been stationed at the subsidiarypany here¡±

    ¦§

    As Charles held the wine <b>ss</b>, the wine reflected his eyes. tis gaze was intense as he continued. ¡°The project came just in time. Since I¡¯m in the same city as you, I can pursue you

    Emelle pursed her lips. She had epted his request to have this dinner because she had wanted to make to him. Although she believed that she had clearly rejected him many times before, she thought that she should repeat it sternly.

    ¡°MD,hank you for king me, but I don¡¯t <b>n </b>on dating anyone now.

    Chapter 301 Wait for You

    Charles twisted her words and replied, ¡°Then, do you want to get married right away?¡±

    Emelie felt helpless. ¡°Mr. Davis, I¡¯m not joking.¡±

    Charles leaned back on his chair and looked at her. ¡°Are you rejecting me because of Samuel?¡±

    Emelie frowned.

    Charles continued, ¡°I saw you treating him differentlyst night. Is he pursuing you too?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Davis, this matter is just between us. It doesn¡¯t concern others¡­¡±

    Charles interrupted, ¡°What if I tell you that the reason your father is crippled is rted to Samuel?¡± Emelie was taken aback.

 Chapter 302

    Chapter 302 Answer

    charles raised his hand. The violinist stopped ying and left respectfully. The surroundings became silent.

    He then <b>said</b>, <b>¡°</b>Leonard is one of Reggie¡¯s men.¡±

    Leonard was the one who had tought against Ronan in prison and broken thetter¡¯s legs. He had almost gotten a longer sentence because of that.

    Returning to her senses<b>, </b>Emelie asked<b>, </b>¡°How do you know about Leonard?¡±

    ¡°You <b>don¡¯t </b>seem surprised to know that Leonard is one of Reggie¡¯s men,¡±

    Charles noticed that her focus was different from what he had expected. If she didn¡¯t know about this matter, her first question would be to ask who Leonard was instead of asking him how he knew about Leonard.

    Emelie didn¡¯t refute him. She had known about this matter long ago.

    She had been suspicious about the incident from the start. There had to be a reason behind the fight between Leonard and Ronan. Hence, she had told Ashley about her suspicions so that thetter could find out more about it through her friends who were prison officers

    Leonard had a good friend in prison and would talk about everything with thetter. However, his friend betrayed him and told the prison officer everything. He said that Reggie had ordered Leonard to find an opportunity to break Ronan¡¯s legs.

    ¡°<b>Since </b>Samuel broke Reggie¡¯s legs, Reggie held a grudge against him. However, he couldn¡¯t take revenge on Samuel or William. Thus, he targeted you. Samuel is the one behind your father¡¯s broken legs.¡±

    <b>Charles </b>said, ¡°He made things bad for you.¡±

    Emelie clenched her fists. Her mind was in chaos.

    Just then, footsteps sounded from the front. She subconsciously raised her head and saw Sanvoel standing a few feet from her.

    <b>She </b>was surprised

    Charles <b>didn¡¯t </b>turn around, but he knew that it was Samuel. He ced his napkin on the table and said with a smile, ¡°Since the dishes haven¡¯t been served yet, allow me to use the restroom.¡±

    Then, he got up and walked away, leaving Emelie and Samuel to talk privately.

    Emelie sat in her seat and watched <b>as </b>Samuel walked over.

    Samuel was still wearing the same gold¨Crimmed sses. The chain of his sses rested on his shoulders. He looked as elegant as ever.

    Emelie put aside the formalities. She didn¡¯t ask if Samuel was there to eat. She didn¡¯t even need to think <b>to </b>know what was going on. ¡°Did <b>Mr. </b>Davis call you here?¡±

    Samuel sat down and answered<b>, </b>¡°Yeah. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    He didn¡¯t expect Reggie to do anything to her father.

    <i>AMET </i>F

    Emelie found out that Leonard was one of Reggie¡¯s men, she had her suspicions.

    Shaking her head, she said, ¡°You punished Reggie because of me. You can¡¯t be med for what happened afterward. The one at fault is Reggie

    ¡°I¡¯ve entrusted awyer to sort out the materials. I¡¯ll be filing awsuit against him soon.

    Suddenly, Samuel took off his sses. This seemed to be the first time Emelie was seeing him without his sses.

    As the sses no longer covered his eyes, his gaze didn¡¯t seem as gentle anymore. Instead, his gaze was sharp

    The sses were just a deceptive front for Samuel. But he wanted Emelie to see his true self at this moment.

    From Capebatt City to Wimstour City, and then to Weston, Samuel had helped Emelle on the corporate cruise and then apanied her to apologize to the nurse who had bes injured. She had been his teaching assistant for two months, and she had also helped him record theplex project data.

    They had gone through a lot together.

    Samuel stared at Emelie. His tone was light. ¡°What do you think about the matterst night?¡±

    What did Emelie think about his love confession?

    She gulped and lowered her gaze. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to look at him. ¡°Mr. Swanson, you¡¯re the best among all the men that I <b>have </b>met. I¡¯m not worthy of you.¡±

    When Emelie said that, she and Samuel both felt regret and sadness

    However, Samuel didn¡¯t ask anything further. After all, they were both adults. He knew when to stop.

    Pestering Emelie would only make him lose his dignity. It would destroy all the beautiful memories that they had made. And in the end, they would no longer be in contact, whic would be even more of a pity.

    A whileter, Samuel said, ¡°A university in Eptand has offered me a job. I won¡¯t be <b>in </b>Capebatt Cry for the uing semester.<b>¡±</b>Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

 Chapter 303

    Chapter 303 Polson

    A university in Expand¡­ Capebatt University was one of the top universities in the country. If the university in Eprand could make Samuel change his job, it meant that the university was more excellent.

    Enelle congratted him sincerely, saying, ¡°Good luck in all your future endeavors.¡±

    ¡°If you need anything, you can still look for me¡± Samuel then continued in a gentle voice, ¡°I¡¯ve said before that I¡¯ll help you. That¡¯s my promise to you, and it will never expire

    ¡°I keep that in mind.¡±

    Samuel and Emelle knew that it was only a formality.

    Emelle liked to keep things to herself. When Samuel had been by her side, <b>she </b>hadn¡¯t bothered him. Now that he was going to Eprand, it <b>was </b>even less likely that she would bother

    him<b>.</b>

    Samuel <b>left </b>after that.

    Once he lett, Charles returned to the table

    153 8 2 5 3

    The waiter served the dishes just then.

    As if nothing had happened, Charles said, ¡°Try the foie gras here. It¡¯s authentic.¡±

    Emelie had already lost her appetite as she was <b>in </b>abad mood. She looked at him and asked, ¡°What¡¯s your purpose in arranging this?¡±

    Why did Charles call Samuel here to meet with her? Charles had said that Samuel was the one behind Rowan¡¯s injury, albeit indirectly, but he had still forced Samuel and Emelie to have <b>a </b>talk

    Charles admitted frankly, ¡°He¡¯s my love rival 1 have to get rid of him to get you.¡±

    Emelic <b>took </b>a sip of wine and then said angrily, ¡°Even if you get rid of Mr. Samson, I won¡¯t like you.¡®Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind that I¡¯m shameless, like people who don¡¯t like me.¡±

    ? ? ? ?

    Emelle was at a loss for words.

    Samuel snapped his fingers, and the violinist returned. The violinist then started ying acheerful song

    When Emelie heard that, there was a buzzing sound in her head.

    At this time, Charles said, ¡°When I was looking into eggle, I found something interesting, Didn¡¯t your family get framed for a foreign debt back then?¡±

    Emebe raised her head.

    ¡°The person behind that is also Reggie. But Reggie was just following someone else¡¯s orders.¡±

    Emelie straightened her back and asked, ¡°Who was it?¡±

    Charles shrugged. ¡°Reggle has gotten away, so I can¡¯t look into it for now.¡±

    Emelle blinked her eyes quickly,

    Rowan had recognized Leonard as the subordinate of the man who had gone to their house and asked for money. It was then that Emelie know that this matter was rted to Beck, but she didn¡¯t expect Reggle to have been following someone else¡¯s orders.

    Who was it? Why did the person target the Hoven family? Why did the person target Emelle?

    Back then, they had specified that she had to pay off the debt. Their target might have been her all along

    Emelle was afraid to think more about it. It she hadn¡¯t met William that thing night, what would have happened to her?

    When Charles noticed that her lips had turned pale, he said, ¡°Since I¡¯m going to pursue you, I¡¯ll show you my sincerity by keeping an eye on t

    He raised his wine ss and added, ¡°Just leave it to me, alright?¡±

    Emelbe knew that it wasn¡¯t something she could do herself. However, it would be easy for Charles to <b>do </b>it.

    After holding her wine ss tightly for a few seconds, Emelle raised it and clinked it against Charles wine ss. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Davis.¡±

    After the dinner, Charles sentielle to the hotel entrance

    this matter.¡±

    Erelle entered her room and decided to take a shower. As she was deep in thought, she took a longer shower. Since the bathroom didn¡¯t have any venttion, she felt dizzy by the time she came out of the shower.

    She didn¡¯t think too much about just then, her phone rang

    She picked up her phone and saw that it was a call from Bryan. She epted the call right away.

    ¡°Mr. Swanson.¡±

    Bryan immediately <b>said</b>, ¡°The Navarro twins had diarrhea and vomited today. They were sent to the hospital for a checkup. It turns out that they¡¯ve been fed something nasty ¡°The nanny <b>said </b>that the twins started to have diarrheast night, but you were the only one who went to the nurseryst night. Did you do anything?¡±

    Emelle was taken aback.

    Sourthing nasty? Polson?

    Fanclir immediately denied, ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t me!¡±

    Bryan responded, ¡°The hero tamily wants to interrogate you. You should head over to their residence <b>and </b>deal with this matter. Ms. Hoven, don¡¯t disappoint me.¡±

    Chapade Jina Net helping.

 Chapter 304

    Chapter 304 Not Helping Emelie was already dizzy. When she heard Bryan¡¯s words<b>, </b>she felt even dizzier

    How did the situation end up this way?

    Didn¡¯t the twins cry because they had just pooped? How could they have been poisoned? Who would poison two one¨Cmonth¨Cold children?

    Besides, Emelie hadn¡¯t been the only one in the nurseryst night. When she had gone there, William was already there,

    She didn¡¯t have time to think about it. More importantly, she didn¡¯t know the details. <b>So</b><b>, </b>she got dressed and called a trod to take her to the Navarro residence.

    If she couldn¡¯t resolve this matter, Bryan would deal with her.

    When she got out of the car, a cold wind blew. She felt that her back was covered in sweat.

    She was wearing thick clothes, but she couldn¡¯t help but shiver. Clenching her teeth as she endured the cold, she entered the Navarro residence.

    At this time, the Navarro residence was well¨Clit

    When Emelle was brought into the residence by a maid, she happened to hear the nanny say ¡°It was Ms. Hown! She was acting so suspiciously <bst </b>night. Mary saw her too. Mary, don¡¯t you agree?¡°¡±

    Mary Miller, the maid who was mentioned, nodded.

    The mother of the twins, Sofia Anderson, asked, ¡°Mom, who¡¯s Ms. Hoven?¡±

    Matilda answered, ¡°She¡¯s a secretary at Swanson Corporation. She almost caused trouble with that girl from the Jackson family in front of everyonest night too.¡±

    Sofiawas so angry that her eyes turned red. ¡°Does that <b>mean </b>she did it on purpose? I won¡¯t let her off the hood¡±

    Emelie took a deep breath before walking from the entrance to the living ball. Then, she came to a halt.

    She hadn¡¯t expected William to be here.

    Didn¡¯t he return to Capebart City?

    Elena was there too.

    It was obvious that they hade to the Navarro residence together.

    At this <b>instant</b>, Emelie thought of something. While she was in the nurseryst night, William had been by her side. He knew very well what she had done and what she <b>hadn¡¯t</b>.

    However, when the nanny had pinned the me on her, he didn¡¯t say anything and just acted like abystander.

    As expected of Wm. He wouldn¡¯t lend her a helping hand now that he had already found someone else. He was still as heartless as ever.

    Emelie had held no expectations for him, but she still felt upset. Maybe it was because she wasn¡¯t feeling well after rushing all the way here in the middle of the night.

    She felt stifled and suffocated.

    Then, she snorted.

    Emelle thought that this matter would be easy to resolve. If she mentioned that William had also been in the nurseryst night, Matilda would <b>ask </b>him about it. Then, she would no longer be suspected.

    But<b>, </b>would William cooperate with her and clear her of any suspicions?

    If he was willing to help her, then he would have helped her long ago He only needed to speak up. In fact, she didn¡¯t even need to travel all the way to the Navarro residence in the middle of the night

    But since he hadn¡¯t said anything, then it meant that he wasn¡¯t willing to help. If so, then Emelie had lost her only witness.

    William was the first to notice Emelle. He raised his head, but no one could tell what he was thinking.

    Emelle didn¡¯t even look at him

    The maid announced, ¡°Mrs. Matilda, Mrs. Sofia, Ms. Hoven <b>has </b>arrived.¡±

    Matildanced at Emelie. Her gaze was as sharp as a de. Emelie couldn¡¯t help but shudder. She greeted in a soft voice, ¡°Good evening, Mrs. Matilda, Mrs. Sotia¡±

    <b>Sofia </b>had a gentle and loving appearance, but she no longer acted modestly. She got up and headed straight toward Emelie, asking, ¡°Why did you hurt my kids? You¡¯re evil!¡±

    Then, she moved to p Emelle.

    Emelie¡¯s eyes widened. She was prepared to dodge, but Matilda shouted, ¡°Sofia<b>, </b>stop!¡±

    Sofia¡¯s hand stopped in mid¨Cair

    Emelie looked at Sofia¡¯s hand. From the corner of her <b>eye</b>, she saw that William was about to stand up.

    Chapter 304 Not Helping Emelie was already dizzy. When she heard Bryan¡¯s words<b>, </b>she felt even dizzier

    How did the situation end up this way?

    Didn¡¯t the twins cry because they had just pooped? How could they have been poisoned? Who would poison two one¨Cmonth¨Cold children?

    Besides, Emelie hadn¡¯t been the only one in the nurseryst night. When she had gone there, William was already there,

    She didn¡¯t have time to think about it. More importantly, she didn¡¯t know the details. <b>So</b><b>, </b>she got dressed and called a trod to take her to the Navarro residence.

    If she couldn¡¯t resolve this matter, Bryan would deal with her.

    When she got out of the car, a cold wind blew. She felt that her back was covered in sweat.

    She was wearing thick clothes, but she couldn¡¯t help but shiver. Clenching her teeth as she endured the cold, she entered the Navarro residence.

    At this time, the Navarro residence was well¨Clit

    When Emelle was brought into the residence by a maid, she happened to hear the nanny say ¡°It was Ms. Hown! She was acting so suspiciously <bst </b>night. Mary saw her too. Mary, don¡¯t you agree?¡°¡±

    Mary Miller, the maid who was mentioned, nodded.

    The mother of the twins, Sofia Anderson, asked, ¡°Mom, who¡¯s Ms. Hoven?¡±

    Matilda answered, ¡°She¡¯s a secretary at Swanson Corporation. She almost caused trouble with that girl from the Jackson family in front of everyonest night too.¡±

    Sofiawas so angry that her eyes turned red. ¡°Does that <b>mean </b>she did it on purpose? I won¡¯t let her off the hood¡±

    Emelie took a deep breath before walking from the entrance to the living ball. Then, she came to a halt.

    She hadn¡¯t expected William to be here.

    Didn¡¯t he return to Capebart City?

    Elena was there too.

    It was obvious that they hade to the Navarro residence together.

    At this <b>instant</b>, Emelie thought of something. While she was in the nurseryst night, William had been by her side. He knew very well what she had done and what she <b>hadn¡¯t</b>.

    However, when the nanny had pinned the me on her, he didn¡¯t say anything and just acted like abystander.

    As expected of Wm. He wouldn¡¯t lend her a helping hand now that he had already found someone else. He was still as heartless as ever.

    Emelie had held no expectations for him, but she still felt upset. Maybe it was because she wasn¡¯t feeling well after rushing all the way here in the middle of the night.

    She felt stifled and suffocated.

    Then, she snorted.

    Emelle thought that this matter would be easy to resolve. If she mentioned that William had also been in the nurseryst night, Matilda would <b>ask </b>him about it. Then, she would no longer be suspected.

    But<b>, </b>would William cooperate with her and clear her of any suspicions?

    If he was willing to help her, then he would have helped her long ago He only needed to speak up. In fact, she didn¡¯t even need to travel all the way to the Navarro residence in the middle of the night

    But since he hadn¡¯t said anything, then it meant that he wasn¡¯t willing to help. If so, then Emelie had lost her only witness.

    William was the first to notice Emelle. He raised his head, but no one could tell what he was thinking.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    Emelle didn¡¯t even look at him

    The maid announced, ¡°Mrs. Matilda, Mrs. Sofia, Ms. Hoven <b>has </b>arrived.¡±

    Matildanced at Emelie. Her gaze was as sharp as a de. Emelie couldn¡¯t help but shudder. She greeted in a soft voice, ¡°Good evening, Mrs. Matilda, Mrs. Sotia¡±

    <b>Sofia </b>had a gentle and loving appearance, but she no longer acted modestly. She got up and headed straight toward Emelie, asking, ¡°Why did you hurt my kids? You¡¯re evil!¡±

    Then, she moved to p Emelle.

    Emelie¡¯s eyes widened. She was prepared to dodge, but Matilda shouted, ¡°Sofia<b>, </b>stop!¡±

    Sofia¡¯s hand stopped in mid¨Cair

    Emelie looked at Sofia¡¯s hand. From the corner of her <b>eye</b>, she saw that William was about to stand up.

 Chapter 305

    Chapter 305 Get on the <b>Ground</b>

    When me nced at William again, he was still sitting on the couch, unmoving. Matilda reprimanded, ¡°Things haven¡¯t been confirmed yet. What are you doing?¡±

    Sofiawas breathing heavily. Her hair was messy, and her eyes were bloodshot. It was obvious

    Matilda saki, <b>¡°</b>When everything has been rified, I¡¯ll know how to deal with the culprit.¡±

    She wasnterly saving it to Sofia. It was a warning to Emelie too

    that she hadn¡¯t gotten any sleep because of her kids.

    ask her about what had happened. If she had indeed poisoned the twins,

    Elena got up and embraced Sofia. She said softly, ¡°Mrs. Sofia, calm down. Ms. Hoven is here now. Let¡¯s <b>as </b>then Mr. Middleton will take action.¡±

    Emelie wanted to <b>know </b>how Wim was going to take action.

    Sofiaclenched her fists furiously. ¡°Alright then. Let¡¯s find out the truth. Ms. Hoven, we don¡¯t <b>hold </b>any grudges against each other, do we? Why did you do such a thing to my kids?

    hathing

    ¡°If you hate me, then you cane at me. My kids had just turned one month old. How could you do such a thing?¡±

    to a couple of one¨Cmonth¨Cold kids? I didn¡¯t do it Emelie responded, ¡°Mrs Sofia, like you¡¯ve said, we don¡¯t hold any grudges against each other. So, why would I do such a ¡°Besides, when I visited the twinsst night, wasn¡¯t alone in the nursery. The nanny, maids, and bodyguards were around too. If I¡¯d done something, they would have noticed.¡±

    Wim listened to her listing out the witnesses

    The nanny<b>, </b>maids, and bodyguards. Why didn¡¯t she mention him?

    He pursed his lips and stared at her.

    Although Emelie had made things clear, Matilda¡¯s expression remained the same. Thetter stared at her, making her feel pressured.

    Emelie felt her head pound from Matilda¡¯s gaze.

    The nanny quickly said, ¡°But you were always by Ms. Amanda¡¯s bed and touching her face. From that angle, we couldn¡¯t see anything!¡± Emelie turned to look at the nanny Everything before her became blurry. She closed her eyes, realizing that she was burning up.

    Bad things came in session.

    She seemed to have fallen ill.

    Emelie¡¯s

    that

    throat was dry as she gulped and said, ¡°I know that you¡¯re afraid to take responsibility. That¡¯s why you¡¯re trying to pin the me on me. But I don¡¯t have a reason to deExclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

    y sense.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just here to represent Swanson Corporation in congratting the Navarro family for having twins. Why would I polson the twins? That doesn¡¯t make any Emelie continued, ¡°You said that I might be the one behind the poisoning because I¡¯d touched the kids. If that¡¯s the case, then you¡¯re the most suspicious one. After all, you¡¯re with the kids the entire day. You could¡¯ve poisoned them at any time.¡±

    The nanny was taken aback. ¡°Nonsense! Do you have any evidence?¡±

    ¡°Do you have any evidence that I poisoned <b>the </b>kids?¡±

    On the surface, it looked like Emelie was asking the nanny the question. But in reality, she was questioning the entire Navarro family.

    She was certain that they didn¡¯t have any evidence because she had never done such a thing. If they had evidence, they would have reported it to the police a long time ago.

    As expected, Matilda became silent.

    Meanwhile<b>, </b>Sofia <b>said</b>, ¡°A lot of guests visited the kidsst night. You were thest guest. Besides, the lids only cried <b>after </b>you touched them. Who else could it be if not you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible that the poison didn¡¯t take effect immediately. I just happened to be there when the poison took effect¡± Emelie was clear¨Cheaded.

    Matilda¡¯s expression was heavy.

    Emelie clenched her fists. Her fingernails dug into her skin. The slight pain spread to her body, making her feel more awake.

    Calmly, she asked, ¡°May I take a <b>seat</b><b>?</b>¡±

    Sofiadidn¡¯t believe Emelie. She said, ¡°My kids are still taking IV drips upstairs. They¡¯re only a month okl, yet they¡¯re already taking IV drips. ¡°<b>What </b>makes you think you can take a seat when they¡¯re suffering? In fact, you should be on the ground begging for forgiveness!¡±

 Chapter 306

    Chapter 306 Despised

    On the ground?

    Emelle raised her head immediately.

    She didn¡¯t know whether <b>Sofia </b>was being serious or whether she had just made a remark <b>out </b>of anger because she was worried about her kids.

    The living hall became silent. No one spoke. Sofiawas <b>still </b>ring at Emelie. It was as if everyone was waiting <b>for </b>Emelie to get on the ground. Emelle stood on the thick and soft carpet in her high heels. She felt her legs weaken, and it felt as if she couldn¡¯t keep her bnce. Besides that, she felt sick.

    She pursed her lips and wanted to say something.

    At this moment, the crisp and sharp sound of someone putting a cup down on the ss table rang out

    Emelie Instinctively looked in the direction of the sound. It hade from the couch, where William was sitting

    However, before she could see his expression, Elma spoke up. Emelie had trouble focusing and was distracted by her voice.

    ¡°Mrs. Sofia<b>, </b>please calm down. Mr. Middleton, please stand up for Ms. Hoven,

    Then, William said, ¡°Mrs. Matilda, does the Navarro family make people beg for forgiveness before even knowing the truth?¡±

    William was finally speaking up for Emelle.

    But it was only because Elena had told him to

    <b>Emelle </b>turned around. She didn¡¯t <b>have </b>the desire to look at William. The anticipation that she <b>had </b>felt when she had heard the sound of the ss clinking was ridiculous.

    ¡°Of course not. This matter hasn¡¯te to light yet why would we do such a thing and humiliate Ms. Hoven?¡±

    <b>It </b>was only then that Matilda reprimanded Sofiasoftly, ¡°Sofia, you must be tired. You¡¯ve even made those remarks out of anger. You should get some rest upstairs<b>. </b>I¡¯ll take care of this.¡±

    Then, she added, ¡°Ms. Hoven, please take a seat.¡±

    In a low voice, Emelie said, ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Matilda.¡±

    She walked over to the unupied couch. Her legs had stiffened and be weak after standing for such a long time.

    After taking two steps, she couldn¡¯t help but fall forward. Thankfully, the couch was right in front of her. So, she managed to steady herself.

    At the same time, William grabbed her.

    The couch that was closest to her was the single¨Cseater couch beside William

    Emelle quickly pulled her hand <b>out </b>of his grasp. She moved so quickly that it seemed as if something would happen if he touched her. His expression became cold instantly. Emelie looked at Marida. She could feel the heat on her eyelids, and her voice was hoarse as she said, ¡°Mrs. Matilda, I¡¯ve told you everything. Ms. Amanda and Mr. Marcus being poisoned has nothing to do with me.¡±

    ¨C <b>Matilda </b>said, ¡°Ms. Hoven, I¡¯ve listened to your exnation. However, you¡¯re the most suspicious one out of everyone we¡¯ve looked into.

    ¡°My family and Swanson Corporation are both well¨Crespected in Weston. If we take this matter to the police, it¡¯ll be bad for both parties. That¡¯s why we n to look into it ourselves.¡±

    Emelle pursed her lips. ¡°Tunderstand¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great. I hope you¡¯ll cooperate with us so that we can find out the truth as soon as possible. In that way, our coboration won¡¯t be affected.¡±

    Thatst sentence was <b>a </b>threat

    Emelie held her breath. ¡°How do you want me to cooperate with you?¡±

    Matilda got up and looked at her, ¡°Since it¡¯s alreadyte at night, it¡¯ll be difficult to drive on the mountain road. You should stay here for the night.¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie wanted to say that she didn¡¯t want to bother them, but Matilda continued, ¡°I¡¯m old, so I don¡¯t sleep a lot. I¡¯ll wake up at 7:00 <b>am</b>.¡±

    Emelle was taken aback. Then, she understood<b>.</b>

    Matilda didn¡¯t ask her to stay there for the night because it was difficult to drive on the mountain road in the dark. Instead, Matilda had asked Emelie to stay behind because si wanted thetter to find the real culprit before she woke up.

    If Emelie couldn¡¯t find the culprit, would <b>Matilda </b>make her take the me and suffer the Navarro family¡¯s wrath?

    Emelie only knew that this was an unexpected misfortune.

    But this misfortune could be brought to an <b>end </b>instantly if William said, ¡°I was with her the entire timest night. She didn¡¯t do anything.¡±

    At this moment, Emelie despised him. He said that he wouldpensate <b>her</b>, but he refused to even lend her a helping hand.

 Chapter 307

    Chapter 307 Disgusted

    Marilda walked toward Wim. Her voice became softer as she said, ¡°Thank you foring over. When I gave you the call, you were at the high¨Cspeed rail station, right? You¡¯ve <b>Just </b>arrived in Weston, but you still came over to see the kids without taking a break.

    William said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    ¡°You should stay the night as well<b>. </b>r¡¯il arrange two rooms for the both of you.¡±

    William didn¡¯t refuse. ¡°Alright.¡±

    Matilda rubbed her waist and sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy all day long. My <b>back </b>hurts.¡±

    Sensibly, Elena <b>said</b><b>, </b>¡°Mrs. Matilda, why don¡¯t you go to bed first? We aren¡¯t outsiders, so you don¡¯t need to entertain us. We can take care of ourselves.¡±

    In the corner where no one would notice, Emelie closed her eyes as she tried to ignore the aches in her body.

    Although she couldn¡¯t see what was going on, she could hear it

    Elena¡¯s tone seemed to be hinting to everyone that she <b>had </b><b>a </b>special rtionship with William. She had even used the word ¡°we¡± to refer to herself and William

    William had brought Elena to the party organized by the Navarro familyst night as his partner. That could have been because Elena was an employee of Cloudex Corporation.

    But what about today?

    Emelie <b>chuckled </b><b>self</b>¨Cdeprecatingly. She found the speed of William moving on to another woman to be funny. She wasughing because her guess had turned out to be true.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

    When she was at Lakeside Vi previously, she had felt that Elena was treating her strangely.

    Women were sensitive to love rivals and the people who took them as love rivals. Back then, Emese had already confirmed that Elena liked William. Otherwise<b>, </b>Elena wouldn¡¯t have spoken to William so sweetly.

    Now, William was bringing Elena to all kinds of events. Did he no longer like Daphne, or was he just unfaithful?

    In the past, it was Emelie and Daphne. Now, it <b>was </b>Elena and Daphne.

    Emelie sighed. She opened her eyes As she <b>was </b><b>ill</b>, her eyes were watery

    Matilda looked at Elena closely. It was her second time seeing her by William¡¯s side. Her impression of Elena was quite good.

    She parted William on the hand and said, ¡°William, it¡¯s great that you¡¯re happy.¡±

    Matilda¡¯s words had the same meaning as what she had said to Williamst night. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have high expectations for whoever you date now.

    Aside from William, no one understood what Marika had meant.

    William¡¯s expression remained unchanged.

    A maid helped Matilda upstairs to get some rest.

    After Emelie sat on the couch for a while, she no longer felt dizzy.

    As a secretary, she knew the proper etiquette. She didn¡¯t want anyone to hold anything against her. So, she got up and said politely, ¡°Ms. Allen, Mr. Middleton, thank you for speaking up for me just now.¡±

    Wim noticed that she looked tired, but her teary eyes caught his attention.

    Elena walked over to Emelie and held her hand. ¡°We used to go to the same high school. You don¡¯t need to be so polite. But Emelie, how are <b>you </b>going to find out the truth alone? Do you need us to help you?¡±

    Emelie pulled her hand from Elena¡¯s grasp and refused, ¡°Thave <b>a </b>lead There¡¯s no need to trouble yourselves.¡±

    She didn¡¯t ask for help, and she refused to be helped.

    Wam stared at her with a heavy expression.

    A maid walked over and said, ¡°Mr. Middleton, the guest room on the second floor is ready.¡±

    William coldly responded, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Elena nced at Emelie worriedly before heading <b>upstairs </b>with William.

    They walked side by side.

    Emelie even heard Elena say, ¡°Mr. Middleton, Ms Hoven doesn¡¯t know anyone in the Navarro family, and she has to deal with the situation alone. How can she find the culprit in one night?

    ¡°Mrs. Matilda is forcing her to do something impossible. Why don¡¯t we help her?¡±

    Even if <b>Elena </b>had good intentions, Emelle felt disgusted.

    But she <b>didn¡¯t </b>know if she was disgusted by Elena or Willum.

 Chapter 308

    Chapter 308 Fairt

    Enelle pursed her <b>lips</b>. <b>She </b>looked at the nanny and asked, ¡°How should address you?¡±

    The nanny snacted and turned around. She didn¡¯t want to cooperate with Emelie

    famelie¡¯s expression remained unchanged. ¡°Mrs. Markda told me to investigate this matter. As long as I can find the culprit, I can interrogate anyone in the Novarro residence, and that includes you

    ¡°If you don¡¯t <b>coeperate</b>. I¡¯ll assume that you¡¯re guilty. Then, I¡¯ll tell Mrs. Mati about my suspicions. When the timees, 1 don¡¯t know how Mrs. Matilda will punish you

    Emelle had meant her words to be heard by the name and the other maids of the Navarro family. Her investigation required their cooperation, so she needed to show them her authority.

    It turned out that the threat was useful. The nanny¡¯s expression immediately changed<b>. </b><b>She </b>stopped putting up a front <b>and </b><b>said</b>, ¡°Everyone calls me Maria.¡±

    William arrived on the second floor. <b>He </b><b>turned </b>around and saw that Emelie was already leterrogating Maria downstairs. She seemed determined to find out the truth by herse

    He withdrew his gaze angrily.

    Then, he stopped in his tracks and said, ¡°won¡¯t be going to the room now.¡±

    The mail, who was leading the way, stopped waking. ¡°¡°Where ¡±

    Willum asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Mrs. Socia¡¯s room?

    The mud was taken aback. ¡°Mrs. Sonia¡¯s room?¡±

    Wium¡¯s eyes were dark as <b>he </b>said something to Elena

    Emele didn¡¯t even know when she had fallen asleep.

    had been sitting on the couch, <b>deep </b>in thought. She <b>had </b>subconsciously closed her eyes and then lost conscierias <b>Maria </b>who had woken her up

    ¡°Her, don¡¯t sleep here.¡±

    Embe had a feeling that she hadn¡¯t fallen asleep. Instead, she had fainted.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.

    She touched her forehead. As expected<b>, </b>she had a fever

    <b>She </b>felt trustrated and found at bit hard to breathe. Her head felt hot, but her body was <b>cold</b>.

    Mariacontinued, ¡°Mrs. Matilda only gave you one night to find out who did it. How could you fall asleep? Have you given up? Even if you¡¯ve epted date, what about me? Don¡¯t implicate me too.¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t find the culprit, Ma might be charged with neglect, and she would lose her job.

    Emelie endured her difort and said, ¡°Stop talding<b>. </b>I already have an idea.¡±

    Marta looked at her doubtfully. ¡°How could you already have an adea when you were sleeping?

    Emelie coughed and said, ¡°First of all<b>, </b><b>since </b>it¡¯s rted to poisoning, it means that the person had been nning this for a long time. It wasn¡¯t done on the spur of the moment.

    ¡°Otherwise, the person wouldn¡¯t have been able to get the poison. So, this person must have been holding a grudge against the Navarro family for a long time,¡±

    Mariaasked, ¡°307

    Mrs. <b>Sofia </b><b>said </b>that the kids were having IV drips upstairs. Since they didn¡¯t go to the hospital, it wasn¡¯t <b>a </b>strong poison. The person dared to poison them, but they didn¡¯t use <b>a </b>strong poison

    There are only two possible reasons for that. It¡¯s either the <b>person¡¯s </b>grudge <b>against </b>the Navarro family doesn¡¯t jun so deep as to cost lives, or the person is cowardly and didn¡¯t dare to go all out.¡±

    Maria thought about it for awhile and found Emelie¡¯s words to be reasonable. She took to steps forward. ¡°What else did you think of?

    Emelie raised her head she could see her reflection in Maria¡¯s eyes<b>. </b>She could feel the heat on her face, but the heat didn¡¯t reach the <b>surface</b>.

    In Maria¡¯s eyes, Emelie still looked no

    Emelie continued, ¡°When the kids are offering their mother would be in the most pain. Based on Mes. Sofia¡¯s appearance, she must be upset today.¡±

    Maria quickly nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. Mrs Sofia doesn¡¯t usually act in this <b>manner</b>. She¡¯s <b>very </b>gentle and treats us well. She has never said anything harsh, let alone har someone.¡±

    <b>Emelie </b>smiled. ¡°So, the culprit should be someone who has a grudge against Mrs. Sofia The culprit wants to take revenge on Mrs. Sofia through the kids. <b>Does </b>Mrs. Sodale

    Maria had no idea. After all, she was only responsible for taking care of the kids.

    Emelle looked around the living hall Soon, she noticed a surveince camera facing the stairs.

    The surveince camera had to have captured all the guests who had visited the kids upstairsst night. ¡°Let me see the surveince footage.¡±

    Maria cooperated with Emelie <b>and </b>ran to the security control room to get <b>the </b>surveince footage. She gave the cabler to Emelie

    Emelie took a screenshot of each of the guests who had gone upstairsst night. ¡°Take me to Mrs. Sodia¡±

    she would know who the culprit was soon

    Now, Maria respected Emelie. Emelie¡¯s analysis of the situation was professional. She asked, ¡°Are you really only a secretary? if I didn¡¯t know better, I would we thought that you were a detective!¡±

    Emelie smiled

    She was the head secretary. <b>How </b>could she <b>not </b>deal with such a situation well?

    <b>It </b>was just that she had felt too ufortable just now and couldn¡¯t calm down. That was why she couldn¡¯t say anything. After she had slept for a while, her mind had be a

    bit clearer.

    Maria brought Emelie to <b>Sofa¡¯s </b>room. Unexpectedly, Wim and Elena were there as well.

    Chapter 308 Fair

    Elena had her arm around Sofia¡¯s shoulders. It had only been a short time since they had first met, but they seemed to have already be best friends. Emelie¡¯s eyes twitched.

 Chapter 309

    Chapter 309 Obedient

    sitting on the small couch, So looked up as Emelie entered. Her eyes reflected a hint of discontent.

    with all her years of experience in the workce, Emelie remained unfazed by such a chilly reception ¡°Mrs. Navarro, I¡¯ve made some progress in identifying the actual culprit behind the poisoning 1 just need your confirmation. You.¡±

    ¡°Emelie, hold on a moment,¡± <b>Elena </b>interrupted<b>, </b>causing Emelie to pause.

    Elena <b>said </b>softly, ¡°Sofia, Tunderstand how difficult it is for you to see the children suffer. That¡¯s why we must find the real culprit and ensure that they face the consequences for their actions. Don¡¯t you agree?¡±

    It was well past midnight. Sofia appeared visibly exhausted, and her eyes were red from staying upte. Yet, her mind refused to calm down until the culprit was identified. Finally, she nodded in agreement

    Emelie started to speak, but Elena cut her off, ¡°Wim, please go on.

    Emelie found herself at a loss for words,

    Just moments ago, in the downstairs living room, Elena had addressed him formally as ¡°Mr. Middleton¡°. But now, she was addressing him by his first name.

    Emelie nced at William. They weren¡¯t in the bedroom, but in the <b>study</b>. Since the room was filled with women, William had chosen not to enter and instead stood near the door.

    At thiste hour, weariness showed on everyone¡¯s faces. However, William¡¯s expression remained clear <b>and </bposed.

    d in a meticulously tailored suit, he stood tall andmanding exuding <b>an </b>air of elegance that <b>made </b>him seem unapproachable.

    As William lifted his gaze, Emelie kept her eyes lowered, listening to his deep voice as he said, ¡°The poisoner likely harbored a grudge against Mrs. Navarro. They had everything prepared and waited for the day of the one¨Cmonth celebration before taking advantage of the chans with numerous guests in attendance!

    Emelle felt a ripple of agreement in her heart. His thoughts aligned perfectly with hers, which wasn¡¯t surprising given the straightforward nature of the matter.

    Whatever she had thought of couldn¡¯t possibly be overlooked by <b>william</b>.

    He knew everything and had anticipated everything, but his willingness to speak or withhold information was another matter.

    Willian remained indifferent toward her and was reluctant to even bestity. However, when Elena spoke, he listened attentively andplied. If she asked him to speak up, he would do so; and if she needed an analysis of the case, he would provide it

    Hisobedience toward Elena was unwavering

    Maria also noticed that William¡¯s exnation mirrored Emelie¡¯s thoughts. She couldn¡¯t help but whisper, ¡°Ms. Hoven, you¡¯ve hit the nail on the head.¡±Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.

    Elena looked over at Emelie <b>¡°</b><b>You¡¯ve </b>figured all this out too? I guess I was just meddling unnecessarily. I was worried that you couldn¡¯t handle it, so I persuaded William to help you.

    <b>Suddenly</b>, Emelie understood the source of her imitation. She resented Elena¡¯s subtle disy of superiority. She was trying to demonstrate her <b>ability </b>to mand¡± William and make him obey

    Emelie looked at Elena, who smiled faintly, her expression carrying <b>a </b>hidden meaning. Emeke realized that it was probably because she had gone to Lakeside vi with William, making Elena see her as a rival and rushing to assert her dominance.

    Emelie had no interest inpeting with her. If Elena insisted <b>on </b><b>a </b>rivalry, then Emelie could offer her another way.

    She spoke sincerely, ¡°Ms. Allen, you¡¯re truly kind¨Chearted. It¡¯s clear why Mr. Middleton listens to you so attentively. Besides Ms. Bowen, I¡¯ve never seen him treat any other woman with such regard <b>¡±</b>

    William frowned. ¡°Why are you <b>bringing </b>sp Daphne?¡±

    Emelie smiled. ¡°Mr. Middleton, you still care so deeply about Ms. Bowen that we can¡¯t even mention her name. Ms. Allen, you¡¯ll have to keep working <b>hard</b>.¡±

    <b>Elena¡¯s </b>expression hardened as she finally tell silent.

    As the head secretary, Emelle was skilled at managing challenges.

    If Elena insisted on highlighting her special rtionship with Wim, then she intended to demonstrate that Daphne was the truly significant figure the only woman that William would defend under any circumstances,

    William appeared to grasp the silentpetition between Emelie and Elena, and <b>his </b>gaze was intense as he observed her.

    Emelie lowered her eyes. <b>While </b>she had lent Elena momentarily speechless, she didn¡¯t feel entirelyfortable.

    At that moment, Emelie simply wanted to resolve this matter quickly and leave the Navarro residence. She had no desire to be caught up in Elena¡¯s schemes and maniptions All she wanted was to return home and <b>rest</b>, as she felt feverish and unwell

 Chapter 310

    Chapter 310 Ineffective

    Emelie took a deep breath and turned to Soliaonce more. She asked eamestly, ¡°Mrs. Navarro, have you had any recent conflicts with someone<b>?</b>¡±

    Sohaheld her head in pain. ¡°My mind is a mess right now. I can¡¯t recall. I really can¡¯t remember anything.¡±

    Embe handed her a tablet. ¡°I had Maria retrieve the surveince footage fromst night, and I¡¯ve taken screenshots of every guest who had gone upstairs. Take a look and see if

    of these people might hear a grudge against you and would harm your children.¡±

    Sofiascrolled through the screenshots one by one. Alter viewing several images, she suddenly stopped, and her eyes widened with certainty<b>. </b>¡°It¡¯s her! It has to be her!¡± Emelie saw a young woman on the screen. ¡°Who is she?

    Sedia gritted her teeth with resentment. ¡°She¡¯s my sister. She¡¯s always been envious of me for marrying Sean.

    ¡°She takes advantage of her mother¡¯s favoritism to constantly undermine me. There¡¯s no way she visited my children out <b>of </b>kindness. She must be the one behind this!¡± Emelie was puzzled. Favoritism from her mother? Weren¡¯t they biological sisters?

    However, this detail was unimportant at the moment Identifying the culprit was the priority

    She advised, ¡°People like her, who harbor malicious intent butck the courage, will usually confess when threatened. You can tell her that you have evidence and that if she doesn¡¯te clean, you¡¯ll involve the police to obtain biological evidence so that she won¡¯t be able to escape. That way, she¡¯ll likely contess everything.¡±

    Sofiatightened her grip on the tablet. ¡°I don¡¯t need your advice. I know how to seek justice for my children!¡±

    With that said, Emelie had nothing more to contribute. Or perhaps, she had never truly been involved in the first ce. She had simply been caught in the crossfire. Despite being dragged into this mess, her insignificance to the situation meant that she couldn¡¯t do much.

    ¡°It seems that the issue is resolved. Mrs. Navarro, you can exin everything to Mrs. Matilda tomorrow. I won¡¯t trouble you any further,¡± Emelie stated.

    William lifted his gaze. ¡°Are you leaving now?¡±

    Emelie swallowed, feeling a lump in her throat. ¡°I <b>have </b>work tomorrow, and the Navarro residence is too far from the office. It¡¯s inconvenient¡±Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.

    William appeared ready to speak, but Elena quickly stood up and grabbed his sleeve. ¡°William, why don¡¯t you arrange for the driver to take Emelie home? It¡¯ste, and I¡¯m worried,

    she suggested.

    William had noticed Emelie¡¯s distracted demeanor throughout the evening. ¡°I¡¯ll arrange for the Navarro family¡¯s driver to take you back,¡± he offered.

    While Elena had only intended to assert her influence, William had genuinely considered her suggestion. Previously, he wouldn¡¯t have cared about Emelie¡¯s well¨Cbeing.

    Emelie took <b>a </b>slow breath, her emotions tinged with bitterness at that moment Illness had left her feeling more fragile and emotionally vulnerable than usual.

    She murmured softly, ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. Tean hail a cab on my own.¡±

    Without making eye contact with anyone<b>, </b>she nodded and departed. William had initially considered stopping her, but for some reason<b>, </b>he refrained. Emelie walked away without any further dy.

    William left the study and noticed Emelie gripping the banister as she descended the stairs, heading straight for the front door.

    Was she in such a hurry to leave because of him? She hadn¡¯t nced in his direction all evening

    Feeling irritated, William retrieved his cigarette case and took out a cigarette, considering lighting it. However, <b>upon </b>tecalling the presence of two children upstairs at the Navarro residence, he set the cigarette back into its case.

    Elena emerged from the study and informed William, ¡°Mrs. Navarro has gone to rest¡±

    William nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Elena smiled and <b>said</b>, ¡°I was simply helping Mrs. Navarro to calm down. It¡¯s no trouble at all.¡±

    ¡°Well, as a woman, you¡¯d probably understand her feelings better,¡± William replied.

    Sofia¡¯s demeanor in the downstairs living room moments ago indicated that if Elena hadn¡¯t calmed her down first, she wouldn¡¯t have cooperated with Emelie to identify the true culprit of the poisoning. That was precisely why he had sent Elena there earlier.

    Under the night lights, Elena¡¯s exotic features stood out as she locked eyes with him. ¡°But William, I¡¯m puzzled. If you were with Ms. Howenst night, why didn¡¯t you testify for her in front of Mrs. Mariust now?¡±

    William chuckled. ¡°Would my testimony have made a difference?

    Elena hesitated. Could his testimony truly have been ineffective?

    No, that couldn¡¯t be right. Given William¡¯s identity, if he had spoken up, even Matilda would have shown respect to him and let her off the hook

    So, why did he remain silent? Clearly, he wanted to help Free as well.

 Chapter 311

    Chapter

    311 Why Don¡¯t You Just Roba nk

    Chapter 3 Why Don¡¯t You Just Rob a Bank

    <b>William </b>didn¡¯t exin. After all, exnations had never been his style.

    Standing by the railing on the second floor, he looked downstairs, his gaze stretching through the open door into the dark night. Tilting his head slightly, he suggested, ¡°You should get some test. They¡¯ve prepared a room for you.

    ¡°And what about you? Elena asked instinctively

    William¡¯s gaze lowered slightly. Though he didn¡¯t show displeasure, Elena sensed his reluctance to be questioned. She bit her lip.

    ¡°I mean, if Mrs. <b>Matilda </b>notices that you¡¯re gone tomorrow morning, she¡¯ll want to know where you went. What should I tell her?¡±

    Tell her whatever you think is appropriate,¡± William said as he took a few steps forward, then paused and turned back.

    ¡°<b>Mrs. </b>Navarro might not be in the right emotional state to rity things. Make sure to inform Mrs. Matilda tomorrow about the culprit that Emelie has identified,¡± he added.

    <b>Elena¡¯s </b>eyes flickered slightly at William¡¯s mention of ¡°the culprit that Emelie had identified¡®.

    While Emelie had indeed uncovered the real culprit independently, it was William who had just presented the analysis to Sofia Yet, he deliberately instructed Elena to inform Matilda that Emelie had identified the culprit.

    Elena¡¯s expression remained unchanged ¡°1 understand what needs to be said.¡±

    William descended the stairs <b>and </b>stepped outside, but there was no sign of Emelie in the yard. He asked the maid at the door, ¡°Did Emelie take <b>a </b><b>cab</b>?¡±

    The maid responded respectfully, ¡°Ms, Hoven decided to walk. It¡¯s <b>not </b>easy to find a cab in this area.¡±

    Walled? At this hour, she intended to walk down the mountain?

    William pursed his lips and got into the car.

    About 330 feet down the slope <b>from </b>the Navarro residence, be spotted a figure stumbling along the path. He pressed on the elerator and pulled up beside Emelie abruptly. The cold wind blew against her, further clouding her mind. She hadn¡¯t even heard the sound of the car, so

    The window rolled down, revealing William¡¯s cold, handsome face.

    <b>¡°</b>Get in,¡± hemanded

    Emelie declined, ¡°Mr. Middleton, I wouldn¡¯t want to trouble you. I can manage to hail a cab myself!!!

    William countered, ¡°Can you get a cab around here?¡±

    so its sudden

    appearance startled het.

    No, she couldn¡¯t. The location was too remote for any service. When she arrived, she had to offer extra <b>money </b>for the driver to take her up the hill just now, she had discovered that the nearest location to <b>hall </b>a cab was at the foot of the mountain.

    The air she breathed was both cold and hot. ¡°I¡¯ll walk down the mountain by myself,¡± she insisted, refusing to get into the car and determined to wall on her own.

    William watched her stubbornness impassively and said nothing Emelie ignored him in return, continuing her descent down the hill.

    However, <b>she </b>soon noticed that William neither turned back toward the Navarro residence nor overtook her to head directly down the mountain. Instead, he stayed behind her, matching her pace step by step. For every three feet she walked, he matched her pace.

    At first, Emelie thought she might be obstructing his path, so she purposely moved nearer to the edge. Yet, he persisted in following closely behind her without passing.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    The car¡¯s headlights continuously illuminated Emelie¡¯s Digure. Although Eight was intangible, she felt trapped as if in a tangible cage.

    Unable to endure it any longer, she abruptly turned around to confront the headlights. She gazed directly into the car at William, whose features were handsome, though his expression consistently seemed excessively aloof.

    Emelie walked up to the car and asked, ¡°Are you finished <b>ying </b>games, Mr. Middleton?¡±

    William gripped the steering wheel with one hand. ¡°You dislike being pressured, correct? I¡¯m respecting your decision. If you prefer to walk down the mountain, I won¡¯t stop you If you choose not to get in the car, that¡¯s fine too. Is that not sufficient?¡±

    The word ¡°respect¡±ing from William almost elicited a chuckle from Emelie, though she held it back

    Was this why he hadn¡¯t intervened earlier in the stud

    He unlocked the car door. ¡°Are you getting in or <b>not</b>?¡±

    Swallowing against the lump in her throat, Emelie acknowledged her own illness. If she persisted stubbornly, she might not even make it down the mountain

    After a brief pause, <b>she </b>got into the car but kept her distance. <b>¡°</b><b>I¡¯ll </b>pay for the ride¡±

    William clicked his tongue before responding, ¡°Very well. This car is valued at three million dors. Let¡¯s <b>say </b>I drive it for <b>a </b>maximum of six months, making four trips each day. Divide that by 180 days, and then by four trips. How much does each trip cost?

    ¡°Ms. Hoven, please <b>do </b>the calctions and transfer the money to me Emelie eximed in frustration, ¡°Why <b>don¡¯t </b>you just rob a bank?¡±

 Chapter 312

    Chapter <b>312 </b>You Provoloed Me

    William fixed a cold state on Emelie. ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who insisted on repaying me for the ride?¡±

    Emelie clenched her teeth, and without hesitation, William elerated. He swiftly navigated around a sharp bend in the mountain road.

    Emelie wasn¡¯t prepared for the sudden eleration. Her body mmed into the door, and the seat belt snapped her back into her seat

    Although it didn¡¯t hurt much, she felt deeply aggrieved. Her eyes reddened as she red fiercely at William.

    Williams tightened his grip on the steering wheel and eased upon the elerator. His tone was less than pleasant as he said, ¡°I never knew you had such a temper. I can¡¯t go along with you, but I can¡¯t go against you either.¡±

    If these words had been spoken by someone else, they might have sounded more amodating, like ¡°Tean¡¯t do anything with you¡°, or ¡°how can I satisfy you¡°, or even ¡°you leave me with no options¡°. <b>But </bing from William, Emelie only felt his impatience.

    Emelie¡¯s usual demeanor tended toward quiet reserve, but when her body felt unwell, her emotions and temper inevitably surfaced

    For instance, back in Wimstour City when she skipped several meals and had <b>a </b>stomach <b>ache</b>, everyment from William would provoke <b>a </b><b>sharp </b>retort from her.

    This time was no different.

    She sneered and remarked, ¡°Mr. Middleton, I find your actions rather perplexing When Mrs. Matilda questioned me, you wouldn¡¯t even confirm that you were with me in the nursery all night and that I didn¡¯t poison anyone.

    ¡°Yet, at <b>Elena¡¯s </b>urging to help me, you willingly spoke at length to Mrs. Navarro. But now, you¡¯re driving out here personally to chase

    se after me. Don¡¯t you think your behavior is rather contradictory?¡±

    ¡°Are you ming me for not testifying for you?¡± William¡¯s demeanor grew colder. ¡°Then, why didn¡¯t you tell Mrs. Matilda that you were with mest night?

    Emelie had mentioned Maria, the maid, and even the bodyguard, but she had omitted any mention to him. Despite this, she had the audacity to me him for his silence.

    Emelie pursed her lips in response and then <b>said</b>, ¡°Even if thad mentioned you, you wouldn¡¯t <b>have </b>supported me. So, why bother?¡±

    <b>William¡¯s </b>expression tumed icy, ¡°What did you just say?¡±

    Emelle stood her ground. ¡°I mean, even if I had brought you up, you wouldn¡¯t have supported me. Am I mistaken? You¡¯re not like Mr. Swanson. You won¡¯t stand by me without a

    <b>reason</b>.

    ¡°And if you did stand up for me, you¡¯d want something in retom. What good is that kind of assistance?¡±

    William¡¯s voice lowered. ¡°Do you really see me in that light?¡±

    ¡°Oh? You disagree?¡± Emelie countered. ¡°me your ¡°glorious achievements¡± for leaving me with such a stereotyped impression. I¡¯ve never thought that Mr. Swanson could be like that clearly, the issue bes with you.¡±Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    Mr. Swanson, Mr. Swanson, Mr. Swanson. She just wouldn¡¯t let it go!

    William¡¯s expression turned frosty as he abruptly mmed on the brakes. The car came to a sudden halt on the slope, tilting forward.

    Emelie lurched forward from the inertia but managed to <b>grab </b>the handle just in time to prevent herself from falling out.

    Anger surged through her. As soon as she got into his car, he purposely jostled her like that. Her head was already spinning, and she felt nauseous.

    Witam¡¯s voice resonated angrily in Emelie¡¯s ears as he said, ¡°So, this explosive attitude of yours right now is because of Samuel?

    ¡°If <b>you¡¯re </b>so fond of him, then why didn¡¯t <b>you </b>ept his confession? Why didn¡¯t you try to dissuade him from going to Eprand?¡±

    How did William know she had turned down Samuel¡¯s confession? How did he know about Samuel going to Eprand?

    Well, it didn¡¯t matter.

    Regardless of how he knew, Emelie didn¡¯t want to be in his <b>car </b>right now. <b>She </b>preferred to risk her life halfway up the mountain than endure his relentless provocation. She reached for the door handle immediately.

    William saw her determination to find Samuel, <b>and </b>anger surged within him. He grabbed her arm and forcefully pulled her back. Emelie had no time to react before he gripped the back of her head and kissed her forcefully.

    Emelle was already feeling dizzy, and his forceful action left her breathless. She promptly pushed him away, utilizing the cramped space in the car to her advantage, which made it

    hard for William to restrain her.

    Breathing heavily, her eyes reddened. ¡°You <b>said </b>you wouldn¡¯t bully me again!¡± she eximed.

    William¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°This doesn¡¯t count. This time, you provoked me.¡±

    Enjoy Ad¨CFree Reading<b>>></b>

 Chapter 313

    Chapter 313 How Can I Ever Let You Go?

    Who was provoking whom, exactly<b>? </b>Just because Emelie <b>had </b>angered William didn¡¯t give him the right to do as he <b>pleased</b>

    Who made these rules, anyway? was it <b>him </b>once more? It always seemed like he was the one calling the shots!

    Emelle was furious to speak William wiped his mouth and noticed blood. Jest moments ago, she had pounced on has <b>like a </b><b>wildcat </b>and biten him directly

    William¡¯s Adarna¡¯s apple bobbed as he said, ¡°stay seated so that you don¡¯t bump into anything and then re at me again.¡±

    The mountain road was already <b>winding </b>enough as it was.

    Enforcibly subdued her anger, settled back into her seat, and tightly gripped the handle

    William shifted gears, released the brake, and guided the car down the slope. He <b>didn¡¯t </b>inquire about her address, and Emelle <b>didn¡¯t </b>offer since she knew that he was already aware

    at it.

    She had thought that she had slipped away from his control, but in reality, every action she took remained under his vignt guzz.

    As the car finally descended from the mountain and onto <b>the </b>main road, <b>the </b>streetlights cast <b>a </b><b>bright </b>glow on the straight path ahead.

    Willum eased back a little and nced at Emelie seated beside him. She leaned against the door, eyes closed as if depleted of energy. Her breathing was henry, and the furrowed <b>brows </b>suppested her deep¨Cseated concern

    william stole a few more nces at her but grew imitated thinking about her continous mention of Samuel Heclenched the steering wheel tightly and looked away.

    Emelie wasn¡¯t <b>sleeping </b><b>as </b>she couldn¡¯t find the peace to do so. She experienced alternating sensations of heat and cold, a feeling <b>she </b>was quite familiar with

    It brought back memories of when she had copsed on <b>the </b><b>Graham </b>family¡¯s ship due to diness. Perhaps the recent busy work schedule,ck of rest, and adjusting to a mem environment had triggered this sudden bout of illness

    When the car pulled up at the hotel, Emelle woke abruptly. She murmured settly, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Middleton,¡± and swiftly opened the car door before stepping out

    She was keenly aware that she had reached her limit. Shaking slightly, she retrieved her phone and dialed for an ambnce.

    William observed her unsteady movements from inside the car

    Emelie <b>had </b>just provided her location to the emergency center when she identally collided with someone walking toward ber

    Normally, such acollision would have caused a stumble at most. However, Emaliepletely lost her bnce and started falling backward

    In that instant, she epted her impending fall, convinced that it wouldn¡¯t make mach difference <b>since </b>an ambnce was already on its way.

    Instead of the expected <b>pain</b><b>, </b><b>a </b>strong arm wrapped firmly around her waist Emelie¡¯s cheeks flushed deeply in the chilly breeze. Beneath the bright hotel entrance lights, her blushing face was unmistakable.

    William quickly reached out to check her forehead. ¡°<b>You </b><b>have </b>a fever and didn¡¯t say anything?¡± <b>be </b><b>snapped</b>.

    Was he ming her?

    Emelie¡¯s thoughts were a mess. She had been feeling so ufortable. Surely, he could have noticed eacher if he had been paying more attention. ¡°If it were Mr. Swanson, be would have noticed for sure.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    William¡¯s expression turned grim. <b>Without </b><b>saying </b>another word, he scooped her up in <b>his </b>arms and carried her back to the car. From there, he drove straight to the hospital After being admitted to the emergency room, her temperature was recorded at 39¡ãC. With a high fever, she needed to be hospitalized and receive <b>an </b>TV drip

    Standing by her bedside, William observed Emebe¡¯s feverish face. His emotions were unclear, and his tone was unreadable. ¡°Are you so upset about Samuel leaving that you¡¯ve made yourself sick?¡±

    The hospital bed was adomed with white pillows and sheets. Emehey there, appearing fragile as if she could break with a gentle touch. I deep slumber.

    Her eyes remained tightly closed, lost in a

    Given her high fever, one would expect her to be unconscious by now. <b>It </b>was remarkable how she <b>had </b>managed to conduct her investigation and descend the mountain in such a

    sesta.

    Yet, that was Emelie¨Cnever showing vulnerability, never relying on others<b>, </b><b>and </b>steadfast in bearing everything alone.

    William gently pinched her chin, adjusting her head on the pillow. He had taught her everything, even molding her way of thinking. Therefore, their minds were so attuned that they often anticipated each other¡¯s thoughts.

    However, in his three years as her mentor, he had neglected to impart the wisdom of yielding when necessary.

    Emelie¡¯s brows furrowed slightly she were drivening. Her lips moved faintly, murmuring words under her breath.

    Williamleaned closer to listen attentively.

    ¡°Why won¡¯t you just¡­ me go<b>.</b>¡± Her words struck <b>a </b>chord with Wim, and his expression darkened.

    Emelie repeated the phrase incoherently, clearly troubled

    It started with Daphne, then Patricia, and now Elena So many women sumounded him, each holding a special ce in his heart. Yet, why couldn¡¯t he let her go?

    Every time she thought he was finally <b>going </b>to establish clear boundaries between them, he would provoke her again, keeping her <b>in </b>a perpetual state of uncertainty that unsettled

    her heart.

    William delicately adjusted her nket, ensuring it covered her chin before smoothing it down with care, His hand then moved to her abdomen. Despite the thickness of the nket and his gentle touch, Encle¡¯s body tensed.

    In abushed hour<b>, </b>William asked, ¡°How and ever let you go?¡±

    Emelle remained vident, her eyshes trembling <b>as </b><b>a </b>tear escaped down hercheck.

 Chapter 314

    Clupter 314Men Could Be Incredibly Heartless

    Emelle leptoundly through the night and woke up the next morning after 7:00am.

    Her room was a double room, she had drawn a curtain between her bed and the adjacent site, but could still hour theforting voices of the patient¡¯s family on the other side. Un her side, the room tempined tranquil and peaceful

    Willum <b>had </b>already left. She wasn¡¯t sure exactly whim, but it was probably sometime during the previous night. She hadn¡¯t expected him to stay with her at the hospital.

    The winter morning in Weston brought achill through the slightly a window, allowing a gentle breeze to drift in Nestled beside the window, her bed felt cold, prompting her to pull the nket fighter around herself,

    Este a bit lightheaded, and her muscles were sore the fewer that had websided.

    Estimating the time, Bryan should have been awake already So, she picked <b>up </b>her phone and called him. As expected, he answered promptly

    cleared her throat softly and said, ¡°Mr. Swanson, I took care of the issue with the Navarro familyst night.¡±

    ¡°okay, what happened? Beyan inquired.

    Emelle proceeded to gl him a detailed report<b>, </b>naturally omitting the part about encountering Wim and Elena at the Navarro family¡¯s residence. ¡°It turned out to be a mkunderstanding¡± she concluded.

    ¡°Good to hear it was a misunderstanding. We need to renew our contract with Nars Corporation in the first quarter next year. Let¡¯s make sure such incidents don¡¯t affect our ctionship,<b>¡± </b><b>Brn </b>responded

    Emelie¡¯s voice was slightly house as she replied, ¡°Yes, Lunderstand. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±

    Bryan cased his eyebrows. ¡°Theard you coughing a few times Are you feeling unwel?¡± he asked.

    Emelle¡¯s voice remained horse. ¡°Thad <b>a </b>feverst night.¡±

    ¡°In the case, take the day to rest.¡± Bryan suggested.

    *No need<b>, </b>I¡¯ll be discharged after my IV drip this moming You have an online meeting

    meeting with Nexus Corporation this afternoon I¡¯ll be at the office beforehand to prepare, Emelie

    stated.

    In essence, she nned to take only the morning off.

    Emelle was known as a capable yet humble employee <b>who </b>understood her boundaries <b>and </b>never allowed personal matters to interfere with work, she was the type of employee highly valued by employers.

    Bryan acknowledged her request and ended the call

    Then, he nced across the dining table at Samuel Sipping this color and eating breakfast, the <b>casually </b>asked, ¡°Ms. How has a fever and is reviving an IV drip at the hospital. Would you like to go and check on her?¡±

    <b>Samuel </b>hesitated briefly before shaking his head. ¡°She¡¯s hard worker and knows how to take care of herself if she sees she like at work this afternoon, she should manage just fine. I don¡¯t want to disturb her and make things hader¡±

    Bryan understood the situation immediately. ¡°You confessed to Ms. Hoven, didn¡¯t you? And she turned you down?¡± otherube, Samuel wouldn¡¯t be so hesitant <b>about </b>disturbing

    hec.

    Ben knew Samwell he was considerate and sensitive. If his confession hadn¡¯t been epted, he would keep his distance to avoid causing difort.

    Samuel remained silent, his attention fixed on his chicken soup. His silence alone was conflemation

    Bryan Browned slightly. ¡°So you¡¯re going to Eprind because Mts. Howen rejected you?¡±!

    Samuel repliedly, ¡°I¡¯m going to Eprand to better myself. It¡¯s not because of anyone else.¡±

    Bryant straight to the point. ¡°But if Ms. Hoven <b>had </b>epted your confession, you wouldn¡¯t be leaving.¡±

    It was evident.

    However, the truth was he and Emelie weren¡¯t destined to be together. Sameel still pondered whether things might have turned out differently if he hadn¡¯t gone to Wimstour City, if those events hadn¡¯t unfolded.

    Could they have had <b>a </b>future together?

    Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t entertain ¡®its.

    Samuel chose not to dwell on the matter further. Adjusting his sses, he remarked, ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving today, but before I do, there¡¯s something important I must share with you.¡±

    Bryan inquired, ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°advise against marrying Camels<b>, </b>Samuel inly stated

    leaned back in his chair<b>, </b>looking at Samuel with a puzzled expression

    Samuelcontinued calmly, ¡°Camiacsed quite a stir at the recent <b>Navarro </b>family <b>banquet </b>You might have heard about it. Associating with <b>such </b><b>a </b>contentious woman could damage your reputation. There are plenty of respectable women in Westen perhaps you should consider someone more suitable.¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    Bryan narrowed his eyes. ¡°You seldom involve yourself in my <b>personal </b>matters. Are you concerned about Cam¡¯s suitability as <b>the </b>future matriarch of the Swanson family, or is it because of her behavior that nearly embarrassed Ms. Hove at the Navarro family banquet? Are you speaking up for her sake?

    Samuel <b>remained </bposed. ¡°Emelie is now the secretary of Swanson Corporation. Any embarassment the faces reflects on Swanson Corporation, Cam doesn¡¯t seem to understand thi

    #she bes the match of the Swanson family, it could make the Swanson family aughingstock in social circles.¡±

    Bryan adjusted his thumb ring, <b>a </b>symbol that signified the patriarch of <b>the </b>Swanson family.

    Without much consideration, he nodded. ¡°Alright,¡± he said. With that single word, Bryan shattered Cam¡¯s dream of marrying hi

    Samuel smiled faintly and resumed eating. ¡°I might into Patriciat Eprand. Is there anything you¡¯d like me to pass on <b>to </b><b>her</b>?¡± he asked.

    Chapter 314 Men Could Be Incredibly Heartless

    Bryan responded coldly, ¡°Who¡¯s Patricia?¡±

    Samuel didn¡¯t pursue the matter.

    A woman who had loved him for many <b>years </b>was willing to transform from a queen to <b>just </b>a wildflower by the roadside. Yet, to Bryan, she was as insignificant as a drop of water on a table; once wiped away, she left no trace

    He even asserted that he didn¡¯t ¡°know¡± <b>her </b>anymore.

    Men could be incredibly heartless.

    im Bonus For Free Every Day>>

 Chapter 315

    Chapter <b>315 </b>Cared More About Her

    The Navarro family members gathered for breakfast at their residence.

    Matilda heard voices and looked up to see Elena descending the stairs arm in arm with Sofia, engaged in lively conversation.

    They appeared close, confirming Emo¡¯s suspicions from the previous night. In the blink of an eye, their rtionship had advanced from acquaintances to best friends.

    Matilda furrowed her brows briefly but quickly regained herposure. ¡°Ms. Allen, thank you for taking care of Sofia and the children yesterday,¡± she said.

    Elena <b>pulled </b>out a chair for Sofia and smiled warmly. ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Mrs. <b>Matilda</b>. William has immense respect for you, and I consider you like a grandmother to me. It¡¯s only natural to help with the children as they¡¯re like nephews to me.¡±

    Sofia was touched, holding Elena¡¯s hand as they took their seats.

    Matilda smiled faintly. ¡°Theard william left earlyst night. Was it something urgent?¡±

    ¡°It was work¨Crted,¡± Elena replied. ¡°William asked me to apologize <b>on </b>his behalf for his sudden departure. He promises to visit the Navarro residence next time to spend more time with you. For now, allow me to take his ce.¡±

    Sofia gently patted Elena¡¯s <b>hand</b>. ¡°I noticed <b>it </bst night. Mr. Middleton treats you quite differently. When he speaks like that, it¡¯s as if <b>he </b>already views you as his fianc¨¦e.¡±

    Elena blushed slightly and jokingly scolded, ¡°Sofia¡±

    Matilda interjected calmly, ¡°William nuns such argepany all by himself, without siblings to share the burden. It¡¯s undoubtedly challenging. Let¡¯s eat first¡±

    Matilda kept her remarks concise, allowing Elena little opportunity to borate, which led her topse into <b>silence</b>.

    After finishing her breakfast, <b>Elena </b>excused herself and headed to the restroom.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    In the dining room, only Matilda <b>and </b>Sofia remained. Matilda continued, ¡°Sofia, don¡¯t get too close to Ms. Allen.¡±

    Socialooked puzzled. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t you like <b>Elena</b>? I find her very friendly, and her personality is quite nice.¡±

    Matilda replied, ¡°I can¡¯t judge her personality. However, you¡¯re being somewhat naive.¡±

    After years in the business world, she had seen all sorts of tricks. Elena¡¯s slick actions meant little to her.

    ¡°To put it nicely, she¡¯s emotionally intelligent. Bluntly, she¡¯s too slick. You two just met, and she¡¯s already on a first¨Cname basis with you. I don¡¯t like people <b>who </b>are too opportunistic,¡± Matildacontinued.

    Sofia furrowed her <b>brows</b>. ¡°But Mr. Middleton clearly favors her. He hangs <b>on </b>her every word. Whatever she suggestedst night, he followed through¡±

    Matilda wasn¡¯t present at the scene, so she didn¡¯t have specific details <b>about </b>the previous night. Nevertheless, she could sense that William cared more about Emelie. Originally, Wim had no ns to visit the Navarro residence yesterday. When Matilda called to inquire about any suspicious activities at the twins¡® one¨Cmonth celebration, where they were poisoned, he casually replied that everything was normal.

    It was only when <b>Matilda </b>casually mentioned, ¡°The most suspicious person might be Swanson Corporation¡¯s secretary, Ms. Hoven,¡± that he reconsidered and agreed to visit to check on the children.

    Matilda could discern well enough whether he was there out of concern for the children or for some other reason entirely.

    However, Sofiadisagreed. ¡°I reviewed the surveince footagest night and found out that Emelie left with Mr. Middleton. They must have been checking on the children together.

    ¡°If Mr. Middleton truly wanted to protect her, why didn¡¯t he immediatelye forward to confirm they were together that night and that Emelie had nothing to do with the poisoning? His silence suggests he doesn¡¯t care about her.¡±

    Matilda raised her eyebrows in response. ¡°Is that so?¡± After a brief moment <b>of </b>contemtion, she shook her head and smiled.

    Sofia¡¯s revtion confirmed her suspicion that William cared more about Emelie.

    Matilda remarked<b>, </b><b>¡°</b>Consider this, <b>if </b>he had spoken up to defend Emelie, I would <b>have </b>undoubtedly pardoned her. But such leniency wouldn¡¯t signify my belief in Emelie¡¯s Innocence. Rather, with his protection, I couldn¡¯t publicly assign me

    ¡°To me, Emelie would still remain a suspect¡±

    The emphasis was on the phrase ¡°couldn¡¯t publicly¡°. Both Swanson Corporation and Navarro Corporation held considerable influence in Weston.

    Given their close coboration, Emelle, now working <b>as </b>Swanson Corporation¡¯s secretary, would inevitably interact with Navarro Corporation¡¯s associates in the future<b>. </b>Matilda had subtle ways to subtly reprimand her.

    Hence, the most effective and least problematic approach for Emelie to vindicate herself was to uncover the true culprit on her own. This way, she could definitively erase any <b>suspicions </b>and prevent Matilda from harboring any resentment toward her,

    Outside the dining room, Elena leaned a

    So, that exined why William hadn¡¯te forward to testifyst night¨Che wasn¡¯t staying silent but rather helping Emelie.

    Elena¡¯s expression remainedposed, but an underlying chill could be detected.

 Chapter 316

    Chapter 3161dentity

    <b>1/1</b>

    Emellepleted her IV drip by <b>8:00</b>am

    Resting in the hospital bed, she felt far from her usual self. Her intention was to discharge soon and return to her hotel to rest until the afternoon, when she would then head to the office

    As soon as she pulled back her nket, she was startled by a drawling ¡°Honey¡± fr

    from the doorway¨Ca voice that sounded yful and flirtatious

    Emelie¡¯s eyes twitched with unease <b>as </b>she cautionsly peeked from behind the curtain. It was Charles<b>!</b>Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    charles spotted ber too, and his smile widened. ¡°Ms. <b>Hoven</b>, you¡¯re finally up and about? Perfect timing. I¡¯ve brought you breakdast. You should eat it while it¡¯s hor¡±

    He was carrying bags of various sizes, and he ced them on the small table ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure what you liked, so I got <b>a </b>bit of everything. Take your pick.¡±

    Emelie fixed her gaze on him, sensing something <b>was </b>amiss. ¡°Mr. Davis, how did you know I was in the hospital?=

    Did Bryan tell him? She hadn¡¯t given him the name of the hospital or the ward<b>, </b><b>so </b>how did Charles locate her so urately?

    Despite arriving early in the moming, Charles was impably dressed in a suit. His eyes effortlessly shifted to a demeanor of deep affection toward Emelie.

    ¡°When you¡¯re ill, it pains me deeply I sensed, so here I am,¡± he said.

    Emelle wasn¡¯t in the mood for jokes. She asked seriously, ¡°Mr. Davis, how did you find out? Were you following me or keeping tabs on me?¡±

    Seeing her serious expression, <b>Charles </b>abandoned his yful demeanor and pulled up a chair beside her bad. ¡°Last night, a friend of mine <b>had </b>a car ident and ended up in the

    emergency room. He saw you earlier.

    ¡°This morning, he mentioned it to me, so I hurried over, I simply asked at the nurse¡¯s station to find out which room <b>you </b>were in,¡± he exined

    ¡°Now that I¡¯ve rified that, Ms. Hoven, <b>does </b>it make sense? Should I bring my friend and the narse here to confira? Charles asked.

    However, Emelie remained puzzled. ¡°How did your friend know about <b>me</b>? And why did he inform you?¡±

    Charles casually crossed his legs, a faint smirk appearing on his lips. ¡°I prefer to be open and transparent in all my actions. My close friends know that I¡¯ve been pursuing you.¡± Emelie was caught off guard ¡°What?¡±

    Charles remained confidentlyposed. ¡°<b>I </b>attend numerous dinners and events every day, and my clients and triends often try to set me up with women. But I¡¯ve turned over a new leaf. I told them I¡¯m actively searching for a girlfriend. They were skeptical, sot showed them your photo.

    After seeing your photo, they remarked, ¡°No wonder you¡¯re turning over a new lead she¡¯s really beautiful¡±

    Emelie believed he was capable of such actions. Her feelings were ratherplex. Theplexity stemmed from the fact that no one had ever openly attributed such an ¡°identity¡± to her before. Even the idea of being persund was entirely new to her.

    ¡°Mr. Davis, could you please not be so reckless? You could cause me trouble,¡± she said helplessly

    Charles <b>responded </b><b>casually </b>but with a hint of threat, ¡°No trouble at all. Anyone who dares to bother you because of my pursuit will find themselves in trouble with me.¡±

    Emelie pursed her lips, ready to speak. However, Charles grabbed <b>a </b>cottage cheese and fruit breakfast bowl and attempted to feed her, ¡°Try this. I¡¯ve seen many people buying it<b>, </b>so it should be good,<b>¡± </b>he said.

    Unustomed to being fed, Emelie instinctively leaned away

    Charles scooped up a spoonful with a stic <b>spoon </b>and <b>urged</b>, ¡°Come on, give it a try¡±

    ¡°Mr. Davis, I can eat on my own,¡± Ermelle said, tilting her head away,

    <b>Charles </b>insisted, ¡°Taking care of a patient is only nab¨²ral,¡±

    Emelie persisted, ¡°I really can manage on my own¡­.<b>Mmph</b>!<b>¡±</b>

    Before she could finish her sentence, Charles seized the opportunity to feed her assertively, Emelie disliked being handled that way and red at him irritably.

    At that moment, from the corner of her eye, she noticed someone else entering the room. It was William

    She coughed and spat out the cottage cheese and fruit breakfast bowl, then quieldy grabbed tissues to wipe her mouth.

    William¡¯s footsteps came to an abrupt <b>halt </b>at the sight

    Emelie red at Charles, her eyes tinged with a mixture of anger and annoyance.

    Immediately, William¡¯s expression turned dark, his eyes <b>shing </b>with cold intensity.

    Topound the situation, Charles chuckled and inquired, ¡°Healy, Ms. Hoven? Can¡¯t you manage being fed a cottage cheese and huit breakfast bow!?¡±

 Chapter 317

    Jupter 317 <b>A </b>Joke

    As soon as he finished speaking, a hand mped down hard on Charles¡® shoulder,

    letore he could whip around to see who it was, he got yanked back.

    ught off guard, he staggered, sending his cottage cheese and fruit breakfast bowl flying, sttering him from head to toe

    Though his clothes shielded him, the mess left him looking like aplete wreck.

    harles clenched his tongue against his cheek, raised his head, and locked eyes with William. The smallenged on William¡¯s lips, but his demeanor hinted at achill

    ¡®Mr. Middleton, let¡¯s keep this civilized. What¡¯s with the hands¨Con approach?¡± Charles quipped.

    Van fixed him with a stare. <b>¡°</b>Can you even talk civilly, Mr. Davis?¡±

    ¡®Of course I can. Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± Charles shrugged off his jacket, balled it up, <b>and </b><b>tossed </b>his expensive custom suit into the trash without batting an eye.

    With a sly grin, he <b>quipped</b><b>, </b>¡°Heard you yed hero for Ms. Hovenst night at the hospital<b>. </b>Appreciate it.

    ¡°Next time, though<b>, </b>shoot me a call After all, as her potential boyfriend, I¡¯m supposed to be the one looking out for her, you know?¡±

    William adjusted his cufflinks. This caught Emelie¡¯s <b>attention </b>as she noticed his suit looked oddly <b>familiar</b>. Wasn¡¯t that what <b>he </b>worest night? Didn¡¯the leave?

    No way.

    Emelie dismissed the thought immediately.

    William always wore ck suits that were practically indistinguishable. She was so out of itst night, she couldn¡¯t see clearly, let alone recognize his ttes.

    <bm¡¯s </b>tone <b>chilled</b><b>. </b><b>¡°</b>Might as well tell me that when you¡¯re no longer a ¡®potential boyfriend, Mr. Davis. ¡°¡®

    Charles shrugged casually, ¡°past a word¡¯s difference. No big deal ¡±

    William fixed his gaze on Emelle, his expression a puzzle. Emelie started to speak but found herself at a loss for words.

    Ashton, William¡¯s secretary, stood nearby. Emelie hadn¡¯t seen Ashton at the Navarro residencest night. She had assumed William had arrived in Weston with only Elena,

    Ashton spoko politely, ¡°Mr. Davis, we were just outside the hospital and noticed a traffic officer towing a Ferrari parked on the street. From the tes, it looks like yours. Should you go down and handle it?¡±

    Charles nced over at Ashton, his tone respectful. ¡°No worries, let them handle it ¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a <b>limited </b>edition cat. 1 bet it¡¯s worth millions. If it gets damaged during towing, the repair costs will be through the roof. Plus, it¡¯ll need to be shipped back to the factory for repairs, which is a hassle. Mr. Davis, you should really go downstairs and take a look,¡± Ashton urged.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    Charles remained firm ¡°<b>Money¡¯s </b>no problem for me. Don¡¯t sweat it, sweetheart.¡±

    Emelie chimed in, ¡°Mr. Davis, I¡¯m good to go. They¡¯re about to discharge me, and I¡¯m heading straight to the office. You should handle your car first¡±

    Charles gave her a quick look and nodded decisively. ¡°Okay, if you <b>say </b>so. Call me anytime if you need something¡±

    ¡°will do,¡±

    ¡°Emelie replied

    Charles brushed past William without a word and made his way out

    Ashton quietly stepped back, giving them both room.

    Emelie sat on the hospital bed, craning her neck to meet William¡¯s gaze. His strong, sculpted features reminded her of <b>their </b>conversation the previous night.

    She had been unwell then, which exined her outburst. Nowposed and clear¨Cheaded, she rebamed to her usual polite yet reserved demeanor.

    ¡°Thank you for your helpst night, Mr. Middleton.¡±

    William¡¯s expression remained stoic. ¡°If you¡¯re grateful, then settle the fare.¡±

    The face.

    Elie gritted her teeth as a surge of unnameable frustration hit her. After a moment, she nced around<b>, </b>spotted her phone under the pillow, <b>and </b>retrieved it

    ¡°Three million dors divided by 180 days, then divided by four rides a day, <b>makes </b>it about four thousand dors per ride. I¡¯ll transfer the four¨Cthousand<b>¨C</b>dor fare to you Emilie said

    She tapped open her payment app and began typing in four thousand just as she <b>was </b>about to transfer the money, William grabbed her wrist abruptly.

    Emelie cleared her throat and looked up at William. ¡°Mr.Middleton, didn¡¯t you ask for the fare?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you tell that <b>it </b>was a joke?¡± William¡¯s gaze bore into hers.

    Emelie hesitated. ¡°A joke?¡±

    William¡¯s voice lowered. ¡°Don¡¯t you like that kind of banter?

    Emelle was taken aback by his assumption. ¡°I don¡¯t¡±

    ¡°And yet you joke andugh with Charles,¡± William pressed, his tone sharp.

    ¡°When I made a shudlerment, you acted as it were a huge insult, like I wanted to shame you. But with him, it¡¯s fine. Ms. Hoven, don¡¯t you see the double standard here?¨C

 Chapter 318

    Chapter 318 Come Back

    When William brought up the incident at Lakeside Vi, Emelle felt achill wash over her. It felt <b>like </b>a gust of ley wind blowing through an open window and settling into her <b>bones</b>, causing adeep, gnawing ache.

    It served as a stack reminder of willian¡¯s contempt and cruelty toward her. Those emotions <b>had </b>even gued her in nightmares.

    <b>In </b><b>one </b>unsettling dream, William <b>demanded </b>she strip naked as payback for humiliating her. She woke suddenly at 3:00 am. Her heart raced, and she was unable to shake the unsettling feeling.

    Her sudden illness wasn¡¯t just due to adjusting to a new environment and work pressures; it was also fueled by overwhelming anxiety and stress

    Her throat still smarted as she rasped out, <b>¡°</b>Can you really equate <b>those </b>tro?¡±

    Wim observed ber visibly pater facepared to the night before and <b>stayed </b>silent.

    mele held her breath, yanked her hand back forefully, and transferred the four thousand dors.

    ¡°Mr. Middleton, I¡¯ve paid you the face,¡± she insisted hoarsely.

    Wim still didn¡¯t say anything

    Einele, feeling utterly drained <b>and </b><b>at </b><b>a </b>loss for words, sumbed to a wave of weariness.

    Her stomach numbled. Disinterested in engaging with <b>William</b>, she grabbed <b>a </b>sandwich from the table and started eating.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    Finally, Wim broke the silence, <b>¡°</b>Aren¡¯t you heading back to the effice? Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll drive you.¡±

    Emelie knew better than to resist <b>him</b>, she understood the repercussions too well. If he insisted on driving <b>her</b>, she wouldn¡¯t acpot Furthermore, once they arrived at Swanson Corporation, she anticipated he wouldn¡¯t trouble her further.

    Tucking the sandwich into her bag forter, Emelie rose from the bed <b>and </b>followed him out.

    Samuel pulled into the hospital lot and caught sight of Emelie climbing into William¡¯s car before he even had a chance to parl

    Despite telling Bryan he didn¡¯t want to intrude on Emele, he couldn¡¯t resist checking on her discreetly.

    Seeing Emelie with William again caught him off guard.

    He sat in his car<b>, </b>finishing a cigarette, then pulled out his phone and scrolled through contacts until he <b>found </b>an old WhatsApp <b>chat</b>

    Samuel ¡°I¡¯m off to Epcand to teach. I can¡¯t keep an eye on her anymore.¡±

    Samuel: ¡°You should considering back home soon. Something¡¯s off with the people around <b>her </btely. I wonder if it¡¯s rted to what you were <b>worried </b>about¡± Shortly after, Wisky replied: ¡°Understood.¡±

    Ashton sat at the wheel up front, while in the back, melle and William maintained a noticeable slice.

    Therewas enough room between Free and Wim to fit two more peoplefortably.

    Tuming to look out the window, Emelle realized this wasn¡¯t the usud route to her office.

    But since she was new to Weston and <b>usually </b>took the subway<b>, </b>she wasn¡¯t familiar with the streets. Ashton might be talking an alternate coute, so she stayed quiet Eventually, the car pulled up in front of a bustling diner.

    Was William sggesting they grab breakfast together?

    Emelle hesitated, but William had already opened the car door. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s grab a bite.¡±

    Free looked at him, <b>unsure </b>if she was imagining things. Why did it seem Eke William was starting to act like Charlestely?

    Charles sent flowers, so <b>william </b>followed suit, Charles was smooth¨Ctalking, so Wilm started cracking jokes, Charles brought her breakfast, and now William was taking her out

    to eat

    These paralel seemed far¨Cfetched and even ridiculous.

    But William had always been lood, seeing himself as superior, arrogantly confident¨Chow could he possibly be mimicking someone else?

    He was too <b>unique</b>. Even if someone tried to copy him, it would be an insult, let alone the other way around.

    Emelie couldn¡¯t shake this peculiar <b>feeling</b>.

    But by evening, that feeling would prove to be justified

    Emelie had been with Swanson Corporation for nearly two weeks now. She dheard of the office tradition where new hires were expected to treat their department colleagues <b>to </b>enfre

    she had nned to follow suit, but <b>her </b>assistant, Justina Green<b>, </b>Interjected, ¡°You¡¯re the head secretary, and you¡¯re practically Bryan¡¯s right hand woman. Treating them to cotie seems beneath your role¡±

    Indie viewed herself is just another employee and didn¡¯t feel the need for special treatment However, prompted by Justina¡¯sment, she asked, ¡°So, what do you surest I domstead?

 Chapter 319

    Chapter 319 My Dog

    Justinasaid, ¡°At the very least, you should treat everyone to a meal.¡±

    Emelie nodded. ¡°Sure, a meal together sounds good. I¡¯m not familiar with restaurants in Weston, so why don¡¯t you guys decide on the ce <b>and </b>time, and let me know?¡±

    With work not being too busy that day, everyone could leave on time, pastina eagerly came over to Emelie¡¯s desc

    ¡°Ms. Hoven, let¡¯s go ahead and fulfill that meal promise today. I¡¯ve already let everyone know.¡±

    <b>Emelie </b>wasn¡¯t beverish or dizzy anymore, but her throat still throbbed a bit, and she wasn¡¯t feeling up to it. She <b>wasn¡¯t </b>exactly eager to socialize.

    But seeing her colleagues¡® expectant looks, Emelie relented with a sigh, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡±

    The seven of <b>them </b>piled into two cars and pulled up at <b>a </b>club called ¡°Lovelight¡°,

    The club¡¯s d¨¦cor rivaled that of Gapebatt City¡¯s prestigious Westward Club. Emelie had <b>a </b><b>sharp </b>eye, and she could tell from the exterior that dining here wouldn¡¯t be easy on the wallet.

    Het colleagues were equally astounded. ¡°Lovelight. Isn¡¯t this ce crazy expensive? It¡¯s probably the ritziest club in Weston. No main dining hall, just private rooms. I heard even the basic ones run over three thousand.¡±

    <b>¡°</b>Yeah, and drinks and snacks are all extra. This meal could easily set us back a few months¡± sry¡±

    Emelie paused <b>and </b>locked at justina.

    Justina was the assistant who had pushed Emelie to agree to Charles¡¯s advances that day.

    Justina remained self¨C<b>assured</b>, staring, ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s pricey for us, but not for Ms. Hoven. She¡¯s the head secretary, pulling in a fat sry <b>and </b>hefty bonuses,

    ¡°And remember, she¡¯s the one who suggested treating us and letting us pick the ce. I¡¯ve already covered the deposit for the private room. Ms. Hoven, we¡¯re already at the door. You wouldn¡¯t ball on us now, would you?¡±

    Emelie had long ourgrown the phase of sumbing to peer pressure or trying to keep up appearances by overspending Justina¡¯s words didn¡¯t rattle her in the least.

    ¡°While I did suggest you all pick the ce, Ms. Green, did you really think this through? Choosing ce way out of our league and expecting me to foot the bill? Are you trying take advantage of me?¡±

    Justina shot back, ¡°If you had a budget in mind, you should¡¯ve spoken up sooner instead of pretending like <b>cost </b>wasn¡¯t a factor. Now that I¡¯ve already made the reservation, you¡¯re suddenlyining that it¡¯s too pricey. It looks to me like you¡¯re the one trying to make me look foolish!¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    amelie was sure Justina was deliberately trying to provoke her for no good reason at all

    Emelle had already weathered a tough night and wasn¡¯t feeling <b>ber </b>best. Now, confronted by a subordinate¡¯s provocation in the chilly air, she wasn¡¯t mclined to let it slide. ¡°This was clearly your idea alone, pustina. There was no need to drag everyone else into it. Did anyone here even know we were heading to Lovelight before we showed up?¡± Justina started to respond, ¡°Well, that¡¯s because..¡±

    Emelie cut her off, her expression unwavering, ¡°Because you¡¯re acting irrationally. As an executive assistant, you should have better judgment. If you¡¯re trying to embarrass me, be straightforward about it. These transparent maneivers aren¡¯t impressing anyone.¡±

    As tensions simmered, the other coworkers swiftly intervened to defuse the situation. ¡°ces this often serve food that looks fancy but doesn¡¯t live up to the hype. How about we switch gears and go for somethingforting like burgers?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, exactly. In this weather, burgers sound perfect. There¡¯s <b>a </b>Five Guys just a few blocks away, we saw it on the way here.¡±

    ¡°Why bother going anywhere else when we¡¯re already here?¡± someone countered.

    Just then,id¨Cback male voice piped up, drawing everyone¡¯s attention.

    Charles, now in a sharp silver¨Cgray sut, sauntered over with his hands casually tucked in <b>his </b>pockets.

    ¡°Mr. Davis!¡± someone eximed.

    Emelie had lost count of how many times he seemed to appear out of thin air

    Charles shed <b>a </b>confident smile. His handsome features were Luminated by the Lovelight sign.

    ¡°We¡¯ll eat here. My treat,¡± he offered generously.

    Justina, visibly icked, bit her lip and muttered sarcastically, ¡°Of course! Ms. Hoven not only pulls in a hefty sry but also has Mr. Davis to pick up the tab. Lovelight is certainly within her means!¡±

    charles nced in her direction, his gaze cool yet painted. ¡°It¡¯s not just about affording it; <b>it¡¯s </b>about choosing to. Some people seem determined toplicate things. For instance Ms. Hown would rather treat it, than someone who¡¯s intentionally difficult

    It was the first time Charles had directly acknowledged Justina, and her heart raced. ¡°W¨CWho¡¯s Fit?¡± she blurted out nervous!

    ¡°My dog,¡± Charles replied nonchntly

    Ewn a dog got treated, while <b>she </b>did not.

 Chapter 320

    Chapter 320 PursuitContent (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    Justina realized the insult and her face zed with embarrassment. ¡°I¨CI wasn¡¯t trying toplicate things, it was <b>her</b>..¡±

    Charles interjected firmly, ¡°True, you weren¡¯t. But since I¡¯m covering the bill tonight, I have the right to decide who stays. And I¡¯d rather you not be here. Could you please excuse yoursell? You¡¯re really starting to get on my nerves.¡±

    There was a tense silence.

    Facing such a direct dismissal<b>, </b>Justina couldn¡¯t maintain her facade any longer, despite her usual resilience. She shot Emelie a resentful re.

    Emelie remained calm and indifferent

    In the end, Justina slinked away, feeling thoroughly humiliated.

    Charles approached Emese

    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Davis, but that wasn¡¯t necessary,¡± Emelle acknowledged his gesture gratefully.

    No way, I won¡¯t let anyone mess with you,¡± Charles replied confidently

    He then addressed the group, saying, ¡°Tonight¡¯s <b>on </b>me. Everyone, est, drink, and enjoy yourselves. Ms. Hoven¡¯s hosting, and as her admirer, I¡¯ll handle the bill¡± Emelle was lett momentarily speechless.

    He always seemed to assert his role as her admirer, no matter the situation.

    ¡°Mr. Middleton?¡± a client whispered beside William.

    William shifted his attention from the entrance of ¡°Lovelight¡± and gave a slight nod. He escorted the client up the stairs to the second floor

    Soon, the group outside entered as well.

    Walking beside Emelie was Charles.

    Charles¡® attentive and eager attitude toward Emelie could be likened to that of a loyalpanion, always at her side.

    Emelie didn¡¯t seem particrly bothered by his presence as there was no strong aversion shown toward him.

    At least she wasn¡¯t as resistant to charles as she was to William

    William lowered his gaze, adjusting his cufflinks

    Emelie, sensitive to being watched, locked up and saw wWilliam standing on the stairs, lolding down at her.

    She paused, slightly surprised,

    The soft golden glow of Lowlight draped the room in an aura of decadence and opulence, perfectly entuating William¡¯s natural elegance,

    The light gently caressed his smooth forehead, traced the Ene of his distinguished nose, and lingered on his sharp, keen eyes reminiscent of a hawk¡¯s gaze.

    As he locked eyes with her, Emelie couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of unease. It was as if she were prey under his watchful scrutiny, and her heart skipped a beat.

    William swiftly redirected his attention. Guiding his client up the stakes, they disappeared around the corner.

    Emelie had a hunch he was meeting with a client. Lovelight stood as Weston¡¯s pinnacle of nightide, so it made perfect sense for them to convene here tonight. The timing. though, seemed more than coincidental.

    Charles went above and beyond, upgrading justina¡¯s reservation from a standardm to one of the club¡¯s two exclusive suitesplete with <b>a </b>garden terrace. He even popped open a few bottles of top¨Cshelf wine.

    His generosity broke the <b>ice</b>, prompting everyone to rx and fully indulge. Orders flowed freely, and the room buzzed withughter and the clink of sses.

    Grateful <b>nods </b>and cheers of appreciation echoed around the room, directed at Charles for his graciousness.

    Charles waved off any credit, saying ¡°No need for thanks. Just showing some sincerity in my pursuit of Ms. Hoven.¡±

    Emelle frowned slightly and whispered, ¡°Mr. Davis, please¡±

    But her coworkers were caught up in the moment.

    ¡°Mr. Davis is really going all our If it were me, I¡¯d say yes already. Emelle, what¡¯s your answer? Say yes! Say yes!¡±

    They pped and chanted, ¡°Say yes! Say yes!¡±

    Charles grinned, watching Emelie with amusement.

    Emelle dishsked the public disy and the pressure it brought. A public confession felt coercive and put her in a tough spot

    Enjoy Ad Free Reading

 Chapter 321

    <b>Chapter </b>321 Scream Then

    Emelie¡¯s phone ring at the perfect moment

    ??

    <b>She </b>nced at the screen and shed an apologetic amile. ¡°<b>It¡¯s </b>Mr. Swanson,¡± she said. ¡°Probably something important. I¡¯ll step out to take this. Feel free to start without me.¡± The group let out disappointed groans, but Emelie brushed it oft she swiftly opened the terrace¡¯s ss door and slipped outside.

    Watching herlewe, Charles picked up a ss of wine and took <b>a </b>sip. His expression <b>was </b><b>inscrutable</b>.

    Erbsence her phone¡¯s rm as soon as she stepped outside. Her expression turned somber.

    After tonight, she resolved to have a serious chat with Charles, making it clear once more that <b>his </b>antics were uneptable.

    While a bit of yfulness was fine, she couldn¡¯t abide by this kind of esercion.

    The terrace wasrge and filled with nts. Soth floormps cast agentle, moody light, lending an intimate ambiance.

    Emeke had no intention of rushing back to the private room, She nned to enjoy the outdoor space for at least another half hour.

    She strolled aimlessly through the garden, pondering whether to give her mom call

    Geeta hadn¡¯t been recovering well since her major surgery, likely due to her agr.

    She had be noticeably slower and more withdrawn. Sometimes, it took <b>her </b>ages to respond to anything.

    Despite consulting doctors, they were left with no clear answers, just the rmendation to spend more time with her.

    Emellemuted to Weston for work, a no¨Chour train ride from Capehart City. It <b>wasn¡¯t </b><b>a </b><b>daily </b>jant, so weekends <b>were </b>when she could visit, staying connected through phone calls during <b>the </b>week.

    Just as Emelie dialed the number and waited for <b>it </b>to <b>connect</b>, someone suddenly rushed up behind her and pushed her intoer

    Completely <b>caught </b>off guard, Emelie dropped her phone. The call disconnected

    Herback met the chill of the wall sending a shiver through her<b>.</b>

    ¡°Charles, what the hell¡± she eximed

    The terrace was already dimly lit, the corner darker still. In her panic, Emelle struggled to discem the <b>man¡¯s </b>face clearly, but she knew it was a man. Her gut instinct pointed to the

    vit unpredictable Charles.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    The man let out <b>a </b>scott.

    It was a voice Emelie recognized, but it wasn¡¯t Charles

    ¡°What? Are you two getting physical now?¡± William taunted.

    Emelie¡¯s eyes widened in disbellet. ¡°William? What are you <b>doing </b>here?¡±

    This was their phate room. She wondered how he had managed to get in

    Will

    didn¡¯t bother with answers as he preferred questions. He backed <b>Emelie </b>into a corner, enclosing her with solid walls on three sides while he stood squarely in front, blocking any escape.

    Their proximity was ufortably close, their chests almost touching.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you shut those people down when they started teasing you? William interrogated, histone usatory.

    *You made it pretty clear you burned down before changed your mind? Got a soft spot for him now, huh?¡±

    Emelle couldn¡¯t understand how he knew about her rejection of <b>Charles</b>. He seemed to know everything.

    Emelie was thrown into a whirlwind of confusion and fear. Her mind <b>was </b>racing with concern that her coworkers might suddenly walk <b>in </b>and dread Willian¡¯s unseling proximity.

    ¡°Wiliam! Getaway from me!¡± Her voice quivered with tension.

    Instead of moving, <b>William </b>wedged a leg between hers

    Taller and with longer legs, he loomed over her.

    Emelle instinctively tried to close her legs, but his presence thwarted her efforts. Anger and embarrassment surged within her, her breath quickening.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t back off, William, Iswear I¡¯ll scream for help!¡±

    william rated <b>an </b>eyebrow, bis expression defiant ¡°Go ahead and scream. Thaven¡¯t stopped you yet.¡±

    He knew <b>she </b>wouldn¡¯t dare

    She had worked hard to <bnd </b>this job, but with Charles openly pursuing her, the office gossip was already swirling. If news of her entanglement with her former boss got out, it would only furl more spection

    In matters of reputation, women often bore the brunt more than men,

    William¡¯s voice was low and insistent. ¡°Answer me, why didn¡¯t you just say no?¡±

    Emelie clenched his arm tightly, her <b>knuckles </b>whitening under the pressure.

    William nced down with a cruel smile. ¡°You¡¯ve messed up my pants.¡±

    322 Not a Whore

 Chapter 322

    Chapter <b>322 </b>Not a Whore

    ¡°That¡¯s bullshit!¡± Emelie snapped. She knew she couldn¡¯t match wits with William

    Forced to exin herself, she pressed on, ¡°Why didn¡¯t refuse with so many people around?

    ¡°If I had embarrassed him in front of everyone, someone like him, someone like <b>you</b>, wouldn¡¯t just let it slide. You¡¯d retate, wouldn¡¯t <b>you</b>?¡±

    She understood all too well how <b>these </b>powerful men operated

    They could charm and tter when it suited them, but cross them and <b>they </b>could barn vindictives

    Hadn¡¯t she learned that lesson <b>from </b>ham?

    Otherwise, why would she have left her sick mother in Capebatt City and fledto Weston?

    Upon hearing Emelte¡¯s exnation, William¡¯s demeanor softened, and his tone eased up

    ¡®ve covered the tab for this private room tonight. If you need anything¨Cmoney, connections, a ce to stay¨CJuste to me.¡±

    Come to him? What exactly did he think their rtionship was?

    Emelie held her breath, setting a chance to push him away. But <b>as </b>soon <b>as </b>she <b>managed </b>to create a slight gap between them, he swiftly closed in again, pinning her firmly <b>against</b>

    the wall

    Emelie seethed with anger. ¡°William, your talk is as empty as your promises. Didn¡¯t you <b>fucking </b>swear you wouldn¡¯t bully me?

    William sidestepped. ¡°I footed the hill for your room, and that¡¯s bullying? And where¡¯d you pick up such <bnguage</b>? From <b>Charles</b>?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one mimg Charles. That¡¯s right. You¡¯re copying him, aren¡¯t you? Inele used, voicing her earlier suspicion, and William stayed silent.

    He didn¡¯t deny. He really was imitating Charles.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    Emelie was utterly confused. ¡°Why? Why are you doing this?¡± she demanded.

    True to form, William evaded <b>a </b>direct answer.

    Fressing his firm <b>body </b>against hers, he lowered his head.

    His voice was rough as he whispered in her ear, <b>¡°</b>Angel <b>you </b>owe me. When are you going <b>to </b>settle your debe?*

    Each time he called her ¡°angel¡°, Emelie¡¯s heart clenched painfully, as if struggling to breathe.

    To others, ¡°angel¡± might signify a lover, petrend, or wife. But to <b>him</b>, it was <b>a </b>maniptive <b>tactic </b>to coerce her into allowing him to proceed further.

    He was just after her body

    Was that what he meant by saying she owed him? Was his recent strange behavior all because she had denied him at Lakeside vi?

    As he pressed against her<b>, </b>Emelie could feel <b>his </b>arousal, But <b>she </b>no longer bought into the Hea that giving in once would make him leave her alone.

    This man was intent on trapping her.

    Emelie drew <b>in </b><b>a </b>deep <b>breath </b><b>and </b>spoke, ¡°William, <b>I¡¯m </b>not a whore.¡±

    ¡°Who said you were he responded softly, brushing his lips against her ear.

    Emelle clenched her fists, Eighting the urge to push him away aggressively.

    Through gritted teeth, she continued, ¡°If that¡¯s not how you see me, then stop treating me this way.

    ¡°I won¡¯t have casual sex. only <b>have </b>intimate rtionships with my boyfriend, fiance, oc husband¡±

    William pased, taking in her words.

    Emelle pressed on, ¡°If you¡¯re going to take a page from Charles <b>and </b>pursue <b>me</b>, then you better take a page from his book on self¨Crestrainttoo

    ¡°Cuttes with all <b>those </b>women¨CDaphne, Patricia, Elena If you can do that, maybe I¡¯ll consider letting you pursue me.¡±

    In the dim light, Emeke couldn¡¯t make out William¡¯s expression.

    She avoided looking at his face, dreading the possibility of seeing mockery or disbebel.

    Who <b>was </b>she to demand such a change from him?

    William probably found <b>her </b>audacityughable, maybe even beleving her illness had worsened, leading to these delusions.

    But <b>none </b>of that mattered now Emelie had spoken her mind.

    William loosened his grip on Emelie, <b>and </b>she took the opportunity to push him away, fix her clothes, and stride back into the private room without looking back

    He didn¡¯t follow<b>, </b>nor did he <b>show </b>up for the rest of the night,

    Later, Emilie figured out how William had suddenly appeared on their tenace¨Cbe had been in the adjacent private room.

    The two rooms with garden terraces were connected, separated by <b>a </b>narrow gap, eight stories above the ground.

    William waspletely unhinged, crossing over directly.

    It was unfazed <b>by </b><b>the </b>darkness and the dense foge. After all, he could have tripped <b>and </b>fallen straight down from the eighth floor.

 Chapter 323

    <b>Chapter </b>323 A Title

    That night, they yed well past 10:00 pm, <b>finally </b>parting ways because they had to work the next day.

    Charles didn¡¯t touch <b>a </b>drop of alcohol all night. Every time someone offered him a drink, he just said, ¡°I¡¯m driving Ms. Hoven <bter</b><b>.</b>¡±

    So eventually, Emelle couldn¡¯t say no to his <b>offer </b>to drive her. He pulled up right in front of her hotel.

    Emelie hadn¡¯t mentioned where she stayed, but these guys, one by one, <b>somehow </b>knew.

    She was already thinking about finding a new ce.

    But this hotel was top¨Cnotch¨Csafe, with housekeeping and breakfast <b>included</b>, and super convenient for work. It was simply the best choice in terms of value.

    Thinking about it got her annoyed. If not for these <b>guys</b>, she wouldn¡¯t have to go through all this trouble.

    Emelie unfastened her seatbelt and grasped the <b>door </b>handle, pausing before she called out, ¡°Mr. <b>Davis</b>. ¡±

    Charles had ditched his jacket and was d in a form¨Cfitting sweater that subtly highlighted his muscr arms and chest.

    But when he spoke, his charm had a restless, slightly daring edge as he asked, ¡°Hmm? Are you inviting me upstairs for a visit?

    ¡°Not tonight. It¡¯ste, and it¡¯s just the two of us. It wouldn¡¯t be quite appropriate, unless you¡¯re willing to give me some kind of title first¡±

    Emelie waspletely immune to his casual flirtations by now.

    ¡°Mr. Davis, I¡¯ve turned <b>you </b>down clearly and multiple times, but you seem to brush it aside. I believe everyone has the right to like and pursue whomever they choose <b>without </b>interference.

    ¡°But if that <b>pursuit </b><b>causes </b>difort for the person being pursued, <b>that¡¯s </b>not okay, <b>right</b>?!R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    Charles listened, his expression unreadable. ¡°Are you saying my pursuit bothers you? How exactly? I thought I was actually doing you a favor.¡±

    ¡°Because of your pursuit<b>, </b>at Swanson Corporation, I¡¯m no longer just the executive secretary. I¡¯ve been branded as ¡®Mr. Davis¡¯s girlfriend¡®, and it¡¯s be a topic <b>of </b>office gossip. That¡¯s not what I signed up for.¡±

    Charles found a lollipop in the console and popped it into his mouth. ¡°I promised you I¡¯d quit smoking, so now I¡¯m all about the candy.¡±

    Emelie couldn¡¯t recall ever asking him to quit smoking. He always seemed to be trying to forge some kind of imaginary connection between them.

    Charles rolled down the window, letting the night breeze tousle his hair,

    ¡°Being associated with me isn¡¯t necessarily <b>a </b>bad thing. It tends to make them treat you better and think twice before causing any trouble.

    ¡°<b>In </b>the <b>adult </b><b>world</b>, connections can make a big difference in how smoothly things go. You see where I¡¯ming from, Ms. Hoven?¡±

    Emelie couldn¡¯t refute this well¨Cknown unspoken rule,

    But just because she couldn¡¯t argue didn¡¯t mean she had to ept it.

    Sensitive to how situations unfolded, she was certain Charles¡¯s antics would spell trouble.

    ¡°Mr. Davis¡­

    Charles leaned his arm out the window, casually resting it on the ledge, interrupting her, ¡°Do you know why Justina¡¯s been giving you a hard time?¡±

    Emelie hesitated, then shook her head.

    She¡¯d nned to figure it out tomorrow, but from his tone, it seemed he knew.

    ¡°I did some digging for you. Turns out, Mr. Swanson¡¯s previous secretary went on maternity leave, and Justina filled in temporarily.

    ¡°She thought she had <b>a </b>shot at the permanent position until you came along and took what she thought was rightfully hers.¡±

    ¡°So that exins her little power ys? Emelie understood now.

    Charles casually slid the lollipop back into his mouth, chewing on the stick with a smirk. ¡°I set her off by pursuing you. You might not have noticed, <b>but </b>she¡¯s been throwing shade

    about you to the other assistants.¡±

    Emelie frowned. ¡°See, this is the trouble <b>you¡¯re </b>causing me, Mr. Davis ¡±

    Charles replied <b>earnestly</b>, ¡°Let me make it up to you with something <b>else</b>.¡±

    Emelie thought to herself that if he dared to suggest offering himself aspensation, she¡¯d really lose her temper.

    <b>Luckily</b>, Charles stayed on topic. ¡°You were impressive at Cloudex Corporation, but here at Swanson Corporation, you¡¯re new and haven¡¯t proven yourself yet.

    ¡°If you can quicklynd a big project, you¡¯ll establish your footing, and no one will dare pull these petty stunts on you.¡±

    Emelie perked up. ¡°Mr. Davis, are you talking about Swanson Corporation¡¯s ongoing negotiations with the Citadel Group? charles peber a thumbs¨Cup. <b>¡°</b>That¡¯s right, Ms. Hoven. You¡¯re sharp as always.¡±

 Chapter 324

    Chapter 324 Loyalty

    When

    was at a loss for words, charles reached into the doorpartment and handed her a brown envelope.

    ¡°Here¡¯s the intonadelroup Take a look¡±

    .Mr. Davis¡±

    Emelle hesitated for <b>a </b>few seconds, then took it ¡°Thanks, K

    Charles smiled rest up. Remember to take your meds before bed. Your voice stil sounds horse.¡±

    Enelle had onest question. ¡°How did you know was going to Lovelight today, Mr. Davis?¡±

    Charles suddenly turned y

    ¡°Cupid¡¯s arrow brought us together. Even miles apart,te finds a way?

    Emelie just pushed the <b>door </b>open

    and got out.

    <b>Charles </b><b>chuckled </b><b>softly </b>behind her.

    The next <b>day</b>, Emelie apanied Bryan to meet clients.

    They had scheduled their renders at a theater, blending business discussions with the enjoyment of a y. As the final act concluded, their partnership was on solid ground.

    Anticipating more tasks ahead, they bid farewell early.

    Descending from the third floor to the second, Emelie <b>caught </b><b>sight </b>of Ashton waiting by the staircase.

    Ashton politely inquired, ¡°Mr. Swson, the next movie is ¡°The Westward <b>Trail</b>¡®, which Mr. Middleton is quite <b>fond </b>of He wondered if you might join him for the show?¡±

    Bryan took a mement to consider, <b>then </b>turned to Emilie. ¡°Do ahead and meet Greg Let him know I¡¯ve got something to attend to and I¡¯ll be runningte.<b>¡±</b>

    ¡°Wilda ¡°Emelie replied,

    <b>Bryan </b>followed Ashton toward the VIP box, while Emelle continued <b>down </b>the stairs.

    The theater was an <b>old</b>¨Cfashioned building with polished mahogany stairs. As Emelie descended to the next level, she looked up and caught sight of Wiliam at the balcony railing on the second floo

    <b>Today</b><b>, </b>he stood out in a care white suit, intricately embroidered, which <b>emphasized </b>his aristocratic <b>demeanor</b>.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    He poured himself a cup of tea. Despite the distance between them, their eyes briefly met. His dark gaze was steady andposed.

    Emelie couldn¡¯t help but remember their encounter on the terrace the previous night. She lowered her head and quickened her pace down <b>the </b>stairs

    It wasn¡¯t until she stepped outside the theater that she dared to berathe normally again.

    William invited Bryan to meet, and Emelle didn¡¯t know what they discussed.

    As the moming¡¯s work wrapped <b>up </b>and they perpared to head out for lunch together, Bryan dropped a bombshell

    ¡°Tell HR to send <b>Justina </b><b>a </b>termination notke

    Emelie was caught off guard. ¡°You¡¯re firing Ms. Green?

    ¡°yeah,¡± Beyan replied casually, his voicery as he leaned back with his eyes closed. Emelle¡¯s mind raced with conflicting thoughts.

    Since starting her job, Emelie had quickly learned that Dean¡¯s assistants tended to stick around for years<b>, </b><b>a </b>sign he didn¡¯t rotate them often¡­

    Despite <b>justina¡¯s </b>asional hostility toward her, <b>Emele </b>couldn¡¯t recall any significant work errors on Justina¡¯s part.

    So why was Bryan suddenly letting her go? Emelie couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that Wim, who had nicently met with Bran, might be behind it.

    West him? Did Wim go to Bryan because of the issues with <b>Justina</b><b>? </b><b>Was </b>he trying to emte Charles¡¯s protective stance?

    After all, Charles had stood up for Emelie at Lovelight, leading to Justina¡¯s removal. Now, was William influencing Bryanto fire her outright?

    Emelle <b>pursed </b>her lips and asked carefully, ¡°Ms. Ce was capable in her role. Why did you let her go, tr.Swanson?

    Bryan opened his eyes, his voice carrying a solemn undertone. Loyalty counts more than skill when you¡¯re part of my team.¡±

    Was Jestina disloyal<b>?</b>

    Emelie couldn¡¯t shake her suspicion about William¡¯s role in <b>this</b>, but without a way to question Bryan further or appech Wim directly, she simply replied, ¡°Understood

    Shepromptly conveyed Bryan¡¯s directive ID HR

    They didn¡¯te back to the office <b>that </b><b>afternoon</b>. Emelie wasn¡¯t sure how Justina had taken the <b>news</b>, but the following day, Justinas no longer in the office.

    Emile also noticed her colleagues eyeing her with a <b>touch </b><b>of </b>apprehension.

    It seemed they suspected justina had been <b>dismissed </b>due to a conflict with Emelle. Afraid of making simr missteps and facing a simr fate, they chose to keep their distance from her.

    Emelie found herself increasingly frustrated with the situation.

    While she agreed with the practical notion that ¡°work is for earning money, not making friends, she also recognized the importance of fostering positive rtionships for effective teamwork.

    Being avoided by everyone wasn¡¯t what she had in mind.

    She even wondered if William had done <b>this </b>intentionally to iste her and make it difficult her to continue working at Swanson Corporation.

    Hiver mit strange behavior toward her only deepened her concerns.

    tanele pondered whom she could approach to find out if something had happened with William Serendipitously, she crossed paths with Elena.

    3

 Chapter 325

    Chapter 325 She Was His Backup IN FAC

    Chapter 325 She Was His Backup

    Swanson Corporation <b>had </b>an employee cafeteria, but melle felt <b>that </b>she might be the subject of gossip while people ate if she went there now, so she went to a nearby

    restaurant for lunch instead.

    The restaurant had its doors wide open, facing the main road. As Elena passed by, she unintentionally nced inside and spotted Emelle.

    Emelie, what <b>a </b>coincidence.¡±

    Though Emelie had subtly confronted Elena that night at the Navarro residence, adults were <b>adept </b>at maintaining a facade of friendliness as long as they hadn¡¯tpletely fallen

    out.

    Emelle also smiled. ¡°Indeed, Ms. Allen What brings you over here?¡±

    nawally <b>sat </b>down opposite her and ordered a bowl of chicken noodle soup, just Be Emelie¡¯s.

    ¡°I heard there¡¯s an old bookstore around here with some out¨Cof¨Cprint ssics, so <b>I </b>came to see if they have the book I¡¯m looking for.¡±

    Emelie <b>nodded </b>and asked, ¡°Did you find a¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Eleria was <b>a </b>little upset. ¡°But it¡¯s okay. There¡¯s still some time before Mr. Middleton¡¯s birthday, so I¡¯ll ask a few friends to help me find it.¡±

    Emelie paused. ¡°It¡¯s a gift to Mr. Middleton?¡±

    Elena smiled. ¡°Yes,¡±

    She wanted to convey to Emelie that Wim had taken her to Middleton Residence, where she not only met Henry and Vanessa but also received their approval.

    Emelie added a spoonful of chili kes to her soup and stirred. She watched the once¨Cclear broth turn cloudy.

    The waiter brought Elena¡¯s chicken noodle soup over. Elena picked up a spoon <b>and </b>said calmly, ¡°Emelie, you urged me to catch up with Ms. Bowenst night, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s

    necessary.

    H

    Emelie looked up at her with <b>a </b>questioning gaze.

    It was just the two of them here. <b>Elena </b>could be more straightforward with her words.

    <b>Elena </b>continued, ¡°You might not know this, but Mr. Middleton initially agreed to let William and Ms. Bowen be together. However<b>, </b>something happened, and now Mr. Middleton has made it clear that he will never ept Ms. Bowen marrying William. So it¡¯s impossible for them to be together.¡±

    Since the conversation had reached this point, Emelie no longer concealed her curiosity and asked directly, ¡°What happened?<b>¡±</b>

    Elena replied, ¡°Whatever it was, Ms. Bowen is now in the past for sure, and I don¡¯t care anymore!

    Oh, she didn¡¯t know either. But she didn¡¯t want to appear uninformed about William and the Middletons<b>, </b><b>so </b>she yed it cool.

    At the end of the meal, Elena also revealed that she and William had dated in high school. They were each other¡¯s first loves, but they were too young and immature then. They separated <b>over </b>a trivial argument.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    Now that they have both matured, she returned this time for William<b>. </b>Their families werepatible, and this time, they would surely see it through to the end.

    ¡°<b>Emelie</b>, you¡¯ll wish me well, won¡¯t you?¡± Elena looked at her expectantly.

    Emelie paused for a few seconds before saying, ¡°Even if I do, I doubt you¡¯ll believe it¡¯s sincere. Ms. Allen, <b>as </b>long as you have the ability to win William over and make him acknowledge you as his girlfriend, whether or not I wish you well doesn¡¯t really matter. No one <b>can </b>shake your position.¡±

    Truly, no one could, because Wim had never even publicly and clearly acknowledged Daphne as his girlfriend.

    The closest he came was at Troy¡¯s birthday party, when Wim said he would marry Daphne in front of Henry and the Spencers and mentioned they could have a child by the end of <b>the </b><b>year </b>if Henry agreed

    Apart from that instance, he never gave Daphne any definite status.

    twas absurd and ridiculous for Emelie to think back on that night when she had asked William to give up the otherdies and pete¡± to be her boyfriend.

    Elena was confident. ¡°I can do that.¡±

    They were each other¡¯s first love, and their families were well¨Cmatched in status. She possessed both beauty and talent. Most importantly, William obeyed her every word.

    Emelie thought that maybe Elena really <b>could</b>. ¡°I wish you well.

    Emelie scanned the QR code to pay, only settling her own bill, and then left the restaurant.

    she finally understood why William¡¯s attitude had been strange each time they met recently.

    It turned out he had broken up with Daphne again.

    Every time he broke up with Daphne, he woulde looking for her, as he had that time in Wintour City

    She was just his backup.

    Furious, Emelie walked briskly toward Swanson Corporation with a cold expression on her face.

    Suddenly, a figure rushed out, blocking her path and grabbing her hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Hoven. Please forgive me.¡±

 Chapter 326

    Chapter 326 He Desperately Wants to Retur

    Emelie was panked off bnce by the sudden bug. It wis Justina

    with red eyes, Justina choked out, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Hoven. Please forgive me and let mee back to Swanson Corporation,¡±

    After <b>a </b>brief moment of astonishment, Emcle gained <b>her </bposure.

    She gripped justina¡¯s hand that was clutching her arm and forcefully pried it off before saying, ¡°Ms. Green, you overestimated me. Your dismissal was Mr. Swanson¡¯s decision. It has nothing to do with me

    without another word<b>, </b>she walked away.

    Justina broke down at once. Sobbing uncontrobly, she unleashed a torrent of curses behind Emette

    ¡°Emelic<b>! </b>You¡¯re such a bitch! You rely on men for everything! What¡¯s there to be proud of? Don¡¯t think we don¡¯t know that your entry into Swanson Corporation was <b>thanks </b>to Mr. Swanson¡¯s brother

    ¡°And now you¡¯re parading your rtionship with Mr. Davis! Just you waid! Your days of glory won¡¯t <bst </b>forever. I¡¯m waiting for the day you

    The location was near <b>Swanson </b>Corporation, and it being hunch break, many employees were around. They craned their necks to watch the CEO¡¯s secretary and former executive assistant arguing <b>on </b>the street.

    without looking back, Emelie headed straight into Swanson Corporation.

    Elena emerged from the restaurant and spotted the scent. After a noment¡¯s thought, she headed toward Justina,Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.

    Emelie sat at her desk, sorting through documents. Her mood was still heavy

    It all seed ridiculous,

    Justina was two years older than her. When William cklisted Emelle, <b>no </bpany dared to hire her, yet she never made a scene like this in public,

    Although Justina had been dismissed, with her work experience at Swanson Corporation, she could still End good positions. Was there really a need to act like a mad woman?

    Emelle pped the files on the desk

    She couldn¡¯t quite tell if it was because she found out Willie was treating her as abackup or because of <b>Justina </b>causing a scene. Either way, she felt thoroughly fed up at that

    <b>momet</b>

    And when things went wrong, even drinking water could choke her.

    She wasn¡¯t <b>suce </b>it was the chicken noodle soup she had at bench with added chill kes that worsened her already sore throat, In any case, when she woke up, she could hardly speak

    William was staying at Emelie¡¯s hotel

    It wasn¡¯t the type of hotel William typically stayed in, so his choice to stay here made his intentions obvious.

    But even in the hotel¡¯s finest suite, William slept restlessly. When he woke in the morning, a trace of irritation lingered in his cool demeanor.

    Ashton rriedly opened the elevator door, and Witam stepped inside.

    After pressing for the first floor, Ashton tumed to face him and spoke softly<b>, </b>¡°Mr. Middleton, the man in Wingston has been urgently handling his properties these past few days. It seems he desperately <b>wants </b>to return.¡±

    William raised an eyebrow. ¡°Desperately <b>wants </b>to ceturt

    Ashton nodded. ¡°Yes, although he has been handling his assets for over a month now, it has been at a leisurely pace. Sakenly, he¡¯s be urgent. I wonder if something has

    happened.¡±

    William adjusted his cufflinks indifferently.

    Ashton didn¡¯t know, but William did

    Samuel was going to Eprand and could no longer continue to watch over Emelie for the man. He was already nning to return home, so he decided to do so earlier.

    William nced at his watch. It was around 8:00 am, nearly time for Emelie to have breakfast before work.

    ¡°Go to the second floor¡±

    Normally<b>, </b><b>under </b>these circumstances, Emelie would have taken the day off. But today, she had a lunch appointment with Citadel Group.

    It wasn¡¯t easy to arrange <b>a </b>meeting with Citadel Group, and this was her first major battle since joining Swanson Corporation. She had to win convincingly.

    Emelie found the medication prescribedst time at the hospital. She took it and drank arge ss of warm water. After <b>that</b>, she felt her throat ease slightly

    She nned to have breakdast, then go to the hospital for an anti¨Cinmmatory injection. Hopefully, she¡¯d be able to speak by noon without dying her meeting with Citadel

    Emelie went to the buffet on the second floor, where there was a wide selection of <b>cuisines</b>. She served herself a yogurt bowl and carried her tray to find a seat.

    Before she <b>could </b>even pick up her spoon, someone sat down across from her.

    was William.

    Emelie immediately lined her tray to leave, <b>but </b>William grabbed her wrist. ¡°Where are you going? Without a word, she tried to free her hand. Yet he didn¡¯t intend to let go. ¡°Cat got your tongue?¡±

 Chapter 327

    Chapter <b>327 </b>Have I Never Been Good to YouProperty ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.

    Emelie cleared her throat and spoke. Her voice was hoarse and faint. ¡°If you want this table, you can have it, Mr. Middleton.<b>¡±</b>

    Wim fromed ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your voice?¡±

    Emelle continued to struggle, but Williamanded, ¡°Sit down and eat, then 1¡¯ll take you to the hospital¡±

    ¡°No need, Mr. Middleton.¡± She insisted on leaving. Yet Williams wouldn¡¯t tolerate disobedience.

    In the tassle, the yogurt bowl on her tray tipped over, <b>sshing </b>onto <b>Enelle¡¯s </b>hand. <b>In </b><b>a </b>sh of anger, she mmed the tray onto the table, drawing the attention of everyone in the restumat

    Wiliam¡¯s expression darkened instantly ¡°Who we you the right to throw dishes around?

    He would walk away coldly even when Henry mmed the table in front of him, let alone someone else

    Teli was audacious <b>beyond </b>belief.

    After mming the tray, Emelle regretted it.

    But when she <b>looked </b><b>at </b>him, she remembered how he had treated her as a backup. Coupled with her <b>sore </b>throat and Justina acting like a mad dog, she couldn¡¯t contain herself.

    She pursed her lips. ¡°<b>You </b>have the right to toy with people at will, but I <b>can¡¯t </b>even vent my anger?¡±

    Talking was tough for her now. Each sentence needed to be split into several parts.

    Wim watched her with eyes as cold as midnight.

    Meanwhile, Elle stood still, her expression now somewhat subdued. She didn¡¯t care how angry he was or how he was going to lecturer.

    He hadn¡¯t yet retaliated for her previous deception. Emelie couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy.

    She wasn¡¯t actively waiting for him to cette, but <b>since </b>it wasn¡¯t his mal style, she felt like there was a sword hanging over her head:

    Rather than living in constant fear, it was better to get it over with.

    Willem looked at her ¡°ready to die¡± expression, and the chilling air around him receded. Not only did he not lecture her, he even said, ¡°Fine, vent however you want.¡±

    Emelie was taken aback by his words

    William took out a plece of paper and wiped off the yegut sshed on his clothes when she knocked over <b>the </b><b>tray</b>. ¡°<b>Since </b>you dared to deceive me, letting you throw a tantrum is nothing. You did it so mildly anyway. Think for yourself. Since you let the job, when have you seen me not throwing a tantrum.¡°¡±

    bele was rendered speechless.

    Was he still asleep?

    She didn¡¯t know how to respond to his retort

    Just then, <b>Ashton </b>came over with a tray teside was a new bowl of yogurt for Felle, along with tacos, sausage, <b>sd</b>, and scrambled eggs for William

    She also took away the spilled yogurt and cleaned the table.

    William didn¡¯t look at Emelie again. He picked up his fork and said quietly, ¡°Sit down.¡±

    Emelie stond fron

    William asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you notice everyone staring at you? How long do you want to be the subject of gossip¡±

    Of course, Emelle had noticed the eyes around her

    After swallowing in pain, <b>she </b>sat down in silence. She added to Ashton in thanks for the news bowl

    <b>Ashton </b>smiled in response before moving to another table.

    William noticed that Emelie was wearing her sult. ¡°How much does Bryan pay you to work so hard she couldn¡¯t speak, yet she was still going to work Emelie lowered her pare as she drank the yogurt. ¡°Mr. Davis has never interfered with my work,¡± she replied softly

    Why was she mentioning charles all of a. oh.

    She was implying that he had previously imitated Charles, so she now interpreted his concern as charles concern. WIEam touched the tip of his tongue to his upper pte, feeling that bebe really knew <b>how </b>to provoke him

    ¡°Have I never been good to you? Is my kindness only in imitation<b>?</b>¡±

    Emelie passed her action. If helping her counted as being good to her, then indeed he had, like in the recent incident at the Navarro residence.

    But that was because Elena <b>spoke </b><b>up</b>, and he helped her.

    Emelie struggled to speak<b>. </b><b>¡°</b>Since you appeared bere early <b>in </b>the morning, does that mean you <b>have </b>thought it through?

    She was discussing her request for William to steer clear of Daphne, Patricia, and Elena, and to focus solely on asuing her.

    That night, Fanelle didn¡¯t dare look at him after saying that. But now, she stared fixedly at william, not wanting to miss any hint of <b>disdain </b>or mockery from him

    Willis eyes and met her gaze. But his expression was unchanged. It was still lood

    ¡°Patricia is my cousin sister. Even if stray from the norm, I wouldn¡¯t disregard ethics. As for Elena, <b>there¡¯s </b>nothing between us.¡±

    Fielle tightened her grip on the spoon ¡°You¡¯re each other¡¯s high school first love. Isn¡¯t that something?

 Chapter 328

    Chapter 328 Did She Want to Reconcile With Him?

    Tinelle lowered her head and continued to drink her yogurt. It had strberries and peaches added to it, plving it extra sweetness. But with her throat feeling ufortable, the sweetness made it even more.

    She regretted not choosing a bowl of in yogurt just now. But she wasn¡¯t one to waste food, so <b>she </b>had to continue exting

    Wimstared at the top of her head and said in his deep voice, ¡°Chand remarks from my underage drys count toa?¡±Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    Emelie suddenly lifted her head.

    Wiliam, who moments ago had dishes them at him and <b>was </b>shamelessly asked to see all romantic <b>ties</b>, now looked at her esldly.

    <b>¡°</b>You and Wesley were serious, but don¡¯t assume everyone is like you, believe you¡¯re for each other at such a young age. We weren¡¯t as nature as you ll was jostailing it <b>doesn¡¯t </b>count as a first low.¡±

    Emelie and Wesley were also a high school thing

    Emelle tightened her grip on the spoon. ¡± doesn¡¯t count? You have nothing to do with her? Then <b>why </b>are you still listening to Elena now?¡±

    william couldn¡¯t recall when he had ever listened to Elena.

    Emelie took a few more sips of <b>yogurt</b>, feeling her throat sticky and ufortable, so she got up and poured herself a ss of lemon water.

    William <b>leaned </b><b>back </b>against the <b>chair</b><b>. </b>Suddenly, he thought <b>of </b>something that turned his eyes cold.

    When Emelle returned with the water, he tapped on the table. ¡°Eat up. I¡¯ll take you to the hospital after you finish Come debate with me when your throat is better.¡±

    tanele said, ¡°I can go to the hospital by myself. I can¡¯t afford your car face.¡±

    When William heard that, there was a hint of amusement in William¡¯s eyes. ¡°How long will you hold <b>a </b><b>grudge </b>over a mere four thousand dors? Besides, <b>didn¡¯t </b>transfer that money back to you?

    Emelie hadn¡¯t noticed whether he had transdered it or not.

    She picked up her phone and checked. Sure enough, there <b>was </b><b>a </b>system reminder that she had received four <b>thousand </b>dors.

    Coming out of <b>the </b>hospital, Emelie happened to see a bus that could take her to thepany. She hurried up <b>and </b>naturally didn¡¯t let William send her

    Willum got in his car and instructed Ashton, ¡°Find out what she¡¯s busy with.¡±

    He knew Emelie well. She wouldn¡¯t work so hard for Bryan. She probably had some work that she couldn¡¯t take time for

    Ashton quickly found out ¡°Ms. Hoven is having lunch with <b>the </b>vice CEO del Group at noon.

    Wiham thought for a moment ¡°Colt Rely?

    <b>¡°</b>Yes¡±

    William propped his hand against his temple ¡°Arrange for him to have lunch with me at noon.¡±

    Ashton knew what he wup.¡°okay¡±

    Emelie had just arrived at thepany when she received a call from Colt¡¯s secretary uying that the huch meeting was rescheduled to tomorrow evening

    Emelie was usually happy to be stood up.

    Although she had been given an injection at the hospital, she still couldn¡¯t speak Just when she didn¡¯t know what to do, Citadel deoup took the initiative to postponit

    She should be able to recover by tomorrow.

    However, since Emelie had already arrived at thepany, she did not take lewe. Hearing her almost unable to <b>speak</b><b>, </b>Bryan let <b>her </b>stay in the office while he took his assistant

    out.

    Emelie serted through the documents. Finding herself rtively free, she thought back to the morning¡¯s incident in the restauLE.

    She wanted Wim to steer clear of any woman. He not only didn¡¯t mock her but even went along with her words to exin that he had no rtionship with ranicia and Elena. What did hemom? Did he really want to pursue her?

    But he didn¡¯t mention his rtionship with Daphne in the end Was it because he hadn¡¯t <b>had </b><b>time </b>to say it before <b>she </b>inadvertently changed the subject, or had he never intended torit?

    Then again, if he really broke off with other women, <b>did </b>she want to reconcile with him?

    Emelie almost immediately shook her head.

    Absolutely impossible.

    She had made that request that night on purpose to escape from William¡¯s pressure. Bringing it up today was to disgust h?m

    She hadn¡¯t taken it seriously, so how could <b>William </b>possibly do it?

    He <b>had </b>been so good¨Cnaturedtely. If she weren¡¯t certain she was penniless, she¡¯d be suspicious that there was something on her that will plotting for that caused him, who <b>was </b><b>always </b>assertive, to suddenly be so amodating.

    the next evening, Emelle had recovered quite a bit and arrived punctually at the meeting ce with Colt

    It was Lovelight again, but this tho <b>it </b><b>was </b>for business, and thepany would reimburse the expenses.

    Emelie arched 15 minutes early and walted at the entrance. When Colt¡¯s car arrived, she <b>walked </b>up to greet him.

    However<b>, </b>she never expected that stepping out of the car alongside Coll was justina, dressed provocatively in low¨Ccut ck <b>dress</b>.

 Chapter 329

    Chapter 329 See Enselle Dance

    Emelle was genuinely taken aback to see Justina lining arms intimately with Colt.

    In her <b>mind </b>shed the information provided by Charles. Colt was married with two kids but often carried on affairs <b>behind </b>his wife¡¯s back.

    So Justina sought out Colt after leaving Swanson Corporation?

    Emelie¡¯s initial reaction was one of regret. Justina was actually quite good at her <b>job</b>.

    However, everyone had their own choices. Emelie naturally refrained frommenting further. She breezily ignored Justina¡¯s provocative nce and approached them with a smile.

    ¡°Mr. Brilh, I¡¯m Emelie Hoven, Mr. Swanson¡¯s secretary at Swanson Corporation.¡±

    Colt¡¯s eyes lit up upon seeing her. His gaze openly swept over her. He smiled broadly before saying, ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to finally meet you in person.¡±

    He shook hands with Emelie but didn¡¯t immediately let go. ¡°I¡¯ve heard your name since your time at Cloudex Corporation.

    ¡°I was actually keen to recruit you to Citadel Group after your departure from Cloudex, but Mr. Middleton didn¡¯t permit it. s, I lost a talented individual Who would¡¯ve thought <b>you¡¯d </b>end up at Swanson Corporation?¡±

    Emelle calmly withdrew her hand from his lingering grip. ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Mr. Rrily. It seems we¡¯re all acquainted. I¡¯ll raise a toast to youter. Mr. Reilly, the private room is prepared. <b>Please</b>, after you.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Colt said, bending his elbow. Justina immediately linked hers with his, and together they entered Lovelight.

    As they walked, Justina nced back at Emelie while lifting her chin as if to say, ¡°You didn¡¯t allow me in Lovelight that day, but here I am today!¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯te alone, of course. She had brought two assistants and a business manager along.

    One assistant was wide¨Ceyed with surprise. ¡°Why is Justina¡­.?¡±

    Emelie pondered for a moment. ¡°Before I joined Swanson Corporation, Justina temporarily took over the secretary¡¯s role. Swanson Corporation was in contact with Citadel Group during that time, right? Has Justina met Mr. Reilly at that time?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, she even bragged in the office about Mr. Reilly asking for her number and giving her a designer bag,¡± the assistant whispered. ¡°But I never expected she¡¯d actually. This is so awkward

    The assistant found <b>it </b>awkward because she <b>caught </b>a former colleague being a sugar baby.

    Emelie, on the other hand, felt confident that justina wouldn¡¯t feel awkward, Justina might even feel proud, as if she <b>had </b>won over the tycoon.

    ¡°Just pretend you don¡¯t know her,¡± Emelie instructed the assistants, who nodded in understanding

    Citadel Group wasn¡¯t particrly interested in this coboration, but given its strong presence in the northem market, it could open doors for Swanson Corporation. Thetter needed Citadel Group.

    Bryan had tasked her with this project to test whether she was fltfor the head secretary position.

    ¡°Mr. Reilly, as I mentioned earlier, I¡¯d like to toast to you.¡± Emelie raised her ss.

    ¡°Of course, of course.¡± Colt chuckled. While she filled his ss, he brushed his hand against hers.

    Emelie remainedposed. She waited until he had taken a sip before saying, ¡°Mr. Reilly, I assume you¡¯ve reviewed the proposal we sent over. What are your thoughts?¡±

    ¡°The proposal.¡± Colt smacked his lips. ¡°Frankly, your proposal is very well done. However<b>, </b>Swanson Corporation is quite weak in the north. You¡¯re almost entirely reliant <b>on </b>Citadel Group. In your young people¡¯s terms, you¡¯re ¡®riding on our coattails, which feels like a disadvantage.¡±

    Emelie smiled. ¡°While Swanson Corporation may not match <b>Citadel </b>Group¡¯s influence in the northern market<b>, </b><b>we¡¯re </b>financially stable and can alleviate some of Citadel Group¡¯s pressures. We are sincere in aiming for long¨Cterm cooperation. Hence, we propose ¨¤ 40:60 split in favor <b>of </b>Citadel Group.¡±

    Colt stroked his chin, contemting seriously. It seemed he was wavering

    Just then, Justina, who <b>had </b>been silent<b>, </b>suddenly eximed and copsed against Colt

    Colt immediately turned to her. ¡°Tina, what¡¯s wrong?

    ¡°It¡¯s so boring. Mr. Reilly, Didn¡¯t you say you were bringing me here for fun? Why are you talking about work the whole time?¡± Justina clung to Colt¡¯s arm.

    Her chest kept brushing against him, and her outfit¡¯s low neckline made it hard for him to stay focused.

    Emelie and the others tactfully averted their gaze.

    The assistant, who had just mentioned the awkwardness at the door, now could barely resist the urge to pull out her phone and frantically post about it in the group chat

    In their three years of working together, <b>they </b>knew Justina was very materialistic, but they never imagined she would stoop so low for money.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    Justina was his new favorite, and Colt was clearly still enchanted by the novelty. He responded eagerly, ¡°Oh, sorry, baby. What do you want to do?¡±

    Justina snuggled up to Colt, but her eyes were ncing toward Emelie

    ¡°I heard Ms. Hoven used to be in the school¡¯s dance team and was quite good. Mr. Reilly, would you like to see her dance?¡±

 Chapter 330

    Chapter 330 Emelie Was a Dish Too

    Colt was surprised<b>. </b>¡°Ms. Hoven can dance?¡±

    Justina smiled charmingly. ¡°Yes, and it¡¯s a ssical dance at that. She became the dream girl of half the boys at her <b>school </b>after one performance at the school festival. Her desk was overflowing with love letters.

    ¡°Ms. Hoven has nevercked male attention. She knows what men like. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be doing so well.¡±

    She nced at the table, which only had wine bottles on it. ¡°Since the food hasn¡¯t been served yet, Ms. Hoven, why don¡¯t you use the table as your stage and dance for us?¡±

    Emelie¡¯spanions looked visibly ufortable. This wasn¡¯t just making things difficult for Emelie. It was outright humiliation

    To suggest she dance on the table was tantamount to saying Emelie was a dish to be tasted at their leisure. This was outrageous.

    They had encountered partners who tried to take advantage of them during business negotiations, but with Swanson Corporation backing them, those people usually didn¡¯t go too far. Who would¡¯ve <b>thought </b>a former colleague from Swanson Corporation would target Emelie like this?

    <b>Emelle¡¯s </b>expression remained unchanged. She <b>had </b><b>a </b>strong ability to withstand pressure and wouldn¡¯t be easily fazed.

    She was only pondering how Justina knew about her past in the school dance team and her performance at the school festival. Who had told her?

    Colt, having drunk a few sses, was also getting into the spirit. ¡°That¡¯s great! Ms. Hover, don¡¯t keep your talents to yourself Dance for us!¡±

    Smiling, Emelie replied, ¡°Lovelight has professional dancers who provide excellent performances. If you want to see a dance, I¡¯ll ask the manager to arrange it. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be satisfied.¡±

    As she said that, she started to

    she started to get up, bet justinaughed again. ¡°Mr. Reilly, Ms. Hoven is really disrespecting you!

    Emelie said<b>, </b>¡°A 0:60 ratio shows Swanson Corporation¡¯s sincerity toward Citadel Group. I believe that genuine mary sincerity is far more substantial than a dance.¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    Colt hadn¡¯t intended to push the matter, but Justina wasn¡¯t letting go. ¡°Do you mean that Mr. Reilly¡¯s status isn¡¯t enough to get you to <b>dance</b>?¡±

    Emelie looked over coldly. ¡°Ms. Green, I understand you hold a grudge against me for taking the head secretary position, but all decisions were made by Mr. Swanson. ming me is just unreasonable.

    ¡°Even if you use others to attack me today, it won¡¯t change the fact that you¡¯ve been fired from Swanson Corporation. All you¡¯ll do is <b>damage </b>the rtionship between Swanson Corporation and Citadel Group What¡¯s your intention behind that?

    ¡°You¡­¡± Justina hadn¡¯t expected Emelle to turn the tables on her.

    She retorted angrily, ¡°You¡¯re full of empty <b>words</b>! Everyone knows you were fired from udex Corporation and cklisted by Mr. Middleton. If it weren¡¯t for you seducing Mr. Samuel, he wouldn¡¯t have rmended you to Swanson Corporation, and Mr. Swanson wouldn¡¯t have hired you!

    ¡°There <b>are </b>many assistants in the secretarial department with more experience and capability than you, Who are you to <b>suddenly </b>take <b>on </b>the head secretary <b>position</b>?<b>¡±</b>

    Justina was also a top graduate from a famous university. After two years at Swanson Corporation, Bryan finally noticed her and brought her on as his assistant. She had <b>diligently </b>worked for three years, and just when she was about to be head secretary, Emelie suddenly joined

    That was still tolerable<b>, </b>but what Justina couldn¡¯t bear was the fact that charles was pursuing Emelie.

    Charles and Bryan were close and often visited Swanson Corporation, so they crossed paths frequently.

    Despite his reputation as a flirt, Charles remainedpletely unmoved by her advances. He didn¡¯t even give her <b>a </b>second nce.

    She was unsessful both in her career and <b>in </b>love, while Emelie seemed <b>to </b>seed in everything. In the end, she even lost her job. How could she swallow this grudge?

    She was determined to make Emele pay tonight, no matter what.

    ¡°How dare you act high and mighty with Mr. Reilly in your precarious situation? You clearly don¡¯t respect him!¡± Justina stoked Colt¡¯s anger.

    ¡°Mr. Reilly, I told you I left Swanson Corporation because I <b>was </b>bullied there. The bully is <b>actually </b>Emelle.¡±

    Colt felt it was outrageous that a mere secretary, working for Bryan and cklisted by <b>William</b>, dared to bully his precious Justina and disrespect him

    He sneered. ¡°It¡¯s said that cloudes Corporation¡¯s head secretary, Emehe Hoven, is a great dancer. Today, I must see how well you can dance

    Emelle pursed her lips. ¡°Mr. Reilly, you¡¯re being unreasonable.¡±

    Colt mmed the table at her words. ¡°Even if you dance, I may <b>not </b>sign this contract. But if you don¡¯t dance, I¡¯ll tell Mr. Swanson I¡¯m refusing to work with Swanson Corporation because of you! Then you¡¯ll see how he deals with you<b>!</b><b>¡±</b>

    Emelie¡¯spanions stiffened at once

    If Colt really told Bryan this, given Bryan¡¯s strict and impartial attitude, Emelie would definitely be let go

    Emelie said in a low voice, ¡°Mr. Reilly, must you really force me?¡±

    Colt shouted, ¡°Yes! What can you do about it?¡±

    Right after his words, the private room door was pushed open from outside,

    A <b>man¡¯s </b>clear and cold voice echoed. ¡°She¡¯s just a secretary. There¡¯s <b>nothing </b>she <b>can </b>do,¡±

    All eyes instantly turned toward the door.

    Chapter 331 Whose Dance Do You Wom to <b>See</b>?

 Chapter 331

    Chapter <b>331 </b>Whose Dance Do You Want to See?

    Willem walked in, dressed in <b>a </b>ck suit. He was apanied by Elena and Ashton, with a line of bodyguards following behind him. The atmosphere immediately turned tense

    and oppressive.

    Everyone instinctively stood up, as no one failed to recognize William.

    Colt was stunned for a few seconds before forcing a smile. ¡°M¨CMr. Middleton, what brings you here?

    William¡¯s gaze swepto

    Lover Emelie, causing her <b>to </b>catch her breath in surprise. She hadn¡¯t expected him to <b>show </b>up.

    The cold winter in Weston had William wearing ck leather gloves, which he removed as he spoke calmly. ¡°I heard there was a dance performance here, so I came to see it. Mr. Belly, you don¡¯t mind an uninvited guest, do you?¡±

    ¡°<b>Of </b>course not! Mr. Middleton, do you want to watch the dance <b>too</b>?¡±

    Colt¡¯s thoughts raced. It was an open secret in the industry that William had cklisted Emelie Was he still holding a grudge anding specifically to witness her humiliation?

    William replied with an ambiguous smile, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a dance performed on a dining table. It <b>sounds </b>are interesting.¡±

    Colt turned back to Emelie ¡°Even Mr. Middleton is interested. Ms. Hoven, you have no reason to refuse, right<b>?</b>¡±

    Elena tugged at William¡¯s jacket, looking as if she wanted to plead for Emelie. ¡°William_¡±

    William raised his hand to stop her from speaking.

    Emelie¡¯s throat, which had been <b>healed</b>, now felt a little sore again¡­

    <b>She </b><b>looked </b>at William, who was now holding his gloves.

    After Ashton ced a chair behind him, he sat down and crossed his legs. Holding his gloves on hisp, he appeared ready to enjoy the show

    Justina sneered. ¡°Ms. Hoven, aren¡¯t you <b>going </b>to start?

    William chuckled ¡°Did I say I wanted Ms. Hoven to dance?¡±

    Justina freze at his words

    Colt was shocked as well. He <b>thought </b>William was here to mock Emelie. He stammered, ¡®T¨C1hen whose dance do you want to see!

    Among the <b>nearly </b>ten people at the table, William was the only one sitting. He slightly tilted his head back and swept his gaze over those standing. His presence remainedmanding, undiminished by his lower vantage point.

    Instead, everyone he looked at straightened <b>up </b>involuntarily

    ¡°We have a vice CEO, <b>a </b>secretary, assistants, and a business manager here, all respectable positions. Naturally, I don¡¯t expect any of you to dance!!

    These were all respectable people, which left only one person without <b>a </b>respectable position¨Cpastina.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    William wanted Justina to dance.

    Emelle pressed her lips together, feeling the pain in her throat lessen.

    Colt slowly realized that the rumored deep¨Cseated enmity William bad for Emelie might not be as it seemed. He shivered and sobered uppletely.

    Elena¡¯s eyshes fluttered as she interjected, ¡°Do unto others as you would have thers <b>do </b>unto you. Ms. Green, you¡ª

    Her words were cut off by William¡¯s cold voice. <b>¡°</b><b>is </b>my status not enough to get you to dance, Ms. Green?

    This was exactly what justina had said to Emelie Williams threw it back at her word for word.

    Colt <b>was </b>terrified and quickly pushed Justina forward. ¡°Justina, Mr. Middleton wants to see you dance. Get up there<b>!</b><b>¡±</b>

    Justina, caught off guard<b>, </b>turned pale and grabbed Colt¡¯s arm as if it were a lifeline, ¡°Mr. Reilly, you can¡¯t¡ª¡±

    Colt, fearing William¡¯s wrath, shouted, ¡°Can¡¯t what? it¡¯s all <b>your </b>fault! <b>You </b>couldn¡¯t keep your mouth shut, even with food in your mouth. You had me do this and that. I¡¯m the most respectful of my partners. If it weren¡¯t for you, how could I have offended. Ms. Hoven?¡±

    The Swanson Corporation staff nearly rolled their eyes.

    Justina didn¡¯t <b>want </b>toply. Flirting with Colt was her way of ¡°crossing social <b>sses </b>and changing her fate, Dancing on the table would be humiliating. How could she face Anyone afterward?

    ¡°Mr. Reilly, you promised that if I stayed with you, you would protect me. You.. Ah!¡±

    Colt pped her hard, without a trace of pity. ¡°Say one more word, and I¡¯ll make sure you can¡¯t stay in Weston!

    Emelie watched without any expression. She felt no sympathy for someone who had shown ber malice

    Justina had dug her own grave, she dared not defy Color William and had no choice but to shakily climb onto the cable.

    One of the assistants couldn¡¯t resist <b>taking </b><b>a </b>few photos of justina crying and awkwardly dancing on the table. She then shared them <b>in </b>a groupchat

    No one actually wanted to see Justina dance, of course. She had <b>barely </b>started before she and the table were taken away and reced with a new one. The waiters began serving the food

    The dinner resumed, with William now firmly in control of the situation.

    Chapter 332 Stealing Him

 Chapter 332

    Chapter <b>332 </b>Stealing Him

    With Wim present, the negotiation between Emelle and Colt progressed smoothly. They finalized the contract signing within half an hour.

    Emelie raised her ss. ¡°Here¡¯s to Mr. Middleton and Mr. Reilly Thope ourpanies can work together in the future.¡±

    Wazzam lifted his ss and tapped it on the table, acknowledging the toast.

    After that, Emelie had no further role to y. Colt, fearing that William might still be angry about the earlier incident, kept trying to appease him. Yet William remained indifferent.

    Realizing there was nothing more required of her for now, Emelie informed herpanions and excused herself to the restroom.

    As she came <b>out</b>, she saw Elena standing at the mirror, touching up her makeup.

    Emelie quietly approached to wash her hands. She then dried them with a paper towel before heading back.

    <b>Suddenly</b>, Elena closed herpact. ¡°Emelle, you haven¡¯t thanked me yet.¡±

    Emelie turned and replied, ¡°Oh? What should I be thanking you for, Ms. Allen?¡±

    Ulema said casually, ¡°William mentioned that there¡¯s a ce simr to the Westward Club in Capebatt City here in Weston called Lovelight, so he brought me to check it out tonight.

    ¡°We were served by the manager in another private room just now. He suddenly mentioned that Citadel Group¡¯s vice CEO was here with someone from Swanson Corporation. I immediately guessed it was you and decided toe over to say hi, so I brought William along.¡±

    ¡°Luckily, we came over. Otherwise, how would you have managed tonight?

    Listening to her detailed exnation of why they appeared in her private room, Emelle nodded, understanding the subtext.

    The reason for their presence was secondary. The key point was that William came to Lovelight, entered her private room, and helped her out because of Elena.

    Just like that time at the Navarro residence¨Cit was all because of Elena,

    ¡°I see. I should indeed thank you, then.¡± Ernelle looked at Elena¡¯s refined makeup and noticed the faint air of superiority she <b>exuded</b>. She suddenly smiled. ¡°But you know very well whether you brought Mr. Middleton to help me or tough at me.¡±

    Elena remainedposed. ¡°What do you mean by that<b>, </b>Emelie?¡±

    ¡°How did Justina know I was in the school dance team? How did she know I performed ssical dance at the school festival? How did she know I had a drawer full of love letters?¡± Enselic crumpled the paper towel and tossed it into the trash

    Elena replied, ¡°You¡¯d have to ask Ms. Green¡±

    ¡°Two days ago, when Justina intercepted me outside the restaurant near <b>Swanson </b>Corporation and started yelling at me, you were there too.¡± Emelle¡¯s <b>expression </b>grew serious.¡± You two must have had quite a conversation that day,¡±

    It wasn¡¯t a question. It was <b>a </b>statement.

    <b>These </b>were high school incidents. Even if Justina wanted to dig up dirt, she wouldn¡¯t go that far back. Someone must have told her.

    Elena, being Emelle¡¯s high school ssmate, fit the bill perfectly. She must have told Justina something.

    Emma tried to argue. ¡°Emelle

    Emelie interrupted, saying. ¡°You addressed me <b>as </b>Ms. Hoven at Lakeside Vi. We¡¯re not that familiar, so let¡¯s keep i

    pit that <b>way</b><b>.</b>¡±Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    Elena paused, then finally dropped the <b>pretense</b>. ¡°Do you have <b>proof</b>?

    Emele stepped closer to Elena, <b>who </b>instinctively backed into the sink and red at her

    Emelie had been a head secretary for so many years. Her presence was not to be underestimated when she was serious.

    <b>Ms. </b>Allen, we <b>don¡¯t </b><b>need </b>to interfere with each other. I hope this is thest time you try to sabotage me. Or else..

    She deliberately left the threat unfinished and walked away after giving Elena onest look.

    Elena froze for a few seconds. Somehow, an unknown sense of unease surged within her. She quickly rushed out of the restroom and called after Emelle in the corridor, ¡°Or else what? What can you do to me?

    Emelie turned slightly. ¡°He¡¯ll be mine¡± She struck at Elena¡¯s weakest point.

    Both of them knew who he referred to

    Elena clenched her fists tightly, feeling a surge of emotions inside her.

 Chapter 333

    Chapter 333 iming <b>What¡¯s </b>Hers

    After the dinner, Emelie left Lovelight with the Swansons together with William and his team.

    Reading the room, her colleagues quickly said, ¡°Ms. Hoven, we need to catch the subway<b>, </b>so we¡¯ll make a move now,¡±

    Emelle nodded. <b>¡°</b>Alright, be careful on your way home. See you at the office tomorrow.¡±

    <b>¡°</b>See you tomorrow,¡®

    Once the three had left, Ashton brought William¡¯s car aroundProperty ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.

    Just as the bodyguard was about to open the car door for William, Emelie walked over and opened it instead. She called out, ¡°Mr. Middleton.¡±

    When she was working at Cloudex Corporation, she would always open the car door for William whenever they went out, exactly like what she just did.

    William looked at her, his eyes <b>dark </b>and deep.

    Recalling what Emelie <b>had </b>said in the restroom, Elena tightened her grip <b>on </b>William¡¯s coat. However<b>, </b>William kept his gaze fixed on Emellie. Elena bit her lip. She ran up to them and squeezed Emelie aside.

    *Ms. Hoven, why didn¡¯t you leave with your colleagues? Lf you need to take a cab, you should hall one quickly. It¡¯s gettingte, and it won¡¯t be safe.¡±

    Emelie replied politely, ¡°Mr. Middleton, we¡¯re staying at the same hotel. Do you mind giving me a ride?

    Elena quickly turned to William ¡°William, you haven¡¯t been sleeping well at that hotel. Why don¡¯t you stay at Sheldon Suites with me tonight? You..<b>¡±</b>

    ¡°I didn¡¯t bring my luggage with me.¡± His intention was clear. He wasn¡¯t going with her.

    William nced at one <b>of </b>his bodyguards. ¡°<b>You </b>take Ms. Allen to Sheldon Suites.¡±

    The bodyguard responded, ¡°Ms. Allen, please.¡±

    Elena knew all too well that if she made a scene now, she wouldn¡¯t be able to take William with her and would only make him resent her more.

    She stopped biting her lip and maintained aposed smile. ¡°Alright, go back and pack your things. I¡¯lle by the hotel tomorrow morning, and we can have <b>breakfast </b>together.

    William did not respond.

    Elena left with the bodyguard. But <b>as </b><b>she </b>passed by Emelle, she shot <b>her </b><b>a </b><b>sharp </b>look

    Finally, she revealed her true colors.

    Emelie remained unfazed.

    With his hands in his pockets, William walked to the car door and looked at Emelie with a mix of amusement and mockery. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why are you volunteering to get into my car?

    Emelie nced at the security cameras at the entrance of Lovelight. ¡°There¡¯s surveince everywhere. If I get into your car in broad daylight and something happens to me, you¡¯ll be the first person the policee to<b>.</b>¡±

    William entered the car and looked <b>up </b>at her indifferently. ¡°Do you think I would kill you and dump your body?¡± He thought Emelie was being ridiculous

    As Emelle was about to close the door, William suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her inside.

    Caught off guard, she fell into hisp.

    William then reached out and closed the <b>door</b>.

    Ashton quickly raised the partition from the front seat,

    Emelie couldn¡¯t struggle.

    Pressing against his chest <b>to </b>steady herself, Emelie calmly said, ¡°Mr. Middleton, it is a rule <b>for </b>people in Weston to put on their seat belts in the back seat as well.¡±

    William looked down at her pale neck<b>, </b><b>his </b>voice dropping slightly. ¡°Do they have any rules to deal with exploiters?¡±

    Obviously, he knew that Emelie intentionally wanted to provoke Elena earlier.

    Emelie avoided his face, which were inches away from hers. You must be joking, Mr. Middleton. There¡¯s no such rule.¡±

    Willion seemed amused. It was as if he found her behavior entertaining, ¡°Yesterday, you heard me saying I have nothing to do with Elena. Today, you¡¯re taking <b>me </b><b>from </b>her. Ms. Hoven, are you iming what¡¯s yours?¡±

 Chapter 334

    Chapter 334 An Intimate Episode

    ammulher waha, holding her tightlyi

    The fresh treat from lits body filleder senses, making hier lite hier lips. Befusing togive in, she straggled to get up. The two pre silently locked in a stimetluronted

    The car began to <b>rock </b>slightly, giving the impression at something mucli nover initiate.

    Suiting in front, Ashton felt like she shouldn¡¯t be in the car.

    Their car had been stationary for too <b>long</b>, and the salille movements seemed suspdelis, A valet from Lovelight hesitated letom approaching motherk tim sot, itetepped on the

    The car windows weren¡¯t inted, so when the <b>valet </b>got <b>close</b>, he couldclearly seethrentangkdemple,

    William nd at the valet, making h?ndes though a detud grazed his throat. Twilled, he quickly stepped back.

    Emelie seed the <b>opportunity </b>and broke free from Win¡¯s

    /s prips. She then swiftly moved to another sed, patting an arm¡¯s length between them.

    Lowning against the car door, she calmed her bealli, hier ears huming slightly.

    Wim let out a soft snort but didn¡¯t ch for her age. He smoothed the wrinkles in his sur.¡°prive¡±

    Ashton immediately started the car and drove away.

    Encle fastened her seabell. Trying in stealing <b>heart</b>, she exhaled deeply.

    Becalling William using her of using him<b>, </b>she pressed her lips together and <b>said</b>, ¡°I didn¡¯t use you, Mr. Middleton, You could har lett with its Allen or refused to share ther with me. You made the decision, but now you¡¯re putting the me on me. That doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±

    Emelie had a point

    All she <b>did </b>was open the car door and ask if he could <b>give </b>her <b>a </b>side back to the hotel. He could have refined it he didn¡¯t want to.

    Howcould he me her for using him when he was the one who didn¡¯t refuse?¡±

    Wimmed to look at her. The streetlights outside cast fleeting shadows on her face.

    They said beauty was in the bones, not the skin, and Emelie¡¯s bone semeture was striking. The light outside highlighted her sharp features, making her look indifferent. <b>¡°</b>You¡¯re surely good with your words.¡± William rested his wrist on his knee. His lingers hung down gracefully, like linelycarved jade.

    Emelie pressed her lips together. ¡°Besides<b>, </b>I don¡¯t see why I should tolerate her evil dead.¡±

    William¡¯s gaze sharpened. ¡°What has she done to you?¡±

    Emelie turned her head slightly. ¡°Where do you think pantina found out about my high school dance performance at <b>the </b>school celebration<b>?</b>¡±

    Wim panised.

    When he arrived at the private room, all he heard was them demanding that Emelie <b>dance </b>on the table. He hadn¡¯t realized they¡¯d mentioned her high school days. Thecar ascended onto an overpass. It stopped as the trafficlights turned red.

    The roads  packed at this hour. The lights of the cars twinkled the stars, reflecting in Willin¡¯s eyes.

    It reminded him of that school celebration, <b>where </b>the stage was lit up by several bright lights, keeping him awake.

    He had been ying a game on his phone <b>and </b><b>had </b>just started a new match when his ssmate yanked his am excitedly.

    ¡°It¡¯s her tural¡¯s her turn! Look, William, we¡¯ve been waiting all night for this!

    William frowned and pulled his arm back. He was known for his aloof demeanor. Hence, not even his close friends dared to much him like that.

    But tonight, his ssmate seemed to have lost his senses.

    Annoyed, William nced toward the stage.

    The music was <b>ssical </b>yet upbeat, and three girls were performing. Even at a nce, he could tell which one had captured everyone¡¯s attention. She wasn¡¯t even in the center, but she drew all eyes to her.

    i a rod ribbon. As she danced, ren her hair seemed to move with theR¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    Dressed in red, she held a paper fan and had a striking figure. Her waist¨Clength hair was tied hallway up with a rod rhythm

    The crowd¡¯s cheers grew louder and louder. Everyone was chanting her name<b>, </b><b>¡°</b>Emiel Emelie

    She looked a bit embarrassed but smiled away. Her bright eyes and white teeth were shining under the stage lights,

    She was the <b>star </b>of that performance<b>. </b>I wasn¡¯t until his game ended with a ¡°Game Over that William realized how long <b>he¡¯d </b>been staring. He felt a strange warmth in his heart as hequit the gene

    Assmate next to him remarked, ¡°That¡¯s Emelie Hoven from the first year. <b>She¡¯s </b><b>beast </b>of Thrand she¡¯s quitting the dance club next year to focus on her studies. This might he herst performance¡±

    William casually broked up. The dance had ended, and the girl was leaving the stage with her teammates. After cascaded thun.

    As sheeaght the falling ribbon, William picked up his phone. He zoomed in and snapped photo

    movement, her hair tie hade loose<b>, </b>and her long h

 Chapter 335

    Chapter 115 Low Lelles

    A car¡¯s her sounded

    The car tront of them putained sinkonary despite the green light, sa Ashton had pressed the limit..

    The sound snappell wam out of his thought.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    Felle contul colds, ¡°She specially mentioned the drawer bill of love letters Itecries, just to polul nie as sewa messy smalle

    <b>Who </b>knew the best way thantark another mention.

    Willum saddenly asked, ¡°it wudy how.adrower full of letters?

    ¡°so what if I did? They were so unto my desk beteren ab at school a¡¯t have a chance to jet them it won¡¯t her fat

    Win¡¯s wor was cold. ¡°Did you throw them awa

    Puzzled by his question, Emelie looked at him. ¡°I didn¡¯t read them, but didn¡¯t throw them away either.¡±

    Though she had no interest in the letters or the content, discading the world have been polite, alter all, they were soucone¡¯s heartfelt expression.

    She remembered gathering them all into <b>a </b>bag.

    As the carpssed by a shopping mall, the screen outside casta fluorescent light on William¡¯s face, making his expression had to read. ¡°How did you deal with them?!

    ¡°I took them home, but I¡¯m not sure where they ended up. When the Hovens were forced to move from the city to the town, some things got lost in the process

    Willum stared at her for a tee seconds before huming away and letting or a tant lugh

    Emebound his sudden interest in her love letters perplexing. Her main point was about lening tesbistage her. That was why she wanted to get back at <b>Elena</b><b>.</b>

    She wondered at willum was trying to stop het from bad¨Cmouthing Elena by changing the subject.

    Emelie smirked. ¡°Of course, should still thank M. Allen er bring you to help me.¡± In fact, she knew Elena¡¯s true intention was far from helping her.

    William nced at her and tagged at his tie with clear displeasure on his face

    Enelle couldn¡¯t tathom his mood swings, but this wasn¡¯t the first time she found him odd.

    Ashton Extened to theirerton. Noticing nothing inappropriate happening, he lowered the partition and asked softly. ¡°Mr. Middleton, should we had to the hotel now?¡±

    Emelie tapped on her phone and sand, ¡°Ashton, you location on WhatsApp. Let¡¯s go there <b>instead</b><b>.</b>¡±

    Mason nced at Wiliam in the rearview minor seeing no objection from him, he agreed and opened his WhatsApp to read the message.

    Bele closing her phone, Emelie noticed a furry of messepes in her work group chat. She randomly clicked into one of them and realized they were mostly about Justina-

    Scrolling up, she saw several photos at Justina taken by her assistant and frowned. She wanted to ask the assistant to delete the photos, but it was toote.

    mele didn¡¯t decide to do that out of kindness, but she felt Justina had dready fared insigh consejances. <b>There </b>was no inson to <b>add </b>fuck <b>onto </b>the de

    But since it couldn¡¯t be undene, she forgot about it

    She had no reason to feel guilty <b>as </b>she wasn¡¯t the one who spread the photos

    She then put away her phone. The cat continued smoothly, William didin¡¯t seem <b>to </b>care about their destination. He dolet ask any questions.

    Thecarfinaly stopped in front of a phate restaurant.

    of

    Emelie unbuckled her seatbelt and sad in Ashton, ¡°Turking spots are hard to find here. It might be a ba at a hassle

    Ashton replied, ¡°No problem

    findaspor¡±

    Wiliam nced at the <b>sige </b>¡°Still hungry?!

    Emelie replied, ¡°I¡¯m all This is for you!

    Wiliam¡¯s sched slightly. ¡°Younoticed

    Despite the thresh setup and new dishes at the provas dinner, William was too parcr

    once hest his appetite, it was gone. Even if it had been an important banquet, he wouldn¡¯t have it. He barly touched his food, and a small find her business,

    Emelie said, ¡°This meal is on me, Consider ita thank you <b>for </b>your help tonight.¡±

    Willium looked at her, finally understanding her intentions

    at

    She wouldn¡¯t <b>simply </b>enter his car and bring him to a private restaurant for no reason. It abu wasn¡¯t just to innitate Elena. It was more <b>likely </b>because she didn¡¯t want to owe him anything

    She intended to repay him with ameal and draw a line between their <b>rtionship</b>.

    Amelie opened the car door and stepped out, william¡¯s face darkened

    He suddenly reached out and grabbed her arm

    <b>For </b><b>a </b><b>brief </b>moment, a storm brewed in his eyes.

    ¡°Are you tring to draw a line between ? Conelle, Told you, you are me a lot. You still hawn¡¯t repaid what you owe me from high school.<b>¡±</b>

 Chapter 336

    Chapter 3161 Want to Help You

    melle furrowed her brows. She wondered what Wimet by <b>the </b>owed him since high school What nonsense was he talking about?

    They did attend the same high school, but she had only heard of <b>his </b>name and barely seen <b>him </b>a few <b>times</b>, let alone knowing him. How could she owe him anything<b>?</b>This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    This wasn¡¯t <b>the </b>first time he imed <b>she </b>owed him. What exactly did <b>she </b>owe him?

    Thinking about this, Emelie questioned him. She stated at him and waited for his answer.

    william parsed his thin lips, but after a moment<b>, </b><b>he </b><b>let </b>go of her hand, with a cold expression, he unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car from his side.

    Then, he headed into the private restaurant without saying a word her.

    ¦§

    <b>Emelle </b>sighed and followed him

    It was already past so, and the restrument had few guests at this hour Wim walked straight to aer table, and a walter promptly brought the menu.

    Without ncing at it, wiliam ordered, ¡°One of everything ¡°He <b>meant </b>to order every dish.

    Emelle heard this as she approached and frowned. ¡°Is this your way of getting back at me, Mr. Middleton? Was he trying to waste her money?¡± william locked up. ¡°wing stingy?¡±

    ¡°I just thinks wastedal¡± There was <b>no </b>way the three of them could finkhalldat

    William wiped his hands with <b>a </b>hot towel and told the water, ¡°Bring ade dishes Pack the rest for the janitors.¡±

    Emelie doubled William¡¯s sudden disy of generosity

    He just wanted her to spend <b>the </b>money and make her ufortable.

    This man was <b>truly </b>annoying,

    She didn¡¯t want to argue with him, so she let him do as he pleased

    If he didn¡¯t want to draw a line between them, that was his problem. After this <b>meal</b>, she¡¯d consider them even. She had a clear <b>conscience</b>.

    william could see the impatience in her Eghtly made¨Cup features, and something swelled in his chest

    Abruptly, he asked<b>, </b>¡°Do you think I helped you because of Elena<b>, </b><b>or </b>did I do it because wanted aven¡¯t you figured that out after three years by my side? Emelie was stunned<b>. </b>She looked up to meet his deep, <b>dark </b>eyes. Hidden beneath that darkness <b>was </b><b>a </b>questionable look that hit her straight on.

    Her heart skipped ab

    She wondered if he meant that whether at the Now Residence or today <b>in </b>the private room, he helped <b>her </b>simply because he wanted to, not because someone asked him to Emelie but her lip. She recalled how Elma always interrupted William whenever he was about to speak at the Navarro Residence. She would say things like, ¡°William, help Ms. Hoven,¡± or ¡°William, call a cab for <b>Ms. </b>Hoven.¡±

    It had seemed that William only helped her because Elena had asked him to Emelie was even surprised to see William so obedient,

    But if William were truly obedient to Elena, she should have felt confident and <b>secure</b>. Why would she constantly unther rtionship with William in front of Emelie? She wondered if she had been fooled by Elena¡¯s act again.

    Emelie was operated that she almost lighed. How many tricks could ena possibly have?

    William¡¯s cold voice intempted her thoughts ¡°esced it our yet?¡±

    His bone sounded the, ¡°Did you realize you wrongly used <b>me</b>

    Emelie nced around and spotted a water dispenser. This private dining ce had good food but wasn¡¯t a five¨Cstar restaurant, sa drinks were self¨Cserved

    She stood up and poured some water into William¡¯s cup. ¡°Then let me toast to you for your kindness, Mr. Middleton

    William was not satisfied ¡°That¡¯s it?!

    Emelie remained calm ¡°reame out from under your wing, Mr. Middleton. You know my abilities better than anyone. You know that even without your help, I could <b>have </b>handled the Navarro Residence on <b>and </b>tonight¡¯s issue on my own. Despite this, you chose to assist me. Other <b>than </b>thanking you, Treally don¡¯t know what else to say.¡±

    William was speechless.

    She was essentially saying that even without his help, she could <b>have </b>solved <b>the </b>problems on her own. His help was unnecessary, so how could the expect her gratitude? Leaning back in his chair, he responded, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say unlike Mr. Swanson, never help you unconditionally? Since I did help you, there must be conditions.¡± Emelle ceplied smoothly, ¡°I was delirious as I had a fever that day and must have sported nonsense. Mr. Middleton, please don¡¯t take it to heart.¡±

    Wiliam pressed on. ¡°What if insist on taking it to heart?¡±

    At <b>that </b>moment, the water brought over the first dish. It was chicken soup Emelie smiled brightly. She personally served <b>him </b>abowl

    ¡°Mr. Middleton, you haven¡¯t been sleeping well these past few days. This soup helps with calining the mind and impering sleep. You should love more.¡±

    Witam looked at the soup, then back at her. He wondered if was simply <b>trying </b>to waw him off with a bowl of soup.

    How ungrateful.

    However, it seemed like she was enjoying herself and trying hard not to feel too triumph. Her eyes crinkled with a mischievous glint.

    it had been a long time since hehad seen her aile in funt of <b>him</b>

    <b>Usually</b><b>, </b><b>she </b>looked at him with her hatred or anger. She always kept a distance from him. Recently, though, he hadn¡¯t been <b>pushing </b>her, and she hadn¡¯t been as hostile as before.

 Chapter 337

    Chapter 337 Jealous of Each Other

    Emelie picked up the spoon and handed it to William. He snorted lightly but epted it

    Seeing Ashton arrive, Emelie invited her over ¡°Ms. Jones, please join us for the meal.¡±

    Achten smiled and sat down.

    Since another person was at the table<b>, </b>it wasn¡¯t appropriate for William to discuss personal matters. So he remained silent for the rest of the meal.

    The private dining restaurant was <b>situated </b>along a riverside promenade. By the time they finished eating and came out, it was already past 1, and the area was nearly deserted.

    Emelie intended to head straight to the car, but William grabbed her arm. ¡°Let¡¯s take a walk to digest.¡±

    Emelie responded politely, ¡°Mr. Middleton, it¡¯s quitete. I have work

    with a bit of force, William pulled her along. ¡°You want to go to bed right after eating? Aren¡¯t you worried about stomach issues?¡±

    ¡°You seem to know a lot now, Mr. Middleton,¡± Emelie remarked, freeing her arm <b>but </b>still forced to walk with him along the riverside.

    The night breeze blew, lifting the hem of William¡¯s long cost. He nced back at Emelle. The streetlights elongated their shadows, his shadow just covering hers. ¡°Were you being sarcastic with me or flirting?¡±

    Emelle was speechless. She thought. ¡°He <b>should </b>stop learning Charles¡± cheesy pick up lines.¡±

    She opted not to respond

    The night wind was strong, especially by <b>the </b>river. It felt chilly. Despite wearing a coar, Emelie felt cold and stuffed her hands into her pockets. She wondered how long this walk wouldst

    Suddenly, Willlem tossed his ck leather gloves to her,

    Shivering<b>, </b><b>she </b>quickly put them on.

    His gloves were muchrger than her hands, but the inner lining was warm and still <b>retained </b>his body heat. It made her feel as if his hands were enveloping hers.

    Startled, she immediately took the gloves off

    William was already ahead, tang on the phone. His pace was leisurely. She heard his conversation.

    ¡°I¡¯m on a business trip in Weston. If you need anything, you can contact Fabian she¡¯ll help you¡±

    His tone <b>was </b>clear and gentle. She bad only heard him speak to one person this way, and that was Daphne.

    The faint hope in Emelle¡¯s heart vanished in an instant,

    Lowering her head, she stepped aside and distanced herself from his shadow. She didn¡¯t want any contact with him.

    Taking out her phone, she opened her WhatsApp stories and saw that Samuel had posted <b>a </b>photo of a mint nt just a minute ago. But the location was marked in Jober City.

    Emeliemented, ¡°Have you arrived?¡±

    Samuel replied almost instantly, ¡°I got here around nine and have been unpacking since.¡±

    Emeletexted back, ¡°Get some rest. You¡¯ve had a long day.

    Samuel replied<b>, </b><b>¡°</b>You too. Don¡¯t stay op toote.¡°¡±

    william ended his call and replied to Jayden¡¯s WhatsApp message. He noticed a red dot on his stories, indicating a new post from Samuel. They had added each other on WhatsApp due to the Winnsbour City project

    Heclicked on it and saw Samuel and Emelie chatting. New replies popped up one after another.

    Expressionless<b>, </b><b>he </b>turned his head to find Emelie indeed engrossed in her phone.

    He was all the way in Eprand and still managed to catch her attention.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    ¡°Emelia.¡±

    Emelie looked up, and William continued, ¡°Come here¡±

    Putting her phone way, she responded, ¡°Mr.Middleton, it¡¯ste. We should head back.¡±

    William immediately started walking <b>back</b>

    Following him, Enelle noticed he seemed irritated but <b>couldn¡¯t </b>tathom why.

    When they returned to the private dining restaurant <b>to </b>get into the <b>car</b>, they saw the waiter handing the packed meals to some street <b>cleaners </b>resting by the roadside

    The waiter probably mentioned that the meals were from them, as he pointed in their direction. With the food in hand, the cleaners smiled and nodded their thanks.

    Emelie returned the smile

    Recalling the numerous mentions of high school tonight, another memory surfaced in her mind.

 Chapter 338

    Chapter 338 Dance for Me

    The high school she attended was one of the best in the city, and many wealthy families sent their children there. It was a so¨Ccalled ¡°elite school¡°. Emelle got in due to her outstanding grades.

    With so many rich kids around, their school life was naturally quitevish. One day a wealthy boy <b>would </b>donate a batch of sports equipment, and the next day a rich girl would upgrade the nes in the music <b>room</b>.

    <b>For </b>a while, someone even treated the entire school to afternoon tea every <b>day</b>, featuring well<b>¨C</b>known brand desserts. Emelie gained a few pounds from all the treats.

    Compared to the other stuff, Emelie genuinely appreciated the food the most. They had lunch early and finished schoolte, so they were really hungry around four or five in the

    bemoon.

    But she <b>couldn¡¯t </b>remember who <b>had </b>sponsored it

    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± William looked back at her. ¡°Get in the car already¡±

    Emelie snapped back to reality. She then entered the car and closed the <b>door</b>. This time, they were headed to the hotel

    Both of them kept silent until they neared the hotel. William finally spoke, ¡°Don¡¯t think a single meal is enough to repay all the favors I¡¯ve done for you<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    Seeing she couldn¡¯t brush him off, Emelie asked, ¡°What do you want then?¡±

    Instead of answering, William asked, ¡°Why did you stop dancing? Didn¡¯t you take sses?

    She had indeed taken lessons

    Back then, the Hovens was <b>well</b>¨Coff, and her parents were willing to spend money on their three daughters hobbies. Emelie had <b>chosen </b>ssical dance

    Not hearing <b>a </b>response, William mocked, ¡°Was it because Wesley left?*

    Emelie was taken aback and looked at him.

    Even in the cold Weston winter, his gare felt colder. ¡°You said you¡¯d stop dancing if he wasn¡¯t around. Isn¡¯t that what you said?¡±

    If anyone else had said this, Emelie might have suspected they had feelings for her. After all, the person was stalking her.

    But with William, she felt he was more focused on Wesley.

    Back in Wistour City, she had already sensed William¡¯s strong hostility toward Wesley. She hadn¡¯t realized it was <b>so </b>serious that even a minor detail about Wesley couldn¡¯t escape his notice.

    She paused and exined, ¡°I had to focus on my studies in my second and third <b>years </b>of high school, so I didn¡¯t have time to continue. Then I went to college out of town and didn¡¯t have the opportunity. Later, my family faced troubles, and I started working at cloudex Corporation. I had even less time. Hence, I <b>just </b>somehow gave up.¡±

    Emelie seemed to be <b>denying </b>that she quit dancing because of Wesley. But still, she didn¡¯t admit that it had nothing to do with him.

    She was ying word games.

    William removed his be with a hint of irritation in his eyes. Emelleined about him having too many women, but he thought about the men around her, Samuel, Charles, and

    Wesley¡­

    As the car entered a tunnel and the interior darkened, William <b>asked</b>, ¡°Can you still dance?¡±

    ¡°Why do you ask, Mr.Middleton? Emelle was confused

    William answered, ¡°If you truly went to thank me, I should be able to choose my repayment.¡±

    Emelie expected him to say something like ¡°Date me.¡±

    But that didn¡¯t seem to be his intention. <b>Instead</b>, he <b>said</b>, ¡°Dance <b>for </b>me¡±

    Emelie was taken aback. ¡°Dance?¡±

    William chuckled lightly ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to dance on a table. What are you afraid <b>of</b>?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t tear but rather the unexpectedness of his request.

    She hadn¡¯t danced in years and wasn¡¯t eager to agree.

    <b>But </b>Wim was a <b>master </b>at exploiting situations. <b>If </b>she refused, who knew what other demands he might make? Besides, if she didn¡¯t agree, he¡¯d have more reason to <b>bother </b>her.

    Emelie bit her tongue lightly. ¡°When?¡±

    ¡°This weekend¡±

    ¡°Olcay<b>.</b>¡±

    Just as she agreed, the car emerged from <b>the </b>tunnel. The orange streetlights stretched endlessly into the distance.

    Soon, they arrived at the hotel. Emelle opened the door and got out. She quickly headed inside without waiting for Willsam

    When she reached the elevator, she nced back, but William was nowhere to be seen.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    She wondered if he had left.

 Chapter 339

    Chapter 339 Not Getting Back Together

    After all, Elena mentioned that he hadn¡¯t slept well for the past two days at this hotel. He probably found somewhere else to rest

    As the only child of the Middletons and the CEO of Cloudex Corporation, William certainly wouldn¡¯t force himself to stay in difort.

    Enselie went upstairs alone and entered her room. Without sitting down to rest, she grabbed her clothes and beaded to the bathroom.

    The warm water cascaded over her, washing away the fatigue of the <b>day</b>. She reyed everything that <b>had </b>happened over the day, especially puzzling over william¡¯s strange

    behavior.

    He seemed different

    As soon as this thought crossed her mind<b>, </b>she sshed herself with water.

    In mature, many animals disguise themselves to hunt effectively, like crocodiles in the river, tigers in the forest, and geckos on trees

    Wham might be pretending to be kind, too.

    Emelie felt William was trying to confuse her with misleading words.

    She dug through her high school memories and found no trace of him.

    Hence<b>, </b>she decided not to dwell on it any longer

    Thinking more would just y into his hands.

    Turning off the water, she dried herself, put on her pajamas, <b>and </b>stepped out,

    Emelie had guessed wrong

    william had only gone out for a drivest night. Later, he returned to the same hotel she was staying at

    The next morning, he wanted to go to the buttet, bet Ashton informed him, ¡°Ms. Hoven rushed to the office early today to organize the cooperation with Citadel Group. <b>She </b><b>didn¡¯t </b>have breakfast in the restaurant¡±

    William lost interest in the buffet and went straight down to the lobby.

    Unexpectedly, he found Elena waiting when the elevator doors opened.

    Elena¡¯s mother had a minority background, and she inherited her mother¡¯s exotic features. She smiled warmly. ¡°William, I was just about toe up to find you. Have you had brealdast?

    ¡°No.¡± William continued wallding.

    Elena followed. ¡°Me either. Let¡¯s get some food outside. The hotel restaurant doesn¡¯t have anything good. You probably wouldn¡¯t like it.¡±

    William replied tly, ¡°I¡¯m not picky.¡±

    Elenaughed. ¡°True, you do <b>have </b>some surprising tastes. When we were together, you even took me to eat street food like BBQ. These are thiContent (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    Ashton looked up in surprise. It wasn¡¯t the ¡°together¡± part that shocked her but the fact that William would eat street food.

    William¡¯s expression¨Cturned cold, and he stopped in his tracks.

    Elena tied her head. ¡°Wim, what¡¯s wrong?¡°¡±

    William looked ather. ¡°Ms. Allen, didn¡¯t youe to Weston for work?¡±

    Elena was stunned. ¡°Well..¡±

    ¡°Cloudex Corporation pays you a high sry, not for you to discess breakfast with me here.¡±

    His tone was often calm, and nobody could read his mind. But his words carried an undeniable authority that timidated Elena

    She hesitated, her voice faltering. ¡°I. I¡¯vepleted my tasks before I came to find you, I didn¡¯t dy any projects. ¡±

    I never thought you¡¯d try.¡±

    ¡°If your work in Weston is <b>done</b><b>, </b>then <b>return </b>to Capebatt City today and go ahead with the next steps,¡± William said and walked away. It was only then that Elena realized he was dismissing her.

    ¡°Willum Elena caught up to him, her unease evident. ¡°Why are you calling me Ms. Allen? Don¡¯t you want us to get back together?¡±

    ¡°When did I ever give you the impression that I wanted to get back together?¡± Witham thought it was ridiculous.

    Elena bit her lip. ¡°But we¡­¡±

    William¡¯s bone bared marking. ¡°Did you really think we were <b>dating </b>back in high school?¡±

    Elena was speechless.

    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t shown up again, I would have forgotten all about my foolish past¡± with that, William left. Ashton followed him out the door.

    Watching his retreating figure, Elena <b>murmured </b>to herself ¡°Forgot about me? But I did show up, so you can¡¯t forget me.¡±

    She thought it was Emelie¡¯s fault again, it had to be Emelie.

    Elenaclenched her tists tightly

 Chapter 340

    Chapter 340 Taking My ManThis content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    Emelie had scheduled a meeting with Colt the next morning to sign the <b>contract</b>.

    best their

    <b>guests</b>.

    She <b>arrived </b>at thepany and <b>held </b><b>a </b>brief meeting with the legal and business teams. At 10 o¡¯clock sharp, they headed downstairs to greet

    Although Colt no longer dared to put on airs, it was essential to maintain proper etiquette. Just as they spotted his car, a voice <b>called </b><b>cut</b>, ¡°Emelie!¡±

    Emelie instinctively turned to see Elena approaching. She frowned slightly.

    Elena stared at her intently. ¡°I need to talk to you. Let¡¯s <b>find </b><b>a </b>ce to chat¡±

    Emelie responded politely, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Allen, but we¡¯re here to meet a client right now. I don¡¯t have time.¡±

    Elena¡¯s tone turned solemn. ¡°So, you don¡¯t want to talk to me privately and would rather discuss this in public?¡±

    Colt had already stepped out of his car. Emelie nced at the business team, who nodded and went ahead to greet him. Then, she turned back to Elena. ¡°Ms. Allen, first of <b>all</b>, I¡¯m at work. Please don¡¯t interfere with my <b>job</b>. Secondly, I don¡¯t think we have any personal matters to discuss. Please leave.¡±

    Just as she was about to walk toward Colt, Elena grabbed her hand.

    ¡°Emelie Hoven, are you afraid to admit what you did? You asked William to send me back <b>to </b>Capebatt City, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    Emelie had anticipated that this confrontation was about William. She replied sterly, ¡°Ms. Allen, whatever issues you have with Mr. Middleton are none of my concem. If you have any grievances, take them up with him..¡±

    ¡°You knew that William and I were together in high school! You knew I came back to rekindle our rtionship! And yet you still interfered what are your intentions?¡± Elena¡¯s <b>voice </b>suddenly rose.

    They were <b>standing </b>at the entrance of <b>Swanson </b>Corporation, which was crowded with people. Themotion drew people¡¯s attention.

    Elena came from a wealthy family. She was <b>usually </b><b>a </b>poised professional. Yet, she had lost herposure <b>doe </b>to William¡¯s harsh rejection <b>earlier </b>that morning

    Emelie scanned the area and realized they couldn¡¯t let this scene escte. She called out, ¡°Ms. Lassman, please escort Ms. Allen to the conference room. I¡¯ll be there shortly.¡±

    Janelle stepped <b>forward </b>to guide Elena. ¡°Ms. Allen..¡±

    Elena shook off her hand forcefully and red at Emelie ¡°Are you trying to get rid of me? What? Are you afraid of what I might say? Now you¡¯re feeling embarrassed?¡±

    Colt walked over, his eyes darting between the two women. ¡°Ms. Hoven, Ms. Allen, what¡¯s going on here?

    Suppressing her anger, Emelie said firmly, ¡°Ms. Allen, I strongly advise you to leave <b>immediately</b><b>!</b>¡±

    ¡°You had no shame stealing my man, and now you want me to shut up? Why should I listen to you?¡± Elena shouted, ¡°Emelie, answer me. Are you really going to fight me for William? What do you want? Exin yourself!¡±

    Emelie would be crazy to discuss this with her in public. This was utterly absurd!

    Since Elena had already embarrassed her, there was no need to be polite. She called out to the security guards, ¡°Can¡¯t you see someone is causing a scene here?¡±

    The security guards finally reacted and quickly pulled Elena away. Even as she was being dragged off, she kept yelling, ¡°Emelie Hoven!¡±

    Colt¡¯s eyes flickered with amusement as he said, ¡°Ms. Howen, it seems you have other matters to attend to today. Perhaps we should reschedule the signing<b>.</b>¡± Emelie felt a pang <b>of </b>frustration and quickly replied, ¡°Mr. Reilly, there¡¯s no issue. <b>Since </b>you¡¯re already here at Swanson Corporation, pleasee <b>inside</b><b>.</b>¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s discuss it another time.¡± Colt <b>didn¡¯t </b>even enter the building. He turned back to his car despite their attempts to persuade him otherwise.

    He never wanted to sign this contract with Swanson Corporation in the first ce <b>and </b>had <b>only </b>been intimidated by William¡¯s threatsst night. Now, with a convenient excuse be made his escape

    Not long after, Emelie was summoned to the CEO¡¯s office by a call from Bryan.

    Dressed in a suit, the stern¨Cfaced Bryan sat behind his desk. He leaned back in his chair and scrutinized Emelie with an intimidating presence.

    ¡°I don¡¯t interfere in my employees¡® personal lives. But if personal matters start affecting work, don¡¯t me me for being ruthless.¡±

    Emelie <b>kept </b>her head down. Helpless, she frowned in frustration. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. S

    <ol>

    <li>r. Swanson. I have no idea why Allen acted that way.¡± ¡°That¡¯s your problem.¡± Bryan cut her of ¡°Now, Citadel Group has dyed the contract signing because of you. Am I right?¡±</li>

    </ol>

 Chapter 341

    Chapter 341 Poprity With Men

    ¡°I will follow up and try to get the contract signed as soon as possible.¡± At this point, that was all Emelie could promise.

    Bryan eyed her briefly before <b>nodding</b>. ¡°<b>Make </b>it quick¡±

    ¡°Gotturned to leave, but Bryan added, ¡°Your bonus for this month will be deducted.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this.

    Emelie could hardly resist cursing Bryan in her heart. He was akmatic!

    the left the CEO¡¯s office and returned to her workce, feeling utterly defeated

    Emelie had never had her bonus deduced even after working for years. Yet, in her first month at Swanson Corporation, she had failed to secure the contract and <b>had </b>even be thepany¡¯s topic of discussion.

    Things were going to be tough for her in the fabure

    Emelle took a moment to calm her feelings. She wanted some water but found that her cup was empty, so she headed to the break room.

    Break rooms <b>and </b>restrooms had always been the best spot to gossip. As soon as Emelie got closer, she overheard two colleagues whispering

    ¡°Es that Ms. Allen of <b>cloudex </b>corporation? She can¡¯t possibly be lying, can she?

    ¡°feel the same. That is to say, Ms. Hoversigned from Cloudex Corporation because she broke up with Mr. Middleton?¡±

    ¡°<b>Ecoke </b><b>up</b>? <b>Only </b>couples break up. Have <b>you </b>ever heard Mr. Middleton from Cloudes Corporation announce that he has a girl

    ¡°You¡¯re <b>saying </b>that Ms. Hoven is a mistress?

    ¡°Didn¡¯t Justina say that Emelle entered Swanson Corporation through a referral? Plus, Mr. Davis has been trying to win her over. Her poprity with men. Ms. Hoven is truly something-

    There were asional clickings of the tongue.

    Emelie had expected things to turn out that way back when tharles had openly shown his flings for her. Sure enough.

    Shedidn¡¯t trytoconfront the speakers. To do that would only fuel the rumors

    <b>Sinth</b><b>, </b>Emelereturned to her workstation with a grave look on her face.

    Some time passed bedre mele picked up the phone and texted William.

    ¡°Middleton, please control your staff Ms. Allenes to mypany once again to cause trouble, I¡¯llcall the police¡±

    Willem didn¡¯t reply¨Cinstead, Charles¡® feest popped up. ¡°Ms. Hoven, hour about lunch together? happen to be on an errand near yourpany¡±

    Emellethought about it before she ceplied, ¡°Let¡¯s meet in the afternoon

    Charles was quite surprised since Emelie rarely epted his Invitation

    Hepleted his work <b>in </b><b>a </b>hurry and rushed to Swanson Corporation to pick her up forth.

    Emelle went downstairs during lunch break and saw charles waiting for her in the reception area, holding arge bouquet of red roses. The scene caused a straming employers of Swanson Corporation again.

    Emahetook a deep breath and walked over.

    Charles was smiling when he handed her the roses. ¡°It¡¯s a surprise since you rarely ept my lotions I¡¯ve booked a restaurant. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t ept the flowers <b>or </b>leave with him. She pursed her lips. ¡°Thank you for the kind offer, Mr. Dus, but I didn¡¯t ask to see you for lunch.¡± charles raised an eyebrow, ¡°What does that mean<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>

    ¡°Mr. Davis, perhaps you might not know, but your destin Ms. Allen came to ourpany in <b>the </b>afternoon. She sh

    Charles was surprised <b>¡°</b>Are you taking about Elena? How is that possible? What kind of oble?

    She showed up to cause trouble and ruin our deal¡±

    Emelle exined, <b>¡°</b>Thave no idea what happened between her and Mr. Middleton, butt lindit absurd that she came to bother me because of ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯d like to ask for your help in persuading Ms. Allen. If she bodeme again, I <b>will </b>take legal action. At that point, <b>things </b>will get=phy¡± Having said that, Erle took two steps back. ¡°I won¡¯t bother you any longer, Mr. Davis. Please don¡¯te to Swanson Corporation trying to look for me for no reason again.¡± She turned and went back upstairs.

    Charles watched her from behind, then looked down at the flowers in his hand. He clenched his teeth and was pissed over the fact that <b>tena </b>had set him back to square on alter all that eller

    He walked out of Swanson Corporation and casually tossed the flowers into

    to a trash can without ghing <b>adamn</b>. He then took out his phone and called Elena

    ¡°Diena<b>, </b>what¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    Charles <b>walked </b>to his aports car parked by the side of the road and unlocked the door to pull it open. ¡°Whatever is going on between you and will your business. Why did you mess things up for Emelie at herpany!¡±

    lena¡¯s wice was cold. ¡°Charl, you questioning me, your cousin, for the <b>sake </b><b>of </b>a w

    charles get into the car and pressed abutton to tract the mind ¡°Everything has to make sense. Your issues have nothing to do with timelle<b>, </b><b>so </b>you shouldn¡¯t have bothered her at herpany doesn¡¯t matter whether you¡¯re my cousin.¡±

    Elenathar ont <b>a </b>sudden question.¡± I were the one being picked <b>on</b>, would you stand up for me regardless of who the other party is? Would you push them to what they dad¡®

 Chapter 342

    Chapter 342 Mr. <b>Middleton¡¯s </b>Apology

    Charles raised an eyebrow and said without hesitation, ¡°of course, you¡¯re my cousin ¡±

    ¡°Remember your words.¡°Elena hung up the call

    Charles looked at his phone, both amused <b>and </b>frustrated. Was there anyone who could pick on Elena? She was doted on as an only dwighter. Anyone <b>who </b>had the guts to bully her would <b>face </b><b>severe </b>consequences from het parents.

    After getting off <b>work </b>in the evening. Embe walked toward the subway station while looking at <b>her </b>phone.

    She was chatting with Mona, who asked how her new job was going

    Feeling upset, Enele vented about what had happened. Mona, who was always quick to anger, cursed Elena for several paragraphs long beforeing to a conclusion

    ¡°There¡¯s the something wrong with those who have feelings for Wim. For example, dva, Elena, and

    Mona instantly realized that her words might have insubed Emelie. She tried to make up for it with a light cough. ¡°Except you.¡±

    Emelie smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t have to exclude me won¡¯t in my right mind either.¡±

    Monatsid. ¡°It¡¯smon that we all most a few scumbags in our best years. You¡¯ve turned <b>over </b>a new leaf, so you shouldn¡¯t be included.¡±

    Imeke smiled.Jingleber

    As she turned theer, two tall bury men stepped forward to block her path. Emelie instinctively took <b>a </b>step back and gripped her phone tightly, getting her guard up. They merely held a phone and asked, ¡°Hey, excuse me, we¡¯re looking for directions. Is Skyline Heights nearby?

    Emelie looked at their phone, which showed a map

    she thought about it and shook her head ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not sure. Can¡¯t you find in even ser following the map?

    ¡°The map brought here, but we can¡¯t find it even after walking around in circles.¡°¡±

    had only be around for <b>a </b>short time and waste with the <b>area </b>wither. ¡°You should ask some ele¡±

    One of the men extended the phone over. ¡°Can you take a look? Which way should we go?¡±

    Einthe screen ¡°You can select walking mode, and it¡¯ll show an arrow you can follow

    ¡°Wow, it works! never knew about about this feature. Thank you, The man thanked her, graning

    Inviereplied, ¡°No problem¡± The two then walked away, chatting.

    She breathed a sigh of relief and decided that she shouldn¡¯t judge people by their appearances anymore, she had thought that the two were bad pays because of how malicio looking they were at in nce

    Just as Emelie was about to continue toward the subway station, she heard a hook. She turned around <b>and </b><b>saw </b><b>a </b>ck venne

    Omelle had bunch about who it was and stood still.

    The window of the back seat rolled down to reveal William¡¯s cold face ¡°Aren¡¯t youing over?¡±

    Elwalked over after some hesitation Mr Middleton, what¡¯s wrong!

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that I failed to control my <b>staff </b>and caused you trouble william¡¯s starry ck eyes reflected the colorful neon lights of the start. ¡°Imberto apologize.¡±

    Imehe had a candy¨Ccolored scart knitted by Greta wrapped around her neck, covering hall of her face Her eyes were sparkly and bright

    She stood by the car with the wind gently blowing her hanContent is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    After two minutes, Emelle softly mumbled, ¡°Mr. Middon, that¡¯s too much¡±

    She had assumed that William was ignoring her text as she hadn¡¯t received a reply. She had never expected him to <be </b>¡°apologize¡± in person.

    timelle didn¡¯t intend to get into the car, so Wim pushed the door open and stepped out. He was <b>dressed </b>in meatsuit, looking like he hade straight from work

    Emelie remembered that <b>Cooder </b>Corporation had a subsidiarypany at Weston No wonder William <b>had </b>recently been staping at Weston. It seemed that he was conducting inspections since it was the end of the year.

    Emelie took two steps back. ¡°Mr Middleton, you¡¯ve apologized. ¡°There isn¡¯t any parking around here, so you should¡±

    Instead of stepping away, Will said, ¡°There was some good food <b>at </b>the restaurant you took me to pesterday. Do you have any other rmendations?

    You thanked me by treating me to a meal, I should apologize by doing the same. We can then return to the hood together¡±

    Emelie that their frequent dining together was strange. <b>She </b>didn¡¯t want to have too much contact with William either.

    She didn¡¯t move. William didn¡¯t go her to get into the carether, but the Gepenne was honked at by the car behind them. Abel, <b>who </b>was caught up in a tough situation, wound down the window and called out, ¡°Mr. Middleton, we can¡¯t park here.¡±

    Wim remained sent and Indifferent while hecked his stare on Emelle

    The car behind them banked persistently. Clearly impatient, the owner seemed ready to start shouting at just any moment.

    Emelie knew that Wim was forcing her to get into <b>the </b>car.

    His tactics had <b>evolved</b>.

    Unlike <b>what </b>wim had done to force her<b>, </b>he was doing it with help from external pressure.

 Chapter 343

    Chapter 343 Don¡¯t Fall For It

    Emelie sheepishly said, ¡°Mr. Middleton, I need to catch the subway. I¡¯m leaving.¡±

    pher. But the honking behind her grew incessant just after several meters forward as if pulling her back with invisible ropes.

    As she walked away, William didn¡¯t stop h Emelle¡¯s pace slowed until she <b>finally </b>stopped, she turned back to look, feeling indescribably frustrated.

    <b>William </b>was still standing by the side of the road under a streemp. The light cast on him from over his head

    Emelle figured that the car owners hadn¡¯t started cursing because they recognized the distinctive license te and William¡¯s imposing air that was far from

    ordinary.

    Gritting her teeth, she returned to the car, opened the door, and got <b>in</b>.

    A smile tugged at William¡¯s lips. He followed suit by getting back in the car, which finally started moving

    Abel asked, ¡°Mr. Middleton, where <b>to</b><b>?</b><b>¡±</b>

    William replied indifferently, ¡°Askher.¡±

    Emelie couldn¡¯t send Abel the location, so she opened the navigation app on her <b>phone </b><b>and </b>handed in to Abel. Abel ced it on the phone holder for a better view of directions

    <b>¡°</b>Where¡¯s Ms. Jones?¡± Emele casually asked,

    ¡°she went to escort <b>your </b>troublemaker out of Capebatt City. My apology has to be sincere,¡± William replied with his legs crossed and one hand supporting his forehead. His tone was yful yet nonchnt.

    Ashton found Elena in a bar, drunk

    She nced <b>at </b>the table, noting several empty bottles.

    Ms Allen<b>¡±</b>

    Elena replied with a hum before looking at her with blumed eyes, ¡°oh, It¡¯s you, Ms. Jones. Why are you here? Did William send you here for me? Ashton responded in a t tone, ¡°Mr. Middleton sent me here. Your <b>work </b>in Weston isplete. I¡¯m sending <b>you </b>back to Capehatt City tonight.¡± ¡°Leave Weston?¡± Elena swayed as she got up to berfeet. ¡°I won¡¯t leave! Why should I make way for Emelie! I won¡¯t!¡±

    Ashton calmly stated, ¡°Ms. Allen, you know Mr. Middleton¡¯s temper. He doesn¡¯t like to be defied.¡±

    Elena fell back onto the couch. ¡°Must leave tonight?¡±

    ¡°That & right.¡±

    ¡°But <b>do </b>you know what day tomorrow is?

    Ashton shook her head. <b>Elena </by on the couch. ¡°Tomorow¡¯s my birthday.¡±

    Ashton paused. ¡°Happy birthday in advance.¡±

    Elena looked up biting her lips and asked intively, ¡°Can I stay until after my birthday? Charles might not have said anything, but <b>I </b>know he¡¯s prepared a surprise

    for me.N?velDrama.Org owns this.

    ¡°1used to stay abroad, and it¡¯s been years since I¡¯ve celebrated my birthday with my family. Can¡¯t I stay a few more days?¡±

    Ashton hesitated <b>before </b>calling William for instructions.

    William replied, <b>¡°</b>As she wishes.¡±

    Ashton hung up the phone and returned to the bar, only to find her seat empty.

    Stunned, she immediately asked the waiter, ¡°Where¡¯s the woman who was here?¡±

    ¡°So you guys had stew together?¡±

    Monacalled Emelie toin about Elena, but she was shocked to hear <b>that </b>Emelle had taken William to a specialty stew restaurant in Weston. She was bbergasted

    Emelie had just had her bath and was halfway through her skincare routine. She put her phone on speaker and responded with <b>a </b><b>simple </b>yes.

    Mona¡¯s mind buzzed. She scratched her head. ¡°So what¡¯s going <b>on </b>between the two of you then?¡±

    ¡°Nothing¡¯s going on between us,¡± Emelle replied without the slightest hesitation.

    Emr exined after a pause, ¡°I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s trying to do, but I should go soft on him for fear that I might provoke him. He won¡¯t stay in Weston

    idge forever, and be should be leaving soon. Things will get better once he¡¯s gone.¡±

    Mana clicked her tongue, unsure what <b>to </b><b>say</b><b>. </b>She reminded Emelle before <b>hanging </b>up, ¡°Don¡¯t fall for it agails. Don¡¯t forget about what he did to you<b>!</b>¡±

    Kamelie paused, then spread the remaining skincare product on the back of her hands

    Emelie arrived at work the next morning, only <b>to </b>learn that Elena had gotten drunk at the barst night and had gotten herself in an ident.

 Chapter 344

    Chapter 344 Cooperating With a Police Investigation It was Janelle.

    She recalled visiting a nearby bar with her friends after work While they were having fun, the music stopped. The bright lights were tumed on, and a team of officers arrived

    I police

    At first, they thought it was <b>a </b>routine check for illegal activities or fire safety, but they noticed amotion in one of the private rooms that drew a crowd Curious, Janelle squeezed through the crowd and saw the police officers escorting a woman out.

    Onlookers told her that the woman was drunk and harassed.

    Although the woman¡¯s I

    Lace was obscured by her <b>hair</b>, and her head was wrapped inclothes to hide her face, Janelle recognized the outfit.

    It was the same outfit Elena had worn when she had caused trouble at Swanson Corporation.

    Emelia was surprised

    She would never wish for Elena to encounter such an incident, especially an incident like that despite Elena¡¯s baseless targeting and disturbances. Was itst nig <b>Didn¡¯t </b>william say that Ashton was supposed to send Ellen out of Weston?

    While they were ordering their food at the stew restaurant, Emelie had seen Ashton call William. She didn¡¯t know what Ashton said, but William responded with jast three words, ¡°As she wishes.¡±

    Had the incident happened after that call?

    Emelie¡¯s eyelids twitched as a terrible gut feeling rose. She picked up her phone and texted Ashton

    ¡°Did something happen to Elena?¡±

    Ashton only plied with a yes

    Just as Emelle was about to probe, her phone rang with an iing call from an unfamiliar number with a Weston city code

    Emelie paused then answered the phone, ¡°Hello, who¡¯s this?

    Aman¡¯s voice responded, ¡°Hello, we¡¯re from Weston Police Department is this Ma. Emelle Hoven speaking?

    Emelle looked around the office and moved to a quiet corner by the window before she replied, <b>¡°</b>Yes, I am.¡±

    The officer asked, ¡°Ms. Hoven, do you know one named Elena Allen

    Emelie parsed her lips. ¡°Yes, I do. <b>Is </b>there something wrong?¡±

    ¡°She had a bit of an ident. Can youe by today to help us with the investigation?¡±

    Emelle frowned slightly. ¡°I only low her. We¡¯re not friends, and we don¡¯t have much contact either. What happened to her? What do you need from me? ¡°Please find some time toe by. You¡¯re at work now, right? What time do you get off work? The officer did not borate.

    Cooperating with a police investigation with a chic <b>dury</b>

    Emelle checked the time. ¡°I get off around seven. ¡®e by then

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    The call ended without revealing any details. Emelle assumed it was a routine inquiry.

    Elena didn¡¯t know many people in Weston, with Emelie being <b>among </b>the few Emelie didn¡¯t find it surprising that they would <b>reach </b>out to her.

    She reallocated her work and postponed non¨Curgent tasks to the next day before leaving on time to grab a cab to the police station.

    After Emelle revealed her identity, she was led to an empty office where a male and female officer were waiting to interrogate her. ¡°Ms. Hoven, are you friends with Ms. Allen?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call us friends. We attended the same high school, but we lost touch over the years. We only recently reconnected,¡± Emelie answered straight to the <b>point</b><b>.</b>

    ¡°Are there any grudges between the two of you?N?velDrama.Org owns this.

    Emelle frowned. ¡°Why do you ask?¡±

    The female officer cartly remarked<b>, </b><b>¡°</b>ording to the information we collected, she had a fight with you at negotiating. You were even <b>docked </b>your bonus because of it. Isn¡¯t that <b>a </b>grudge?¡±

    Emelie realized <b>it </b>wasn¡¯t a casual inquiry from the words spoken.

    The officers were well¨Cprepared, knowing even details about her bonus deduction. It implied they had checked with Swanson Corporation. Questioning her about It was the final step.

    After a moment of silence, Emelie bluntly asked, ¡°Officers, what are you implying?¡±

    The male officer <bid </b>out several photos in front of her. ¡°Ms. Hoven, take a look. Do you recognize anyone in these photos?¡±

    Emile scanned the photos including men and women, all taken

    from surveince footage. She paused on two of them

    The female officer was sharp to notice the detail. ¡°Ms. Hoven, who do you recognize?

    trelilooked up. ¡°I don¡¯t know any of these people.¡±

    The officers arrowed their eyes slightly at her response

 Chapter 345

    Chapter 345 She Directed It

    Emelie pushed the two photos forward.

    ¡°These two men look familiar. They stopped mest night after <b>work </b>to ask if Skyline Heights was nearby.¡±

    The two officers were unmoved. They produced another photo, showing the two men from surveince footage asking her for directions. ¡°They handed you a phone. They were just asking for directions?¡±

    Emelle nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°If it was just <b>for </b>directions, why would you all avoid the surveince footage<b>?</b>¡±

    Emelle was taken aback ¡°Avold the surveince <b>footage</b>? I didn¡¯t avoid them. I was heading to the subway station when they stopped me at that corner<b>, </b>so we talked there. It¡¯s not a secluded area. It¡¯s just a few meters from the <b>main </b>road.¡±

    The officers said nothing.

    Emelie parsed her lips. ¡°If we were really avoiding the cameras, they wouldn¡¯t <b>have </b>captured us, would they? But they did.

    The male officer pointed <b>out</b>, ¡°Although you were captured, the footage isn¡¯t clear, and you seem to have purposely avoided the camera¡¯s view.¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    At that point, Emelie understood. ¡°Did these two men assault Elena<b>?</b>¡±

    The male officer said, ¡°We can¡¯t disclose specific details of the case, but these two men have fled. We haven¡¯t caught them.¡±

    Emelle clenched her fist, her heart sinking.

    It was no wonder that their questions seemed off.

    She looked straight Into their eyes and calmly stated, ¡°Just because I had contact with these two men, you¡¯re suspecting that I hired them to assault Elena?¡±

    Her face paled. How did she get involved in all that?

    Emelle straightened up and solemnly dered, ¡°I wasn¡¯t me. I never did anything like that. They just asked me for directions, and the phone they showed me <b>had </b>a map on it. You can zoom into the surveince footage.¡±

    A sh of realization crossed her mind. ¡°The surveince angle didn¡¯t capture the phone screen, did it?¡±

    Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have used her of trying to avoid the cameras on purpose.

    The female officer softened her tone upon sensing Emelie¡¯s hostility. ¡°Ms. Hoven, don¡¯t worry. Just answer our questions and cooperate with the investigation.¡± Emelie wasn¡¯t afraid of having to confront the police. She hadn¡¯t done anything wrong, but she <b>had </b>a hunch that the incident would stick to her and bring her endless troubles.

    ¡°It¡¯s true that I did nothing. There were just some misunderstandings between me and Elena, not deep¨Cseated hatred. Why would I go to such lengths in hiring her assaulters over that?¡±

    Yet the police needed evidence. Her dental wasn¡¯t enough. They asked more questions, including the nature of her dispute with Elena and who she had met the night before.

    Emelie answered everything while controlling her emotions. She revealed everything she knew without hesitation, even when both questions involved William. After the interrogation, Emelle was told that she couldn¡¯t leave Weston temporarily. She might need to cooperate further and was expected to do so at all times. Emelie didn¡¯t agree. ¡°I¡¯m not a suspect. Why restrict my movements? If you insist, I will notify mywyer

    They simply <b>said</b>, ¡°You¡¯re free to hire <b>a </b><bwyer</b>, We¡¯re done with our questioning. You may leave now.¡±

    As soon as Emelie lett the office, she called Ashley.

    <b>walking </b>down the corridor, she encountered Elena and Charles, who were <b>also </b>summoned to cooperate with the Investigation

    Elena¡¯s pale and listless face filled with agitation upon seeing her. She lunged at Emelie without a word and aimed to p Emelie¡¯s face.

    The corridor was narrow, leaving Emelie no room to dodge, just <b>as </b>the p was about tond on her face, Charles grabbed Elena¡¯s arm. ¡°Elenal stop it! This is the police station! Don¡¯t break thew!¡±

    <b>Elena¡¯s </b>tears streamed as she screamed, ¡°Emelle! It was you! You sent your men to¡­ How could you be so vicious? W

    s? Why would you do this to me?¡±

    In just one night, Elena had be thoroughly haggard. Her eyes were swollen as she struggled to throw her fists at Emelle, but <b>Charles </b>held her <b>back </b>tightly. Although Emelie <b>knew </b>that Elena wouldn¡¯t listen to a single word she said, she spoke <b>in </b>a serious tone, ¡°Ms. Allen, what happened to <b>you </b>has nothing to do with

    The<b>.</b>

    Fleis gritted her teeth. ¡°Who else could it be other than you? <b>You </b>hate me because of my rtionship with William, and because <b>I </b>confronted you yesterday, you¡¯ve sent your men to punish me! If it wasn¡¯t you, then how could this be such <b>a </b>coincidence?

    ¡°Plus, the two men mocked me for trying to steal someone else¡¯s man. They told me that since I wanted a man so much, they would dly y with me. It¡¯s obvious! The evidence has made it clear enoughs, but you¡¯re still denying the truth<b>!</b>¡±

 Chapter 346

    Chapter 346 He Doesn¡¯t Trust Her Again

    Listening to all this, <b>Charles </b>looked at Emelie with aplex look on his face, as if weighing whether to trust her.

    Emelie took a deep breath and exined methodically, ¡°Ms. Allen<b>, </b>all your usations are based on the premise that I have hostility toward <b>you </b>because of

    William

    ¡°That said, I officially broke up with William more than half a year ago<b>. </b>I¡¯ve never intended to get back with him, not n points, I have no reason to consider you a rival.¡±

    <b>William </b>walked into the police station with Ashton just in time to hear Emelie¡¯s firm deration.

    He stopped in his tracks, his eyes dark <b>and </b>unfathomable <b>as </b>he looked at her.

    now not in <b>the </b>future. Based on these three

    They stood at opposite ends of the corridor. Emelie¡¯s gaze crossed Elena and Charles to meet William¡¯s. Her heart clenched, but she did not falter.

    She continued<b>, </b>¡°Secondly, the Citadel Group has only temporarily postponed the signing of the contract, not canceled their cooperation with the Swanson Corporation. There¡¯s <b>a </b>high possibility of us finalizing the deal, so to say that you ruined my contract is invalid. Since it isn¡¯t ruined, we have no enmity.

    ¡°Lastly, I¡¯m just an ordinary employee with no one to backme up. Tunderstand you have the Allen and Davis families to support you, <b>so </b>why would I recklessly hire men to harm you and bring trouble upon myself? That doesn¡¯t make sense. So, it¡¯s <b>true </b>that it wasn¡¯t me.¡±

    Charles, who initially doubted Emelie, changed his mind after listening to her clear and logical exnation. He had been quite <b>mad </b>at Emelie when he had been told to keep an eye on Elena.

    Yet, Elena refused to listen to a single word that was said. ¡°You think your n is wless and that they will never trace it back to you. That¡¯s why you¡¯ll do anything!¡±

    She waited, leaning against Charles¡® chest. ¡°Charles, it¡¯s her! She did it! She hired the two men! There¡¯s no one else except her! I¡¯ve just returned and only had a conflict with her! If not her, who else could it be!¡±

    Emelie had nothing else to say. ¡°If you must use me, Ms. Allen, we¡¯ll see <b>each </b>other in court. The truth will be determined by thew.¡±

    Elena raised her head. ¡°You said you don¡¯t want to get back with William, but you¡¯ve been spending the past few days with him. How is that not wanting to get back together?

    ¡°You¡¯ve even told me to my face that you¡¯d take <b>William </b>away from me. How is <b>that </b>not wanting to get back together?

    ¡°You¡¯re a liar! Do you think <b>I¡¯m </b>a fool now that you¡¯re trying to argue? Emelle Hoven, I¡¯ll make sure you go to <b>jail</b>!¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie had said all she could. If Elena refused to listen and was determined to belleve her <b>version </b>of the truth, there was no point in trying to exin further.

    She <b>said</b>, ¡°If that¡¯s what you think, there¡¯s nothing I can do about it.¡±

    Enraged, Elena tried to charge at her again. ¡°You-¡±

    Charles held her back. ¡°Elenal Calm down!¡±

    Emelie sympathized with Elena¡¯s <b>ordeal</b>, which was why she had spoken in such <b>a </b>calm tone. But if Elena insisted on throwing baseless usations at her, she

    couldn¡¯t feel any sympathy,

    It was only then that <b>William </b>spoke, ¡°The police have taken up the case. Let them handle it from here. There¡¯s no need to fight.¡±

    Elena tumed abruptly, her ferocity dissipating upon seeing him. Tears streamed down her <b>face</b>.

    Without makeup on, Elena¡¯s <b>face </b><b>was </b>pitifully pale. ¡°William, are you going to be so heartless when I malready in such a state?

    ¡°Even if you¡¯re tired of me pestering <b>you</b>, you¡¯re the one who agreed to be with me back then. And it was you who allowed me to join Cloudex Corporation. I¡¯ve done everything you wanted, but don¡¯t you have <b>even </b>the slightest sympathy for me?¡±

    Such a heartfelt <b>plea </b>would soften anyone¡¯s heart.

    William¡¯s too softened. ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it. I¡¯ll have my men investigate and give you justice.¡±

    Charles was visibly distressed as he held onto the sobbing Elena. He said, not too kindly, ¡°There¡¯s no need for the trouble, Mr. Middleton. I¡¯ll investigate myself.¡±

    William calmly replied, ¡°I know you¡¯re capable of investigating. We¡¯ll each conduct our investigations and see if our findings align with each other.¡±

    Charles narrowed his eyes. Was William implying that their findings might differ<b>?</b>

    William¡¯s gaze shifted to Emelie. ¡°Are you done here? If so, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Emelie heaved <b>a </b>sigh and followed him.

    As she passed by Elene, she heard a cold voice, ¡°Emelie, I¡¯ll make you pa

    <b>iDay</b>¡±

    She didn¡¯t stop walking.

    After exiting the police station and getting into the cat, Emelie barely had time to fasten her seatbelt when William struck her with a sudden question, ¡°<b>Was </b>it you?

    She let go of the seatbelt, startled. It snapped back and smacked on the back of her hand, leaving a red mark

    Indeed, Emelie was sure that he wouldn¡¯t trust her again.

 Chapter 347

    Chapter 347 Hold Her ountable

    It wasn¡¯t me.

    ||

    Emelie Jost count of how many times she <b>had </b>said those three words in the past hour.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do such a thing, nor would I ever. If I wanted to do something like that, I wouldn¡¯t have left so many clues for the police to trace back to me.¡±

    Thetter part of her sentence softened the stern look on William¡¯s face into a faint chuckde.

    Emelie couldn¡¯t decipher whether his reaction Indicated belief or disbellet. She refastened her seatbelt and did not feel the urge to convince him further.

    She sent a message to Ashley, ¡°Ashley, do you have timeter at night? Something happened, and we need to talk on the phone.¡±

    Ashley had yet to reply.

    William instructed Ashton to drive and asked, <b>¡°</b>Does Jeremiah <b>and </b>Lindsey know about <b>this</b>?¡±

    Ashton replied, ¡°Yes, they do, but they¡¯re currently on <b>vacation </b>in New quinby, I will take some time for them to fly back, so they have entrusted everything to

    Charles¡±

    Emelie wanted to understand the detalls <b>and </b>leaned forward slightly. ¡°Ms. Jones, didn¡¯t you go looking for Elenast night?

    Ashton eyed William for permission. It was only when William nodded slightly with <b>his </b>eyes closed <b>that </b>she responded to Emelie..

    ¡°I found Ms. Allen at the <b>bar </bst night. She told me that <b>today¡¯s </b>her birthday, and she hoped to stay in Weston for two <b>more </b><b>days </b>to celebrate. Since the <b>bar </b><b>was </b><b>too </b>noisy, 1 went outside to call Mr. Middleton for permission. After receiving his approval, I returned to the barbut didn¡¯t see Ms. Allen in her seat.

    ¡°I asked the waiter, who said she left on her own. I <b>initially </b>thought she went to the restroom, so checked there but didn¡¯t find her. I then searched the dance floor but still couldn¡¯t locate her.

    Emelle pressed, ¡°So how did you find <b>herin </b>trouble?¡±

    ¡°Amotion in a private room drew the attention of the waiter who found her. Luckily, the waiter entered to check Ms. Allen was <b>already </b><b>stripped </b>naked, but she nanowly escaped a tragedy, Ashton replied<b>, </b>somewhat relieved.

    Emelie noted her wording ¡°50, the worst didn¡¯t happen?*

    ¡°No, but even so, both the Davis <b>family </b>and the Allen family will purse this matter to the end.¡±

    Although Emelie had no fondness for Elena, she still felt a sense of relief knowing that the worst hadn¡¯t happened. As a woman, she understood the psychological scars such <b>an </b>incident could leave.

    William opened his eyes and nced at her, discerning herthoughts. ¡°Instead of worrying about her, you should worry about yourself. The Allen family has only one daughter, and they won¡¯t let this slido. You¡¯re currently the prime suspect, so they¡¯ll target you.¡±

    Emelie knew it well I didn¡¯t do it, so I trust the police will clear my name.

    what the

    There was an enigmatic look on William¡¯s <b>face</b>. ¡°That depends on whether the justice you believe in aligns with what the Allen family considers justice.¡±

    Emelle¡¯s heart sank¡± Mr. Middleton, you¡¯re saying that even if it wasn¡¯t me, they¡¯ll still <b>hold </b>me ountable once they¡¯ve decided that I should be responsible?¡±

    Wilro didn¡¯t respond immediately. The streetlights <b>shed </b>across his face, revealing nothing of his thoughts.

    Emelie refused to ept his words. She still believed in thew.

    The car pulled up to the hotel Emelie got out and walked inside briskly.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    William exited the car but didn¡¯t follow her in immediately. Instead, be lit a cigarette and called Lyle, ¡°Lyle, I need you to find two people. Charles and the police are also looking for them. You need to act fast,¡®¡®

    Lyle sounded intrigued. ¡°interesting, what¡¯s going on?¡±

    Emelie entered her room and immediately called Ashley,

    She had received a response from Ashley, who was avable for a call

    Ashley answered Emelie¡¯s call almost <b>instantly</b>. Emelie recounted the event in detail

    Ashley listened to everything Emelie said. ¡°Got it clear my ongoing work and by to <b>Weston </b>to help you.¡±

    Emelie felt reassured and less <b>uneasy</b>. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll cover all legal fees¡±

    Ashley raised an eyebrow. ¡°And I¡¯ll dly ept¡±

    Hanging up, Ashley <b>began </b>packing her suitcase.

    Es emerged from the bathroom and saw her packing clothes. He <b>had </b><b>a </b>towel drying his hair and another tied to his waist. His muscr chest and abs were still glistening with moisture.

    ¡°Honey<b>, </b>are you going on a business trip?

    Ashley didn¡¯t lookup. She <b>just </b>hummed in affirmation

    Elias leaned on the wall, half¨Csmiling. ¡°Is <b>it </b>a real business trip or an excuse? We¡¯ve only been living together for a few days, and you¡¯re leaving me again. I suspect you¡¯er trying to avoid me on purpose,¡±

    Addley said, ¡°No,¡±

    She was just wearing a short after their rte time, revealing her well¨Ctoned body from her usual workouts.

    Elias¡® eyes darkened. He tossed the towel aside and pulled her up from the floor. ¡°Really? Then tell me, what case is more important than our marital harmony?¡±

 Chapter 348

    Chapter 348 I¡¯m Your Hubby

    Feeling Elias¡® scorching body <b>heat</b>, Ashley curled her toes<b>. </b>She lowered her voice and pushed him away. ¡°Stop it. <b>It¡¯s </b>about Emelie.¡±

    ¡°What happened to Ms. Hoven again? Hasn¡¯t she gone to Swanson Corporation in Weston? How could she cause trouble?¡± Es asked nonchntly, lowering his head to nuzzle open her shirt cor <b>and </b>kiss her neck.

    Ashley pushed against his chest and asked, ¡°How much do you know about the Allen family in Calmcrest?¡±

    ¡°Charles¡± uncle and aunty?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Elias responded indifferently, ¡°I remember they have only one daughter. Jeremials and Lindsey dote on her since she was bornte in their lives. She¡¯s currently working on a project under <b>Will</b>.¡±

    He looked up and guessed, ¡°Why? Did Ms. Hoven get into trouble with the Allen family?¡±

    Ashley didn¡¯t respond. She couldn¡¯t manage to speak either.

    Elias pressed her back onto the bed. ¡°Then she¡¯s definitely in for a tough time. The Allen family doesn¡¯t y fair<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    Ashley didn¡¯t low whether he meant they yed dirty or were involved in shady dealings.

    She pursed her lips and said<b>, </b>¡°As long as Emelie didn¡¯t do it, thew will <b>clear </b>her name.¡±

    Elias wasn¡¯t interested in discussing thew. His voice turned husky. ¡°Seems <b>like </b>you¡¯ll be gone for a while. Let¡¯s not sleep tonight.¡±

    Ashley was briefly stunned. She immediately struggled to reach for the bedside drawer upon realizing his thoughts. ¡°Wear¡­

    wear it.

    Es tossed it aside and pressed her down. ¡°Wear what? We¡¯re legally married and nning to <b>have </b>a child. Using that thing would just be <b>creating </b><b>waste</b>,¡±

    Ashley wouldn¡¯t tolerate this matter. She remained firm with her voice cold. ¡°Then sign the prenuptial agreement.¡±

    Elias ignored her.

    Ashley was at her limit, but she held her ground.

    Men, in such situations, tend to lose their patience before women do

    <b>Elias</b><b>, </b>staring down at her, forcefully opened the drawer and grabbed the item. ¡°Pine, fine, fine.¡±

    Only after seeing him wear it did Ashley agree. But in the end, she realized he had triclied her.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    She gritted her teeth. ¡°Elias! You¡­ <b>you </b><b>bastard</b>!¡±

    Elias held her tightly andughed wickedly. ¡°I¡¯m your hubby, and the father of our child.¡±

    Ashley shoved him again.

    Seeing Ashley struggle to get up, <b>Es </b>hugged her from behind, fully knowing what she was trying to do. As the younger one in their rtionship, he <b>had </b>always been shameless and yed the pitiful <b>card</b>.

    ¡°Don¡¯t take the pill, Honey. Ash, I¡¯ve quit smolding and drinking. I cancel all my gatherings <b>and </be home on time every day, just to have a baby with you. <b>You </b>can¡¯t be so cruel as to deprive me of the right to be a father.¡±

    Ashley remained clear and rational, ¡°I¡¯ve said, unless you sign the prenuptial agreement, I don¡¯t want a child. Elias, don¡¯t push it! I¡¯vepromised. I didn¡¯t want a child in the first ce.¡±

    Elias replied, ¡°We¡¯re not getting a divorce, so why sign that thing? It will just hurt our rtionship.

    ¡°Since we¡¯re not getting a divorce, then that¡¯s just a piece of paper. Why are you <b>so </b>against signing it?¡± Ashley, as awyer, had sharp questions

    Elias pressed his tongue against his cheek

    <b>The </b>next second, he threw her back onto the bed. ¡°Eine<b>, </b>go take the pill if you want.¡±

    Ashley struggled to leave, but Elias didn¡¯t give her the chance.

    Afterward, Elias went to the guest room to clean up without waking her. He then put on <b>a </b>robe <b>and </b>went downstairs.

    There were two soft knocks on the front door. Elias knew who it <b>was </b>and opened the door.

 Chapter 349

    Chapter 349 Tarnishing Mr. Middleton¡¯s Reputation.

    The setary lowered her head as she handed over the bag. ¡°Mr. Undvike.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for your hand work I¡¯ll give <b>you </b>a false next <b>year</b><b>,</b>¡± Es sald. After taking the bag from the secretary, he closed the door. The living room was dimly lit <b>by </b>aring of recessed lights. Es found Ashley¡¯s bag tossed on the sofa.

    She often brought work home and visually took her bag to the study to lock in the safe. However, tonight was different. The moment she walked in, he pulled her into a passionate kiss. They lost themselves in the beat of the moment, shedding house and leaving her bag forgotten on the couch.

    their clothes as they moved through the

    Es nced upstairs. After confirming no one was there, he opened Ashley¡¯s bag and found a box of pills. The blister pack had two rows already empty

    He retrieved a blister pack from the bag and popped out two rows of pills to match Ashley¡¯s. After ensuring they looked identical, he ced them back in Ashley¡¯s <b>box</b>

    With a satisfied smile, Elias put the bag back. He picked up the clothes scattered on the flour as he walked upstairs. After tossing them into theundry basket, he climbed into bed. Then, he wrapped his anns <b>and </b>Ashley and drifted off to sleep.

    Meanwhile, in Weston, Emelie felt exhausted and decided to soak in <b>a </b>bath

    She was so tired <b>that </b>she fell asleep in the tub.

    When she <b>was </b>jolted awake by the doorbell, Emelle realized the bathwater had turned cold.

    She dried off, put on her pajamas, and strattled to the door. Through the smart video doorbell, she saw William standing outside.

    She hesitated about whether she should open the door. Eventually, she potion <b>a </b>jacket, zipped it up to her chin, and then opened the door a crack

    ¡°Mr. Middleton, what can I do for you?¡±

    William looked up and noticed how she clutched the door, as if <b>ready </b>to stam it shot if needed. He smirked and held up a food container.

    ¡°¡°You haven¡¯t had dinner yet, have you?¡°¡±

    Emelle stared at him in disbelief. She was genuinely surprised that he hade to deliver food to her<b>. </b>This was unlike William. He was usually the one being served, not the other <b>way </b>around.

    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Middleton,¡± she <b>said</b>, reaching for the container, But William didn¡¯t let go. She looked at him in

    ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten yet either,¡± he said, implying he <b>wanted </b>to join her.

    Emelie quickly withdrew her hand. ¡°I¡¯m not really hungry. You should take it back to your room and <b>eat</b>.¡±

    confusion.

    William noticed her damp hair and guessed she had just bathed. Her face was <b>pale </b>and wless, like a finely carved statue, His voice deepened. ¡°Are you really so wary of me that you won¡¯t even let me in?¡±

    Emelie responded softly, ¡°Mr. Middleton, it¡¯ste. It wouldn¡¯t be proper focus to be alone together. I wouldn¡¯t want to damage your reputation.¡±

    William thought she was quite adept at speaking <b>in </b>riddles. Just as he was about <b>to </b>say something, Emelie¡¯s phone rang.

    The hotel corridor was eerily quiet, making her ringtone sound harsh and out of ce. Emelie quickly retrieved her phone from her coat pocket.

    William nced down and saw the caller ID. It was Charles.

    ¡°Is it appropriate for a man to call you sote?¡± William <b>coldly </b>asked.

    Emelie replied, ¡°Mr. Davis is probably calling about Elena¡¯s matter. It¡¯s not personal¡±

    William raised his chin slightly. ¡°Then answer it on speaker. I want to listen too.¡±Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    His tone was usatory<b>, </b>almost as if he <b>was </b>catching her red-handed.

    Emelie wanted to shut the door, but William anticipated her move. He promptly ced a three¨Ctiered mahogany food box in the doorway to block her ext. If she tried to close the door forcefully, she would knock over the food box

    Emelle was speechless. She had nothing to hide.

    Emelie answered the phone and tumed on the speakerphone. ¡°Mr. Davis?¡±

    Chaill outside as the faint sound of wind <b>was </b>audible in the background.

    ¡°Ms. Hoven, are you still awake? I wanted <b>to </b>speak with you. Please don¡¯t worry; I believe it¡¯s not your fault. Elena must have been under a lot of stress to <b>behave </b>like that. Please don¡¯t take it personally¡±

    Emelle responded, ¡°It¡¯s no big deal, Mr. Davis. I understand Ms. Allen¡¯s feelings. Please spend more time with her and offer her <b>guidance</b>. This will pass.¡±

    Charles rubbed his nose and added<b>, </b>¡°I¡¯m investigating this matter. We¡¯ll uncover the truth, give Elena justice, and <b>clear </b>your name.¡±

    ¡°The police will also investigate and clear my name. ¡°

    Emelie believed innocence speaks for itself, but Charles¡¯s next question caught her off guard.

    <ol>

    <li>d. ¡°Are you relying on the police for justice, or are you waiting for</li>

    </ol>

    William to <b>meldie</b>?<b>¡±</b>

    Unexpectedly, Chades mentioned Willum. She attempted to mute the speaker, but William¡¯s grip on her arm prevented her.

    Hishold won¡¯t forceful, yet it effectively restrained her. She had no choice but to continue listening.

    Cuales saldamestly, ¡°There¡¯s usually a reason for unsul events. He never helped you beton, but now he does, it¡¯s quite suspicious.

    William smirked coldly in response.

    Charles listened intently, ¡°Is someone with you?¡±

 Chapter 350

    the help

    1/1

    Chapter 350 Recalling the Hurt, Ignoring the Help

    Emelie didn¡¯t want to get dragged into an inexplicable conflict<b>, </b><b>so </b>she quickly ended the call with Mr. Davis.

    she said, ¡°Thank you for the reminder, Mr. Davis, I understand where things stand tt¡¯ste now. Please get some rest.¡± with that, she hung up. But in the next moment, William pulled her out of the room and pressed her against the wall

    Emelie instinctively pushed against his chest. ¡°William!¡± she eximed.

    with one hand braced against the wall, William firmly held her chin. His tone <b>was </bmanding as he asked, ¡°Is this what you usually talk about? Have I never <b>helped </b>you before? Didn¡¯t I <b>assist </b>you at the Navarro residence? At Lovelight? with your mother¡¯s artificial heart?¡°.

    Emelle tried to break free from his grip. ¡°Mr. Davis <b>said </b>that. If you have issues with him, take it up with him. What does this have to do with me?¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this.

    Ignoring her words, William looked deep into her eyes, ¡°Do you remember when you were pursued by debt collectors? Didn¡¯t help you then?

    Emelie held her breath. That <b>was </b>a long rago

    William pressed on, ¡°Do you only remember when I¡¯ve wronged you? Have I not helped you these <b>years</b>?

    Emelie remained silent. William stared at her for a moment, then let go and turned away, walking off <b>as </b><b>if </b>she had angered him.

    As Emelie watched him enter <b>the </b>elevator, her mind was in turmoil. She absentmindedly touched her chin. Though he had left, his touch still lingered there. Knowing Charles¡® character, hisment was probably aimed at discrediting a rival. It reminded her of how William often belittled Samuel in her presence. Emelie returned to her room with a deep frown. As she noticed the food box by the door, Emello hesitated briefly before bending down to pick <b>it </b>up and taking it

    Ever since Williams noticed her tendency to get stomach problems if she skipped meals, he had been quite attentive to her daily meals. Emelie opened the food box and found there dishes along with soup. The portion was clearly meant for two <b>people</b>.

    It dawned on her that he had indeede over to share a meal with her.

    However, Emelie had no intention of sending the food back to him.

    She wanted to clear her mind, <b>so </b>she ate while <b>dialing </b>home on her phone. Emelie had had a <b>live</b>¨Cin housekeeper to care for Ronan and Greta. With one dealing with a serious illness and the other having mobility issues, it was inconvenient for them to be without her nearby.

    At <b>this </b><bte </b>hour, Roman and Greta were alrady asleep. However, their housekeeper, Adeline Lopez, was still awake to provide Emelie with updates. ¡°Someone introduced Mr. Hoven to a traditional medicine practitioner, and he¡¯s been trying acupuncture these past few days. It seems to be helping, he¡¯s not limping as much Mrs. Hoven was still slow to react. Today, she suddenly said to me, The caregiver is abad person. When I asked her which caregiver<b>, </b>she couldn¡¯t

    Emelie wondered which caregiver Greta was referring to<b>, </b><b>as </b>she had hired several caregivers for her she genuinely couldn¡¯tprehend why Geeta would <b>say </b>such athing either

    Therefore, she decided she would ask more about it when she returned.

    ¡°Alright, I understand. Thank you, Adeline,¡± Emelie said.

    ¡°You¡¯re wee. It¡¯s no trouble. However, after reviewing <b>Mrs. </b>Hoven¡¯s medical records, she needs to go for a follow¨Cup appointment. Ms. Hoven, you shoulde back when you have time<b>,</b>¡± Adeline urged.

    ¡°Yes, I know. I¡¯lle back this weekend.¡±

    After hanging up the phone, Emelie finished her meal, packed away what was left uneaten, brushed her teeth, and went to bed.

    The next morning, Emelle woke to the sound of her rm. Groggily, she reached over and turned it off. Squinting at her phone, she noticed several unmead text messages.

    They were texts, not WhatsApp.

    People rarely texted these days, but Emelle opened them away.

    What geted her were the five or six inappropriate, high¨Cdefinition photos of Elena looking disheveled. The photos instantly sobered her up.

    Her fust thought was why these were sent to her

    Emelle immediately tried calling back the number, only to find that the phone was switched off,

    she quickly regained herposure and forwarded all the photos to Ashley.

    Though it was barely seven o¡¯clock, Ashley was already en route to the airport.

    he remembered she had fallen asleep early the night before without taking her medication. She retrieved emergency contraception pills from her bag, popped two, and washed them down with bottled water.

    As she did, a message popped up on her phone that nearly made her choke on the water. <b>She </b>these photose from?¡±

    e dialed tamelle immediately <b>and </b>asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Where did

 Chapter 351

    Chapter 351 No Intention of Running

    1/2

    just woke up. Someone sent them to me.¡± Emelie¡¯s voice was <b>raspy </b>from waldog, <b>up</b><b>, </b><b>and </b>she was feeling a bit scared.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    Those photos were a huge problem. They looked too much like she had arranged for someone to hurt Elena, and afterward, the other party had sent her the photos

    to contin

    Her hand holding the phone was shalding. It <b>was </b><b>a </b>kind of fear that felt like riding blindfolded <b>at </b>the edge of <b>a </b>deep pool in the dead of night

    Despite her fear, Emelie wasn¡¯t panicking. She checked the timestamp of the message <b>again</b>. ¡°It <b>was </b>sent <b>at </b>400 <b>am</b>, <b>and </b>when I tried <b>calling </b>back, the <b>number </b><b>had </b>already been shut eft.¡±

    Ashley honed in on the enicial detail. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s not <b>a </b>bummer or a disconnected number? Is it a regr number?¡±

    Emelie pressed her lips together. ¡°<b>Yeah</b><b>, </b><b>a </b>regr number, from Capebatt City.¡±

    <b>¡°</b><b>This </b>is diery,¡± Ashley said, twisting open a bottle of mineral water ¡°<b>Send </b>me the number; I¡¯ll ask around. I¡¯m on my way to Weston for a flight.¡±

    The high¨Cspeed train to Weston would have been more convenient, but since there were no tickets avable, she had no choice but to take a flight.

    she copied the phone number and sent it to Ashley <b>via </b>WhatsApp while still on the call. <b>Suddenly</b>, Ashley eximed, ¡°Emelie.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m listening.¡± Emelie replied.

    Ashley sterly questioned, ¡°Are you <b>sure </b>these photos, <b>this </b>whole thing, has nothing to do with you?

    kof

    Emelie understood Ashley¡¯s need for reassurance. She closed her eyes, calming down after the initial shock of seeing the photos upon <b>waking </b>up. ¡°<b>I </b>assure you, it has absolutely <b>nothing </b>to do with me,¡± Emelle beplied firmly.

    ¡°Good. Theodoassay¨Ccontact <b>the </b>police immediately and band over the photos, Ashley instructed.

    Emelie hesitated for a moment. It felt as though she had unexpectedly found stolen goods in her possession. She feared she might not exin herself clearly and could be mistaken for the culprit.

    t moreplicated

    Ashley reassured her, ¡°If you¡¯re innocent, thew will dear your name. No one can harm you. But if you don¡¯te forward now, it will only get more if ites to <b>light </bnes.¡±

    Emelie sighed, ¡°Lunderstand.¡±

    ¡°Keep in touch if anythinges up,¡± Ashley said before ending the call

    Ashley felt increasingly suspicious about the situation, especially since the phone <b>number </b>wasn¡¯t a virtual or inactive one.

    tthose

    Emelie looked at the photos of lena again, she had thought that the water¡¯s timely intervention spared Elena from <b>the </b><b>worst </b><bst </b>night. Little did she expecti two men would take photos of her. If these were to spread, Elena would be even more devastated.

    Emelie found the <b>phone </b>number of the police officer who <b>had </b>asked her toe to the station yesterday and called him.

    The call connected.

    ¡°Hello, Mr. Hond, I wanted to talk to you about something this morning

    ¡°Ms. Hoven, I <b>was </b>just about to call you,¡± <b>Judas </b><b>Hond </b>interrupted.

    Emelie was out off mid¨Csentence. Her eyelids twitched with a sense of ease. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°We need you toe down to the Weston print right away.¡±

    <b>¡°</b>Now?¡± Emelie hesitated. ¡°<b>I </b>have to work today, cane in after finish in the evening?

    Judas replied firmly, ¡°We¡¯ve apprehended those two men. They confessed that you instructed them to harass Ms. Allen. Therefore, you muste in immediately for questioning.¡±

    Emeletelt aightening in her throat. ¡°it wasn¡¯t me. I didn¡¯t instruct anyone to do it I <b>don¡¯t </b>even know them,

    She was at <b>a </b><b>loss </b>for words.

    The police were no longer seeking her cooperation but were now demanding her presence for questioning<b>. </b>It felt entirely different fromst night.

    She even had a foreboding that going to the police station today might not end as smoothly<b>.</b>

    cy chill as if all the warmth

    After getting out of bed, Emelie didn¡¯t put on <b>a </b>coat or wrapped herself in a nket. She sat on the bed in her thin nightwear, feeling an icy had been drained from her body.

    She messaged Ashley about the situation

    Ashley replied shortly, ¡°Don¡¯t in. The police don¡¯t have cute evidence yet. If they did, they wouldn¡¯t be calling you, they¡¯d be locking on your door.¡± Emelie had no intention of numing. Yet, he now understood the anciety of those who fled when in trouble.

    The unknown was indeed the most frightening<b>.</b>

    She dialed ryan for the third time that moming ¡°Mr. Swanson, something hase up. I need to take a leave today.¡±

    Bryan¡¯s cal voice carried a hint of dissatisfaction. ¡°Ms. Hoven, have you forgotten about our moming meeting? hized you to assist me in my work. Do you think you¡¯re up to the task?

    ¡°ME Swanson, I¡¯m sorry, something unexpected came up. I¡¯ve got all <b>the </b>meeting materials ready, I¡¯ll send them to Ms. Lean Indiately. She¡¯ll be hilly capable of assisting you.¡±

    Bryan said nothing foether and promptly ended the call

    Chapter 351 No Intention of Running

    Emelie let out a sigh. She got out of bed, freshened up, changed clothes, packed bread and milk into her bag, and then left the room.

    As she descended the <b>stairs</b>, she suddenly wondered why nothing seemed to go smoothly since arriving in Weston.

    William caught sight of her hurriedly leaving the hotel. His dark eyes were inscrutable, revealing nothing beneath their ck depths.

 Chapter 352

    Chapter 352 Trapped in the Tangled Web

    tanele arrived at the police station, but instead of an office, she found herself in an interrogation room marked with a sign that read ¡°Punishment is justice for the

    As she sat facing the two sheen officers, she felt the weight of their scrutiny.

    ¨C their scapegoat,¡± Einelle stated. ¡°I don¡¯t know them at all, and I definitely didn¡¯t tell them to harm Elena. They¡¯re either trying to frame me or make n que of the male officers produced photos of the two men asking herdictions. ¡°They im they were contiming Elena¡¯s appearance with you.¡±

    That¡¯s abound. They were asking for directions,¡± Tinelle insisted.

    The officer continued, ¡°We found 30 thousand dors in cash in their bags, with fingerprints matching yours. They said that you handed it to them.¡±

    Emelie leaned back in her chair, feeling overwhelmed by the weight of the conspiracy closing inother. It was then that she fully grasped the seriousness of t situation. Since she had no defense, the officers exchanged a nce.

    The female officer slid a thin sheet of paper in front of her ¡°Ms Hoven, we need to detain you temporarily sign the detention onder Handover your phone andputer. We¡¯ll also be searching your <b>residence</b>.¡±

    Emelie¡¯s heart sank Soon after, the police also discovered the photos of Elena, and they demanded an exnation.

    ¡°Ereceived them from someone. I was just about to discuss this with Mr. Hond,¡± Emelie said. However, before she could exin further to hade

    ¡°The phone number that sent you the photos belongs to those two men. If you have novention to them, why would they send you the photos the male officet pressed.

    Emelle sighed <b>wryly</b>. ¡°That¡¯s <b>a </b>question for them, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m the recipient. How would I know what they were thinking or stop them from sending me things?

    ?? ¡°<b>¡°</b>They imed the 30 thousand dors was a deposit. The final payment will be due after you see the photos, ¡°r officer stated.

    Emelie chuckled. ¡°Do you believe everything they say? Why won¡¯t you believe in

    ¡°Emelie, watch your tone! the officer wamed sharply.

    Emelie fell silent, feeling trapped in a tangled web. Finally, she uttard, ¡°I want to see mywyer

    Right after Ashleynded in Weston, she immediately received notification from the police station that Emelie had been ced under arbitrary detention.

    Arbitrary detention couldst from a minimum of 1 day to a maximum of 15 days, depending entirely on the police¡¯s grasp of the evidence.

    Ashley headed straight to the police station to apply for bail she was determined to get Emelie <b>out </b>no matter what

    Detention centers were notorious for their rough environment. Ashley couldn¡¯t fathom how Emelie could endure such conditions.

    However, the police rejected the bail regast

    They cited Emelie¡¯sck of a permanent address in Weston, which raised concems about possible escape, and the Allen family¡¯s tear that her release could pose a

    threat to them

    Though these reasons appeared stretched, they tell within the regtions, and even Ashley couldn¡¯t overtum them. She had no choice but to visit Emelle fiest

    Emelie¡¯s face, devoid <b>of </b>makeup, appeared pale in the visitation room. Despite her resilience, the experience of being detained was clearly taking its toll.

    of

    Detention was a severe punishment that couldment the mind and crush one¡¯s resolve. Many who were initially detant becamepliant atter spending time

    behind bars.

    Upon seeing Ashley, Emelie immediately uttered, ¡°she set this up

    Ashley certainly knew that the <b>¡°</b>the¡± Emelie was referring to was Elena.

    ¡°What do you mean? Ashley asked with a frown

    Emelle¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°Toriginally thought Elena was the victim.¡±

    Yet, it turned out she wasn¡¯t

    It began with Elena causing a scene at Swanson Corporation, followed by those two men stopping her <b>to </b><b>ask </b>for directions. It was all orchestrated from the start.

    In everyone¡¯s view<b>, </b>Elena¡¯s public outburstined their coboration, leaving Eneli harboring a grudge against her.

    So, she hired two men, gave them a jo thousand dor deposit, with the final payment contingent on confirming the photos. If the waiter hadn¡¯t intervened buckily, Elena¡¯s reputation would have been destroyed

    Thenthese two men fled. To secure the final payment, they sent Elena¡¯s photos to be for contination.

    However, the long arm of thew <b>caught </b>up with them. They were caught with the money, and her fingerprints were found on it. This damning evidence directly Implicated her.

    New she was caught, like she had tangled herself up and kama <b>was </b>happy about it.

    The whole thing but beer crystal clear trun the very beginningN?velDrama.Org owns this.

    Ther muties, rution, ande lusson all fur together perfectly

    The renier plot was soplete, so logical, and sodat reasonable

    Even if Emelie weren¡¯t directly involved, she might have almost believed it herself.

 Chapter 353

    Chapter 353 No One to Her Rescue

    Emelle couldn¡¯t help but find the situationughable. She turned <b>to </b>Ashley and asked, ¡°How serious is the sentence for inciting others tomit gang rape, even if It was just an attempt?¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this.

    Ashley <b>replied</b><b>, </b>¡°It the evidence is solid, it¡¯s three to ten <b>years</b>.¡±

    Emelie¡¯s face grew even paler. She finally understood why Elena had said she wanted her in prison.

    A cold wind had blown through the night, and even in the windowless meeting room, Emelie telt the chill seeping into her bones.

    Ashley <b>was </b><b>usually </b>straightforward in handling cases.

    When she noticed Emelle¡¯s distress, she softened her tone, saying. ¡°That¡¯s assuming the evidence is solid. Though your fingerprints <b>are </b>on the money, ourw <b>ces </b>more weight on evidence than on confessions. A single piece of evidence is not enough to convict. Don¡¯t worry too much y

    A glimmer of hope sparked in Emelie¡¯s eyes. ¡°They must <b>know </b>this too. They¡¯ll try to provide more evidence to nail me.¡±

    Ashley nodded. ¡°Exactly. The more fake evidence they create, the more chances we have to find loopholes.¡±

    The more loopholes there were, the more advantageous it would be to defend Emelie or to counter¨Csue them.

    Tyet,¡±

    ¡°The Allen family is pressuring the police, <b>so </b><b>I </b>couldn¡¯t get you bailed out. But I¡¯ll keep trying. Leave it to me,¡± Ashley reassured her. Emelie sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t let my parents find <b>out</b>,¡± she added.

    ¡°okay

    After the meeting, Emelie was <b>taken </b>back to the detention center. It was argemunal cell, and her spot was in theer. She sat against the wall, burying her face in herlees.

    She trusted Ashley¡¯s skills and the police¡¯s ability, <b>Elena </b>would likely produce more ¡°evidence<b>,</b>¡± and they would find ws. She believed she <b>would </b>eventually be released.

    But belleving was one thing, living in fear was another. She couldn¡¯t calm down.

    It was so cold there.

    Why hadn¡¯t she considered it might be Elena¡¯s doing?

    Emelle realized she had underestimated Elena. She had thought Elena would just y petty tricks to annoy her. Little did she expect that Elena was capable of such nuthless actions against her.

    She found it ironic that she had been worried about Elena¡¯s reaction to the photos being exposed.

    Emelle lifted her head, staring at the ceiling. Hereyes were red and <b>damp</b>, her heart heavy with despair.

    The food in the detention center was notoriously poor. Both lunch and dinner consisted of bread and bean stew. The bread wasn¡¯t like the kind outside; it was dry and hard to swallow without water.

    Emelie wasn¡¯t in the mood for lunch. By evening, her stomach was hurting, but she reluctantly took a portion of the meal.

    The bean stew had a strange and indescribable taste. It was almost sour. She couldn¡¯t stomach it and spot it out after just one sip,

    She couldn¡¯t eat the food provided, nor did <b>she </b>want to. However, lier body couldn¡¯t endure without food.

    As she attempted to force down another bite, she choked on it. The taste overwhelmed her, and she vomited again.

    In the crowded cell, her retching didn¡¯t go unnoticed.

    ll you can¡¯t <b>eat</b>, then don¡¯t You think this ce serves poummer meals? Dream on¡± someone snapped.

    Emelle <b>had </b>no desire to argue with them, nor did she possess the strength to. Her stomach twisted painfully. Her face grew pale, and her lips were drained of color. Cold sweat began beading on her forehead.

    ¡°Something¡¯s not right with her. Should we tell the guards?¡± someone asked.

    ¡°She¡¯s taking in for are. Let¡¯s ignore her!¡±

    Emelie trit <b>as </b>if every <b>organ </b>in her body <b>was </b>being twisted and pulled. The pain was unbearable.

    She curled up on themunal bunk, wrapping herself in a musty<b>, </b>damp nket <b>that </b>ottered little warmth.

    Emelle had always handled things alone, but now she couldn¡¯t help but wonder why no one wasing to rescue her.

    She suddenly wondered why Bryan hadn¡¯t asked about her since he loses about her situation

    Then, Charles came to mind. Didn¡¯t he always say he believed in her and wanted to pursue het?

    And didn¡¯t William bring her food just yesterday? Why wasn¡¯t heing to her rescur? Why was everyone suddenly tuming their backs onber?

 Chapter 354

    Chapter 354 The Unexpected Request

    on your feet!¡± Emelie¡¯s thoughts were indisarray when suddenly the door to the holding cell swung open from outside. The jailer barked, ¡°Everyone, on pat

    <b>All </b>of them immediately set down their meal trays and stood upright.

    tumelie knew the drill here andplied, but as soon as her feet touched the ground, a sharp pain gripped her stomach, causing her to involuntarily bend forward. <b>Just </b>as she almost fell to her knees, a strong arm reached out and pulled her close.

    She collided into his chest<b>, </b>catching a familiar whiff of a sophisticated cologne

    elle teared up.

    She felt the injustice of being framed, the hunger from missing two meals, and the intense pain in her stomach. The words ¡°Where have you been?¡± almost escaped her lips, but she bit down hard to hold them back

    William¡¯s voice came from <b>above </b>her, ¡°Can you wall?¡±

    Elle weakly replied, ¡°I have a stomachache¡­

    He remarked, ¡°You¡¯ve brought this upon yourself. You should¡¯ve asked Ashley to find me.

    in has arms,

    Emelie <b>weally </b>pushed against his chest. In the next moment, William scooped her up in hos

    Emelie suddenly lost herbnce. She felt her blood mushing and the world spinning around her, Instinctively, she tightened her grip on his shirt, inadvertently wrinkling it.

    As William <b>nced </b>down at her thuished eyes, he felt his heart tighten, and he frowned deeply.

    Emelie murmured, ¡°Cant go now!

    william infonted her tly, ¡°You¡¯reston bul¡±

    Ermelle was confused. Ashley had previously informed her that getting bail was supposed to be impossible. But <b>just </b>because Ashley couldn¡¯t get out didn¡¯t mean William couldn¡¯t.

    Erelle closed her eyes. She wasnt dizzy, but just exhausted and in pain.

    After leaving the cell, Ashton draped a nket over her. Standing at 5 feet 6 inches, she was tall for a woman. Now wrapped snugly in the nket, she looked fragile and delicate in <b>William¡¯s </b><b>arms</b>.

    <b>William </b>camed her out of the police station and bent down to settle her in the car.

    Inside, <b>the </b>heater kept them warm, but Emelie couldn¡¯t help shivering as the temperature fluctuated. Suddenly, something <b>brushed </b>against her lips

    Instinctively, she tried to pull away, but caught a sweet taste. William said, ¡°It¡¯s glucose. Drink up.¡±

    Glucose was the best for restoring energy

    Emelle tried to pull her hand <b>out </b>from under the nket to take the bottle herself, but William pressed it <b>gently </b>against her lips, urging her to open her <b>mouth </b>The sweetness flooded <b>in</b>, soothing her throat.

    After drinking half the boule, liefinally mistered the strength to lift her eyelids. Only then she realized William had been watching her all alongN?velDrama.Org owns this.

    The stray light from the root of the car passed over his <b>face</b><b>, </b>entuating his <b>dark </b>and tranquil features. She couldn¡¯t tell what he was thinking. She thought perhaps he found her troublesome, as his brow was fumowed tightly.

    hint of moisture lingered at theer of her lips, which he gently wiped away with his fingertip. His touch, softened by a life of privilege, was smooth. Emelie pursed her lips slightly.

    Darkness <b>had </b>settled in, shrouding everything around the car

    At this moment, he was the only light.

    As Emelie¡¯s stomach pain eased, she felt less like she was at death¡¯s door. She <b>said</b>, ¡°Thankyou.¡±

    William nced ahead and instructed, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    The driver started the car

    As Exmelle <b>sat </b>on Will¡¯sp, she considered moving to the empty seat beside her. He tightened the nket around her firmly to keep her hands <b>and </b>feet tucked Inside, rendering her unable to move.

    Ashton acted as if she hadn¡¯t noticed anything<b>. </b>She tumed around <b>and </b>said, ¡°The Allen family just gave the police more evidence. They <b>say </b>an IT expert restored surveince footage showing a man asking Ms. Hoven for directions, with <b>a </b>photo of Elena ou <b>his </b>phone.¡±

    Emelle tied to defend herself. ¡°It must be take,¡± she said. She vividly remembered it was <b>a </b>map. She even helped them switch to walking mode and taught them <b>to </b>follow the directions.

    Ashton replied, ¡°The local precinct couldn¡¯t analyze it, so they¡¯ve requested technical support from headquarters. If they confinn it¡¯s a photo, the evidence chain became stronger.¡±

    Win nced down at Emelie inhis ans. Her dark brows <b>and </b><bshes </b>stood out against her paleplexion, lending her a tragile yet delicate appearance. heightened his as around her and told the driver, ¡°Drivester.¡±

    They soon arrived at the hotel. William still carried her out of the car despite her teeble protests. She didn¡¯t struggle anymore; she was truly exhausted. Howeve de imbuted, ¡°I want to go back to my own room¡®

    William pressed the button for her floor and lower is yes and <b>asked</b><b>, </b>¡°May I go to your room tonight?¡±

 Chapter 355

    Chapter 355 A Nightgown Seduction

    elle cleared her throat and asked, ¡°Would <b>you </b>take advantage of me?¡±

    William gaxed at her thoughtfully as the elevator smoothly ascended to her ath¨Cfloor residence. When the doors tinged open, he carrier bet

    ¡°You smell rather unpleasant now,¡± he said bluntly

    Emelie was speechless, she had only spent a while in the sheets that smelled musty and damen

    William arrived at her room door and effortlessly swiped open the door with a mono kr

    Intrained.

    Emelie wasn¡¯t in the mood to question how he got her key at that moment. It wasn¡¯t the first time she had seen his resourcefulness.

    Will kicked the door shut with his ankle and entered her mom,

    William gently ced alle on the couch. Dere her bands were free from the cocon¨Clike nket, she posted herself a ss of warm water and drank most of it. Just then, the doorbell rang, and William turned to answer.

    shomly, he relmed with a food container ind.

    It was likely prepared ahead of time for a delivery to be timed so perfectly.

    Inside the food container was freshly made lobster bisque. The moment the lid came off, the rich aroma filled the air, tempting her appetite

    William ced it in front of her <b>and </b>gave her a look that said, ¡°Bon appetit.¡±

    Emelle didn¡¯t hesitate. She grabbed a disposable spoon and beganeating. She was truly famished

    William¡¯s gaze remained fixed <b>outer </b>while she buried herself in eating half the bowl. She couldn¡¯t help but lift her head and ask, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to eat, Middleton?¡±

    ¡°You smell unpleasant right now. It¡¯s putting an off my appetite,¡± William replied tly.

    Emelie shrugged inwardly, deciding not to press further on his eating habits,

    In truth, Emelie wasn¡¯t sure it William believed her. The evidence seemed damning, and she had repeated her story to the police andwyers countless times. Still, she beltpelled to exin once more. ¡°I don¡¯t know why any fingerprints are on the money. Thaven¡¯t used cash in ages

    William sat on the gray sofa with his legs crossed, observing her thoughtfully. He remembered seeing her with the two men by the roadside.

    Just then<b>, </b>another shback came <b>into </b>his mind ¡°<b>Did </b>you touch their phones?¡± he asked.

    Emelie paused briefly, then stood up suddenly, ¡°Yes! They asked me for directions, and I helped them switch to walling mode on their map. Are you saying they tampered with the screen to get my fingerprint when I touched the phone?¡±

    William didn¡¯t say anything in response Instead, he mentioned, ¡°Elena¡¯s parents are already in Weston.¡±

    Elena alone couldn¡¯t manage to fabricate evidence, deny her <b>ball</b>, <b>and </b>pressure the police all at once. It was Elena¡¯s parents behind at all. They were seeking justice for their daughter.

    So now Emelie was up against the entire Allen family.

    She nced at William, who satposed on the sofa.

    She wanted to ask <b>if </b>he believed in her, but she hesitated. It didn¡¯t feel necessary or appropriate.

    Finally, she <b>said</b><b>, </b><b>¡°</b><b>Thank </b>you for today, Mr. Middleton¡±

    William looked up and replied bluntly, ¡°Go take a shower.¡±

    Hisments made her self¨Cconscious<b>, </b><b>and </b>Emelie suddenly felt <b>unclean </b><b>all </b>over. After finishing the lobster bisque<b>, </b><b>she </b>entered her room

    When she entered earlier, she hadn¡¯t noticed that her belongings <b>had </b>clearly been searched. But now it seemed apparent it was likely the police conducting the

    This was just her temporary residence with not much to search, so they were wee to it

    Emelle¡¯s phone <b>had </b>been <b>confiscated</b>, but she had a spare. She quickly messaged Ashley to let her know that William had managed to get her released on bail

    After washing up, she came out to find her phoaringing on the bed. It was Ashley calling.

    She picked up and answered, ¡°Ashley.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good to know you¡¯re out now,¡± Ashley said. i just spoke with the police. You¡¯te under <b>travel </b>restrictions and can¡¯t leave Weston Your need to be avable Whenever they call¡±

    ¡°<b>Yeah</b>, I know,¡± Emelie ceplied.

    ¡°There¡¯s another thing. Elena¡¯s photo is circting online ¡°

    sher?¡± Einslie was taken aback.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I just got posted<b>. </b>Several influencers are sharing it. They imed you¡¯re behind the harassment of Elena. We need to deal with this immediately. It it spreads, public opinion will turn against <b>you </b>more.¡±

    favele understood the power of public opinion well since she had experienced its impact twice before.

    the buriedest of her room. Knowing, Willian was still around, she pleaded, ¡°Mr. Middleton, could you help me remove Elena¡¯s photo

    celse to turn to, she could only seck <b>his </b>Jobp.

    s, Emelie reuzed Willum was also on the phone. He said fly, ¡°Yeah, suppress it. Let those intincen

    they dair,

    Chapter 355 A Nightgown Seduction

    keep posting.¡±

    without her needing to say anything, he had already given the orders.

    William heard her voice and turned to see Emelie standing in the hallway.

    After showering and washing her hair, she dressed in a white cotton nightgown with a square necdine, which elegantly revealed her corbones and slender neck Perhaps due to exhaustion and a chaotic mood, she had forgotten to put <b>on </b>a <b>bra</b>.

 Chapter 356

    Chapter <b>356 </b>You Have Me

    Emelie was tall and slender, but she was not fragile. Even in the shapeless gown, he could discem her graceful figure, with curves in all the right ces.

    William recalled how much he used to adore her. He would whisper in her ear, telling her she was made just for him.

    He would tease her until she blushed and called him a jerk. She really didn¡¯t know how to swear.

    6 5 3 2 3 5 2 89

    He cleared his throat and asked, ¡°Did you just call me? What¡¯s up?

    Emmelie had no idea how alluring she appeared as she stood by the hallway linking her bedroom <b>and </b>the living room. The soft glow of the <b>wall </bmp highlighted her <b>pale </b>face.

    She said<b>, </b><b>¡°</b>Ashley called me. She said that there¡¯s a photo of Elena online. Did you take care of it?

    William replied nonchntly, <b>¡°</b><b>Yeah</b>.

    Emelie¡¯s racing heart settled a bit. Finally, she managed a soft, ¡°Thanky you

    William loosened the top button of his shirt and walked toward her. ¡°Are you finallying to me for help now?¡±

    Emelie had always handled things independently. Yet now she tumed to him at the first sign of trouble

    Even she was unaware of how she had begun to rely on him.

    She had only thought that if the photo spread online, the public pressure would mount, and she might end up back in police custody.

    All she lovew was that she didn¡¯t want to go back there<b>, </b>and the only person capable of helping her was William.

    She couldn¡¯t understand when she had shifted from not believing he would help her to feeling he was her only hope.

    A shadow fell over her, and Emelie looked up dazedly to find william <b>standing </b>right in front of her.

    They stood close together

    Instinctively, <b>she </b>stepped back, but he caught her hand and pulled her into the bedroom. Emelle grasped at the door frame and asked<b>, </b>¡°What are you doing?¡±

    William nced back at her. ¡°<b>Have </b>you looked in the minor? Your eyes are red. If you¡¯re tired, go to sleep.¡±

    He tilted his head slightly downward, the cor of his sweater snug against his throat. Then, his voice took on a calm and deliberate tone that Emelie rarely heard. ¡°Aren¡¯t you trying to act all hero? You negotiated with Bryan to redeem you on the cruise ship, handled Charles on the side, and even threatened me not to hand you over. You weren¡¯t afraid then. Now that you have me, what¡¯s left <b>to </b>fear?¡±Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    His words rippled through her mind like a stone cast into a tranquil <bke</b>, creating concentric waves of impact.

    Emelie¡¯s breath seemed to vanish in that moment as she stared at him. She was astonished that he would speak such words to her

    Has she finally found someone she can rely <b>on</b>?

    Emelle¡¯s throat felt dry <b>as </b>cotton, and she struggled to find her voice. Yet, her restless heart seemed to find a fleeting sense of sce.

    Emeliey wrapped in nkets, feeling sleepless

    She tumed to face the door and reflected on the day¡¯s tumultuous events.

    She fell into Elena¡¯s trap, became a suspect and narrowly escaped detention. Despite William¡¯s Intervention securing her temporary release, she remained <b>under </b>restrictions.

    As long as suspicion loomed over her, true freedom eluded her grasp. She couldn¡¯t even retum to Capebatt City to apany Greta on her medical recall. Frustrated, Emelie turned away from the door.

    Now, all the evidence seemed to be pointing directly at her fingerprints on the money, photos on the phone, and the testimony of the men.

    Elena went as far as releasing her own photos to stir up public opinion against Emelle. Emelie wondered just how far Elena was willing to go and what more she might do.

    All Emelie knew was that Elens wanted <b>to </b>ruin her, Yet, she couldn¡¯t grasp what Elena¡¯s

    Elena¡¯s true motive <b>was</b>

    She wondered if their lead <b>had </b>escted to such extremes, or if Elena was just that <b>radical</b>.

    As neli tumed over for the third time, the door swung open, flooding the room with light from the hallway.

    Startled, she sat up to find William standing there in hotel slippers<b>, </b>holding a ss of water. ¡°Can¡¯t <b>sleep</b><b>?</b>¡± <b>he </b>asked casually-

    ¡°Whyluven¡¯t you left? Emelie blurted out. She was surprised he <b>was </b>still there.

 Chapter 357

    Chapter 357 The Gentle Him

    ¡°Let me use your room to work, William said, walking up to her, ¡°Give me your <b>hand.</b>¡±

    <b>His </b>penthouse had faster inte than her room, so Emelle wondered why he needed to work here. Reluctantly, she held out her hand

    william dropped two white pills into her palm. ¡°These are sleeping pills. <b>Take </b>them and rest.¡±

    Emelie clenched her fist around the pills. ¡°I¡¯ll sleep. Mr. Middleton, please go back to your own room,¡±

    William <b>looked </b>at her tired expression and messy <b>hair</b>. Then, he leaned down and kissed her.

    Emelie Instinctively leaned back.

    William cupped the back of her head, deepening the kiss, Emelle¡¯s breath hitched, and she frantically pushed at his chest, letting out <b>a </b>muffled sound<b>, </b>¡°Mm.¡±

    when he finally let her go, Emelle quickly grabbed her nket and curled up at the far end of the bed, watching him warily.

    <b>William </b>didn¡¯t move closer. Holding his ss of water, he said, <b>¡°</b>You look just like you did three years ago when I first found you.¡±

    Emelie had been fearful and anxious when he found her back then. She was sleepless and had a poor appetite. Like a stray cat, she often had iners, trembling in

    fear<b>.</b>

    Emelie¡¯s eyes flickered as she recalled those days.

    She used to be terrified that those people would find her, take her, and sell her into a brothel. <b>She </b>feared she would be assaulted, beaten, or even killed, with no one to know or care.

    The desperate her had clung to William as her lifeline. She tried everything to <b>please </b>him, to gain his protection. Despite her inexperience, she had even dared to kiss him, hoping he would take an interest <b>in </b>her and keep her safe.

    She wondered how three years had passed, yet she still felt like she was still <b>relying </b>on him to save her.

    Emelle gripped the nket tightly, her voice muffled as she spoke to both herself and him, ¡°I¡¯m not the same person <b>I </b><b>was </b>three years <b>ago</b>.¡±

    William¡¯s lips curled into a slight smile. ¡°You better not be.¡±

    He gestured toward the pills. ¡°You need rest. These are just regr sleeping pills. Do you <b>want </b>me to take one to prove it?¡±

    Afteramoment, Emelie crawled over, took the ss from him, and swallowed the pills. She truly needed sleep to reset her mind.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right outside,¡± William said, closing the door behind him.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    The room fell into darkness. Emelle stared at the door, suddenly struck by how unusually gentle William seemed tonight.

    She never imagined she would ever associate the typically cold and unterling William with the word <b>gentle</b>.

    Emelie hugged her knees and soon drifted off to sleep under the influence of the pills

    She fell asleep after 2:00 am, but her body clock wolke her up promptly <b>at </b>8:00 am.

    The nap had noticeably stabilized Emelie¡¯s mood and reduced her anodety.

    All she could do now was face whatever came her way and deal with it as best as she could.

    After getting out of bed, she headed to the bathroom to freshen up and change clothes.

    It was only <b>Friday</b>, and she still had to go to the office. Just <b>as </b>she <b>stepped </b>out of her room, she heard Ashton briefing William in the living room.

    The first sentence she uttered made Emelie¡¯s smile vanish. ¡°Elena attempted suicide <bst </b>night.¡±

    Astonished, she hurdled toward the living room.

    Ashton continued, ¡°she saw her photos circting online and couldn¡¯t cope, so she went to the hospital rooftop to jump. Lucidly<b>, </b><b>a </b>nurse spotted her, and with help <b>from </b>the firefighters and police, they talked her into getting down. But someone recorded <b>a </b>video of it<b>, </b>and now, there¡¯s spection on why she¡¯s tried to take her own life.¡±

    William sat on the sofa with his back facing Emelie. He remained silent.

    Ashton added, ¡°Mr. Middleton, Mr. and Mrs. Allen <b>have </b>reached out, hoping to meet with you.¡±

    Emelle was certain that the Mr. and Mrs. Allen Ashton referred to Elena¡¯s parents.

    As William caught sight of Emelie¡¯s reflection <b>in </b>the ss opposite him, he then turned around.

    Emelie gritted her teeth. ¡°Is <b>this </b>another one of her acts? <b>since </b>she couldn¡¯t use influencers to spread her photos, she decided to grab attention by attempting suicide and then me everything on me!¡±

    Another wave of trouble arrived before the first one had even subsided. Emelie wondered when it would all end and how much worse it could possibly get..

 Chapter 358

    Chapter 358 Her Only Hope

    William didn¡¯tment on Elena¡¯s attempted suicide. He simply observed Emelle, who was dressed neatly. ¡°Are you still going to <b>work</b>?¡± he <b>asked</b><b>.</b>

    Emelie looked at him and inquired, ¡°Are you going to meet Elena¡¯s parents? What will you talk about?¡±

    She couldn¡¯t help but wonder if William <b>had </b>returned to his roomst night or if he had indeed sat in her living room the entire night.

    He often wore a ck shirt and ck trousers, so it was hard to tell if he had changed or not, but his expression showed no signs of fatigue. His dark eyes remained as deep and sharp as ever.

    ¡°Are you just curious or are you afraid I¡¯ll be swayed by Elena¡¯s parents?¡± he asked in return

    Emelie pursed her lips. It was definitely thetter.

    Since Elena¡¯s <b>parents </b>had requested to meet him, they must have known that he was protecting her. They must have prepared generous terms to convince him to hand her over to them. Emelie wondered if William would agree to their terms

    If he did, no one would be <b>able </b>to protect her anymore. He was her only hope.

    As these thoughts raced through her <b>mind</b><b>, </b><b>Emelie </b>felt <b>a </b>tingling sensation in her scalp, as if she had been struck by lightning. Her thoughts were in <b>turmoil</b>. Did

    She was taken aback by how she had truly considered him <b>her </b>hope.

    Emelie felt that her own changing mindset was more frightening than Elena and the Allensbined.

    She had never before ced her hope in anyone else. She relied solely on herself and trusted only herself.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    Yet now, she found herself depending on William. Emelie bit her <b>lip</b>, <b>grabbed </b>her bag from the sofa, and hastily fled. ¡°I¡¯m off to work!¡± she said. She didn¡¯t <b>dare </b>to be around William anymore.

    William smiled as he watched her leave<b>.</b>

    The icy facade he had meticulously maintained was starting to crack after repeated knocks from within.

    Ashton asked, ¡°Mr. Middleton, should I agree to the Allens meeting?¨C

    ncing at his watch, William teplied, <b>¡°</b><b>I </b><b>have </b>20 minutes for breakfast.¡±

    Ashton understood what he meant. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll reply to them and arrange for them toe over soon.¡±

    Ashton fetched William <b>abrealdast </b>consisting of mushroom soup and a few <b>fruits </b>in the hotel¡¯s buffet restaurant.

    William wasn¡¯t fond of Wester¨Cstyle breakfasts; he used to prefer soup in the moming. He politely asked, ¡°Mr. Allen, Mrs. Allen, <b>won¡¯t </b>you have something?¡± Across the table sat Elena¡¯s parents.

    Elena¡¯s mother, Lindsey Jones, dabbed at her tears with a handkerchief and said, ¡°William, when Elena saw her photos onlinest night, she was devastated. She¡¯s still undergoing treatment in the hospital, and the shock drove her to the rooftop. If the nurse hadn¡¯t intervened, it could¡¯ve been disastrous!¡±

    She sobbed and continued, ¡°thave only one daughter. If something were to happen to her, I wouldn¡¯t be able to bear it.¡± William replied calmly, ¡°I ensured those photos were suppressed immediately. <b>Please </b>rest assured, Ms. Allen,

    n, they won¡¯t spread.¡±

    Lindsey hurriedly added, ¡°Yes, yes, we know. William, you¡¯re sentimental <b>and </b>fair¨Cminded. You¡¯ve helped Elena Immensely. But whoever orchestrated this behind the scenes is despicable! They pushed my daughter to the brink. We won¡¯t let her get away with it!¡±

    William nodded in agreement, ¡°The mastermind behind this must face justice.¡± Lindsey asked<b>, </b>¡°William, you won¡¯t defend that woman named Emelie, right?¡± William lifted his <b>gaze</b>, ¡°I¡¯m referring to the mastermind. Is Emelie <b>that </b>person?¡± ¡°How could she not be? She is!¡± Lindsey raised her voice. ¡°There¡¯s <b>solid </b>evidence!¡±

    William set down hiss spoon and added, ¡°The police investigation isn¡¯t concluded yet. Even after that, we have to await the court¡¯s verdict. Mrs. Allen, please be patient.¡±

    Elena¡¯s father, Jeremiah Allen, frowned. ¡°So, William, are you trying to defend Emelle?¡±

    <b>William </b>remained impartial. ¡°The guilty will be caught. Those innocent won¡¯t be wronged,¡± he said,

    Lindsey stood up abruptly. ¡°William, you can¡¯t treat <b>Elena </b>like this! Don¡¯t you know how much she cares for you?

    ¡°So what? William

    Lindsey was Infuriated by his attitude. ¡°Seems like you¡¯re determined to defend Emelie!¡±

    ¡°We thought that since Plena likes you and now works under your supervision, we¡¯re <b>practically </b>family. Nheless, we aremitted to supporting yOUL However, with <b>this </b>stance. ¡±

    Lindsey paused, then added with a cold smith, ¡°You¡¯re not the only heir of the Middleton Lamily now!¡±

 Chapter 359

    Chapter 359

    William ted his gaze, fixing an imposing re on Lindsey.

    Lindsey¡¯sce paled, and she fell back into her chat

    soon, she realized how embarrassing it was to be startled by someone younger, and she quickly stood up again, just as she <b>wanted </b>to say something, Jeremiah

    stopped her<b>.</b>

    hadn¡¯t </b>explicitlymitted to protecting Ertelle, <b>there </b>was still room for negotiation

    He attempted to deduse the tension, saying, ¡°William, please ept our apologies. My wife is direct and can be quick¨Ctempered¡ª¡°:

    william interupted impatiently, ¡°Just get to the point¡±

    Aftera brief silence, Jeremiah bluntly stated<b>, </b><b>¡°</b>Emelie is the culprit. <b>She </b>banned my daughter, and we demand she go to prison!¡± Itis emphasis was clear in thest.

    sentence

    ddenly dipped i

    her porcin spoon into her bowl with a tter.

    Upon hearing their conversation, the woman seated at the dining table behind William suddenly

    William tumed around and looked at her briefly.

    ¡°If you <b>ertrain </b>fromsinolvement and interference, both the Alles <b>Group </b>and even the Davis Group will provide robust support in the future,¡± <b>Jeremiah </b><b>said</b>.

    Then, he pulled out <b>a </b><b>contract </b>and continued, ¡°This grants mining rights <b>in </b>southern mine owned by the Allen family. I know it may not hold great mary value for you, but it¡¯s a gesture of goodwill. Take it, and you can use it to purchase a home befitting someone like you.¡±Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    The Allen family <b>truly </b>spaced no expense. A property rating for William in the prime Capebatt City would cost at least 50 million dors

    It appeared they were determined to go to great lengths to ensure Emelie ended up behind bars.

    They sat <b>in </b><b>a </b>quieter with few other guests around. Yet, this tranquilitysted only half <b>a </b>minute before William pushed the contract back

    with a casual, inmate arrogance, he said, ¡°You got one thing right that amount of money is nothing to me.¡±

    Jeremiah¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°You-

    Leaning back in his chair, William¡¯s gaze tumed cold. ¡°If ere¡¯s one thing I don¡¯t tolerate, it¡¯s threats¡±

    Jeremiah responded <b>in </b><b>a </b>low vence, ¡°If that¡¯s the <b>case</b><b>, </b>don¡¯t me us for seeking better alliances.¡±

    William chuckled. ¡°If you insist on finding <b>a </b>new backing, that¡¯s your choice.¡±

    Though Jeremiah <b>was </b>furious, he dared not say more. William signaled them to leave. ¡°Since you¡¯re <b>done </b>talking, aren¡¯t you leaving?¡±

    Jeremiah and Lindsey stormed off. Ashton quickly approached William ¡°Mr. Middleton, I can¡¯t believe they dated¡­¡±

    William raised <b>a </b><b>hand </b>to silence her and turned to the woman with her back to him. He reached out and tugged her ponytail gently. ¡°If you bend any lower, you¡¯ll be rating from the bowl.¡±

    Ashton was taken aback when she realized it was Emelie

    Emelie looked embarrassed.

    Williamasked with a hint of amusement. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to work?

    ¡°T¨CI was just having breakfast. You know I always eat brakes¡­¡± Emelle stammered, William noticed her capil blinking, which was a telltale sign whenever she

    Emelse wished she could disappear into <b>thin </b><b>air </b>when shew William¡¯s amused expression. She hastily grabbed a napkin and mumbled, ¡°I¡¯m done. I¡¯ll leave now.¡± William smirked. It was obvious she was afraid he might agree to Jerah and Lindsey¡¯s demands, so she hade to evesdoop.

    Without calling her out, William stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a tide.¡±

    ¡°No need, I can take the subway.¡±

    ¡°Drive the car over, William instructed Ashton, who nodded with a smile.

    Emelie felt Ashton¡¯s smile was directed at her.

    She had originallye for brealdast without expecting them to discuss besness at the buffet restaurant. So, she had coincidentally chosen to sit at the table behind him.

    Though there wasn¡¯t a rule <b>against </b>it, she felt <b>that </b>exining herself woulde off as maling excuses.

    She never expected the Allen family to offer such a hetty deal<b>, </b><b>nor </b>did she anticipate William¡¯s outright refusal.

    Even though William didn¡¯t need the money, it was still 50 milion dors. Clearly, if he just ignored her situation, he would a cool 50 million dors without Bltingatinger

    Yet, he actually refused <b>such </b>a good deal

    Emelie couldn¡¯t help but nce at William beside her. ¡°They said you¡¯re not the only wit of the Middleton family anymore. What does that mean?¡±

    William asked. ¡°Aar you wonted about me?

    Emele awkwardly looked away. ¡°I¡¯m just curious.¡±

    Williamsaid<b>, </b>¡°You¡¯re rulous because you care. If you don¡¯t care, why are you curious?¡±

    Kellel like whatever the cold now would be wrong

    William¡¯s tone was gentle, like <b>a </b>spring breeze melting winter snow. ¡°You heard it all. I didn¡¯t agree to their terms. I¡¯m still on your side

 Chapter 360

    Chapter 360 Overwhelmed by Trouble

    Even with William¡¯s assurance, Emelie couldn¡¯t findplete peace of mind. Since Jeremiah and Lindsey were willing to offer 50 million dors to sway William, Emelie couldn¡¯t imagine what else they might offer to <b>achieve </b>their <b>goals</b>.

    She even felt anxious <b>about </b>receiving calls, fearing it might be the police asking her to cooperate with an investigation. The entire morning passed with her <b>feeling </b>distracted and uneasy.

    During lunch break, several colleagues invited Emelie to join them at the cafeteria. Although she wasn¡¯t very familiar with her colleagues from Swanson Corporation and rarely dined with them, she decided to <b>go </b>along since they had called her.

    It turned out they were eager for gossip.

    ¡°Ms. Hoven, there¡¯s a rumor online <b>about </b>Ms. Allen attempting suicidest night. Is it true?¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t youe to work yesterday, Ms. Hoven? Someone saw you at the police station. Were you called in by the police?¡±

    ¡°Ms. Hoven, is the incident with Ms. Allen rted to you?¡±

    ¡°<b>Oh</b><b>, </be on, don¡¯t be so secretive. We¡¯re colleagues; there¡¯s nothing we can¡¯t talk about,¡± they pressed on.N?velDrama.Org owns this.

    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re just curious. It¡¯s nothing serious,¡± another added.

    ¡°You¡¯re <b>back </b>at worknow, so this shouldn¡¯t concern you, right?¡±

    Frustrated, Emelie controlled her emotions and replied, ¡°If you must know, iny answer is ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± If you¡¯re not satisfied with that, feel free to ask the police yourself.¡±

    Hercolleagues scoffed, ¡°You¡¯re really aloof. It¡¯s just casual talk. You don¡¯t need to be <b>so </b><b>cold</b>.¡±

    Emelie felt a surge of frustration but held back from retorting. Just <b>as </b><b>she </b><b>was </b>about to respond, her phone rang on the table. It was Bryan calling.

    She felt herself on edge <b>again</b>, as if she might break down any moment. She had barely <b>eaten </b>and hadn¡¯t slept well the previous night without sleeping pills. Feeling increasingly strained, she sensed a lingering PTSD¨Clike reaction to the call.

    She couldn¡¯t eat anymore. Pushing her te aside<b>, </b>she got up abruptly and left.

    As Emelle took a few steps away, she overheard her colleagues muttering, ¡°Who does she think she¡¯s fooling? It¡¯s probably her fault!¡±

    Emelie felt unjust as they were falsely using her of something she didn¡¯t do

    For a brief moment, she felt the urge to storm <b>back </b>and confront them. She couldn¡¯t understand what she <b>had </b>done wrong to be unfairly targeted by Elena and singled out by her colleagues.

    But after a while, she managed to quell her emotions. There was no point in arguing; it <b>would </b>only add fuel to the gossip.

    Emelie took a deep breath and headed upstairs.

    Bryan reached out to her for work. He needed <b>a </b>documentpleted urgently.

    In the past, Emelie <b>could </b>immerse herself in work without distractions, but today she found it impossible to concentrate. Her mind kept drifting <b>back </b>to her colleagues¡® questions during lunch.

    She sent the finished document to Bryan and then picked up her phone to search for news about Elena¡¯s attempted suicide. As expected, it was all over the inte. Thements were flooded with Elena¡¯s supporters, ming Emelie for pushing her to the brink

    When photos of Emelle and <b>william </b>horseback riding were posted back then, the worstments were just about her cozying up to a wealthy man, which she had shrugged off.

    Yet, thements this time were vicious, filled with insults and even threats to her family.

    Thements were shocking and filled with nder. As she read on, she saw that her personal information had been exposed, including her parents¡® address in Alderbrook,

    The furiousments made her feel as if she hadmitted some unforgivable crime.

    When she saw that they had manipted her photo into a funeral portrait, she felt as if she couldn¡¯t breathe. Her mind went nk<b>, </b>and she mmed her phone face down on the desk

    No matter how strong she was, the overwhelming cyberbullying got to her. She couldn¡¯t concentrate on her work anymore.

    Burying her face in her arms, she tried to shut it all out. A colleague walling by noticed <b>that </b>something was wrong but decided not to <b>ask</b>.

    After a while, Emelie suddenly remembered something. She grabbed her phone and ran to the restroom to call home. After a while, Adeline answered the call. Fanelle urgently asked, ¡°Is everything okay at home?¡±

 Chapter 361

    Chapter 361 Her <b>Pir </b>of Strength

    Adeline hesitated for a moment. ¡°<b>Everything¡¯s </b>fine. We¡¯re all okay, she finally replied.

    Knowing Creta had just undergone heart surgery and couldn¡¯t handle any shocks, she warned, ¡°If you get any strange calls, just hang up. Don¡¯t ept anything suspicious, and if anything seems off, call me or even the police.¡±

    ching serious happened.¡±

    eline was taken aback by her serious tone. ¡°Okay, understand¡­ Ms. Hoven, is something wrong? It sounds like something s

    Emelie reassured her, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just don¡¯t tell my parents anything, I¡¯m busy with work and won¡¯t being home this weekend. I¡¯ve arranged for Eliana to take Mom for her follow¨Cup appointment.¡±

    ¡°Um.alright,¡± Adeline responded.

    After hanging up, Emelie returned to her desk feeling <b>somewhat </b>disoriented Janelle ced a paper box in <b>front </b>of her. ¡°Ms. Hoven, there¡¯s a package for you at the front desk I brought it up on my way here.¡±

    Emelie managed <b>a </b>weak smile. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Emelie managed a faint smile. ¡°Thankyou.¡± she grabbed a utility knife and out the tape

    Thinking it was the aroma diffuser she ordered a few days ago, she casually opened it, <b>but </b>something furry suddenly popped out. It startled her so much that she screamed and instinctively threw it away.

    Itnded with aloud <b>thud</b>, drawing all her colleagues¡® attention ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you okay?¡± they <b>asked</b>, crowding around her.

    Emelie was terrified. Her face turned pale as she stumbled back several steps. Two other assistants came forward to check <b>on </b><b>her</b>.

    it turned out to <b>be </b><b>a </b>toy skull, and due to being dropped on the ground, red unidentified liquid oozed out, apanied by an eerieughter from the skull. ¡°What is this? A prank? someone <b>asked</b>.

    ¡°Ms. Howen, who would send you this?¡± another inquired.

    Emelie didn¡¯t know. She walked silly over and picked up the package. The sender¡¯s address was take.

    Sup

    As she got closer<b>, </b><b>she </b>smelled the red liquid, which <b>had </b><b>a </b>distinctly bloody scent.

    Hercolleagues.noticed too. ¡°Is this real blood<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>

    ¡°It smells <b>like </b>chicken blood¡­¡±

    <b>¡°</b>Could it be those people online? I saw someone posted Ms. Hoven¡¯s information and said they wanted to give her a ¡°surprise.¡°¡±

    ¡°Cyberbullying is one thing, but sending something like this to scare her is just too much. Ms. Hoven, you <b>should </b>call the police.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie stared fixedly at the bloodied skull on the ground, wondering if it <b>was </b>just a prank or if someone intended to harm ber. If there had been a weapon inside, would <b>she </b><b>have </b>been in serious trouble by now? Would she have to live in constant fear from now on?

    Emelie clenched her fists tightly

    Bryan heard themotion and stepped in After <b>a </b>brief nce, he frowned slightly and ordered, ¡°It¡¯s just a toy. Clean it up. Ms. Hoven,e with me

    At <b>Bryan¡¯s </bmand, everyone quiddy dispersed, and Emelle stiffly entered his office. Seeing her pale face, Bryan personally poured a ss of warm water and handed it to her.

    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Swanson,¡± Emelle said as she epted the water with both hands,

    Bryan gently <b>said</b>, ¡°I¡¯ve heard about your situation. Funderstand that these weren¡¯t intentional on your part.¡±

    ¡°1¡¯m sorry, Mr. Swanson. My personal issues have impacted my work again,¡± Emelie apologized.

    ¡°Before Sam went to <b>Eprand</b>, she asked me to take care of you,¡± Bryan said. ¡°However, given your current state, it¡¯s not suitable for you to continue working here for now.¡±

    Emelie looked up <b>suddenly</b>, ¡°Are you firing me, Mr. Swanson?

    After a moment of thought, Bryan said, ¡°No, but you need to take a leave of absence. Once you¡¯ve resolved your issues, you can return. For now, hand over your work to Janelle.¡±

    Freling numb, Emelie left the executive office, Janelle had already been briefed <b>and </b>came over to coordinate the handover

    The janitors had cleaned up the skill and the red liquid, but as Emelie sat at herdesk, she could still faintly smell the metallic scent

    Feeling nauseous and on the verge of throwing up, Emelie hastilypleted the handover and fled <b>the </b>office. Once inside the elevator, she stood in a corner.

    unable to stand, she leaned against the wall, bent over with her hands on her knees.

    hecould tells was in a very bad state, worse than she had ever been.

    The only thought in her mind was to go home<b>, </b>to be with Greta, where she felt safe.

    But she quickly remembered she was restricted from leaving Weston, She <b>couldn¡¯t </b>go home.

    Closing her eyes, Emelle felt a heavy weight on her chest, making it hard to breathe. She couldn¡¯t help but sink to the floor, struggling for <b>air</b>.

    When the elevatur reached the first floor and the doors slowly opened, she looked <b>up </b>helplessly and saw William standing there.

    He was like a pir of strength, appearing winter she was at her worst. Enelle stood up stiftly, her eyes welling up with tears. Without a second thought, she ran toward him.

 Chapter 362

    Chapter 362 Blocked

    William was taken aback when Emelie ran toward him. He hesitated for a moment before extending his arms to wee her.

    However, Emelle didn¡¯t fall into his arms. She stopped just in front of him..

    william steadied her as she stumbled. He looked down at the top of her head with a hint of a smile. ¡°Did you run all the way here just to see me?¡±

    Emelie was speechless. She bit her lower <b>lip</b><b>, </b>and her nose turned slightly red.

    William had intended to tease her, but noticing her pale face, his smile faded. ¡°What¡¯s wrong

    Emelie swallowed hard and shook her head. She said, ¡°I want to go <b>home</b>. I want to be with my <b>parents</b>. Is there any way you can help me get back?¡±This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    William replied, ¡°You¡¯re currently restricted from leaving <b>Weston</b>

    Emelie looked up. Her eyes filled with despair. ¡°You can¡¯t do anything either?¡±

    William didn¡¯t respond. They were at Swanson Corporation, and this wasn¡¯t the ce to talk. He took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders..

    He remembered that she was wearing a coat this moming, but now she didn¡¯t even have that with her. It showed just how unsettled she was.

    Emelie instinctively <b>tried </b>to refuse, but William took her hand and led her out of Swanson Corporation.

    He walked ahead, taking long strides. Emelle looked up at his tall, broad¨Cshouldered figure.

    In her daze, she felt that as long as he was there, he could shield her from all the schemes and hidden dangers. He could protect her in chaos.

    Emelle knew that William talding her away like this would cause a stir at Swanson Corporation, but she didn¡¯t care anymore. Let them talk if they want to. She didn¡¯t

    care anymore.

    There were already plenty of rumors about her anyway.

    Once inside the car, the door closed. It made the space feel <b>confined </b>but oddly calming. The noise from her colleagues and the chaos from the inte were all lett behind.

    The only thing that remained was the soothing scent of the car¡¯s wooden <b>interior</b>. Emelle curled up by the car door.

    William asked, ¡°What happened?¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t want to talk about it. It wasn¡¯t that she couldn¡¯t exin, she just didn¡¯t want to. She had been trapped in that issue for days, and she was exhausted from discussing it.

    William studied her for a moment, then turned and instructed Ashton, ¡°Drive.¡±

    The car moved silently along the main road. Emelie gazed out the window, lost in thought. It wasn¡¯t until the streetlights began to illuminate, forming little points of light on the ss, that she realized they had been driving for a long time.

    It was now evening, and they still hadn¡¯t reached their destination.

    She turned to lookcat William, who was working on his tablet. She asked in confusion, ¡°Where are we going?¡±

    william looked up, noticing she had finally calmed down. He closed his email and replied with a question. ¡°Do you know what today is<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    now.¡± Emelie sensed he was taking her <b>to </b>celebrate something, which she wasn¡¯t interested in ¡°Just take me back to the hotel.¡±

    William said<b>, </b>¡°Today is the thirty¨Cfirst.

    ¡°Thirty¨Cfirst? It¡¯s not a holiday,¡± Emelie thought. She was even puzzled. ¡°So what?¡±

    William looked at her. He realized that she was too overwhelmed to think clearly. ¡°Tomorrow is January first. Tonight is New Year¡¯s Eve.¡±

    Oh<b>, </b>today was thest <b>day </b>of the year. Emelie was indifferent. ¡°Is it?¡±

    William continued, ¡°The square will be very lively tonight. I want to take you to see it.¡±

    Emelie <b>wasn¡¯t </b>in the mood. ¡°If it¡¯s out of your way, just drop me off here. I¡¯ll get a taxi back to the hotel.¡±

    William ignored her, and Ashton had <b>already </b>turned the car onto the square¡¯s street.

    It was packed with people and cars, creating a bustling scene. Theirrge Cayenne was stuck, unable to move forward.

    William said, ¡°We¡¯re getting out here.¡±

    Ashton stopped the car, and William unbuckled his seatbelt. He noticed that Emelie was sitting motionless. Hence, he leaned over to her side, reaching across her

    to unbuckle her seatbelt. As Emelie was momentarily distracted, the subtle scent of his cologne filled her senses.

    Before she could tract, William grabbed her hand. ¡°We can¡¯t stay here too long. We¡¯re blocking traffic. Let¡¯s go.¡±

 Chapter 363

    Chapter 363 Sparks

    Emelie was practically dragged out of the car by William. By now, the sky had turnedpletely dark.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    Thergest square in Weston was adorned with festive lights and decorations for New Year¡¯s Eve and New Year¡¯s Day. They were immediately enveloped in the celebratory atmosphere as they moved with the crowd,

    Emelie walked side by <b>side </b>with <b>William</b>. Young couples brushed <b>past </b>them, along with tamilies of three, and grandparents ying with their grandchildren.

    The mix ofughter, music, and chatter was manageable. Instead, it added to the lively<b>, </b><b>joyous </b>ambiance.

    They passed by several food stalls selling various snacks. As they <b>neared </b>a barbecue stall, the vendor identally added too much oil drip onto the <b>coals</b>, causing a sudden burst of mes.

    Emelie was startled and stepped back. She bumped into William¡¯s chest. He naturally put an arm around her, looking down

    The firelight illuminated Emelie¡¯s pale face. Her eyes widened <b>in </b>surprise. The previous confusion and gloom vanished<b>, </b><b>reced </b>by a lively spark of energy. william smiled gently, ¡°If you want to see fire tricks, there¡¯s a circus over there.¡±

    Not only was there a circus, but also a magic show.

    Emelie watched the magic show up close for the first time. She marveled as a barren branch was transformed into a flowering peach tree, like something out of a fairy tale. The spectacle elicited amazed gasps from the crowd.

    She recalled that <b>such </b>excitement was usually reserved for New Year celebrations in Alderbrook. The fact that William was with her today made it even more surreal.

    She looked up at him. ¡°Mr. Middleton, do you usuallye to ces like this?¡±

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m somend of reclusive weirdo? William pulled her along.

    There were varying levels of steps in the square, and a group <b>of </b>teenagers were skateboarding. They jumped from heights. Somended smoothly while others crashed to the ground, yet <b>all </bughed <b>and </b>yed as if they felt no <b>pain</b>,

    Emelie couldn¡¯t help but smile. She didn¡¯t think he was weird. She was just surprised that he had such a ¡°war¡± side.

    William held her hand <b>and </b><b>said</b>, ¡°There¡¯s something Interesting over there.¡±

    Emelie couldn¡¯t help but be intrigued by William¡¯sment that the spectacle was ¡°interesting

    He led her to the center of the square, where arge crowd had already gathered. He still walked <b>ahead </b>of her, guiding her into the crowd <b>and </b>squeezing into the front cow.

    Emelie noticed arge circle drawn on the ground with chalk, and people standing around it. In the middle was a zing hot fumace.

    Two burly men in protective suits were stiming <b>a </b>glowing orange liquid <b>in </b>the furnace with an iron rod

    Emelie looked on curiously. She wondered what it could be.

    Suddenly, a whistle sounded like a phoenix. One of the men switched to a long irondle, scooping up the liquid and then flinging it into the air.

    ¡°Wow-¡±

    In an <b>instant</b>, sparks rained <b>down </b>like stars

    Emelle¡¯s eyes widened. She joined the crowd in astonishment, captivation, and sheer delight¨Cit was a pyrotechnic disy!

    <b>Against </b>the backdrop of the night, the sparks fell like <b>raindrops</b>. They exploded into bursts of smoke and dazzling lights, enchanting and mesmerizing

    The onlookers pulled out their phones to capture the spectacle, but Emelse felt that its beauty couldn¡¯t be captured adequately on <b>a </b>phone camera. Only by seeing it with your own eyes could one truly feel its impact.

    She held her breath. Her mind was nk with wonder, lost in the splendor before her.

    Workers continued to ssh the molten iron into the air, each burst of sparks more beautiful than thest

    She was unable to contain herself. Emelle smiled <b>and </b><b>said</b>, ¡°Capebett City also has a pyrotechnic disy

    William remained behind her all along. ¡°It is also known as fireworks.¡±

    Emelle couldn¡¯t think of any other way to praise it. She repeated, ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful, absolutely stunning. Did you bring me to the square just <b>to </b>see this?¡±¡± William emphasized, ¡°It¡¯s specifically for you. I brought you here to see this.¡±

    Emelie¡¯s heart skipped <b>a </b>beat. ¡°How did you know about <b>this </b>ce?¡±

    William replied sinctly, ¡°Money¡±

    ¡°Did you pay for this?¡± Emelie asked.

    William simply required, ¡°Would you like to see it again?¡±

    Emelle understood that the cost of a light show performance meant little to Wiliam, but the <b>significance </b>Lay not in the money. It was in what he had done forher. Her emotions surged, and she asked, ¡°Why¡­ Why are you so good <b>to </b>me?¡±

    Chapter 364 Apology

 Chapter 364

    Chapter 364 Apology

    William gently <b>grasped </b>her face<b>, </b>tilting it upward to meet his gaze. Both of their faces were bathed in warm light. His eyes slightly softened<b>, </b><b>a </b><b>shade </b>lighter.

    ¡°Before, I disliked how you kept your distance from me. You always confront me. Now, I dislike seeing you mncholic and fearful. Is that reason sufficient?¡±

    Emelie¡¯s brow twitched slightly. Her eyes suddenly welled up with warmth. Her emotions, soaked in bitterness all day, seemed to clear at this moment. It was like something was about to burst forth uncontrobly.

    William continued, ¡°Did you enjoy the fireworks disy<b>? </b>With me around, you can see them whenever you want.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie remained silent. She hesitated, her <b>head </b>bowed in confusion. She was unsure of what to say next, her breath now in disarray.

    Suddenly, the square erupted with familiar, light¨Chearted music. Whether someone started it or it was simply the festive atmosphere of New <b>Year¡¯s </b>and the holidays, it brought joy to everyone, young and old, who began dancing together.

    William watched them for a moment. Then, he took a step back and extended his hand to Emelie.

    ¡°You promised to dance with me this weekend. It¡¯s just a few hours away. Will you honor that?¡±

    Counting every time Mr. Middleton danced, it was always atvish balls or upscale dinners. When had be ever danced to ¡°square dancing¡°?

    But the way he held her <b>hand</b>, it felt like he <b>was </b>catching clusters of stars just for her.

    Emelie couldn¡¯t refuse. She let her hand fall into his<b>. </b>William gently pulled her closer, leading her into a dance

    As Emelie earnestly observed William in this moment, she couldn¡¯t help but think. Even if they were to part wayspletely in the future, never to cross paths <b>again</b>, she would remember tonight.

    The night he took her to see the fireworks, the night they danced together on the square, and William who bridged them into the new year.

    As Emelie thought about this, the tears she had suppressed all day suddenly surged uncontrobly.

    She quickly lowered her head to wipe them <b>away</b>. She hoped William wouldn¡¯t notice.

    William did notice, though he didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, he raised his hand slightly, allowing her to spin beneath his arm.

    Emelle was still wearing his coat. The coat was tailored perfectly for him but oversized on her. As she spun, the coat fluttered like <b>a </b>start.

    William¡¯s gaze was deep and seemed to imprint this moment of Emelie in his memory.

    Suddenly, Emelie¡¯s foot stumbled, and she fell into his embrace

    The familiar scent of his cologne enveloped her from his chest. Emelie couldn¡¯t help but hold onto his waist. But she realized it was inappropriate, she quickly let

    20

    On the contrary, William hugged

    hugged her back. ¡°If you want to hug, <b>you </b>could have. I wouldn¡¯t <b>have </b>dented you.¡±

    Emelie gripped his shirt tightly<b>, </b><b>her </b>emotions indescribable. ¡°Mr. Middleton.¡±

    Then, unexpectedly, she heard William whisper in her <b>ear</b>, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    What?

    Emelie thought it might be too noisy around them and that she misheard. She tried to pull away to see his expression, but William gently pressed against her back He held her tightly.

    ¡°I said I¡¯m sorry,¡± he repeated slowly and deliberately. He wanted to make sure she heard every word.

    Emelle was stunned. She felt her heartbeat quicken, almost surpassing her breath

    ¡°Before, those i

    ethings were

    es were my fault. I apologize.¡± William¡¯s voice was low and slow, yet eamest. ¡°Shall we¡­ give it another try?¡± Emelle¡¯s fingers dug into his slut. She squeezed so tightly <b>that </b>her fingertips turned white. Another try¡­ at being together?

    ??

 Chapter 365

    Chapter 365 Happiness

    The door to the penthouse sulte swung open <b>as </b>soon as William swiped the room card, pulling Emelie into his arms as they stepped inside. Emelie stumbled slightly on the doormat, and William immediately lifted her. Before she could react, he lossed her passionately.

    His kiss was filled with emotion <b>and </b>intensity, even <b>a </b>hint of recklessness, as if he wasn¡¯t theposed, aloof Mr. Middleton anymore.

    He was simply a man driven by desire for his woman.

    Emelie struggled to catch her breath. Her mind went nk, and she felt somewhat bewildered. It seemed that she hadn¡¯t agreed to this.

    She <b>just </b>what was it?

    Emelie was thrown off, her mind a jumble. She was unable to remember anything. All she could recall at this moment was the fireworks filling the square.

    Her fingers clutched tightly at William¡¯s suit. Sensing her heavy breathing, William released her lips and kissed her eyes instead. He nted gentle kisses on the delicate <b>skin </b>beneath them.

    <b>Emelie¡¯s </b>eyshes trembled involuntarily as she saw William with <b>closed </b>eyes. His expression was gentle <b>and </b><b>tender</b>.

    He had been unusually gentletely, especially tonight. It was aplete departure from <b>his </b><b>old </b><b>sell</b>

    Emelie had never been treated like this before. It felt as if her battered body was being gently tended to, with someone carefully applying ointment and then softly blowing on the wounds.

    Her heart ttered intensely. After a moment of stiffness<b>, </b>she began to rx.

    This rxation signaled her silent consent

    William naturally understood. He let out a soft chuckle.

    He rarely smiled. When <b>he </b>did, Emelie felt uneasy. Her hand that had been clutching <b>his </b>suit <b>was </b>now pushed against his chest.

    But William <b>wasn¡¯t </b>about to give her the chance to change her mind.

    He tilted up her chin and kissed her again. His usual style returned to being dominant, forceful, and in control of everything.

    Without even tuming on the lights, they headed <b>straight </b>into the bedroom.

    Emelie¡¯s hand rested on his pillow, catching the familiar scent of his cologne. Her gaze was somewhat <b>unfocused </b>as William kissed her chin, then removed the cost.

    As he started to go further, he noticed faint red marks on her blouse.

    He paused for a moment, realizing he had forgotten to close the curtains <b>in </b>his state. The streetlight streaming in made everything dim and unclear, so william switched on the bedsidemp

    Bloodstains<b>?</b>

    He looked up and <b>asked</b><b>, </b>¡°Are you injured? Where does it hurt?¡±

    She didn¡¯t know what he was talking about at first. Emelle lowered her head and recalled the <b>hair</b>¨Ccovered skull, realizing it must have sttered onto <b>her </b>clothes when it popped out.

    Her hair spread across the white pillow, and she briefly exined the ¡°<b>prank</b>¡°. Finally understanding the reason for her poor mood that afternoon, William had <b>a </b>moment of realization

    ¡°Did you call <b>the </b>police?¡±

    Emelie shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s someone online, hard to trace. Besides, going <b>to </b>the police station¡­¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to go there again.

    William asked, ¡°Are you still <b>afraid</b><b>?</b>¡±

    She was a little <b>afraid</b>, but Emelie didn¡¯t answer. William whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll help you forget<b>.</b>¡±

    Emelie had intended to <b>ask </b>him <b>how </b>he could help her forget

    After that, Emelie couldn¡¯t remember anything else.

    She had heard before that sex and violence were the best ways to vent emotions.

    she now thought that maybe that statement was true.

    When William held her in <b>the </b>end, Emelle saw a bright light. She heard what seemed like dozens of miles away, people gathered in the square, hot and vibrant They were counting down together

    Five, four, three, two..

    Apanied by fireworks, everyone shouted, ¡°Happy New Year!¡±

    It seemed like William had heard it too. He whispered in <b>her </b><b>ear</b><b>, </b>¡°Sweetie, Happy New Year.¡±

    Emelse didn¡¯t say anything. She hopped William¡¯s neck and closed her eyes. Tears appeared at theers of hereyes.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 366

    Chapter 366 Calling Him m

    Tonight, Emelie slept deeply without the aid of sleeping pills.

    Before drifting off, she vaguely thought that since Daphne had entered William¡¯s life, the few times they had been intimate, she had often resisted. Hence, she hadn¡¯t <b>fully </b>experienced mach

    But this t

    she fully rxed and epted him, and that feeling waspletely different.

    However, in the middle of the night, she suddenly felt a bit itchy on her face. She opened her eyes dazedly and saw that William wasn¡¯t sleeping.

    ¡°What are you doing she wemured.

    He smiled <b>faintly</b>, ¡°You¡¯re awake?¨C

    It seemed that walding up was a tact agreement for him to do as he pleased. Emelle was alert for a moment. Then, she replied, ¡°No.¡±

    <b>But </b>in just a second, she was pulled back into that chaosagain by him.

    This time, William didn¡¯t let her go so quickly. After a long while, he carried her to clean up. After washing up and returning to bed, Emelie was half asleep and half dazed

    She felt him doing something again. She was too <b>weak </b>to resist, so she could only weakly plead, ¡°Please..¡±

    William smirked. ¡°Ark me again.¡±

    ¡°Please¡­¡± Emelie pleaded again

    William kissed her eyelids. ¡°Go to sleep.

    Those words seemed to have a magical effect. Emelie closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

    On the other <b>hand</b><b>, </b>William <b>wasn¡¯t </b>sleepy at all. After showering, <b>he </b>slipped into loose, baggy pajamas <b>and </by on his side. He watched hertized sleeping face.

    Suddenly, he recalled something. Had she just called him ¡°<b>Liam</b>¡°?

    <b>Did </b>he <b>mishear</b>, or <b>did </b>she misspeak? At that moment, william couldn¡¯t be sure.

    He had put in so much effort, and Emelie <b>had </b><b>finally </b>epted him.

    Outside the window, the sky was gradually brightening, it reflected in William¡¯s contemtive eyes.

    After a while, he gently brushed a strand of hair on Emelie¡¯s cheek behind her ear. He softly said, ¡°Sweetie, Happy New Year¡±

    The next day was a weekend and also New <b>Year¡¯s </b>Day, so there was no work to worry about, Emelie had been suspended from her job, leaving her with even more free time.

    Her body woke her upbriefly around 8am, but she quickly drifted back to sleep. When she <b>finally </b>woke uppletely, it was already noon. Hanger had roused her.

    As soon as she moved, Emelie realized she wasn¡¯t wearing any clothes under the nket. Before she could be startled, she felt as it something had been applied to

    <b>Last </b>night¡¯s memories rushed over Emelie like a tidal wave.

    During that time, William had called her affectionate names like ¡°Sweetle¡°, ¡°Emelle¡°, and ¡°Eme¡± in order to coax her intopliance.

    She couldn¡¯t help but utter the one name she had called him countless times in her heart but had never spoken <b>aloud</b>.

    Emelie clutched the nket tightly. She was <b>unsure </b>if he had heard it. How had they reached this point?

    She regretted it now. It was something she hadn¡¯t anticipated.

    She had promised herself and Mona that she wouldn¡¯t fall for William again. Yet, in just a few days, she had found herselfpletely captivated by him.

    Emelie stared

    dup at the ceiling, her emotions swirling. William wasn¡¯t in the room at the moment, perhaps he <b>was </b>outside.

    She got up and searched around but couldn¡¯t find her clothes fromst night. She was unsure where they were discarded. She couldn¡¯t just go <b>without </b>wearing Anything, so she took a shirt from William¡¯s closet.

    His clothes were <b>much </brger than hers, the hem teaching just below her hips.

    The hotel provided disposable toiletries, <b>so </b><b>she </b>brushed her teeth and washed her face. She slipped makeup and shipped on indoor slippers before leaving the room.

    The suite was twice the size of her <b>own </b>room, with a dining area. As she stepped <b>out</b>, she heard William¡¯s voice in conversation and assumed he was on the phone. Without hesitation, she walked over

    ¡°William, my clothes¡­¡± Both William and the other person in the dining area turned to look <b>at </b>her.

    It was William and Lyle inning.

    Emelle free for a moment. Lyle¡¯s gaze involuntarily fell on her fair, bare legs.

    Initially, be had a slightly sag expression on his face as he spoke to William, but he quicklyposed himself.

    Emelie hadn¡¯t expected another man to be in the room. She realized the awlowardness of the situation, but she reacted swiftly. She turned around to treat to her

    Williart¡¯s fareckened, and he called out in a stem volce, <b>¡°</b>Lyle.¡±

    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 367

    Chapter 367 I Am Hungry

    Lyle immediately turned his head back He paused for a moment. Then, he scratched the area behind his ear.

    He looked up at William, and <b>asked</b><b>, </b>¡°Will, are you and Ms. Hoven backtogether?¡±

    William held <b>a </b>ss in one hand, with the base resting in the palm of his other hand. He responded calmly, ¡°Yeah¡±

    Lyle hesitated: ¡°Then, why..¡±

    A cold gling shed in William¡¯s eyes.

    Lyle stopped mid¨Csentence.

    After a moment¡¯s thought, he seemed to understand. He <b>chuckled </b><b>and </b>leaned back <b>casually </b>in his chair. ¡°No wonder they say that pain <b>is </b>the best teacher¡­Alright, I get it. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±

    alookand

    Room service arrived with their meal. Lyle was <b>about </b>to take a look at the food, but william quickly said, ¡°I didn¡¯t order a portion for you.¡±

    Lyleughed and cursed before saying, ¡°Tine! I¡¯m just the workhorse doing all the work without getting fed. I¡¯ll go get something to eat myself.¡±

    william picked up the car keys Lyle had tossed on the table earlier and threw them to him. ¡°<b>Becareful</b><b>.</b>¡±

    Lyle waved a hand in acknowledgment <b>and </b>walked out, his stepszy and casual. As he closed the door, he nced in the direction of the bedroom, seemingly unintentionally<b>.</b>

    Once outside<b>, </b>his nonchnt expression disappeared. He stood quietly for a moment. Then, he lit <b>a </b>cigarette and smoked as he made his way downstairs.

    william set down his ss and entered the bedroom

    e asking, ¡°Where are my clothes from yesterday<b>?</b>¡±

    Emelle was standing by the bed, looking around. When she saw hime in, she paused before a

    ¡°1sent them for dry cleaning,¡± William replied. He walked over and wrapped his arm around her waist, his hand resting just below the hem of her borrowed shirt.

    His eyes darkened as he asked, ¡°No clothes? Why didn¡¯t you call <b>me</b><b>? </b><b>You </b><b>just </b>came out like this?¡±

    Last night, driven by emotion, everything Emelie did felt natural. But now, she was awake, and this kind of intimacy felt unfamiliar and ufortable.

    She bither lip. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Lyle was here. Did I Interrupt you?¡±

    william leaned down to capture her lips. ¡°Idon¡¯t like anyone else seeing you like this¡±

    Emelie¡¯s usuallyposed and logical appearance always made her seem calm and rational. However, Emelie had just woken up, her defenses down and her eyes dazed like a lost tawn it ignited an irresistible urge in someone to <b>do </b>something to her

    As his breath tangled with her, Emelie¡¯s heart fluttered. She <b>turned </b>her head to avoid hisss. ¡°<b>Isn¡¯t </b>he your best friend<b>?</b>¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Don¡¯t avoid me.¡± Emelle hesitated for a moment. But she soon found herself captured by <b>his </b>kiss.

    William guided her backward until her back pressed against the wardrobe. His hand pinned her wrists above her head, leaving her no <b>choice </b>but to tilt her head <b>back</b>.

    The cool mint scent of his aftershave filled her senses, blurring the line between his scent and her ownL

    William lifted the hem of her shirt, his eyes darkened as he took in the sight. ¡°You really aren¡¯t wearing anything underneath,¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t find anything to wear,¡± Emelie protested. She struggled to free her hands and push him away, ¡°William, <b>wait</b>. I¡¯m hungry. <b>I </b>need to eat.¡±

    His voice was smooth. ¡°I¡¯m hungry <b>too</b><b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    Emelie was speechless. Clearly, they weren¡¯t talking about the same kind of hunger.

    Emelie was afraid that if he got too excited, he might want sex again, so she quickly <b>said</b>, ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten for three meals.¡±

    william finally withdrew his hand. He nced at his fingers with a smirk. He <b>said</b>, ¡°You must be really hungry.¡±

    Emelie was speechless. She was certain he wasn¡¯t referring to her <b>kind </b>of hunger.

    She felt both embarrassed and Instrated. Then, she shoved him away with her all might.

    He didn¡¯t grab her forcefully this time. Instead, he let <b>go </b>and beaded to the bathroom to wash his <b>hands</b>. He grabbed <b>a </b>disposable <b>pair </b>of underwear and a bathrobe from the cab, motioning for her to put <b>them </b>on first.

    Emelie had been searching everywhere for just a moment ago. She couldn¡¯t find the bathrobe,

    to discover it in the bathroom cab.

    She got herself sorted out and came out. Not seeing Lyle, she knew he had left, and Williams had already ced the meal delivered by room service on the table.

    She reached out and touched the edge of the bowl. She found it <b>a </b>bit cold, but she didn¡¯t say anything. She intended to just make do.

    William nced at her <b>and </b>surprisingly understood her meaning. He took it to the kitchen to heat it in the microwave.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    She was taken aback. He had never been this observant of her before, not <b>had </b>be taken the initiative to do these things. While William waited, he casually leaned against the cupboard.

    Today, he was notably dressed in warm colors. A light beige crewneck sweater<b>, </b>casually cut with the shoulder line falling at arm¡¯s length, He exuded a youthful

    rofesion that softened <b>his </b>otherwise unapproachable and dignified demeanor,

    After all, he was only a years old. He was born in 1995, but his usual high position <b>of </b>power and overwhelming <b>aura </b>often made people <b>forget </b>about his age. Suddenly, William spoke up, ¡°Bayan suspended your position. You should <b>return </b>to Cloudex Corporation. I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡±

 Chapter 368

    Chapter 368 Undecided

    Entelle was taken aback. Her scattered thoughts instantly coalesced. Sitting up straight at the dining table, she looked at William opposite <b>her</b>.

    ¡°Mr. Middleton, are you mistaken? i didn¡¯t agree to anythingst night.¡±

    William¡¯s sharp gaze tumed toward her, his presencemanding as ever. ¡°<b>Didn¡¯t </b>agree? Then, what about the items <b>in </b>the bedroom trash can?¡±

    Those few items that they had usedst night..

    He was reminding her of what had transpired. Given all that had happened, how could she im that there was no agreement?N?velDrama.Org owns this.

    Emelie¡¯s expression faltered. She picked up a small piece of cake, <b>nibbling </b><b>to </b>settle her stomach.

    Then, she spoke softly, ¡°Mr. Middleton, <b>hasn¡¯t </b>it <b>always </b>been this way with us? Things happen, but roles remain distinct. It¡¯smon.¡±

    <b>In </b>her three years with him, she had never had a s

    <b>status</b>.

    Emelie lifted her head, meeting his cold gaze. ¡°<b>I </b>haven¡¯t heard of Mr. Middleton granting Daphne any status either. Haven¡¯t between you two?¡°!

    The microwave beeped as it <b>finished </b>heating<b>. </b>Willliam ignored it

    these been numerous asions

    Instead, he approached the table<b>, </b>towering over her with a displeased tone. ¡°Who else have been with? Give me a list. And who told <b>you </b>about Daphne and me having many instances?¡±

    Emelie couldn¡¯t confirm the first part. <b>As </b>for thetter¡­.

    Emelie pursed her lips. ¡°No one said it, but you two couldn¡¯t have not done it, right? weren¡¯t <b>you </b>even discussing mage?¡±

    <b>William </b>turned <b>his </b><b>sharp </b>gaze <b>toward </b>her<b>, </b><b>and </b>his eyes <b>darkened</b><b>. </b>Emelie lowered her head. She stabbed a strawberry on her cake with her fork

    <b>Suddenly</b>, William spoke, ¡°Never¡±

    The strawberry rolled off the te untouched.

    His expression remained <b>impassive</b><b>. </b>¡°Never, we¡¯re not even in a rtionship?

    Emelle <b>looked </b>up abruptly. She didn¡¯t believe what he said.

    After all this time, they hadn¡¯t even had feelings for each other for nearly <b>half </b>a year? How could that be true?

    If he imed they hadn¡¯t done anything because William respected Daphne¡¯s <b>¡°</b>good upbringing¡± and ¡°avoided premarital rtions¡°, Emelie reluctantly believed him to some extent.

    But to suggest they never even had a rtionship? How could that be possible?

    With all his precious protectiveness <b>and </b>derations of marriage <b>and </b>children with Daphne, Emelie couldn¡¯t believe they hadn¡¯t shared any emotional connection.

    She couldn¡¯t believe it. She truly couldn¡¯t<b>.</b>

    She thought wilm was just being <b>evasive</b>. Though she couldn¡¯t figure out why he would be about this, she simply didn¡¯t believe it. If they <b>had </b>no rtionship at <b>all</b>, what <b>did </b>all the pain be caused her for Daphne amount to?

    Emelie felt a pang in her chest. She realized that she had never really let go of that <b>pain</b>, nor forgotten it just brief recollection brought back the ache she felt at the time when she thought about his favoritism toward Daphne, his neglect of her, and the injustice she <b>had </b>suffered

    Emelie extuled heavily<b>. </b>She ate halt the cake<b>, </b>and her hunger diminished. She stood up from the table,tent on finding her phone

    She dressed inappropriately for going out, so lumelie <b>had </b>to call the hotel¡¯s room service to fetch her clothes tor changing. She was ready <b>to </b>leave.

    past as she spotted her purse on the coffee table and moved to <b>grab </b>it, William hurriedly closed the gap in three quick steps. He wrapped his arms around her waist from <b>behind</b>.

    <b>you </b>treat

    Herback pressed <b>against </b>his chest before she could tum around<b>, </b>William¡¯s voice was tinged with restrained anger<b>, </b>¡°Leaving? If you are leaving now, will you me like a stranger again the next time we meet?

    Emelle didn¡¯t respond to his question. He was correct.

    Emelie hadn¡¯t quite figured out how the wanted to proceed with him next, what role she would y.

    Since they couldn¡¯t agree now, it seemed they would revert to <b>being </b>¡°past friends¡°. Willian tightened his grip, his hold almost merging them.

    William tightened his arms around her, his grip strong as if trying to mrld her into his body.

    His expression reflected in the <b>ss </b>cab across from her. Emelle saw his dark eyes, deep as unfading link. It seemed like holding onto something unresolved.

    She did not attempt to struggle. She knew resistance was futile.

    After <b>a </b>few minutes, he finally spoke during which the microwave beeped repeatedly, ¡°used to me myself for not giving you a status before Now I have, and you refuse it. You don¡¯t want to reconcile with me. So, what did you consider mest night?¡±

    Emelie remained silent. With his demanding demeanor and insistence on <b>status</b><b>, </b>anyone unaware might think Emelie was the fickle, heartless one in their rtionship.

    Since he put it that way, Emelle decided to respond bluntly, ¡°Last <b>night</b>, 1 treated you as someone who helped me vent my emotions. You can just treat me as payment for that fireworks disy.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡± While William verbally agreed, his expression remained chillingly cold ¡°Let¡¯ural. Afterward, I expect to continue my ¡°payment.¡± Be prepared.¡±

    E

 Chapter 369

    Chapter 369 Off¨CLimits

    Emelie sat in stunned silence, Affairs like these were supposed to happen naturally, not with prior notice for preparation!

    William¡¯s words had thrown her into disarray. It disrupted her meal entirely. As soon as she finished, she hurriedly made phone calls, <b>wanting </b>someone to <b>bring</b>

    herclothes.

    William approached from behind and swept her up in his arms. His jawline <b>was </b>stern. ¡°Pay me first.¡±

    Emmelie hadn¡¯t expected him to be serious. She resisted, refusing <b>to </bply. She locked and struggled to get down. ¡°William Middleton! Let me go! You can¡¯t¡­ like this. Wait!¡±

    Her protests were <b>cut </b><b>off </b>as the bedroom door mmed shut with a resounding ¡®bang¡®.

    Despite Mr. Middleton¡¯s <b>disdain </b>for the hotel¡¯s ss, the top floor still boasted excellent soundproofing.

    No matter how loudly she shouted, her voice wouldn¡¯t escape the room,

    Once Lyle exited the building, he sat in his car, making calls to delegate the tasks William had assigned. Afterward, he lit a cigarette inside his vehicle.

    He preferred the stronger¨Ctasting ones, letting the nicotine swirl in his lungs before exhaling slowly. The bum down his throat was <b>akin </b>to strong liquor.

    He hoped the sensation would erase the recent scene from his mind.

    It was the usual<b>, </b>yet not quite the same, Emelie

    She <b>naturally </b>exuded a certain allure. She was unlike those who feigned sophistication or deliberately unted theircharms.

    Even if she did nothing, just standing there would evoke thoughts of something raw and untamed.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    What was different was this version of her he hadn¡¯t seen before.

    Emelie was tall and slender, she filled <b>out </b>a man¡¯s shirt with loose elegance. The hem just covered <b>her </b>hips, and it revealed her delicate, fair legs

    Lyle smoked two cigarettes but still couldn¡¯t calm his emotions. Meanwhile<b>, </b>another part of him was even lessposed.

    Lyle nced down and muttered, ¡°Damn ¡±

    He felt extremely annoyed. He cracked open the sunroof to wake himself up with the winter wind. As the wind blew<b>, </b>Lyle¡¯s mood and expression calmed down.

    He couldn¡¯t quite pinpoint when he started paying attention to Emelie.

    It might have been from the first time William brought her to Westward City, introducing her to their group of friends. Lyle was ying pool on the side when <b>he </b>heard <b>Troy </b><b>shout</b>, ¡°Hey! Will¡¯s brought his girlfriend!¡±

    William had never had a woman by his side before, so Lyle was curious and nced over. He <b>saw </b>a woman in <b>a </b>white and green floral sundress, She stood gracefully Like a lotus leaf in a summer pond.

    At <b>that </b>time, she had clearly looked surprised by the title. Her eyes widened slightly under the bright lights of the private room, revealing a hidden joy.

    At that moment, a thought had crossed his mind. Her eyes were quite beautiful.

    But soon enough, William replied to Troy<b>, </b>¡°She¡¯s not my girlfriend.¡±

    The light in her eyes dimmed instantly, and the others exchanged knowing looks about her identity. They teasingly sized her up.

    Lyle scratched his cheek with his tongue. He <b>had </b>interrupted their <b>familiar </b>nces, ¡°Don¡¯t leave me alone here. Why don¡¯t you join in?

    After <b>that</b>, he began to consciously or unconsciously pay attention to Emelie

    When he returned from his business trip, if he didn¡¯t see her with Will, he <b>would </b>ask about her. Upon learning she had quit with Will and nned to stay away from their circle, he was annoyed and feltpelled to <b>teach </b>hera lesson.

    Dayster, when he saw her again, he couldn¡¯t resist talking to her. He <b>had </b>talked to her so much that Jayden had noticed that he was being too forward.

    Jayden causally reminded him, ¡°From the looks of it, Will and Emelie won¡¯t just end like this. They¡¯ll reconcile. And even if they don¡¯t end up together, Emelie <b>has </b>been with Will before. Unless she¡¯s like Troy, she wouldn¡¯t want to be friends <b>with </b>anyone anymore, s so she¡¯s off¨Climits ¡±

    Jayden was perceptive. Nothing escaped his notice.

    Lyle lit a cigarette and casually replied, ¡°Will and I are best friends.¡±

    William meant more to him than just being someone who recognized his potential. He had saved his life.

    Whoever he took a filding to, Bioelie wasn¡¯t an option.

 Chapter 370

    Chapter 370 He Comes Her

    Emelle got out of bed in the afternoon. After William¡¯s relentless behavior, it was dark again.

    The suite was actually quite nice, with no taller buildings in front of it. From therge window, one could see the moon quietly rising into the sky.

    Emelie was wrapped in a nket. She was half asleep.

    William was now dressed. He knelt on one knee by the bed, trying to pull her up. Emelie thought he wanted to have sex again. She whimpered and burrowed under the nket, regretting their earlier discussion about their rtionship status.

    He was persistent. He forced her to promise never to use him of having other women again or talk about breaking up.

    When she begged him to <b>stop</b>, he continued. He reminded her, ¡°Didn¡¯t <b>you </b>doubt that I hadn¡¯t had sex <b>for </b><b>a </b>long time?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t that she doubted him. She just didn¡¯t understand his rtionship with Daphne. But if she asked, he would bring up their status again, questioning if she wanted to <b>be </b>his girlfriend.

    When she remained <b>silent</b><b>, </b>he continued, <b>creating </b><b>a </b>vicious cycle.

    Seeing her shrink under the nket, William smirked and pulled it down a bit. She would then shrink further down. He pulled it down again, and she moved <b>again</b>.

    William leaned in. ¡°Sweetie, the New <b>Year¡¯s </b>festival is lively. Let¡¯s go see it.¡±

    Emelie was sore and exhausted. She just wanted to sleep. ¡°<b>No</b><b>, </b><b>I </b>don¡¯t want to go.¡±

    ¡°Do you n to spend New Year in bed?¡±

    Emelie realized that his statement implied if she didn¡¯t get up, they would end up spending the entire New Year¡¯s Day in bed

    She immediately emerged from the nket. ¡°No, no,

    no, let¡¯s go out. Now!¡±

    William feigned concem. ¡°Don¡¯t force yourself. I¡¯m not stopping you from sleeping.¡±

    Emelie was genuinely afraid of him now. She hastily grabbed her bathrobe and put it on.

    As she got out of bed, her legs wobbled. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I want to go out.¡±

    After that, she rushed into the bathroom. Watching <b>her </b><b>hurried </b>retreat, William couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    While Emelie <b>was </b>still drowsy, William had clothes delivered for her.

    Emelle pulled out the clothes and put them on. In the bag, there was also a scarf. William took and wrapped around her.

    Standing face to face, Emelie could only reach William¡¯s chin and had to tilt her head slightly to see his eyes. His eyes usually distant and unreadable, <b>softened </b>a bit as he looked down at her.

    After fixing her hair, he took her hand, and they headed out together.

    On New Year¡¯s Day, the streets were brightly decorated and exceptionally lively. They decided not to drive, and William led her along the bustling sidewalks.

    Soon enough, they got lost, William <b>had </b><b>a </b>terrible sense of direction. Emelie remembered thest time he took her to <b>a </b><b>private </b>dining restaurant and they ended up on a muddy path in the rain, getting their shoes and pants dirty. She had to use the GPS to find the ce.

    They eventually found their destination. It was Lincoln Comedy Club. It was a ssic <b>setup </b><b>with </b>a pot of Earl Grey tea<b>, </b>a te of <b>pistachio</b>, and some pastries. Since they <b>hadn¡¯t </b>had dinner, they also ordered <b>a </b>few dishes.

    The performance at Beauville featured <b>a </b><b>guitar </b>and <b>a </b>violin, with two performers working seamlessly together. They delivered their lines in Nukn which had many simrities to the local Caprebatt City ent. It made it easily understandable.

    The performance on stage was a lightedy, and Emelie found herselfughing multiple timesContent provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    William looked <b>at </b>her. Then, he gestured for a steward toe over. ¡°Sir, how can I help you?¡±

    William <b>asked</b>, ¡°Are you more about serving drinks or sending flower bouquets?¡±

    The steward quickly responded, ¡°Sir, if you¡¯d like to tip the performers, we offer flower bouquets. The minimum is 88 dors, and the maximum is 1888 dors.¡±

    William didn¡¯t even lookup. ¡°Give them ten of the highest.¡±

    The steward was stunned <b>for </b><b>a </b>moment, <b>as </b><b>was </b>Emelie. The steward quickly nodded and brought over <b>a </b>slip for him to sign, and william paid with his card on the spot.

    Emelle couldn¡¯t help but ask, <b>¡°</b><b>Why </b>so many?¡±

    <b>The </b>tickets only cost a few dors. Typically, tipping with one or two flower bouquets was considered generous. Tenrge flower <b>bouquets </b>at once were probably the biggest tip in theedy club¡¯s history.¡±

    Indeed, it was. The club owner personally brought them a fruit tter. After the performance, the twoedians on stage bowed deeply in their direction and thanked thein

    William¡¯s only response was a nonchnt, ¡°If they can make youugh, it¡¯s worth it.¡±

 Chapter 371

    Chapter 371 Not a Best

    The tea provided at the Velvet Comedy Club was <b>bad </b>Grey tea. Its taste was both bitter and astringent as it went down Emelie¡¯s throat. She pursed her lips,¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you used to calling me Liar?¡± William asked quietly. He noticed Emelie¡¯s hand trembling slightly as she held the cup. It caused a few drops of tea to spill onto the table, leaving a meandering stain.

    He had indeed heard the nickname she had called himst night

    Willian continued to gaze at her ¡°you never used to <b>call </b>me that. When did this <b>start</b>?

    Emelie wiped away the tea with acloth, but the watermarka temained on the <b>table</b>.

    william kept watching her. His best friends usually called him ¡°will¡°. It was the first time he had heard someone call him ¡°Liar¡°.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    ¡°Did this start recently?¡± He thought maybe her actitude had softened toward him during their time together, prompting her to use this niciovame. But that wasn¡¯t

    the case.

    She had held onto this nickname in her heart for a long time.

    After falling for him, she pondered how to address him. ¡°Mr. Middleton¡± felt too unfamiliar, ¡°William¡± <b>too </b><b>stiff</b>, and ¡°will¡± not special enough.

    She decided to use ¡°Liam has reme since no one else had used it before.

    Back then, she was all about him. She would write his name on <b>paper </b>and search for love poems rted to him. ¡°Liam suited perfectly

    She just hadn¡¯t said it out loud yet. That morning, while he was adjusting his tie, becasually said, ¡°You¡¯re my secretary. Call me Mr. Middleton from now on.¡±

    Of all the names he could have chosen, he picked the most unfamiliar one

    Emelie telt her hidden hopes and joys, those girlish fantasies, suddenly seem absurd.

    She lowered her gaze obediently. ¡°yes, Mr. Middleton.¡±

    The repeated calls of ¡°Mr. Middleton¡± sometimes gave her the illusion they were just a normal superior¨Csubordinate rtionship. It made her a little sad. Later that night, shey in bed alone and scrolled through their chat history stubbornly. Amidst piles of work<b>¨C</b>rted exchanges, she found a few more personal conversations as evidence that they were more than what appeared on the surface.

    In a moment of impulse, she changed his WhatsApp usemame to ¡°Liam¡°, as it this would bring them closer again.

    At work the next day, William messaged her on WhatsApp asking for client data. Seeing his username pop up <b>made </b>her heart skip a beat

    She quickly changed it back <b>to </b>Mr. Middleton¡°. She dared not to overstep

    She had built a dream for herself, but she shattered it herself,

    Now, William sald, ¡°You should call me Liam from now on.¡±

    He wanted her to keep <b>¡°</b><b>dreaming</b><b>¡°</b><b>, </b>but she was less willing now

    <b>she </b>skipped the topic <b>and </b>said, ¡°Mr. Middleton, the Earl Grey tea <b>has </b>gone <b>cold</b><b>.</b>¡±

    William¡¯s <b>gaze </b>was deep and unblinking. His gaze fixed on her like <b>a </b><b>bottomless </b>pool. No one could avoid Mr. <b>Middleton¡¯s </b>question. ¡°Why not call me Liam?¡±

    Emelie nibbled on a flower¨Cshaped pastry. She remarked, ¡°It¡¯s not too <b>sweet</b><b>, </b>quite tasty. Did they make these themselves?¡±

    ¡°Was it you who coated this nickname for me long <b>ago</b><b>?</b>¡± William Inquired calmly.

    Emelie blinked <b>but </b><b>remained </b>silent.

    william knew he had guessed correctly. It was indeed a name she created before, making it difficult for her to say it now,

    He lifted his teacup, his tone subdued. ¡°Are you telling me over and over again that I¡¯ve missed the time you liked the most?¡±

    She no longer felt the <b>same </b>affection for him, or perhaps, she no longer idealized him with such fervor.

    It truly gave him a sense that even if they did those intimate things again, it wouldn¡¯t be the same.

    Times had changed, <b>and </b>she was no longer willing to give him what he wanted

    The weather forecast predicted a drop in temperature over New Year¡¯s Day, she <b>hadn¡¯t </b>paid much attention to it until now <b>as </b><b>she </b>felt the air¡¯s chilling bite. Emelie watched the <b>stage</b>, at the borate and exaggerated performance. The lyrics amused the audience toughter

    Only now did William <b>understand </b>the mncholy and dimness in her gaze when she looked <b>at </b>him that might. He took <b>a </b><b>sip </b>of tea, his voice hoarse. ¡°The Earl Grey tea¡¯s gone cold¡±

    After listening to several performances, they returned to the hotelte at night. Emelie stepped into the elevator <b>and </b>pressed the button for the 12th <b>floor</b>. Williams nced at her. He understood her thoughts and continued to watch her. Emelle remainedposed

    William didn¡¯t object but didn¡¯t press the button for <b>his </b>floor either<b>. </b>Emelie watched the numbers ascending and couldn¡¯t help asiding, ¡°Mr. Middleton, why didn¡¯t you press the button? Should I help you?¡±

    responded calmly, ¡°Are you staying on the ath floor tonight? I¡¯ll <b>join </b>you.¡±

    Earlie promptly declined, ¡°You have your room.¡±

    Gupter 2:01 Net a Beast:

    Are you afraid of what I might do tonight?¡± William asked lightly. ¡°I¡¯m not a beast.¡±

    Emelie pondered that it might not be so certain. He had been like this in the past few days, almost as he was when they first got together.

    William lowered his head. ¡°I want to be with you. Is that possible?¡±

 Chapter 372

    Chapter 372 Is He Serious?

    Emelie pressed the top floor¡¯s button for him silently. With William around, she focused solely on their interactions, not on Elena¡¯s cases, to a way, his brought her some peace of mind.

    But the thought of spending the <b>night </b>in bed with him, just sleeping, made her feel oddly ufortable

    Whether in those three years or these recent encounters, whenever they shared a bed, it was never just for sleep. The image made Emelle feel awkward. william started at her again. Once, his gaze didn¡¯t linger on her<b>, </b>but now it never left her. Emelle pursed her lips. ¡°Mr. Middleton, this feels more appropriate

    Will chuckled softly

    When they reached the 13th floor, Emelie stepped out first. ¡°Goodnight, Mr. Middleton_¡±

    Before she finished, William suddenly grabbed her arm. He pulled her close andssed her lips. Emelie froze

    The elevator doors were closing slowly, William moved swiftly, he kissed her deeply. But he released her just a second before the doors could touch Emelie His tone suddenly sounded somewhat paranoid, ¡°The teals cold, let¡¯s reheat it!

    o ascend Emelie instinctively took a step back She was not yet fullyprehending <b>William¡¯s </b>expression. The doors closedpletely, and the elevator began to Emelic stated nkly at the doors. Emelse thought to herself, ¡°What did he just say? Rehear what? <b>What </b>did be mean?

    She stiffly lifted her hand and touched her lips. She was still feeling the imprint of his touch.

    She <b>had </b>always believed <b>that </b>lossing was more intimate than anything else. The feeling of lips interlocking would remind people of the word ¡°sharing each other¡¯s

    wannth<b>¡°</b>.

    She suddenly asked herself, ¡°Does Will take this time seriously?¡±

    William reached the top floor and spotted Lyle squatting outside his door ying a game.

    ¡°Hey, Will,¡± Lyle drawledzily as he <b>heard </b>footsteps

    ¡°When did you <b>get </b>here? Why didn¡¯t you give me a <b>call</b>?¡± William asked¡­

    ¡°I figured you were out with Ms. Hoven for dinner. I knew you¡¯d be back soon, so I didn¡¯t want to bother you. I don¡¯t have anything urgent anyway.¡±

    Lyle stood up. He almost asked, ¡°Did Ms. Hoven note back with you?¡± But he didn¡¯t <b>say </b>it. He chewed on his gum.

    Whether she came back or not was none of his business.

    William swiped <b>his </b>room card, gesturing for Lyle toe inside.

    Remembering the moming scene, Lyle rubbed his nose and decided not to go in ¡°I just need to tell you something. Reggie confessed that his scheme against Ms. Howen¡¯s family was indeed orchestrated, but it was agreed upon with Ms. Hoven¡¯s father, Roman Hoven.¡±

    ¡°Agored upon? William repeated.

    Lyle chewed his gum twice. ¡°I find the whole thing rather intriguing¡±

    Indeed it was. Otherwise, Charles wouldn¡¯t be relentlessly pursuing Emelie, and that guy who went abroad wouldn¡¯t have rushed to leave back then and now be

    rushing to retum.

    William¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°<b>We </b>need to meet this Ronan in Capebatt City.¡±

    Lyle raised <b>his </b>eyes, the e tear mole under his eyes shadowed by hisshes. ¡°But Ms. Hoven¡¯s restrictions <b>haven¡¯t </b>been lifted yet. She can¡¯t leave Weston.¡±

    William countered, ¡°Is that difficult?¡±

    Lyle understood his meaning. He grinned a bit mischievously. ¡°Not at all. I¡¯ll get those two <b>to </b>spill the truth and clear Ms. Hoven¡¯s name.¡±

    The next moming, Emelie was still asleep when she felt a tickle on her cheek. It felt like soft kisses, lightlynding one after another. She opened her eyes suddenly. william was lying beside her.N?velDrama.Org owns this.

    Emelie was taken aback She sat up quickly, shocked to see the handsome man next to her.

    ¡°How did you get in here?¡± she asked, then remembered he had her room card.

    ¡°When did youe in?<b>¡± </b>He wasn¡¯t wearing pajamas, so heprobably didn¡¯t sleep herest night. He must have conte in just now.

    She breathed a sign of relief.

    She thought she had slept so deeply that the didn¡¯t notice <b>him </bing in <b>during </b>the night, which would have been terrifying.

    Warching her cycle through numerous expressions in a minate, William propped himself up on the bed. ¡°This isn¡¯t the first time someone¡¯s snuck into your room. Next <b>time</b><b>, </b>remember totch the security Inck¡±

    Without thinking. Emelie replied, ¡°Besides you, who else woulde into my room without permission?¡±

    William¡¯s expression darkened slightly. He remembered the time he saw Wesley leaving her room. ¡°<b>You </b>don¡¯t know,¡± he said.

    Emelle calmed down for the early morning shock. She sat on the bed, wrapped in the nket. She grumbled, ¡°What do you want, Mr. Middleton?

    William smoothed out his wrinkled clothes and said evenly, ¡°I came to tell you some good news. Your travel restriction has been litted.¡±

 Chapter 373

    Chapter 373 Testimony Reversal

    ¡°What?¡± Emelie straightened up. ¡°<b>Really</b>?¡±

    William tossed her phone onto the bed, gesturing for her to look. The screen disyed a call from Ashley.

    Emelie quickly answered, ¡°Ashley?

    Hearing Emelie¡¯s voice, Ashley sighed in relief. ¡°Finally, you answered me. Where have you been thest couple of days? I sent messages, called you, and even went to your hotel but couldn¡¯t find you.

    ¡°I thought the Allen family had done something to you. I was about to call the police if I didn¡¯t hear from you today.¡±

    Emelie blinked. She had been with William for the past two days, and her phone had been in her bag, which she <b>had </b>left on the top floor. She hadn¡¯t thought to check it.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. I need to tell you that the travel restriction on you leaving Weston <b>has </b>been lifted. You¡¯re free to move around <b>now</b>.

    Emelie asked, ¡°Why <b>was </b>it suddenly lifted?

    ¡°Those two guys were interrogated several times by the police. They finally cracked and changed their testimony. They admitted that Elena hired them to frame

    you.

    mtwenty

    ¡°She promised them twenty thousand dors each if they <b>did </b>well. The police have already taken Elena into custody, and her parents are scrambling to find awyer to get her out.¡±

    Emelie remained silent. She was shocked by the sudden tumot events

    After a few moments of silence, she calmly said, ¡°Elena didn¡¯t just frame me. She also forged evidence, <b>staged </b><b>a </b>fake suicide, and wasted public resources. She even hired online trolls to spread rumors about me and leaked my personal informationThis content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    ¡°I even received a threatening package two days ago because of her. I¡¯m going to soe her!¡±

    She refused to let this matter go.

    <b>Elena </b>needed to experience the same fear and uncertainty that Emelie had endured. Only then would it be a proper apology.

    Ashley immediately said, ¡°I support you in using thew to defend your rights. I¡¯ll gather all the evidence. Once <b>these </b>charges are proven in court, Elena will <b>have </b>to face all time.¡±

    Emelie said, ¡°Ashley, thank you so much.¡±

    Ashley responded casually, ¡°No problem. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve handled a case this ¡®criminal¡®.¡±

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s stay in touch if anythinges up.

    ¦§

    Emelle was about to hang up when Ashley suddenly <b>said</b>, ¡°Wait a second.¡±

    Emelie asked, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    Ashley said, ¡°Happy New Year.¡±

    Emelie smiled <b>and </b>replied, ¡°Happy New Year to you too.¡±

    After hanging up, Emelie let out a long breath. Finally, the burden <b>had </b>litted. She couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    William wasn¡¯t in the room. She went to the bathroom to freshen up and then called out as she walked out, ¡°William?¡±

    He was in the living room, setting up the breakfast. She jumped onto the couch, squatting with a grin, ¡°Those guys actually changed their testimony. I didn¡¯t think it would be that easy

    ¡°Never underestimate the police.¡± William picked up a pancake with his fork <b>and </b>brought it to her. ¡°They¡¯ve handled thousands of cases. They know how to deal with people like that. Open up.¡±

    Emelle opened her mouth. She bit into the pancake. The honey filled her mouth.

    William wiped the honey from her lips, and she still felt <b>a </b>little flustered by his touch. She quickly handed him a napkin.

    William sald¡® ¡°Eat up. Once we¡¯re done, I¡¯ll take you back to Capebatt City.¡±

    ¡°Now?¡± Emelie was surprised.

    William¡¯s eyes were dark. He said, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to see your parents?¡±

    He remembered when she ran to him from the <b>elevator</b>, saying she wanted <b>to </b>go home. At that moment, she felt especially helpless and <b>just </b>wanted to be with her parents. But now, she felt much better.

    Going back<b>, </b>she could take her mom for a follow¨Cup checkup. With two days soft, there was plenty of time. So, she said, ¡°sure?¡±

    Chapter 176 A Change of Heart

 Chapter 374

    Chapter 374 A Change of Heart

    The drive from Weston to Capebatt City took just four hours on the highway, Emelie was in a light mood. She felt relief now that the burden of Elena had been lifted.

    She first responded to the messages that she had missed during her ¡°disappearance¡± over the past two days<b>, </b>and <b>then </b>she started to feel sleepy.

    The scent of cinnamon in the ear<b>, </b>with its warm, wintery ambiance <b>was </b>incredibly soothing. Her head rested against the window, and soon enough, her eyes began

    to close.

    She wasn¡¯t in a deep sleep, When William reached over, cushioning her head with his <b>hand </b>against the ss, she woke up

    Emelie slightly opened her eyes. She saw William holding a tablet in one hand, reading emails. His other hand acted as a buffer between her <b>head </b><b>and </b>the window, protecting her from the car¡¯s bumps

    <b>His </b>actions were so natural as if it was the most ordinary thing to do. <b>No </b>wonder people say that a man with a heart and without a heart was like two different people.

    artookat

    As the car

    William nced at her. ¡°<b>Not </b>sleeping anymore?¡±

    Emelie adjusted her posture. ¡°No, Are we almost there?¡±

    Abel replied, ¡°We still have one more hour until we exit the highway,¡±

    Emelie held her phone, pretending to be engrossed in it. William naturally retracted his hand. He didn¡¯t mention the incident and continued scrolling through his

    emails.

    An hourter, they arrived at Alderbrook. <b>The </b>car stopped at the entrance of Hoven residence¡¯s neighborhood. She got out with her bag. She looked back into the <b>car</b><b>, </b>surprised to see William showing no intention of getting out.

    ¡°You¡¯re noting?¡± She asked, puzzled.

    william, legs crossed, his pants slightly hiked up to reveal his ankle wrapped in a ck suck. He looked back at her calmly. ¡°Are you nning to introduce me to your parents? How will you exin who I am to them?¡±

    Emelie was speechless. She hadn¡¯t thought that far ahead.

    <b>William </b>calmly <b>said</b>, ¡°Let me <b>have </b><b>a </b>proper identity before visiting them.¡±

    Emelle held back her lips. She thought he was finding various ways to ask her for an identity. ¡°Mr. Middleton, you should go back to rest earlier. Be careful on the wayback¡±

    william lightly hummed. He closed the car door, and Abel drove <b>away</b>.

    Emelie watched their car disappear around the corner and tumed back into the alley.

    <b>What </b>she didn¡¯t know was that the car returned to theer, and William looked at their bungalow through the <b>car </b>window with his dark eyes.

    Emelie suddenly came back, and the happiest was Greta. She asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were too busy with work and wouldn¡¯te back?¡±

    ¡°I finished <b>early</b>, so I came back Emelie looked at Greta¡¯s energetic figure. Greta nodded repeatedly and went to shake her hand. ¡°Good. Emelie, cold or not?¡±

    Emelie responded to each sentence. She replied, ¡°Not cold, I have the scarf and <b>gloves </b>you knitted for me, and the sun came out today.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this.

    Greta touched her hand and it wasn¡¯t so cold anymore. She finally felt relieved, and then she got up from time to time to find some snacks for her to eat in the cab.

    The housekeeper<b>, </b>Adeline Lopez said that she had been taking care of the old couple for so long, and she had never seen Greta so happy.

    Emelie has been away from Weston for nearly a month, <b>and </b>Greta missed her.

    Greta looked at her sympathetically. ¡°Are you <b>thin </b>again? I¡¯ll cook you something delicious tonight. What do you want to <b>eat</b>? Do you still like jelly?¡±

    Emelie thought seriously for a moment. She said, ¡°I want to eat steak. It¡¯s too much trouble to make jelly, let¡¯s make it tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Well, you should¡¯ve mentioned earlier, <b>I </b>would have <b>gone </b>to the morning <b>market </b>for fresh <b>meat</b>. The noon meat isn¡¯t as fresh¡±

    Gretained, ¡°But it¡¯s okay, Mr. Reed runs to the supermarket twice a day. He should be back soon. I¡¯ll go get some beef from him <b>now</b>.¡±

    Greta <b>said </b><b>as </b>she took the wallet and went out. Emelie felt that Greta¡¯s quick¨Ctempered character, which she always did, couldn¡¯t be changed. She had to smile and catch up with her. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±

    Greta paused. She tumed back <b>to </b>wait for Emelie. She <b>carried </b>a small bag on her shoulder containing the battery for her artificial heart.

    Patients with artificial hearts needed <b>to </b>carry <b>a </b>battery pack with wires running from their abdomen.

    One end was connected to the heart, and the other was connected to the battery. The battery had <b>to </b>be charged daily. Otherwise, the heart would stop

    heavy</b>, Emelie still telt uneasy watching it, she hurried over and took Greta¡¯s arm in hers.

 Chapter 375

    Chapter 375 Remembering MeThis content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    on sharing good news rather

    Emelle and Greta walked together on the cobblestone streets of the small town. Emelie chatted with Creta <b>as </b>they strolled, focusing on

    than worries.

    Geeta was <b>in </b><b>a </b>good mood. She was unusually responsive and mentioned, ¡°Your father went for acupuncture, we¡¯ll pick him up on our way back.

    Over the past month, Emelie had <b>heard </b>from Adeline that Roman was receiving acupuncture treatment for his leg.

    She followed to the market, where they not only bought beef but also various other ingredients, both meat and vegetables.

    arent who would feed

    Emelie wanted to mention that she was only staying for two days and wouldn¡¯t be able to eat everything. However, Greta was the type of parent her children as much as possible whenever they came home, regardless of whether they needed it or not.

    Emelie had <b>just </b>sent a text message to <b>Eliana </b>to bring Halley over for dinner that night to help eat some of the food. Before she could finish sending the message, Oreta had already <b>bought </b><b>a </b><b>cauliflower</b>

    Emelie wanted to pay, but Greta insisted on <b>paying </b>for it. Emelle went <b>along </b>with it. She took the groceries in one hand and held onto data with the other.

    That town had a small permanent poption, <b>and </b>everyone knew each other. As they walked, they encountered four or five acquaintances of Greta¡¯s, whom she greeted and chatted with.

    Greta stopped and chatted with people along the way. When introducing Emilie, Greta¡¯s tone was proud and generous withpliments. She described Emelie as a versatile secretary.

    Emelle felt <b>a </b>bit embarrassed and quickly pulled her mother away.

    ¡°Most parents modestly deny when they hear praise for their children. On the contrary, you rush to praise me. Aren¡¯t you worried about what others might say <b>behind </b>your back?¡±

    Greta stood herground confidently, ¡°ty Emelle is simply the best, most beautiful, and most capable daughter ever.¡±

    Emelie couldn¡¯t <b>help </b>butugh and shake her head. ¡°Ainight, alright, you have the best daughter.

    Greta¡¯s expression changed slightly at Emelle¡¯s spe

    Emelie didn¡¯t notice, her attention focused on the road. ¡°So, Dad is getting acupuncture here?¡±

    Greta snapped back ¡°res, at the clinic in front of the big elm tree.¡±

    Calling it a clinic was a bit of a stretch. There was hardly anything medical inside, just a therapy bed <b>and </b><b>a </b>few cabs. It looked so simple, <b>as </b>if it could shut down anytime.

    Ronan hadn¡¯t finished his <b>puncture </b>yet, so Emelie stood nearby and watched

    gentle and seemed to be in <b>his </b>sosor dos. ¡°Are you here every

    <b>She </b>took the opportunity to strike up a conversation with the elderly <b>doctor</b>, who lookednd and ge day? I¡¯d like to bring a frend with a fracture to see you.¡±

    Jonathan Kane was rxed as he replied, ¡°I¡¯m not here every day. I onlye in once a week on Sundays. As for your friend, that¡¯s fine.

    Since I¡¯ll be here anyway, <b>you </b>can bring them both on Sunday. I¡¯ll treat them together.¡±

    ¡°Where do you usually work? <b>I </b><b>can </b>have my friend directly register at your <b>hospital</b>.¡±

    ¡°At Evergreen Hospital¡±

    Emelle was surprised. That was one of the top hospitals in the country. ¡°Why do youe here to practice instead <b>of </b>coordinating with the hospital<b>?</b>

    ¡­ Jonathan realized she was asking too much and nced at her ambiguously. He then turned to Roman and said, ¡°That¡¯s it for today. You need more treatment, soe back tomorrow morning.¡±

    Roman shifted his legs. He felt much better. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Kanel¡±

    Jonathan tumed away to tidy up, gesting for them to leave.

    Emelie had doubts as they exited the clinic. She thought of ways to verify his identity.

    She took out her phone and logged into Evergreen Hospital¡¯s appointment systers, where the doctors¡® photos were disyed. She scrolled through the alternative medicine department and indeed found Jonathan Kane¡¯s photo there.

    He <b>held </b>the title of chief Physician in the department

    Such a skilled Chief Physician practicing in their small town was one <b>thing</b>. But being so low¨Ckey about it was another thing entirely.

    Emelie frowned and asked, ¡°Dad, who introduced you to this doctor?

    ¡°I heard about him while buying groceries. They said that there¡¯s a remarkable alternative medicine doctor who <b>can </b>mend brolom legs. I was skeptical, but he offered me a free trial, and it really helped.¡±

    After that, Ronan started going to him for acupuncture every week. He paid two hundred dors each time, and <b>so </b>far, after three or four sessions, he already felt

    <b>much </b>better.

    Two hundred dors..

    At Evergreen Hospital, for <b>a </b><b>physician </b>of that caliber, the consultation fee alone would be more than two hundred dors. He hade from Epand to personally administer the acupuncture<b>, </b>and it only cost two hundred dors.

    Enelle waspletely certain that there <b>was </b>something shy going on here. He had to have been invited

    2/2

    She opened William¡¯s WhatsApp, and messaged him, ¡°Did <b>you </b>arrange an alternative medicine doctor to treat my father¡¯s leg?¡±

    William replied, ¡°Now you remember me when there¡¯s something good happening?¡±

    Emelie always felt that whenever something bad happened, even remotely, it was somehow William¡¯s doing to make things difficult for her.

    ¡°So, it wasn¡¯t you?¡± Emelie asked again.

    William sat in a cafe in the small town. He lifted his cup to take a sip before replying, ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t me. What kind of alternative medicine doctor?¡±

    Ashton sat in another seat. She saw something and leaned in to whisper, ¡°Mr. Middleton, that¡¯s Mr. Davis¡¯s car. He¡¯s back from Calmcrest. He must be here to see Ms. Hoven,¡±

 Chapter 376

    Chapter 376 I Want Emelie

    william nced own. He set down his phone, and replied nonchntly, ¡°He¡¯s here pretty quickly. Bring him over.¡±

    ¡°Save ching.¡± Ashton waved her hand, and the bodyguard who had been hidden somewhere appeared. They stopped the car.

    Ashton walked up to the vehicle and exchanged a few words with the person inside

    Sure enough, it was Charles Davis

    Charles nced in William¡¯s direction, half¨Csmiling. Then, he casually put his hands in his pockets <b>and </b>followed Astronover,

    William was seated at the outdoor tables of the cafe. Charles remarked, ¡°Mr. Middleton, seems like you¡¯ve had quite a lot of free timetely¨Cfirst Weston, now here. Is Codex Corporation that dull?¡±

    William <b>replied </b>coldly, ¡°Your cousin has been <b>taken </b>in by the police, Instead of helping in Weston, you¡¯re here. Isn¡¯t that a bit unreasonable?¡±

    Two equally young <b>and </b>handsome men met in the small town, one with a subtle smile and the otherposed but indifferent Yet their words carried underlying trusion<b>, </b>sharp as needles.

    Charles smirked. He crossed his legs nonchntly. ¡°My cousin has her parents. My girlfriend was deeply frightened this time, and I¡¯m here tofort <b>her</b>.¡±

    william¡¯s tone remained icy. ¡°Did she agree to be your tfriend?¡±

    ¡°She didn¡¯t refuse either.¡±

    William¡¯s expression didn¡¯t <b>change</b>. ¡°She has refused you many t

    times. Have you forgotten?¡±

    Charles lightly tapped his cheek with his tongue. Then, he said, ¡°This is between me and Ms. Hoven. Mr. Middleton, you are not entitled to intervene. You <b>once </b><b>said </b>you <b>didn¡¯t </b>mind me pursuing her

    ¡°Have you ever heard of a saying? A qualified ex should behave as if they¡¯re dead. You keep popping up in front of my girlfriend¨Cto¨Cbe, and I find it rather troublesome.¡±This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    William¡¯s gaze sharpened. Charles didn¡¯t back down despite his rxed demeanor. At that moment, neither was willing to yield

    ¡°If Mr. Middleton has no other words of advice, I¡¯ll be out to see my nd¨Cto¨Cbe. I won¡¯t keep youpany any longer. Charles stood up, and William chudded softly.

    ¡°You¡¯re either after making her your gulfriend, or you have other intentions. We both know the answer.¡±

    A flicker of something passed through <b>Charles </b>eyes <b>as </b>he tuned back to face Willum

    He smirked thoughtfully <b>and </b>replied, <b>¡°</b>I wondered why mypany had an incident at such <b>a </b>crucial moment. It forced to drop everything in Weston and rush back to Calmetest. It seems this is your <b>doing</b>, Mr. Middleton

    ¡°Push me aside and swoop in on Ms. Hoven while she¡¯s vulnerable. You are a master strategist.¡±

    William replied calmly. ¡°If you can¡¯t manage your ownpany and something happens, why should anyone else care?¡±

    Raising his eyes subtly but sharply, he added, ¡°Event were molved, it¡¯s simply to teach you a lesson¨Cnever cover what isn¡¯t meant to be yours.¡±

    Charles was no longer concerned whether <b>William </b>was asserting his dominance. <b>He </b>sat down, and his causal smile now tinged with restraint. ¡°So, you know about that incident?

    william slipped his coffee. He casually stated, ¡°Cloodex Corporation is under my authority now. As for matters between you <b>and </b>my father, did you think 1 wouldn¡¯t know?

    ¡°No wonder you ousted so many directors before. Charles squinted, themasked, ¡°What are your intentions? Do <b>you </b>want to rece your father and join us<b>, </b><b>or </b>draw a clear line between?¡±

    William didn¡¯t answer immediately. He nced toward the direction of the Hoven residence¡¯s bungalow, <b>his </b>jawline cool and handsome.

    ¡°I want Emelie,¡± he finally stated.

    Charles grinned. ¡°So, that¡¯s joining us, right? It looks like we¡¯ll be family from now on. Let¡¯s not be so tense with each other. Let¡¯s keep things cordial william looked directly at Charles. He repeated firmly, ¡°Emelle is mine. No one is to interfere.¡°¡±

    Charles pondered for a moment, then nodded

    Upon returning home, Greta immediately began preparing ingredients. She refused Emelie¡¯s help and managed everything with Adeline.

    Emelie resigned herself to picking vegetables nearby and casually asked, ¡°Mom, why did you say the caregiver was a bad person? Which caregiver was that? Greta¡¯s mind was sporadic at times, and now she seemed abit confused. She was unable to answer.

    Emelle brushed it odd as a casual question and didn¡¯t dwell on it too much.

    Later in the evening, Eliana and Billy arrived with Halley

    During dinner<b>, </b>Greta kept serving Emelie tood. By the end at the meal, Emelie was feeling quite full After dinner, she decided to talu a walk around town Even though Alderbookcouted itself as a tourist historic town, it remained rtively obscene. Even during festivals, there weren¡¯t many visitors around.

    As Emelie strolled, she found herself by the scenic <bke</b>. Thekeside was lit up with a circle of lights. It illuminated the water brightly, and a few pleasure boats cently glided across the surface

    Watching them, Emelie recalled that time when William had taken her out to dinner at Riverstone Bistro and then for a <b>boat </b>ride. He had said, ¡°I¡¯ll being my partner everywhere..¡±

    Chapter 376 1 Wart Emelie

    At that time, Emelie had dismissed his sweet talk without much thought.

    But now, in this moment of absent¨Cmindedness, a subtle pang of bittemesscrept up on ber.

    Emelie started at theke, a pleasure boat approaching from afar, growing clearer as it <b>neared</b>. The figure standing at the bow gradually merged with the person in

    Emelie¡¯s <b>eyes </b>widened.

 Chapter 377

    Chapter 377 Hide Me In Your Room

    I wa William, standing on the pleasure boat. He was wearing a ck suit <b>and </b><b>a </b><b>dark </b>red tie. He was like <b>a </b>gleam of light piercing through the night, hitting her <b>heart </b>like Cupid¡¯s arrow.

    Emelie didn¡¯t say a word.

    As the boat slowly approached the shore, William extended his hand to Emelie. He wanted her to hop on and to be together with him. However, Emelle <b>didn¡¯t</b>

    budge.

    Other than the time at the elevator, she had never run toward him ever again. He simply stood there, looking at him.

    william signaled the boatman to get closer <b>to </b>shore. When he was about 20 inches away, he suddenly jumped up to shore and stood right in front of EmelieContent (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    When Emelie saw him soddenly springing toward her, she instinctively wanted to take a step back<b>, </b><b>as </b>she was caught unprepared. However<b>, </b><b>he </b>caught her straight

    in his amis.

    willie was a man with broad shoulders and narrow waist and he also wore a ck coat. It looked like he was encasing her fully in <b>his </b>arms.

    Emelie jerked her face away when bercold face, being blown by the frigid winds, hit his warm chest. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you left?¡±

    She thought he <b>had </b>left town a long time ago,

    <b>William </b>looked down and said, ¡°Where else can I go? The two bars in tom are all full because of the holidays. I have nowhere else to go.¡±

    If he wanted something, he could find a ce to live, even if he <b>was </b>in a desert. Not to mention that Alderbrook wasn¡¯t that far from Eastbrook. He could always malia his way back to Eastbay.

    Was he insinuating that a two¨Cstorey mansion worth 50 million dors was not good enough for him?

    <b>Emelie </b>suspected that he was trying to milk her sympathy.

    William Milking sympathy.

    She felt surreal when the term was used together with his name.

    ¡°Let me go. Everybody knows everybody in this town.¡±

    William ced his chin on her head and said, ¡°Then why <b>don¡¯t </b>you sneak me back home and hide me in your room? No one will see us then.¡±

    Emelie thought she was going crazy. She was seduced by his sweet words <b>and </b>agreed to his ridiculous request without knowing the reason why.

    <b>Ena </b>and Billy went home after dinner because they had Hailey with them.

    Greta could no longer stay upte, so she went back to rest already. The housekeeper had also finished cleaning and returned to the housekeeper¡¯s room. Only Roman <b>was </b>still watching television.

    Emelle felt like she was a thiet in her own home as she hid under the shadows at the entrance

    William whispered into her ear, ¡°What should we do? We can¡¯t go in.¡±

    His warm breath brushed through her ear as Emelle could feel the numbing sensation in her body. She red at him as she parsed her lips

    william simply smiled faintly.

    Emelie quietly tripped the circuit breaker right outside the house.

    The entire house fell into darkness

    Roman <b>got </b>used to it already. Every time there was an overload <b>in </b>town, the circuit breaker would trip. He found the shlight easily <b>and </b>lit up the way.

    As he walked outside, he mumbled under his breath, Tourism, tourism, tourism. They can¡¯t even get <b>the </b>power right, and it overloads the moment <b>there¡¯s </b>a tem extra people in town. Who¡¯s even willing toe here<b>?</b>¡±

    Emelie crouched at the side. The moment Roman got out, she extended her hand behind her and grabbed William, dragging him inside.

    ¡°<b>Quickly</b>!¡± she whispered as she ran up the stains and headed straight for the attic.

    she was worried that she would be found out, but Wi was simply taking his time as he caught up to her in the darkness with a faint smile on his face.

    ¡°Ms. Hoven, it looks like you¡¯re picking up some bad habits too. You actually bringing a man back to your room for the night.¡±

    Emelie wanted to curse at him. He <b>was </b>the one that had shamelessly refused to leave,

    However, when William heard that the cuit breaker¡¯s cover had been opened, he increased his p

    spacing and dragged her up to the stairs swiftly.

    When the attic door closed at the <bst </b>second, Roman had reset the circuit breaker and lights once <b>again </b>filled the building.

    The Howens home was <b>a </b>bungalow and the second floor was actually the attic. The celling was quite low, standing only at five feet six inches high<b>. </b>Even Emelie had Tobend down, let alone someone like William who was around six fast two inches tall.

    He immediately pressed Emelie against the bed the moment he got into the attic, kissing her lips.

    Emelie made no sound.

    Herparts were right downstairs. The <b>danger </b>and embarrassment of being discovered made nelle dous the whole time. She wiggled as she tried to stop hi However, William knew Emelle much better than Emelie herself did. After a while, William deliberately asked, ¡°Shall we?

 Chapter 378

    Chapter 378 Love <b>and </b>Desire

    Emelle was getting angry out of embarassment as she growled, ¡°So, the reason <b>you </b>came looking formels forthis<b>?</b>

    A thought popped into her mind. She suddenly wondered to herself if this was a new trick of his

    He said that he was ¡°addicted to¡± sleeping with her in the past and forced her to stay with him. And now, he changed his stance and decided to be nice to herto make her stay? Was he deceiving her again?

    Emelie didn¡¯t want it anymore no matter what. She pushed him away, wanting to leave.

    Williamcaught her by her waist and said, ¡°Only when there is love will there be desire

    Emelie <b>had </b>goosebumps all over her as her eyes began to cover in <b>tears</b>. ¡°I never heard such logic. I thought you men are fine with just any woman

    ¡°Note I¡¯m picky. I want <b>only </b>you<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    Emelie mumbled, ¡°A man can say whatever he needs to get what he ultimately wants.¡±

    William looked at her eyes in the dark. ¡°Then I¡¯ll say it to you one more time when it¡¯s moming.¡±

    Emelie felt that she was being <b>illogical </b>tonight

    She illogically wanted to take him home. Her wavering heart illogically <b>wanted </b><b>to </b>believe his words. In the end, she illogically relented and agreed to have with him..

    Perhaps it was because he was standing at the bow of the pleasure boat. As he got closer to her following the flow of the <b>water</b>, she saw the light of the moon <b>shining </b>on him making him look dinamy. It <b>was </b><b>as </b>if the lunar light was making her tipsy too as she drowned in her dreams.

    The attic floor was made of wooden nks. When the bed moved, it produced sounds.

    Loan heard it from downstairs and walked over to the <b>staircase</b>, confused, ¡°Emelie? Are you there?¡±

    Emelia¡¯s body instantly tensed <b>up</b>

    Emelie covered her mouth, holding back her urge to make <b>a </b>sound. Her beating <b>heart </b>was thumping like a drum

    Roman walked up the stairs <b>and </b>saw the door <b>into </b>the attic was closed. ¡°You¡¯re back, Emelie?

    Emelie could hear the sounds of Roman climbing up the stairs. He started knocking on the door in the nest second as she foresaw while the <b>door </b>was already locked, Emelie <b>was </b>still scared that he would <b>open </b>the <b>door</b>. She was overwhelmed with <b>anxiety</b>. William chuckded softly ¡°Emelie. Won¡¯t you answer him? He mighte in and check on you.¡±

    Emelle¡¯s eyes widened<b>.</b>

    She quickly replied, ¡°Dad, There. I¡¯m in bed now.¡±

    is wing with Emelie. He acknowledged it and went downstairs, all the while mumbling, ¡°Why

    Luckily, Ronan was someone sloppy and didn¡¯t <b>realize </b>anything was didn¡¯t see youe in?¡±

    As Roman¡¯s footsteps faded away, Emelie gave William¡¯s back a in. Bastard!Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    William could see the tears in her eyes using the dim light from the roof window. Looking at how sad she was, he kissed <b>night </b>on top of her eyes. She turned her head away, but he simply picked her up from the bed

    After that, Ronan also switched off the light and went to bed. William used the nket to cover her and said, ¡°Don¡¯t hold back They can¡¯t hear anything.¡±

    In her drifting consciousness, she realized that she honestly didn¡¯t understand much about that <b>man</b>. He was far more egregious <b>than </b>she thought.

    when Emelie woke up the next moming, William¡¯s arm <b>was </b><b>all </b>around her waist. When he realized she was getting up, his arm coiled around her tighter. ¡°It¡¯s still early. det some more sleep¡±

    Emelle said <b>in </b>a soft tone, ¡°I¡¯m talding my mom to the hospital for her review¡±

    She was also getting <b>a </b>little nervous when she mentioned that ¡°When are <b>you </b>leaving?¡±

    William raised his eyes. He wasn¡¯tpletely awake <b>yet</b>, as his normally cold eyes seemed to have some weariness within them. ¡°I won¡¯t go. I¡¯ll wait for you toe <b>back</b>

    ¡°You should go soon. When there¡¯s no one at home, you can leave on your own. Remember to lock the door,¡± Emelie <b>said </b>and went downstairs to wash up. After she leir<b>, </b>Williams also sat up

    He swept back the hair on forehead and some flicked back, covering his eyes. However, the eyes behind the hair had recovered their spirit.

    He listened to the movements downstairs. Emelle and Greta left first after having their breakfast, <b>leaving </b>Ronan alone at home.

    Ronan had made an appointment with the traditional medicine practitioner to take the medicine in the moming. So, he left after a while too Willum got out of bed only when he heard the door being closed and headed downstairs.

    He didn¡¯t show any reservations at all and used the washroom Heaven found a single use toothbrush in the cab under the basin.

    Busan walked very slowly as one of his two legs had been injord Wilm found him on the streets very easily.

    Williams looked at the middle¨Caged man in front of him. He was slightly overweight <b>and </b>average looking. He was so typical that be wouldn¡¯t stand out in a crowd.

    Chapter 378 Love and Desire

    He didn¡¯t look like a man that could be the father of a woman like Emelie.

 Chapter 379

    Chapter 379 300 Million Dors

    Ronan identally stepped on <b>a </b>piece of protruding rock and stumbled, falling face first. However, William caught his arm in time and stopped him from falling.

    Roman instinctively <b>raised </b>his head and looked at the gentleman wearing a suit. He was stunned before he began to feel embarrassed and quicidy said, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    william said noftly, ¡°Wee.¡±

    Ronan smiled and confirmed ahead. William was also wallding by his side at a slow pace. From the looks of it, they ewere heading the same direction.

    Ron wasn¡¯t sure why, but he was feeling somewhat stressed. He asked, ¡°You came out of Park Lane too, didn¡¯t you<b>? </b>What a coincidence. My home¡¯s in Park LaneContent (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    ¡°Are you a rtive of one of my neighbors? I¡¯ve stayed here for some <b>years </b><b>now</b><b>, </b>but I¡¯ve never seen you around,¡±

    In a cold demeanor, <b>William </b>said, <b>¡°</b><b>I </b><b>can </b>tell you a name. im sure you¡¯ve heard of it.¡±

    ¡°<b>Is </b>that so? Why <b>don¡¯t </b>you tell me?¡± <b>Ronan said </b><b>as </b>he feigned interest. William also stopped, his tone icy as he <b>mentioned </b><b>a </b>name. ¡°Reggle Juste.¡±

    Ronan stopped dead in his trade.

    Willians continued. ¡°I want to talk to you about the 300 million dors.¡±

    If he was simply surprised after hearing Reggie¡¯s name, the color of his <b>face </b><b>quickly </b><b>drained </b><b>away </b>when he heard about the 300 million <b>dors</b>. His face was so pale that it could bepared to a dead man.

    300 million dors.

    Ronan stared <b>at </b>William in his suit and his cost. Looking at how prideful and stem he was, he reminded him a lot of that man many years ago.

    Alter so many years, they still sought him out..

    Ronan stepped back slowly, but he immediately fell to the <b>ground </b>this time. No one knew if the tripped over something, or his legs lost all their strength.

    Emelie called for <b>a </b>cab and <b>took </b>Greta to the hospital

    They had just got down from the cab when they saw Ashton waiting in <b>front </b>of the <b>hospital </b>entrance.

    Emelie was quite <b>surprised </b>¡°What a coincidence. Are you feeling unwell, Ms Jones?¡±

    Ashton smiled. ¡°It¡¯s not a coincidence at all I¡¯m <b>waiting </b><b>for </b>you.¡±

    without William around, they could then act like how old colleagues would. Emelle asked<b>, </b><b>¡°</b>For me?¡±

    Ashton nced at Greta and then came closer before whispering to Emelle, ¡°<b>ording </b>to Mr. Middleton, Sophie¡¯s team was the one thatpleted your mother¡¯s surgery. It will be best if they are the ones that perform the medical review <b>on </b>your mother<b>, </b>since they¡¯re the most familiar with your mother¡¯s physical conditions. That¡¯s why <b>we¡¯ve </b>asked Dr. Sophie¡¯s assistant to be here today.

    CU for three days after the surgery. Other than Dr. Sophie, she¡¯s the one that¡¯s the most <b>familiar</b>

    ¡°She¡¯s also the one that is responsible for your mother back in the ICU for three days with her condition.¡±

    The assistant was in Lables and William had arranged for her to fly over at least two days prior. However, he mentioned nothing <b>to </b>her, even until the moment she wake up this morning.

    Emelie <b>pursed </b>her lips.

    <ol>

    <li>s. Was <b>this </b><b>because </b>he didn¡¯t want her to feel that he wanted something from her after giving her a hand<b>?</b></li>

    </ol>

    With a silent sigh, she turned over to Ashton and said, ¡°Thank you for arranging this.¡±

    Ashton said it was okay and gestured to them to proceed ¡°Everything¡¯s <b>ready</b>. <b>Let¡¯s </b><b>go </b>to the 13th floor right now.¡±

    Emelie turned around and helped Creta up. Strangely, Creta was feeling a little nervous <b>as </b>soon as she had reached the hospital<b>.</b>

    ¡°Imelle<b>, </b>can we not do this? Let¡¯s go home. I have to make some jelly for you¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, mom. This is just a review. You don¡¯t have to stay in the <b>hospital</b>. We¡¯ll <b>head </b>back home as soon as we¡¯re done.¡±

    Normally, Cirera was someone very understanding. However, Emelie and Ashton both needed to console hertogether. They took a long time to calm her <b>down </b>before she was willing to enter the hospital, despite her shivering

    Emelie slightly frowned. Geeta <b>had </b>never been afraid of the hospital before <b>this</b>.

    The review was quite simple. She needed to have her blood drawn, then perform a CT scan for her heart. Greta sat on the bench after that, not being fully <b>present </b><b>at </b>the moment. Emelie apanied her, calming her down.

    Ashton bought two cups of hot milk for them. Emelle thanked her and gave one to Greta.

    Greta Immediately quafted the milk, shocking Emelle and Ashton. ¡°<b>You </b><b>can¡¯t </b>drink it yet, it¡¯s still <b>too </b>hot!¡±

    But they were still too slow and Greta was burned from the hot milk. Emelle quickly took out her wet wipes from her purse and wiped the drinket of her

    Greta <b>suddenly </b><b>said</b>, ¡°That caregiver. That caregiver is a wicked woman! That day, she suddenly cold me that your <b>dad </b>was fighting in the prison and that he would stay <b>in </b>prison for a very long time. That was why I had a heart attack<b>, </b><b>and </b>my heart stopped. It¡¯s all that caregiver¡¯s fault!¡±

    Imelle Immediately squatted down <b>in </b>front of her and asked, ¡°She told you that intentionally?¡±

    Emelie had told her thisst night, <b>but </b>she couldn¡¯t answerber. Finally, everything had fallen into ce <b>today</b>.

    <b>Orta </b>nodded. ¡°<b>That¡¯s </b>right. She did it intentionally. I know she did. She wanted <b>to </b>hurt mel She¡¯s a wicked woman!¡±

    Gr was only sick. She was <b>not </b>a tool. She was right. The reason the caregiver had told her about Ronan was so that she could get a reaction from her, triggering a

    Chapter 379 300 Million Dor

    heart attack.

    It was <b>so </b>that she could kill Greta.

    Emelie lovew that very few peoplesew about Ronan¡¯s fight in prison. So, how did the caregiver find out about it?

    Even if shenew about it, she was no enemy of Greta. There was no need for her to hurt Greta. Someone must have ordered her to do it. But who?

    Emelie was so angry that her body started shaking. Greta¡¯s heart had suddenly stopped at the <b>time</b><b>, </b><b>causing </b>her to be put on ECMO. She was forced to make a deal

    with William because there was no donor at the time. What transpired then almost lilled Greta and destroyed her

    She could still remember how cold the rain that day was.

    <b>So</b>, who <b>was </b>it? Who wanted to hurt her so much?

 Chapter 380

    Chapter 380 Her Again.

    Ashton beard everything that had happened as she stood beside Emelle.

    <b>she </b>believed she should inform Mr. Middleton about this, as she knew that he would help Emelie without a doubt. That was why she had to leave fir

    ¡°Ms. Hoven, take care of your mom. I¡¯ll investigate that caretaker.¡±

    Ashton possessed the resources and staff needed for the investigation, meaning she could do it by spending the least amount of time.

    Emelie didn¡¯t refuse. With <b>a </b>tense expression, she said, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Ashton was very efficient. She already found the caretaker even before Greta¡¯s report for her review came out and took the caretaker to the hospital immediately.

    At the corner of the hospital car park, four powerful and fierce bodyguardsered the caregiver. She had already tried to escape a few times, but the bodyguards. didn¡¯t even have to do much besides stand around. That was enough to scare her into not doing anything rash.

    The caregiver gulped as she asked, ¡°<b>Who</b>.. Who are you people? What are you up to? Kidnapping? That¡¯s breaking thew!¡±

    ¡°Do you know how thew works?¡±

    Emelle¡¯s voice suddenly rang out, and the caretaker turned to look at her. Her expression became one of shock

    How could it be?

    The caretaker was trying to hide her guilt as she said, ¡°What¡­ What <b>do </b>you want<b>? </b>Hitting me is considered assault, <b>and </b>you¡¯ll be breaking thew, too

    Emelie narrowed her eyes. ¡°So murder isn¡¯t breaking thew?¡±

    The caretaker yelled, ¡°I didn¡¯t kill anyonel

    Emelie smiled. ¡°If I didn¡¯t have any evidence, I wouldn¡¯t havee <b>for </b>you. The watch I gave my mother can record audio. It has recorded everything you <b>said </b>that day. If it isn¡¯t because 1 found out about it today, do you think you can hide for so long?¡±

    Recording?

    How could it be<b>?</b>

    The <b>caretaker </b>could feel her legs losing strength as her face turned pale. Emelie slowly approached her and the caretaker instinctively stepped back and finally had her <b>back </b>against the <b>wall</b>.

    ¡°You know my mom can¡¯t handle any stress with her condition, but you had still deliberately told her about the right my dad <b>had</b>. That caused her to have a heart attack, and it almost killed her. What is <b>this</b>, if not murder?¡±

    The caretaker became nervous. ¡°<b>No</b>, I didn¡¯t¡­¡±

    Emelle then said stemly, ¡°You personally said it, so you can¡¯t even defend yourself in count. You¡¯re going to spend the rest of your days in prison.¡±

    At that moment, the caretaker finally gave up and fell to her knees in front of Emelie. ¡°<b>No</b>¡­ I don¡¯t want to go to prison. Ms. Hoven, please spare me. I beg you, <b>please </b>have mercy!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m giving you a chance. I know there¡¯s no grudges between you and my mom, meaning <b>that </b>you wouldn¡¯t hurt her willingly. Someone ordered you to do it,¡± Emelie said <b>as </b>she crouched in front of her

    She didn¡¯t <b>want </b>the <b>caretaker</b>. She <b>wanted </b>to know who the <b>person </b>pulling the strings was. That person was the teal murdecer.

    ¡°Tell me who that <b>person </b>is, or I¡¯ll call the cops right now. You wouldn¡¯t want to spend the new year in a prison cell, right?

    No, she didn¡¯t want to be in a prison cell. The caretaker didn¡¯t have the courage to lide it anymore. ¡°It¡¯s a woman.¡±

    ¡°ExinContent (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    ¦§

    ¡°I met her in the hospital. She knew I was taking care of your mother, so she offered me some money and told me to inform her about everything rted to your mother. I didn¡¯t think it was anything important, so I agreed to it.

    ¡°But that <b>day</b>, she told me your father was fighting in the prison and ordered me to tell your mother <b>about </b>it. I said it would cause your mother to have a heart attack, but she said she would pay me 500 thousand dors.. I¡¯ve never seen so much money in my whole life¡­¡±

    The <b>caretaker </b>had been persuaded into doing it. She was willing to take the risk since it <b>was </b><b>just </b>saying a few words. It would never be traced <b>back </b>to her even if something happened. The payout was more than worth it.

    Emelle tried to control her anger as she asked, ¡°<b>What </b>is her name<b>?¡±</b>

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. She never <b>told </b>me and I didn¡¯t have the courage <b>to </b>askher. But she looked quite young. She¡¯s probably in her 105.¡±

    A young woman in her 205¡­

    Emelie¡¯s mind was quickly processing the information when she suddenly remembered that she had met Daphne at this hospital.

    Daphne had been in a car ident at the <b>time</b><b>, </b><b>and </b>her legs had been injured. She <b>had </b>met Daphne when she was <b>in </b><b>a </b>wheelchair. Emelle even had a very unfriendly conversation with Daphne¡¯s mother at the time.

    Emelle took out her mobile and started searching. She eventually found a picture of Daphne and showed it to the caretaker. ¡°Is this the woman?¡±

    When Ashdon saw Daphne¡¯s picture, she knew that something wasn¡¯t right.

    The caretaker quickly nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s her!¡±

    Barlie checkled, ti really washer.

    Exnation

 Chapter 381

    Chapter 381 Demanding an Exnation

    Emelle held her phone tightly. Her rage had calmed now that she knew who was behind this. ¡°<b>What </b>else did you do? conless.¡±

    The caretaker quickly raised trembling hands in her defense. ¡°I <b>did </b>nothing else. I <b>swear</b>¡±

    Ashton¡¯s phone rang at this time and she picked it up<b>. </b>¡°Oluy. <b>Sure</b>. Understood.¡±

    She quickly took a step forward and helped Emelle up. ¡°Ms. Hoven, I¡¯ll report this to Mr. Middleton. He will take care of this.¡±

    Ashton regretted having a hand in this. If she knew Daphne would be part of this, she wouldn¡¯t have taken it upon herself to investigate this for Emelie. Did she cause more harm than good?

    ¡°Let¡¯s. Let¡¯s go back to your mother. The doctor <b>said </b>the report is <b>ready</b>, <b>but </b>there¡¯s something wrong.¡±

    Emelie shut her eyes for a moment before standing up. ¡°Sme:¡±

    Ashton looked at the caretaker with some reservation. ¡°Should we¡­

    ¡°Let her go.¡±

    What else could she do? They couldn¡¯t do anything to her on their ownL

    <b>Emelle </b>never had an audio <b>recording</b>. It was all alle.

    Despite knowing that the caretaker had almost killed her mother<b>, </b>she knew that there was nothing she could do.

    And the more she realized how powerless <b>she </b><b>was</b><b>, </b>the deeperher resentment grew toward the woman behind this.

    Emelie tumed to the doctor¡¯s office<b>. </b><b>Ashton </b><b>wanted </b>to go in with her, but after giving it some thought, she decided to stay outside. She gave William a call to report the incident.

    The assistant spolu in Astechese<b>, </b><b>a </bnguage that Emelie understood

    In short, the surgery wash the cause of Greta reacting slowly. The real reason was that her brain wascking oxygen before the surgery, causing <b>her </b>to fall unconscious and injury to the brain cells.

    Emelie didn¡¯t know when that had happened <b>nor </b>did Eliana tell her about <b>it</b>, but she couldn¡¯t help but suspect that the caretaker had done something again.

    Emelie was a woman who tried to avoid conflict but wouldn¡¯t shy away from defending herself when threatened. At the time<b>, </b>she had nothing <b>to </b>do with William and wasn¡¯t in Daphne¡¯s way at all. However, Daphne plotted against her again and again, and she even tried to get her killed.

    Did people think she was that vulnerable?

    Ashton could see that Emelie looked perturbed. ¡°Calm down, Ms. Hoven. I¡¯ve already reported everything back to Mr. Middleton. He¡¯ll give you an exnation.¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t need William to give her anything.

    She would demand an exnation <b>from </b>Daphne herself!

    She gave Eliana <b>a </b>call and asked her to take Opet back to town while she was going to take <b>a </b>cab to Daphne¡¯s home.

    She left the hospital hastily, her eyes cold. Emelie¡¯s racial appearance already <b>had </b><b>a </b>colderplexion, but now she looked like an assassin on a <b>mission </b>in the middle of winter.

    She had just got off the stairs when a car stopped right in front of her. Emelle stopped <b>and </b>saw Lyle¡¯s face through the car window.N?velDrama.Org owns this.

    Emelie wanted to walk around him, but Lyle reversed his car and blocked her <b>again</b>.

    Emelle wasn¡¯t in <b>the </b>mood to deal with him. So, she asked him, while her temper was building up, ¡°What is it, Mr. Inning?¡±

    Lyle was simply passing by. But he tumed around when he saw her bolt out of the hospital as if she was marching to war. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re in a rush. V happened?¡±

    Emelie wasn¡¯t feeling up to <b>it </b>and simply said, ¡°Move. You¡¯re in my way.¡±

    Lyle gave her a roguish smile. ¡°Someone¡¯s having a bad day,¡±

    He then set his arm on the car window and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t I already apologize to you about what happened? <b>You¡¯re </b>still holding a grudge?!

    Emelie smiled coldly. ¡°If I <b>p </b>you right now and apologize afterward, can you pretend nothing happened?¡±

    Lyle nonchntly extended his head out of the window and said, <b>¡°</b>Sure. Stap <b>me </b>if you <b>want</b>. You don¡¯t even have to apologize.¡±

    Emelle thought he was going crazy again and wanted to leave. However, Lyle immediately grabbed her arm. ¡°Ms. Hoven¡­¡±

    Emelie smacked his hand away.

    Lyle but his lips. He got back into his car and unlocked the door. ¡°Get in. I¡¯ll drop you off.¡±

    What

    <b>Emelie </b>wanted to take <b>her </b>rage out on Daphne <b>and </b>she couldn¡¯t walt. Looking at the app on her phone, she was still in a queue. About <b>30 </b>people were waiting in line.

    She took a deep breath and pulled open the door into the backseat. ¡°I won¡¯t say no if you¡¯re offering to be my driver. Redwood Gardens. Step on it,¡± ¡°Redwood Garden? That sounds familiar, Lyle <b>said </b>as he started the car. Then he remembered. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Will¡¯s property? Why are you going there?¡±

    Late suurted and teased her, ¡°Of course, honored guest. I¡¯ll drive you there now

    Emelie headed straight into the

 Chapter 382

    Chapter 382 It¡¯s Over

    They weren¡¯t that far away and arrived at the entrance of Redwood Gardens pretty quickly. After getting out of the car, neighborhooil

    Lyle was sure that she was really marching off to war and trailed after her without hesitation

    Emelie ignord him and beelined toward Daphne¡¯s home,

    However, all she saw in front of her home was William

    Emelie had a bad feeling about that and barged into the building immediately, Daphne¡¯s home was already empty.

    She was trying him best to control the rising fury within her as she got out and looked at William. ¡°Where William then <b>said</b>, ¡°Slu was not here in the first ce.<b>¡±</b>

    care you hiding her<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>

    ¡°she isn¡¯t here? Then wing are you here? melic didn¡¯t believe a word he said.

    Ashton tell him everything, and he knew that she woulde loolding for Daphne. That was why he sent Daphne away before her arrival!

    Willian frowned <b>and </b>said, ¡°Emelie, this is a ¡®he said, she said situation. What the caretaker said isn¡¯t necessarily the truth. If she could be bought the first time, she can be bought a second time.¡®

    ¡°Are you saying that someone bibed the caretaker to frame Daphine? Emelle asked before nodding, ¡°Good. Then pray tell, Mr. Middleton. Who bribed her? And why did the person want to frame Dapline

    All William could <b>do </b>was state at was the filgid wind howled. Emelie smirked and <b>said</b>, ¡°You don¡¯t know, do you?

    Hertone suddenly turned savage. ¡°That¡¯s because Daphne is the one that did it!¡±

    you know how many times she¡¯s tried to screw me over? From framing me to stealing the heart that was meant <b>for </b>my mother, from ruining my reputation online to all the other things she did.. I¡¯m not the one who won¡¯t leave her alone, but she¡¯s the one who keeps antagonizing me

    ¡°I have no more patience for <b>this</b>, William <b>will </b>you give her to me?¡±

    William bir his lips. He approached her to hold her hand, as if he wanted to discuss this properly with her

    Emelle sew what he was thinking and pulled her hand away before he could touch her.

    She didn¡¯t scream, nor did she pursue the matter. She only had one thing to say, ¡°Fine. Don¡¯te looking for me ever again.¡±

    William could feel <b>a </b>chill in his spine, and he wanted <b>to </b>stop Emelie when she simply turned <b>and </b>left. ¡°Emelle, we¡¯ve worked so hard. Are we going to <b>give </b>it a because of this?¡±

    ¡°you¡¯ve <b>made </b><b>a </b>mistake somewhere, Mr. Middleton. Inever, ever wanted to restart our rtionship. Our separation is a question of when, not if,¡± <b>Emelie </b>said as she freed herself from his grasp and walled away,

    There <b>was </b>a deep scowl on William¡¯s expression as he <b>gave </b>Lyle an icy ze.

    Lyle raised his hands in the air and said, ¡°I saw her walking on the streets in a rush, so I decided to drive her. I swear I didn¡¯t know that she was here to see s Bowen.¡±

    William¡¯s tone was filled with a trigid fury. ¡°That better be the da.¡±

    He took out a cigarette and lit it up. After just one huff, be felt his throat dry and sting. He extinguished it and gave chase.

    However, Emelie had already gotten into a cab and left.

    Emelie leaned back in her seat, feeling her strength drain away. It had been such a long time since she had tasted heartache. <b>What </b><b>a </b>joke. To think that she expected William to step up in the short few days she was here. All that did was give him the chance to hurt her again.

    He had never changed. The person who had always been most important to him had always been Daphne. He could hurt her again and again, just for Daphne.

    It was to the point that Emelie was bing curious about why William liked that cruel, two¨Cfaced woman. Was he <b>a </b><b>fool</b><b>? </b>She refused to believe that he couldn¡¯t tell what Daphne was truly like under that mask

    Whatever. Lucidly, she never <b>really </b>agreed to give him ¡°another <b>chance</b>¡°. Everything was over before she invested too much of her love.

    She couldn¡¯t make the same mistake twice.

    Emelle returned to her home in Alderbrook Greta was tired after being out for <b>a </b>whole day, and Rowan was nowhere to be seen. The housekeeper <b>was </b>busy preparing dinner and asked Emelie if she wanted anything.

    Anything¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t prepare too much,<b>¡± </b>Emelle said <b>as </b>she forced a smile before heading upstairs, exhausted..This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    She pushed open the door into the attic and <b>looked </b><b>at </b>the messy bed. She remembered the time she spentst night with William,

    A wise man once said everything was temporary and nothing was permanent.

    That was so true.

    It was time to wake up.

    Emelle closed her eyes and shut the door. She was going to change her bedsheets when a <b>pair </b><b>of </b>arms suddenly started stroking <b>her</b>.

    Emelle almost cried out for help, <b>but </b>she froze and was taken by surprise. But very quickly, she could smell the familiar scent of snow The man¡¯s voice was raspy. ¡°Are you really guing to end things with me, <b>my </b>angel?¡±

 Chapter 383

    Chapter 383 Worthy of Being Comforted

    Emelle immediately got out of William¡¯s embrace. She nced d

    d down the <b>staircase </b>and asked in a whisper, ¡°It¡¯s the middle of the day. How did you get in here!

    William¡¯s eyes looked down a little and asked, ¡°Are you trying to say that <b>I </b>should havee at night?¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t want to satisfy his humor <b>and </b>cut himoti. ¡°I¡¯ve reserved a <b>high</b>¨Cspeed rail ticket heading back to Westontonight. I¡¯m packing and you¡¯re in my way.

    ¡°Bryan hasn¡¯t told you to go back to work yet, correct?¡± william sat down and grabbed her <b>hand</b>. ¡°Stay for a few more <b>days</b>.¡±

    Emelie said, ¡°Even if I don¡¯t have to go back to work, please get out of my sight.¡±

    Behind William was the porch¡¯s window. Itis figure was illuminated by the light streaming from behind him, and he didn¡¯t feel <b>as </b><b>invasive </b>any. He raised his head and spoke in a softerion, ¡°This is thest time. You don¡¯t have to worry about her ever again.¡±

    By ¡°her¡°, he meant Daphne.

    Emelle knew he wasforting her.

    She never thought that she deserved to beforted.

    Compared to everything <b>that </b>had happened in the past, he was really treating her much better.

    He helped her, apanied her, and protected her. It was as if he really liked her. However, despite how well he treated her, she couldn¡¯t ept his plea to give bis another chance¡°.

    <b>Why</b>?

    That was because everything that had happened <b>in </b>the past continued to haunt her. Every time she fell deeper in <b>love </b>with him, her <b>past </b>would remind her of the price of falling in love by causing her heartache.

    How <b>William </b>protected Daphne this time immediately made her relive <b>the </b>nightmares of the past, and she could hardly bear the painN?velDrama.Org owns this.

    Emelie then asked, ¡°can you guarantee you won¡¯t appear in front of me again

    William caught her wrist tightly, his eyes deep. ¡°Most you put it that way?¨C

    ¡°It¡¯s just a few <b>words</b>. If you think that¡¯s too much, why don¡¯t <b>you </b>wear my shoes and think about what Daphne did? I¡¯m not even trying to be harsh,¡± Emelle said with indifferent smile and pulled her hand away.

    shouldn¡¯t have said that. It we¡¯re switching positions, you shouldn¡¯t be in my shoes. You should be in Daphne¡¯s shoes¡±

    William frowned. ¡°You don¡¯t want to be with me anymore because of this?¡±

    Emelie then said, ¡°Wrong. I have never liked you <b>since </b>the very beginning.¡±

    williamchuckled, but it was less than genine. ¡°Was I just a friend with benefits?

    ¡°¡°Well, you did treat to as one for three years. Meanwhile, I¡¯ve only used you three times That¡¯s far lessparatively. Not to mention you¡¯re the one that started it every time, not me.¡±

    Emelie paused before emphasizing it once more. ¡°Your

    started it every time after we separated.¡±

    In the end, William left,

    The mancared for nothing when he was having <b>a </b>temper. He had already gone downstairs before she <b>could </b>even distract the housekeeper

    just as she thought, he <b>ran </b>into the housekeeper almost immediately. She was in shock and asked, ¡°<b>Who </b>are you?¡°!

    Emelie quicldy went downstairs and saw William ignoring the housekeeper. She let out a sigh and said, ¡°He¡¯s a friend. I brought him hese just now.¡±

    ¡°When? Why didn¡¯t I see him earlier?¡±

    You were in the kitchen, so you missed him.¡±

    ¡°I see. Your boyfriend? <b>Up </b>into the artic?¡± the housekeeper asked curiously

    Emelie said, ¡°He¡¯s just a friend. He¡¯ll be leaving after awhile. Don¡¯t make things up and tell my parents.¡°

    The housekeeper gave her an understanding smile and said, ¡°understand.¡±

    Emelie wasn¡¯t in the mood to think about what she was thinking.

    Meanwhile, Greta was feeling machbetter after a short nap. She then prepared to <b>make </b><b>a </b>big batch of jelly so Emelie could bring it back to Weston and put it in the hidge. She could eat the jelly whenever she wanted.

    a did it like she did it in the past. She grabbed a stool and sat by the door, teaching her how to make the jelly step¨Cby¨Cstep as she prepared the ingredients.

    *I¡¯m not going to learn this because all I need is you. You¡¯re going to make jelly for me forever,¡± Emelie said as she moved her chair closer to dieta. She then held <b>teta </b>by heran and rested her head on her shoulder.

    She listened to her mother¡¯s gentle voice as the night wind blew, Emelie couldn¡¯t help but sniff and closed her eyes to keep the tears from flowing

    ¡°Moin, you have to stay with metareve,¡± shemumbled.

    While she always felt that she had no one to depend on, she had a ce to retum to as long as her mother was around. She had a ce to stumto when the was

    ther mother was gone, then she really had on ce to go.

    Chapter 383 Worthy of Being Converted

    2/2

    <b>Ronan </b>only came home when it was almost time for dinner. He was very quiet and didn¡¯t touch most of the things in his ce.

    He only approached Emelie from behind when she was at the door with her luggage, ready <b>to </b>leave. He took her luggage from her and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. You can walk In front of me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine on my own. The driver is just waiting by the entrance.¡± Emelle was <b>worried </b>that he would stumble and fall because of his leg and it was already dark.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll give you a hand,¡± Roman said <b>and </b>led the way, leaving Envelle with little choice but to follow him.

    The path was only about 30 feet long. Ronan walked very slowly while Emelle <b>used </b>the <b>sh </b>light on her phone to light up the rough surface.

    Suddenly, he said, ¡°Emelle, 1 know you¡¯re not close to me because of what happened all those years ago. However, I¡¯m still very happy that you¡¯re willing to return to our home.¡°!

 Chapter 384

    Chapter 384 He Treated Her Well Enough

    Emelie was stummed <b>for </b><b>a </b>moment <b>and </b>said softly, ¡°It¡¯s all in the post. It¡¯s not that I dislike you, It¡¯s just that daughters aren¡¯t close with their dads when they grow up. It¡¯s verymon¡±

    I proted you

    It seemed like Roman didn¡¯t hear what she said and continued to mutter, ¡°but don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t hurt you again. They¡¯re here again, <b>but </b>I swear

    I swear I¡¯ll pro this time. Even if it ensis me my life.¡±

    Emelie stopped, feeling that something was off about what he said. She frowned and asked, ¡°What are you talking about, Dad?¡±

    Ronan simply shook his head and <b>said</b>, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll deal with it.¡±

    He would clean things up properly.

    Once they reached the end of thene, the cab was already waiting there.

    konan listed her luggage into the trunk.

    Emelie remembered something and said, ¡°Dad, while that <b>traditional </b>medicine practitioner treated you, he¡¯s a bit strange. Thaven¡¯t found out anything about his background yet. Don¡¯t go to him again if it isn¡¯t really necessary.¡±

    Emelie got into the cab and it sent her to the railroad station. Then, she boarded the high<b>¨C</b>speed train that was bound for Weston.

    As she sat in her seat, the surrounding silence was deafening. She couldn¡¯t calm down at all, so she took out her phone and gave Ashley a WhatsApp <b>call</b>. She wanted to ask if she could legally sur Daphine for what she did.

    The result was just as Emelie had expected.

    to be your witness. Your chances are too slim and the

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be very difficult. You have no proof. It¡¯s a difficult case to win, even if the caretaker is willing to court won¡¯t side with you.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Which meant that she couldn¡¯t do anything to Daphne

    Not to <b>mention </b>that Daphne had already escaped.

    Emelie sighed and heard Ashley say, ¡°Stop sighing. I still have some good news <b>for </b>you. I¡¯ve already collected enough evidence of Elene¡¯s wrongdoings. It should be enough to get her convicted,¡±

    That was good news indeed.

    Emelie massaged the bridge of her nose and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s so nice to have a friend who¡¯s a professional to work for me even <b>during </b>her holidays. I¡¯ll take you out for a meal tomorrow as <b>a </b>reward for working overtime.¡±

    ¡°Probably not tomorrow I just left the hotel <b>and </b>am heading to the airport. One of the pieces of evidence is located in Greenhill City <b>and </b>I have to make sure it

    Emelie looked at the time. It was almost 10 pm, which meant she was rushing for thest flight. ¡°We¡¯re not in a rush, so you can take the flight tomorrow, maybe? You¡¯re going to arrive in the wee <b>hours </b>and it isn¡¯t safe.¡°¡®

    ¡°This is nothing. I have to take flights in the middle of the night all the time. This_¡±

    Suddenly, there was a piercing screaming <b>from </b>Ashley¡¯s side,

    Emelie was shocked and immediately sat up <b>straight</b>. ¡°Ashley? Ashley! Aor you alright?!¡±

    Emelle held her phone rightly by her ear <b>and </b>she could hear the sound of something screeching. It sounded like the sound of a phone dropping and scraping against

    Ashley didn¡¯t answer Emelie, but Emelie could still hear something. <b>¡°</b>You¡¯re breaking thew!¡±

    She was sure that Ashley was in trouble, and she immediately called 911. ¡°Hello? Police? Something bad is happening in front of the Weston Craton Hotel! Please send help immediately!¡±

    Emelie was very sharp. She was sure something had happened to Ashley, She had just left the hotel when two men on a motorcycle tried to grab her briefcase as they zoomed <b>past </b>her.

    Inside the briefcase was the evidence she had collected, and Ashley had tried to protect it. But she was no match for two <b>men</b>, especially when they took her by Purprise and were on a motorcycle.

    ling her into a momentary daze.

    Not only did they steal her briefcase, she was dragged to the ground and her bead mmed into the step, sending

    Luckily, the police came on time and sent her to the hospital she was also wearing much thicker winter clothing, so her injuries were <b>all </b>quite minor. However<b>, </b>because she hit her bead on the step, she had to stay in the hospital for observation for <b>a </b>night, just in case anyplications arose

    Ashley was half asleep In her ward when she suddenly felt someone touching her <b>forehead</b>.

    was somewhat alert because she had just been attacked. She opened her eyes and saw Elias sitting by her <b>bed</b><b>.</b>

    Ashley asked, ¡°Why are you here<b>?</b>¡±

    ¡°I heard that your briefcase was stolen. I took the earliest fight over,¡± <b>Elias </b>said with <b>a </b>dark expression.

    ¡°Is this because of the case between Ms. Hoven and the Allen family? Forget about her. She doesn¡¯t own you. Why are you putting your life at risk for her?¡± ¡°If <b>you </b>have nothing nice to say, then <b>shut </b>it.¡± <b>Ashley </b>pushed his hand away and <b>sat </b><b>up</b>

    ¡°In <b>a </b>professional capacity, she¡¯s my client. <b>It¡¯s </b>normal for me to <b>work </b>on her case. Informally, Emelie¡¯s my friend. I should help her when she¡¯s in trouble.¡± When Es saw how sick <b>and </b>tied Ashley was, all he thought was those were not good excuses.

    Chapter 385 He treated Hier Well Crouch

    ry that

    ¡°She does not deserve your help. Look at how will is treating her. She got into a fight with him again because she keeps getting into trouble. Will is so angry she has fired Ms. Jones. He only has two secretaries left, and he¡¯s going to get even luister now. He is going to get burnt out eventually.¡±

 Chapter 385

    Chapter 385 Listen to Your Husband

    Ashley paused for a moment and said, ¡°He fired Ms. Jones just because she found the caretaker for Emelle and the caretaker gave up Daphne?

    Her smile became icy. ¡°If he¡¯s so protective of Daphne, why did he bother mending his rtionship with Emeke? Who¡¯s the one at fault here?¡±

    ¡°Fine, fine Since birds of a feather flock together, I¡¯m also requesting you not to pick up Ms. Hoven¡¯s case now that I¡¯m unhappy, Ehas said as he removed his shoes and climbed

    into the bed.

    The hospital bed was already quite small. After he climbed in, Ashley was constrained into a tight space thanks to him and she couldn¡¯t <b>even </b>wiggle. She gave him a cold look and immediately kicked him off the bed<b>.</b>

    Elias didn¡¯t crash into the ground and fell on his knee thanks to his agility, but his dignity still took a hit after being kicked off a bed by a woma

    He frowned. It was the first time that he said her full name in anger, ¡°Ashley Thornton!¡±

    Without a change in her expression, she said, ¡°You¡¯re in no position to decide for me¡±

    Es smiled coldly. ¡°Oh? Are you getting ahead of yourself after the others sing your praises as the top trialwyer on the East Coast? If I wanted, you¡¯ll¡­..¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll what?¡± Ashley was simply being nonchnt earlier, but now her expression had turnedpletely <b>frigid</b>. ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±

    ¡°IL.in to your parents in front of their graves, saying that you¡¯re not wife material. Normally, wives listen to their husbands, but you don¡¯t.¡± He changed his tone at thest moment and stopped being so stern. He once again got closer to her.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Honey, did you ask if you could have right now? I¡¯ve never done it in a hospital.¡±

    He tried to kiss her neck, but Ashley pinched his chin

    She studied this man that she basically watched over since he was a kid. He looked much more handsome and maturepared to when he was a boy. However, she also couldn¡¯t understand his thoughts anymore.

    ¡°Es, I know why your mom agrees with you marrying me. I needed you at the time as well, so we¡¯re only taking what we need from each other. It¡¯s best if we continue our lives with this understanding in mind. If you try to interfere with my matters and ignore this understanding between us, will choose to end this marriage.¡±

    Elias looked at her eyes closely for a moment. He then said in azy tone, ¡°Fine, I¡¯m the one that¡¯s being nosy, Go to bed. I¡¯ll stay here with you

    Ashley B

    Elias simply sat by her bed. When he could feel that she was sound asleep, only then did he get closer and kiss her face while mumbling in a low <b>voice</b>, ¡°Twill never let our marriage

    end.¡±

    <b>The </b>doctor came to look at Ashley the next day, and she was certified to be healthy. She was then discharged and returned to the hotel.

    Emelie immediately visited her and asked her about her injuries. She felt better once she knew she was fine

    <b>They </b>didn¡¯t have to guess to know that the <b>ones </b>behind the stealing of the evidence were the Allens.

    However, Ashley gave her a wink. Tm not the only one that¡¯s safe. The evidence is safe, too<b>.</b>¡±

    Emelle opened her eyes wide as she looked at Ashley, who was rarely this yful. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it taken?¡±

    Ashley smiled faintly. ¡°I never put all my eggs in one basket when I¡¯m dealing with important cases. The ones on my person were photocopies. The genuine documents are all locked inside asale and I won¡¯t take them out before court is in session.¡±

    Emelie was impressed by how careful she was. However, she also suggested to her. ¡°They¡¯ll notice that those are just photocoples very soon. They might sneak into your room to find them, so not even the safe is secured enough. Store it at the bank. I doubt they¡¯ll be brave enough to rob the bank.¡±

    The Allens realized that those were photocopies quickly, and they also made their next moves. However, it wasn¡¯t to rob the bank. Instead, they asked to meet with Free immediately.

 Chapter 386

    Chapter 386 This is cknall

    The meeting did not take ce through a phone call. The Allens wanted to set up a face¨Cto¨Cface meeting through Bryan.

    Ashley suppested that she not attend it. ¡°If you <b>insist </b>on suing them, then it¡¯s best not to <b>have </b><b>any </b>interaction with them before court is in session.<b>¡±</b>

    Emelie smiled dryly. ¡°They know I won¡¯t meet them. That¡¯s why they asked Mr. Swanson to be the middleman.¡±

    She <b>wasn¡¯t </b>worried about them trying to findopenings in her statements. She <b>had </b>been lead secretary for a few years <b>and </b>she was very familiar with verbal tricks.

    That was why Emetic <b>agreed </b>to the meeting. <b>Ashley </b>would be there with her. She was <b>also </b>the one who selected Lovelight to be the meeting ce.

    Before they entered the club, Ashley received a call from the police station. Her face darkened after the call. ¡°The Allens have posted bad for Elena<b>¡±</b>

    ¡°On what grounds?¡± Emelle¡¯s expression turned bitter. There was enough <b>proof </b>that Elena was the one that set her up. How could she be allowed to post bail?

    ¡°Because they produced a medical report stating that Elena has severe depression, proving that the <b>holding </b>cell is not good for her wellbeing. That¡¯s why the police agreed with the bail and ced her under house arrest.¡±

    Depression, was it?

    They didn¡¯t post bail before or after they met. It was a show of force from the Allens just before the meeting.

    Emelie raised her head and gave Lovelight¡¯s logo a look before she walked into the chib.

    Jeremiah and Lindsey were already waiting in the private room. They didn¡¯t bother standing up to greet Emelie and Ashley. Instead, hatred burned in Lindsey¡¯s eyes when she looked at Emelle

    She med Emelle for causing her beloved daughter to go through all that

    Emelie had just sat down when Lindsay said in an arrogant tone, ¡°Let¡¯s get straight to the point, Ms. Hoven, How much money do you want for a settlement?

    Once she signed the settlement agreement, Elena could ask for a lighter sentence.

    on rent. We can offer you 500 thousand.¡±

    Emelie leaned back into the chair and asked across the cound table, ¡°How much are you willing to pay for the settlement? Jeremiah calmly said, ¡°I heard that when you <b>first </b>joined Swanson Corporation, you stayed in a hotel so you could save on goo thousand again, huh?

    Emelle couldn¡¯t help but smile. However, it was not one of joy. It was one of spite,

    Daphine¡¯s 500 thousand dors was enough to bribe scaretaker to kill her mother. The Allens 500 thousand dors was enough to erase all the worries that she had back then. She didn¡¯t refuse and simply said, ¡°Thanks to your daughter framing me, I was locked up for a whole day and it almost put me on record¡±

    Lindsey roared at her, ¡°Elena <b>has </b>already been inside the detention center for three whole days!¡±

    ¡°She deserves it for framing me,¡± Emelie sneered<b>, </b>causing Lindsey to almost m the table and stand up in rage.

    Jeremiah raised his voice and said, ¡°One million dors!¡±

    Emelie¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. ¡°She faked her suicide, shaped public opinion against me, and then leaked my personal information. This directly caused me <b>to </b>receive a malicious package.¡±

    ¡°Two million dors!¡±

    Emelie¡¯s smile widened. ¡°If it was not for the two people she hired not being able to stand the interrogation of the police, I would have been sentenced to imprisonment for a minimum of three <b>to </b>ten years.¡±

    ¡°Three million dors,¡± Jeremiah said as he straightened his back, using the table as a support. He stared right at Emelie. ¡°Three million dors is enough, so don¡¯t push it¡± Emelie continued and stated a fact this time. You were willing to spend 50 milion dors to bribe William, but all I get is three million dors.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying you want 50 million dors?¡± Jeremiah asked as he narrowed his eyes. ¡°Yourwyer is here. What you¡¯re doing right now is ckmaill

    Ashley nced at Emelle only to see thetter slowly say, ¡°Oh, I see. I¡¯ll tell you this once and only once. I won¡¯t settle even if you¡¯re willing to give me 50 million dors.¡±

    Jeremiah was stunned <b>for </b>a few seconds <b>and </b>could not maintain hisposure as he stood up. ¡°You won¡¯t sign a settlement agreement? Then why are we even negotiating? Are you taking us <b>for </b>a ride?¡±

    ¡°I only asked about <b>your </b>offer from the very beginning and then stated what Elena had done to me. I never said <b>that </b>I would settle, did?¡±Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    Jeremiah was a reputable man in the business world and had the presence <b>to </b>match, but Emelie had met many people in her life who were from all walks of life. She wasn¡¯t intimidated at all

    She simply gave him a calm nce and said, ¡°Mr. Allen, I believe that this might be a good opportunity for Elena. This will teach her she can¡¯t do whatever she wants just because someone has her back, at the very least¡±

    Ashley noticed something.

    Ashley could tell from her speech that she was letting out her anger on Elena. The anger <b>that </b>she couldton Daphne, who William was protecting despite her wrongdoings She couldn¡¯t do anything to Daphne<b>, </b>but that didn¡¯t mean she <b>had </b>to spare Elena

    Chapter 337 Lock My Way

 Chapter 387

    Chapter 387 Look My Way

    Emelie calmly said, ¡°I believe that after this, she will think twice before doing anything so that she won¡¯t get into even worse trouble.¡±

    Lindsey walked around the table and almost grabbed Emelie. ¡°You have no right to speak about my daughter! Think this through! If my daughter <b>really </b>goes to prison, we¡¯ll never Borghe you!¡±

    Ashley quickly stopped Lindsey and said in a stem voice, ¡°Are you threatening my ellent, Mrs. Allen?¡±

    ¡°We are simply straightening things out so that you both know what¡¯sing! Ms. Hoven, you didn¡¯t suffer any permanent harm, anyway. Isn¡¯t it better for you to just take the money and renam to your everyday hire? Why are you taking this so far?¡±

    Jeremiah smiled icily and said, ¡°You already mentioned how your information was already leaked to the inte. Netizens can sometimes act quite extremely, don¡¯t you think? I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want you and your family to live in fear forever?¡±

    Emelle knew that was a warning. She stood up and said, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t.¡±

    Lindsey then said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you try us<b>?</b>

    However, what came after her words was a man¡¯s crisp voke. ¡°Very well. I¡¯m interested to see if you would, too<b>.</b>¡±

    Emelie couldn¡¯t help but purse her lips.

    As soon as William appeared, both Jeremiah and Lindsey¡¯s faces instantly turned pale despite their aggression carber.

    They had taken time to investigate and make sure that William was in Capebatt City. Why was he in Weston suddenly?

    William scanned their faces and asked, ¡°What are you up to?¡±This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    With William there, they weren¡¯t bold enough to attempt anything

    Lindsey couldn¡¯t hold her tongue and <b>said</b>, ¡°Elena has loved you for almost ten

    ten years, William. She spent all her youth on you, but you choose to hurt her for another woman in return? Did you ever think about how <b>painful </b>this is for her?¡±

    William found her statement interesting as he smiled, which made him look even more dashing. ¡°She loved me for ten years, so I must love her in return? Must I reciprocate her love? There are so many people in this world who love me. Should I reciprocate each and every one of them?

    ¡°The only word I can use to describe such <b>a </b>self¨Cfulfilling love is ¡®cheap¡®. And it just so happens that I don¡¯t like cheap things.¡±

    Not only did the words entage Jeremiah and Lindsey, they also affected Emelie equally

    For the past three years, she had also been in a one¨Csided rtionship with him. Was that a self¨Cfulfilling love as well?

    So that was how William saw her in those three years.

    No wonder he could ignore her feelings even now, just for Daphine¡¯s sake

    She was already branded as cheap. That <b>was </b>why he was so used to ignoring her.

    Not only was she metaphorically pped in the face, Emelie could feel her face getting physically warm. In reality, however, her face was getting pale.

    In the end, <b>Jeremiah </b>and Lindsey left in a rage. Ashley gave it a thought and felt that <b>Emelie </b>and William needed to have a private moment. She said to Emelie, ¡°I¡¯ll go get the car.¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t talk to William and simply said, ¡°1¡® go with you.¡±

    When she walked past William, he grabbed her by the arm.

    He wasn¡¯t as aloofpared to when the Allens were present. He lowered his <b>head </b>and <b>said</b>, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about their threats. I won¡¯t let them touch you¡± Emelie didn¡¯t even look at him as she pulled her arm free. ¡°Thew and the police won¡¯t let them touch me either¡±

    It was very rare for someone to talk back to William like that.

    Ashley scratched her nose and excused herself.

    The person outside also closed the door, leaving only the two of them inside the room

    Emelie didn¡¯t try to get free after being caught. She simply looked in the direction of the entrance, her eyes filled with calm. William was still using a soothing tone as <b>he </b><b>said</b>, ¡°Won¡¯t you <b>look </b>my way, angel?¡±

    TH

 Chapter 388

    Chapter 388 William¡¯s Silent Rage

    Emelie moved her attention to Wim and said with little emotion in her tone, ¡°How can The worthy enough to look at you when <b>I¡¯m </b><b>so </b>¡°cheap¡±

    He was a smartman, however, <b>and </b>he instantly knew what happened. While he used his words to silence eremiah and Lindsey, he had hurt her, too.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean you,¡± he said in a softer voice. ¡°Can¡¯t you see that you are the apple of my eye right now!

    Emelie <b>used </b>his own words against <b>him</b>. ¡°There are so many people in this world that love me. Should I reciprocate each and every one of them?¡±

    William choked up.

    Good

    He was helping her<b>, </b>yet she used it against him. It was very rare for William to be in <b>so </b>much rage that he couldn¡¯t speak.

    He took a deep breath. He was just about to say something when he heard someone pping yfully outside the door.

    The door wasn¡¯tpletely closed, and someone pushed the door open. Charles was trying his best to <b>regain </b><b>his </bposure afterughing so hard.

    ¡°That¡¯s true! That¡¯s so true, Ms. Hoven! There are many people <b>who </b>love <b>you</b><b>, </b>just the me. But unlike him, you know I don¡¯t ask for anything in return for my love for you. You shoulde with me cather than him.<b>¡±</b>

    Emelie cared little about whom she would hurt ¡°Most I choose between you two

    She said ¡°you two¡°. How could charles bepared to him?

    William then said in a cold tone, ¡°Mr. Davis, your uncle and aunt <b>have </b>just left. Aren¡¯t you going to see them off?¡±

    Charles responded <b>in </b><b>a </b><b>nonchnt </b>manner. ¡°They have <b>a </b>driver, so there¡¯s no need <b>to </b>see them off. Long time no see, Ms. Hoven. Shall I send you home?¡±

    Wilsam¡¯s tone was harsh, ¡°Even if she¡¯s not leaving with me, her friend is waiting outside for her. You are not needed here.¡±

    Charles took it one step at a time, ¡°You mein Ms. Thomten? 1 saw her husband pick her up. They left in <b>the </b><b>same </b><b>car</b>. Something <b>urgent</b>, I¡¯m sure.¡±

    Ashley had already lett, it meant that either Emelle had to leave with Charles or William would take her away by force.

    She chose the best option out of the two poor options.

    She <b>willed </b>toward <b>Charles </b>without reservation.

    William immediately grabbed her arm, his voice tense, ¡°You¡¯re leaving with him?¡±

    Emelle turned around, her eyes fixed on him. ¡°Are you saying that I have no right to decide on who I can leave with?¡±

    The moment she said that, both of them remembered another <b>simr </b>phrase.

    On the corporate cruise<b>, </b>he took her rtionship with Samuel the wrong way and the two had a fight. She asked him if he had the right to choose who to give her to, so why didn¡¯t she have the right to choose who to sleep with?

    At the time he said yes, she <b>had </b>no such right.

    He <b>had </b>treated herpletely as his tool

    He wounded her <b>so </b><b>deeply </b>that time. When William remembered that moment, even he could feel himself go numb. He sighed and let her a go.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡±This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    Hedidn¡¯t mean that now. He also didn¡¯t mean it at the time

    Erelle <b>was </b>taken aback for a moment, but she still left in the end.

    Once Emmelie got into Charles¡¯s car, he was in such a good mood that he hummed a song ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve ever <b>seen </b><b>William </b>suffer a setback. This is worth driving back from Calmerest overnight.¡±

    When Emelie turned, she could see a sh of disappointment deep within William¡¯s <b>e</b>

    Tre, she had stood by him for three years. He had always been a man of confidence. She had never seen him in such a state.

    But he was <b>only </b>experiencing it a few times. Comparatively, she had to experience the same disappointment almost every day for those three years

    Charles produced a bottle of water and <b>handed </b>it to Emelle after opening it for her. ¡°Your lips are dry.¡±

    Lemon tea had been on the table at Lovelight, but she was in no <b>mood </b>to drink after facing Jeremiah and Lindsey

    ¡°Thanks.¡± Emelle grabbed it and took <b>a </b>drink. While it was room temperature, she could still feel the cold slither into her stomach because it was winter.

    ¡°Do you know just how cunning Williams is? He did something to mypany <b>behind </b>my back and I was forced to return to deal with it. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have abandoned you when I heard that something so serious had happened to you,¡± <b>Charles </b>said <b>as </b>he drove

    ¡°I came back as soon as I finished dealing withpany business.¡±

    So hispany was in trouble. No wonder <b>she </b>didn¡¯t see him for <b>quite </b>a while.

    But¡­ Even if he couldn¡¯t help personally, he could have sent a trusted secretary or assistant to help her if the really wanted to help her. At worst, he could have sent her a text of called her. <b>He </b><b>didn¡¯t </b>have to disappearpletely.

    They were not in the olden times when they had to depend on couriers on horses to keep in touch with each other. If she wore <b>to </b>be trank, he wasn¡¯t treating her with much insportance, eller

    elle korw that, of course. However, she didn¡¯t expose him right away. They were both <b>adults </b>and there was no need to reveal everything, so she simply said to him politebe, ¡® Thank you for thinking of me

    And then, she said, ¡°<b>You </b>can simply drop me at the hotel.¡±

 Chapter 389

    Chapter 389 William¡¯s Silent Rage

    ¡°Let¡¯s have something to eat first. I¡¯ve made a reservation at a restaurant.¡±

    Emelie was quite hungry, so she didn¡¯t refuse.

    <b>However</b>, when they had just arrived at the restaurant, they saw William make a beeline for them.

    Emelie lowered her head and looked at the menu.

    Charles gave him an indifferent smile. ¡°Have you been following us, Mr. Middleton?¡±

    Chapter 189 Envelle the Heartbreaker

    ¡°Do you own this testimant, Mr. Davis? If you can be here, so can L, William said as he pulled the chair and sat down right next to Emelie

    Emelie¡¯s finger that was flipping through the men Tro

    Charles Hodded. ¡°Of course you can. But why do you want to sit with us?¡±

    William looked at Emelle¡¯s face from the side and said, ¡°The restaurant¡¯s full ¡±

    What a tant lie. There were plenty of empty tables. But before Charles <b>could </b>even say that, the bodyguards that were in the shadows tasked with William¡¯s protection Immediately came in and took the seats at the empty tables in pairs. All the once¨Cempty tables were instantly taken

    charles¡¯s mouth was left hanging..

    <b>He </b>had no choice but to burn it around. ¡°Even if there are no empty seats, you should ask if we <b>mind </b>sharing a table with you, right? We¡¯re here as a couple, like <b>a </b>date, and you¡¯re really affecting the mood.¡±

    William kept on staring at Emelle and asked, ¡°You¡¯re a couple? with him?¡±

    Emelie¡¯s eyes trembled and <b>she </b><b>said </b>nothing.

    Charles sorted. ¡°She didn¡¯t refuse, which I¡¯m taking <b>means </b>yes. Then¡¯s your answer,¡±

    Buring the New Year hollidays

    ¡°If we go by Mr. <b>Davis¡¯s </b>ridiculous theory ¡°William said and leaned back. ¡°Am I your boyfriend? Have we not been staying together

    r every night during theExclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.

    Emelie never thought <b>that </b>he could say something like that out loud in public,

    i means you acknowledge it. You were with <b>me </b>during the New Year¡¯s holidays, but now you¡¯re someone else¡¯s girlfriend William asked.

    ¡°If you won¡¯t deny it, that means

    <b>¡°</b><b>You </b>heartbreaker.¡±

    Emelecould only stare in silence,

    Had he lost his mind?

    Emelle was both embarrassed and angry. She knew he was forcing her to speak with him, but she refused.

    she stood up <b>and </b>wanted to leave, but William stopped her by blocking her way. She red at him angrily.

    Charles¡¯s hand reached across the table and held Emelle¡¯s hand¡± anyone needs to leave, it¡¯s him. My galtid has lost her appetite the moment you appeared here, Mr.

    William imately rosced at him, ¡°Do you still value your <b>hand</b>? How could he touch her?

    Charles instinctively let go.

    There was no expression on William¡¯s face. <b>¡°</b>That¡¯s because the restaurant you picked <b>in¡¯t </b>up to par. She never said no <b>to </b>the meals I brought to <b>her</b><b>.</b>¡±

    He had quite the sharp tongue.

    Charles couldn¡¯t think <b>of </b><b>a </beback even after a long while.

    Emelie was finally willing to speak to him, but her first words to him were, ¡°The reason I don¡¯t have an appetite has nothing to do with this restaurant. If you won¡¯t leave them please <b>move </b>aside and let me leave.¡±

    William raised his head and looked at her. He knew she was angry, but she didn¡¯t expect her to be <b>this </b>angry

    it was already past afternoon. If she didn¡¯t eat anything, she <b>was </b>going to have <b>stomach </b>issues again due to how delicate she <b>was</b>

    William lowered his eyes and stood up after a pause.

    Then he left.

    Elle gritted her teeth.

    Charlesughed. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you I managed to score so many wins against William today. Victory feels great! That man has been so arrogant, and it¡¯s finally his turn to be taken down a peg or two.¡±

    Emelle had no response i

    to that.

    She looked out from the ss <b>window</b>. William was wearing <b>a </b><b>long </b>ck coat and had his hands in his pockets. He stood there at the entrance alone.

    Suddenly, petals of white started to descend from the sky. Not petals, snowkes. It was snowing

    I rarely snowed in Weston. She didn¡¯t expect <b>the </b><b>first </b>snow of the year toe so abruptly.

    Wim raised <b>his </b>head to look at the snow. Emele could see <b>the </b>snowkes falling on him. They were white and trail, <b>and </b>made <b>him </b>look lonely and vulnerable.

    Emelie looked away as the waiter served the appetizer. It was pumpkin soup with bacon. They added block beans to it, saying that it was a South Ridge recipe. She ate a spoonful. It tasted bitter.

    Emelie didn¡¯t know when William had left. She wasn¡¯t paying attention at all when she was having her meal.

    Charles looked at her before saying in a much more serious one, <b>¡°</b><b>Ms. </b>Hoven, Elena has been too reckless and she deserves this lesson. That¡¯s why I <b>didn¡¯t </b>bail her out until after three <b>days </b><b>in </b>the detention center. She¡¯s still in <b>a </b><b>dare </b>right now and <b>looks </b>exhausted

    ¡°I believe that should be enough for her

    Emlekow what he wanted to say.

    ¡°she¡¯s myesusin ultimately, and she¡¯s Unele Jeremiah <b>and </b>Aunt Lindsey¡¯s only <b>daughter</b>. We can¡¯t beat to see her go to prison. About the settlement, is there really no coem for Charley¡¯s tune was quite sincere anche added, Lean increase the offer ten million dors.¡±

 Chapter 390

    Chapter 390 Picked on Her

    Emelie said nothing.

    Charles paused for a little and asked her in a gender tone, ¡°Are you angry?¡±¡±

    Not exactly

    Emelie had been waiting for Charles to ask her about this.

    She knew he would eventually make the request

    Elena was his cousin, and they had a good rtionship. It would be strange if he didn¡¯t help <b>her </b>instead.

    Emelie chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m <b>just </b>thinking that there¡¯s such <b>a </b>difference between the offers. Trom 500 <b>thousand </b>dors to ten million dors.¡±

    That was 20 foldThis content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    Charles chuckled. ¡°I know you asked my uncle about the 50 million dors.¡±

    He was being honest as he continued, ¡°That <b>50 </b>million dors won¡¯t for Mr. Middleton <b>himself</b>, it was for their future son¨Cinw. My uncle and aunt want a marriage between their family and the Middleton family.

    ¡°If that works out, then the money will be an <b>asset </b>shared between husband and wife. That 50 million dors was <b>not </b>a payment, but an investment¡±

    Emelie <b>finally </b>realized what was happening

    If William really took that 50 million dors, <b>it </b>meant that she was only worth that much to William. Not only would they be able to act against Emelie with little imponity, I could even have achance to stay with Wim

    It was killing two birds with one stone.

    Charles poured a cup of lemon tea for her and <b>said</b>. ¡°They love Elena a lot of Elena really goes to petson, they will act against you with all abandon. I¡¯m not threatening you<b>, </b>of course. I¡¯ll stop them if rever find out they¡¯re nning something

    ¡°I don¡¯t want <b>to </b><b>admit </b>it, but William will most likely help you as well. But don¡¯t think you¡¯ll ever be safe. No one can be on their guard forever. ¡°You¡¯ll have to return to your normal life eventually <b>and </b>you can¡¯t stay at home or be surrounded by multiple bodyguards all the time.¡±

    Emelle listened to him quietly<b>, </b>not reacting to anything he was saying.

    ¦¥¦°

    ¡°There are going to be moments where you¡¯ll be <b>alone</b><b>, </b>and they¡¯ll wtually get through to you. In if not in mortal danger, it won¡¯t do you any good if you suffer any sort of injury.

    ¡°What I¡¯m trying to say is, rather than make enemies, why not make peace?!

    Despite Charles always acting like an unruly, shameless man, from the way he told her about how rtionships were important in the world of adults, she knew he was also a clear -headed strategist

    What he said made sense.

    He was even being very considerate. ¡°We <b>can </b>even have the transfer notarized<b>, </b><b>saying </b>that I¡¯m giving it to you with my own free will. I won¡¯t expose you to the danger of being

    for ckmailing, with you taking <b>a </b>step back, William¡¯s protection, and my warning, the Allens won¡¯t ever touch you <b>again</b>.

    ¡°We can end it all. What do you think<b>?</b>¡±

    Emele said slowly, ¡°I believe that you¡¯re being sincere by telling me all this, but allow me to reuse.¡±

    Charles was stormed. He didn¡¯t expect her to reject it with no hint of hesitation:

    Emelie asked him with a frown and in a very confused tone, ¡°I¡¯m the victim. I don¡¯t understand why I can¡¯t find the justice that¡¯s owed to me through the justice <b>system</b>. All wot is fair judgment. How is this my fat?

    Charles then said, ¡°You¡¯re not at fault, it¡¯s just¡­¡±

    ¡°refuse to settle because it¡¯s not my fault 1 won¡¯t ept it, no matter how much money you offer me,¡± Emelie <b>said</b><b>, </b>making sure that she said every single word clearly. ¡°All I want is justice.¡±

    Her toe wasn¡¯t threatening and she wasn¡¯t out of control, but every <b>single </b>word she uttered was filled with strength. There was no room for negotiation

    Charles could see the decisiveness in her eyes. He shrugged and didn¡¯t force it. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to speak <b>to </b><b>my </b>uncle and at about you!¡±

    However, Emelie knew he was just being polite. She wouldn¡¯t force him to choose between her and his family either.

    At the <b>end </b>of the day, everyone had their own biases. They would lean toward the ones that they cared for and loved the most.

    The other side meant little<b>.</b>

    Charles picked up <b>a </b>call something urgent seemed to <b>have </b>happened. He apologized for not being able to send her back to the hotel.

    Enele cared little and politely <b>said</b>, <b>¡°</b>Goodbye¡±

    After seeing him off, she walked back to the hotel.

    It wasn¡¯t too far.

    streets. She could feel her weight crushing the snow a

    The road that wasyered with ck bricks was covered with a thinyer of snow as the first snow of the year fell span the <b>str </b>she walked on it, and she <b>could </b>also feel the scent of frost in the air.

    Emelie¡¯s hands were in <b>her </b>pockets as she deliberately stepped on the snow with her head hung low.

    She liked to step on the snow as a form of y since she was little. No matter how bad her mood was<b>, </b>she would always feel much better after that.

    She walked past the same patch of snow under the streetlight again and again until the snow waspletely gone,

    However, the malized she was still unhappy this time around

    She shipped and looked at the shadow by her feet that had been ¡°cut¡± into a million pieces.

    500 thousand dors, three million dors, ten million dors¡­ The Allens simply wanted to get rid of her using money. They never wanted to apologize. A happened, they didn¡¯t even say sorry.

    Look my way, my angel Look at me¡­

    Despite looking like he loved her, William still protected Daphne in the end. When he noticed that she was going to confront Daphne, he instantly sent her

    His feelings and desires for her were made up.

    They were all fake.

    All those bastards did was pick on her.

 Chapter 391

    Chapter 391 Picked On

    wasn¡¯t long after Emelle rehomed to the hotel that Ashleycalled her. When she found out that Emelie was in her room<b>, </b><b>she </b>immediately came over.

    Ashley was also staying at the same hotel

    After she got into the room, she pulled away <b>her </b>scart and revealed her face. Then, she apologized. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Enclic. Ehas told me something urgent came up, set with him without telling you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You¡¯re done with whatever you were doing?

    There was a ward silence.

    How was <b>Ashley </b>supposed to tell her that the so¨Ccalled urgent matter that Els mentioned was it being the best <b>time </b>to get pregnant during the year? He then dragged her back

    into the hotel <b>and</b>

    She pped himatter they were done.

    There was a red handprint on the <b>man¡¯s </b>fair and handsome face, but it somehow made him look even more dashing. <b>He </b>didn¡¯t mind it and simply it <b>up </b>a cigarette, and surrounded by thewisps of smoke.

    Ismiled

    He <b>then </b>said, ¡°Memom asked a fortune teller to look at the dates. He said that if we were to have sex at this time, getting <b>pregnant </b>with one baby would be <b>the </b>typical result of we¡¯re lucky, we might have sins.¡±

    Elias was not a man that would obey his mother¡¯s verymand. He didn¡¯t do everything his mother told him to.

    The reason was that Ashley had abandoned him and drowned herself in work every day despiteing to <b>Weston</b>. He was getting bored alone, so he decided <b>to </b>mess around with her instead

    He was only in his early twenties, so he could get ridiculous at times.

    Ashley took a deep breath and decided not to disall too long on that ¡°We¡¯re done. I think 1 sow Charles when left.¡±

    nr, and her nose had gotten a litle red

    Emelie was sitting at the edge of the long couch by the armrest with a mug in her <b>hand </b>she had been in the snow for too long. ¡°Yeah, he offered me ten million dors, hoping <b>that </b>i would show mercy to his cousin.¡±

    Ashley frowned and asked, ¡°What did you think about that?

    ¡°Irched him.¡±

    Ashley became somewhat hesitant. Emelle noticed it too and asked, ¡°Are you also going to suggest that ept the settlement?¡±

    Ashley was very honest about it. ¡°From thew¡¯s perspective, the evidence we have is mough to easily beat them in court, it won¡¯t be a problem to get Elena into prison for one lo three years¡±

    Normally, a sentence like <b>this </b>would end with a big ¡°bur¡°.

    Ashley sighed, just as Emelie thought she world. ¡°But Elena <b>was </b>hurting herself, so the court would take a holistic view of the entire matter. First, no one suffered any actual injures Second, it <b>has </b><b>a </b>small negative impact on society atrge

    ¡°Thewyer the Allens employed is also very good. It¡¯s possible that she will be given <b>a </b>suspended sentence instead?

    Which meant that she didn¡¯t have to go to prison.

    For example, if she were given a suspended sentence of two years, it meant that as long as she didn¡¯tmit any crimes within those years, her sentence would be over after two years.

    In other words, Elma would probably get no punishment in the end.

    Emelie thought she could at least make Elena stay in prison for a few years. In the end, she probably didn¡¯t even have to spend a day there

    The result waspletely out of her expectations

    She found everything quiteughable

    Ashley looked at how disappointed she was and <b>knew </b>that she herself had made mistakes as well

    she had only been thinking about winning. Every time she talked to Emelie about the case, she would guarantee that she would win. The act was that she would win, but she forgot to sell Emelie about the sentencing after they won

    She once again <b>said</b>, ¡°From the perspective of maximizing profitability, I suggest you take the money and settle.¡±

    El looked at her in disappointment.

    Jeremiah and Lindsay said the same thing Charles too. <b>Now</b>, Ashley made the same conclusion. In the end, Emelie was the one at fault for not taking a step <b>back</b>, Emelie said she needed to think about it and Ashley left.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.

    She curled upon the couch. She was still a bit cold even after putting on <b>a </b>sweater,

    The jacket was on the other couch, but she was in no mood to pick it up and simply let herself feel cold.

    <b>She </b>took her phone andposed a message before sending it to Moria to ask for her opinion

    Mona hesitated and said, ¡°Maybe. Negotiate with them again? Ask for 15 million dolls? If you want to stay in Weston and work, you can use this money to buy a <b>small </b>house and hrve your parents move in with you. That way, you <b>don¡¯t </b>have to worry about your mother so much<b>.</b>¡±

    Emelie wanted to sob. Of course, she knew that her best choice was in settle.

    ¡°but I can¡¯t ept this. I <b>just </b>can¡¯t

    Mona had lived with Emelie for the longest, so she her better than anyone else. She knew Emelie had be <b>obsessed </b>with something not that important

    Thanks to <b>William¡¯s </b>protection <b>and </b><b>a </bck of evidence, she couldn¡¯t have her revenge nor <b>demand </b>justice over Daphne.

    Chapter 391 Picked On

    Meanwhile, she had enough proof to get Elena and she <b>could </b>go to court soon, but she still couldn¡¯t exact her vengeance and have her justice.

    Did she deserve to be picked on like this?

    Emelie didn¡¯t know <b>when </b>she had fallen asleep on the couch.

    She could feel something on top of her. With a frown, she opened her eyes, her mind still foggy.

    When William saw that she was awake, he immediately put his weight on her.

    Before Emelie could even react to what was happening, he already started his assault.

 Chapter 392

    <b>Chapter </b><b>392 </b><b>I </b>Want <b>to </b>Sleep

    <b>Emelie¡¯s </b>first reaction was <b>to </b>push <b>him </b>away!

    <b>Her </b>second reaction was questioning the heat his body was generating.

    When she ced her palm on his chest<b>, </b>she could feel the heat despite the clothing he was wearing.

    Meanwhile, William sat back without any resistance after being pushed away.

    The living room¡¯s light was still on, and William¡¯s usual fair and handsome face was a little flushed.

    The hair on his forehead was also hanging down and covered his eyes<b>, </b>making him look less aggressive than usual.

    Emelie pursed her lips. The feeling from the kiss he left on her lips had not disappeared, and her expression darkened.

    She <b>forgot </b>William had the key card for her room.

    <b>¡°</b><b>Why </b>are you here<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>

    When she remembered how everyone told her the same thing tonight, she asked in an icy voice, ¡°Are you here to ask me to settle with Elena too? The current price tag is 10 million. How much are you willing to add on top of this?¡±

    <b>Another </b>5 million?

    Unlikely. <b>For </b>someone as rich as William, he would double it.

    Emelie formed <b>a </b>smile. If he really told her that, then she would¡­

    Before she could even finish the thought in her mind, William raised his head and looked at her with hazy eyes. So much so that it stopped her frompleting her thoughts.

    He also changed the topic and said, ¡°I¡¯m having a fever, angel.¡±

    Emelie couldn¡¯t say anything in that instance as her throat tightened.

    Her mind was still hazy, and she had probably not fully woken up yet. Otherwise, why would she imagine William as a stray dog?

    The kind <b>of </b>stray dog that would run over to humans with its ears flopped down, asking for the humans to adopt and love it.

    There was a moment <b>of </b>strange silence.

    Emelie remembered the moment she saw him standing in the snow. She could feel her chest bing stuffy, so she turned her head away.

    ¡°A fever¡­ Then you should ask Ms. Jones to take you to the hospital and get you a doctor. Why are you here with me? I¡¯m not a doctor.¡±

    William then stated a fact. ¡°Last time when I was sick, you¡¯re the one that took care of me.¡±

    Emelie looked at him with wide eyes, her emotions almost overflowing through them.

    William was physically very well built. During the three years she worked for him, she had only seen him sick once.

    He had overseen an important acquisition case at the time. They had to work overtime for more than a month. He drank a little too much at the banquet to celebrate the sess of

    the acquisition. After suddenly rxing after being stressed for a long time, he ended up having a fever of 102 degrees Fahrenheit after he woke up from his sleep.

    However, he had been living in a very pampered manner since he was a child. He refused to stay in the hospital because of its ¡°crude¡± environment. Not even the private hospital¡¯s VIP room satisfied him. He stayed in Eastbay and the doctor had to make a house call.

    Meanwhile, Emelie spent a whole week taking care of him.

    It was one of the rare few days in those three years that nothing happened between them at night, despite spending time together in Eastbay.

    Emelie could still remember it until this moment. William was so mild¨Cmannered when he was sick. He would take his medicine and sleep when told to.

    He was also very clingy and always wanted to hold her. He also wanted her to always be somewhere in his sight.

    They had been so intimate. Even she had the feeling that maybe some of his true feelings had finally leaked out. Did he like her too?

    She wasn¡¯t the only one. Even the doctor thought that they were husband and wife. He would call him Mr. Middleton and call her Mrs. Middleton.

    She was stunned for a moment and wanted to correct them, but William nodded and said, ¡°Sure, I understand. I¡¯ll pay more attention.¡±

    He didn¡¯t correct the doctor¡¯s mistake and even quietly epted it.

    <b>After </b>the doctor left, he would lean against the headboard on his bed and repeat dryly, ¡°Mrs. Middleton? Could you please pour me a ss of water, Mrs. Middleton?¡±

    When he called her Mrs. Middleton, she could sense the mischief within. Both of them knew it was a joke, but she had to admit it. Thanks to those two words, she quietly fell for

    him.

    <b>If </b>she were to look back at those three years<b>, </b>it wasn¡¯t filled with only terrible memories. Warmth and tenderness also existed back then.

    Everything finally ground to a halt with Daphne¡¯s appearance. Then, everything fell apart to the point that she couldn¡¯t recognize it anymore.

    When she remembered her, Emelie¡¯s mind instantly became clear again.

    It was <b>so </b>cold that she had goosebumps.

    She caressed her own legs and said, ¡°Did I? I don¡¯t remember anymore<b>. </b>So, the reason you came looking for me is because you want my help to dial 911?¡±

    She ignored him and his eyes started to droop some more.

    <b>¡°</b><b>You </b>wanted to leave with Charles, so I let you leave with him. You wanted to get rid of me because of him, and so I left too. I¡¯m sick. Why are you still so cruel <b>to </b>me?<b>¡± </b>Emelie looked at him in disbelief. ¡°William, do you even know what <b>you¡¯re </b>talking about?¡±

    Or was he getting <b>so </b>sick that he couldn¡¯t think straight anymore?

    He called her ¡°Mrs. Middleton<b>¡± </bst time when he was sick. Was he <b>trying </b><b>to </b>gain her sympathy this time because he was sick?

    Otherwise, this wasn¡¯t something that someone as prideful as William would do.

    Chapter 392 I Want to Sleep

    2/2

    Emelie felt that his high fever might have finally gotten to him.

    <b>¡°</b>Don¡¯t y this game with me! If you don¡¯t want me to get an ambnce for you, then leave. Also, give me back my key card! If you enter my room without my permission again, I¡¯m going to call the cops!¡±

    With a hoarse voice, he said, ¡°Angel, I have a headache.¡±

    ¡°I told you to find a doctor!¡±

    However, William acted like he was really sick. ¡°Angel. I want to sleep.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this.

    ¡°Go back to your room and sleep!¡±

    William took her hand.

    ¡°Angel, I want to sleep with you.¡±

 Chapter 393

    <b>Chapter </b><b>393 </b>Trust <b>Me</b>

    William had a strong heart, his hands always warm as blood was pumping through the veins. He was like a zing furnace right now. The warmth followed his veins and climbed right into Emelie¡¯s hand.

    William called for her the fourth time. ¡°You¡¯re still angry, angel?¡±

    <b>Emelie </b>snickered in anger<b>. </b>He had done nothing and already expected her <b>to </b>cool off.

    She wanted to pull her hand back, but William refused. The two of them were tugging each other quietly to the point that Emelie was getting annoyed. She eventually gathered enough strength and pulled her hand back.

    William felt like a failure when he couldn¡¯t hold her. He felt his eyes getting heavier, and he was almost on the verge of falling asleep.

    Even his breath carried the heat from inside of him when he spoke. ¡°Daphne wasn¡¯t the one that bribed the caretaker. She didn¡¯t have that much courage. Trust me, angel.¡±

    Emelie thought he was just arguing for Daphne¡¯s sake.N?velDrama.Org owns this.

    If it wasn¡¯t Daphne, who was it?

    He had to give her a suspect.

    The reason Emelie left Capebatt City in a hurry despite not having to go to work was because she was avoiding him. She didn¡¯t expect to pursue her all the way to Weston. She was unhappy and annoyed. She immediately asked him to leave, saying, ¡°It¡¯s not right for an unmarried man and woman to be in the same room. Shouldn¡¯t you leave, Mr. Middleton?¡±

    However, William¡¯s tone became a little cold. He had begged her, sucked up to her, and even exined to her so many times. Yet, she refused to give up on her stance. ¡°Exin to me, then. How is this not right? You never felt that it was not right when you slept with me in the attic while your parents were sleeping downstairs. We¡¯re now in a hotel room, so what do you mean by it not being right?¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t expect that he would bring that up and immediately grabbed a pillow and threw it at him. ¡°You bastard! Get out! Leave my room right now!¡±

    William stood up and gave her an indifferent nce.

    Then, he headed straight to the door.

    But he had only taken two steps when his tall figure stumbled and fell in front of her as he was passing by the couch.

    Emelie instinctively caught him, but he also fell right on her, pinning her back to the couch.

    The angle was just right. Emelie instantly understood that William did it intentionally. She yelled in embarrassment, ¡°Get up, William!¡±

    However, as Emelie tried to push William away as his burning body was right on top of her, she could feel the dampness of his clothes.

    He was getting a fever because he didn¡¯t change his clothes in time after walking under the snow?

    What did that have to do with her?

    Emelie shoved him aside. ¡°William!¡±

    William¡¯s entire weight was ced on Emelie as he buried his head by her neck. His breath on her skin was heavy and burning.

    This time, he had really fallen unconscious and was not moving at all.

    Emelie spent a lot of energy crawling out under him. However, he was fully unconscious as his eyes were fully shut.

    She was so tired that she stared at him for a few seconds before finding her phone and dialed 911.

    The ambnce arrived after a short 15 minutes. They transferred William to a stretcher and the paramedic who came with the ambnce requested that his family follow them.

    Emelie said coldly, ¡°I¡¯m not family.¡±

    ¡°Not family? Then what is he doing in your room?¡±

    ¡°He was dizzy because of his fever and went to the wrong room. Either way, I don¡¯t know him.¡± Emelie found her purse and counted out a thousand dors. ¡°It¡¯s just a fever and a cold. This money should be enough for the initial treatment. If this isn¡¯t enough, get more from him when he wakes up.¡±

    She was tired and annoyed, and said, ¡°Please leave soon. I want to rest.¡±

    The paramedics felt that something was strange. But since she said they were unrted, they had no authority to force her to follow them to the hospital. They had no choice but <b>to </b>carry William away for now.

    Emelie closed the door, leaning right against it as she let out a long sigh.

    She still felt unwell throughout the whole ordeal.

    She grabbed her clothes and went into the bedroom to take a shower.

    She even washed her hair.

    While she was using the hair blower to dry her hair, she heard something making some noise outside.

    She turned off the hair blower and paid attention, but there was only silence.

    Perhaps she misheard it.

    Emelie continued to dry her hair. When she was done, she was shocked to see that someone lying on her bed.

    <b>It </b>was William who escaped from the ambnce.

    He had already removed his jacket and sweater and threw them on the ground while hey on her bed.

    It was the first time that Emelie realized that he could be so problematic when he was being clingy. She walked over angrily. ¡°Why don¡¯t <b>you </b>y dead again, William?¡±

    William opened her eyes. He really was having a fever<b>, </b>as <b>even </b>his voice was already <b>very </b>weak. But even then, he still threatened her, ¡°Try to throw me out again. I dare you¡± Emelie <b>felt </b>short of breath. This was the real William, torturing her with his despicableness and tyranny <b>even </b>when <b>he </b>was sick.

    Chapter 394 16m

 Chapter 394

    <b>Chapter </b><b>394 </b><b>Temptation</b>

    <b>The </b><b>two </b><b>of </b>them stared at each other for a few seconds before William closed his eyes in fatigue. With a whisper, he said, ¡°Take care of me, angel. If I¡¯m dead, there would be <b>no </b>one left alive who loves <b>you</b><b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    <b>Just </b>one sentence was enough <b>to </b>extinguish Emelie¡¯s burning anger.

    <b>It </b><b>was </b>the <b>first </b>time that he told her clearly that he loved her.

    This man was <b>so </b><b>good </b>at finding her weaknesses.

    Few had told her they even liked her since she was little.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.

    Did her parents like her? She still remembered how they used her to pay for their debts all those years ago.

    <b>Those </b>were her parents<b>, </b><b>so </b>she couldn¡¯t ask more from others. Charles teased her while Wesley left the country and her here alone.

    <b>Few </b>people liked her, and that had always been the case. However, William¡¯s words were enough to make the pain she felt be numb.

    But did he like her? Wasn¡¯t the one that he liked Daphne?

    The bastard was lying again.

    There was a nket on Emelie¡¯s bed. She grabbed the edge of the nkets and pulled with all her might. William immediately rolled off the bed together with the nket.

    The bed wasn¡¯t that tall but it was probably still quite painful when he fell onto the floor. William frowned as he grunted. However, because he was too sick, he did nothing else.

    Emeliey down in her own bed, ignoring him.

    Why should she care about him?

    The woman that she loved almost killed her mother, and he kept on protecting her. Was she going to forgive him just because of a few honeyed words and his feigning suffering?

    Emelie closed her eyes and slept.

    The room was quiet in the middle of the night with no other sound except the sound of breathing.

    Emelie was already quite tired because she had to deal with so many people that day, not to mention that it was already sote. That was why she quickly dozed off.

    However, she didn¡¯t enter a deep sleep as she slipped in and out of consciousness.

    She opened her eyes before her rm went off the next morning. She was getting a headache because she didn¡¯t sleep well.

    When she got out of bed, William was still on the floor.

    Emelie had really left William on the floor for the whole night and ignored himpletely.

    Her legs hung off the side of the bed as she looked down on him. In the end, she extended her hand and ced it on his head.

    It was not as hot asst night.

    That was the advantage of having a good physique. He could recover quickly despite how bad it wasst night.

    When Emelie got out of bed, she walked on the carpet barefooted and crouched down next to him to look at his pale face.

    She recalled the matter with Daphne because of Elenast night. That was why she was getting more and more annoyed with him.

    After waking up from her sleep, she cooled down a lot as time went by. It also helped to see him lying on the floor in such a pathetic state. Only she could make William sleep on the floor.

    Emelie pursed her lips and tried to move him to the bed, but he was too heavy. She had no choice but to cover him with her nket instead.

    She then grabbed a medkit and took out a clinical thermometer. She raised his arm, extended her hand behind his cor, and ced it under his armpit.

    William was unconscious, but his head turned subconsciously. His burning face rubbed against the back of her hand.

    Emelie felt seduced.

    After three minutes, the clinical thermometer started beeping. She took it out and looked at the reading. It read 100.4 Fahrenheit, meaning that he still had a fever.

    The temperature was already very high. It could only mean that it was even higherst night judging by how hot to the touch he was. Didn¡¯t he ever worry that something had <b>gone </b>wrong?

    Emelie frowned and found a cooling patch from inside the medkit and put it on his forehead.

    She also helped William up and made him take fever medicine.

    William was gritting his teeth tightly and refused to open it, and Emelie tried her best to physically open his mouth up.

    William woke up and his expression became stern. Then, he instantly mellowed out when he saw it was Emelie and closed his eyes again. He opened his mouth and took the medicine before leaning on her.

    Emelie gave Ashton a call, telling her to pick William up. Only then did she find out that Ashton had already been fired.

    She instantly realized what happened. ¡°Was the reason William got angry and fired <b>you </b>because you investigated the caretaker?¡±

    Ashton then said, ¡°I acted on my own, and Mr. Middleton hated it especially when it came from his own subordinates<b>.</b>¡±

    Emelie med herself for dragging Ashton into this and causing her to get fired. She was also angry at William for being unable to tell right from wrong.

    ¡°The reason he¡¯s angry is because his beloved Daphne has <b>been </b>exposed, and he was forced to send her away. Now, he can¡¯t take care of her all the time.¡± But before she could finish, someone had already grabbed Emelie¡¯s arm.

    Before she knew what was happening, she was dragged to the floor.

    <b>up</b>,

    William had woken and he was already mounting her. Emelie yelled in anger, ¡°What are you doing, William?!¡± When Ashton heard what happened from her side, she hung up, knowing what was best for her<b>.</b>

    Chapter 394 Temptation

    William lowered his head and said, his breath still warm. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you this just this once, so listen carefully.¡±

    Chapter 395 You Made Me Angry

 Chapter 395

    <b>Chapter </b><b>395 </b><b>You </b><b>Made </b><b>Me </b><b>Angry</b>

    William was the one person that Emelie could never understand, even after <b>so </b>many years.

    She was the most <b>socially </b>adept among all the secretaries and she had spent <b>so </b>many years working. She had met people from all walks of life. Normally, <b>she </b>could already figure <b>out </b><b>a </b>person after having <b>a </b>meal with them so that she <b>could </b>take the appropriate actions.

    William was <b>the </b>only one that she couldn¡¯t understand after three years.

    At first<b>, </b>she thought she was just a disposable tool to him. He wouldn¡¯t even bat an eye if she left. However, he was forcing her to return to her.

    <b>She </b>thought he could satisfy all his needs with the endless selection of women for him to choose from, but he told her he was addicted to her and only wanted her.

    She thought that he simply wanted to satisfy his desire <b>of </b>conquest for her with perhaps a little dissatisfaction mixed in. Then he took her to see fireworks and wished her a happy <b>new </b>year<b>, </b>called her angel, and told her <b>to </b>give him another chance.N?velDrama.Org owns this.

    And now, William was telling her that he didn¡¯t like Daphne.

    Emelie wasn¡¯t sure how to react.

    She was lying on the floor<b>, </b>confused. Right under her was the white carpet, her long brown hair lying on the carpet in a garbled mess. Just like her mind and soul.

    He said¡­

    He didn¡¯t like Daphne?

    Emelie shook her head instinctively. She couldn¡¯t believe it. William held her chin so that she would stop moving.

    ¡°The reason she was here was because you made me angry first.<b>¡±</b>

    ¡°About what?¡±

    How could she make him angry? Was she even capable of that?

    Emelie didn¡¯t believe that she was capable of it, even when it looked like he was trying to court her. Not to mention that in the past, she was a woman who would undress and offer herself up to him with a mere wag of his finger.

    How could a cheap woman like her have angered the powerful and influential William?

    And how was it her fault?

    William stroked her chin using his thumb and finger, his eyes staring deep into hers. ¡°When did I start giving you the cold shoulder?¡±

    The question was quite familiar¡­ She remembered.

    It was at Wimstour City. They were in a hotel room and were chatting face to face when she had her stomach problems in front of him for the first time. He asked her how she ended up getting a miscarriage. She told him that she was kidnapped, but he hung up when she called him. That was how she miscarried.

    However, he didn¡¯t believe her. Then, he said that it was because she didn¡¯t depend on him enough. He was not giving her the cold shoulder and sought out Daphne because he was bored with her.

    She asked him, why? He told her to think about it, to remember when he started snubbing her.

    She had never given it a good thought earlier, but Emelie frowned now that he mentioned it again.

    William then revealed it himself. ¡°Half a year ago before your miscarriage and one year from today. Last year¡¯s New Year¡¯s Eve. I waited for you at Eastbay. Who were you seeing?¡± Emelie was obviously stunned when he mentioned Eastbay.

    She had no words.

    William knew she remembered, and became upset again when he remembered it too. His clench on Emelie¡¯s chin became even stronger.

    But when Emelie was frowning from the pain, William immediately let go. She was wearing only her pajamas. While they were normal pajamas, her cor slipped, revealing her corbones which rose and fell as she breathed.

    He looked at the woman under him and pressed down closer, his nose touching her neck. Her skin was so thin that he could see the veins underneath it.

    He opened his mouth and sank his teeth, but he kept his impulse under control as he said in a low tone, ¡°You¡¯re mine. The things that you did¡­ What am I supposed to think? I almost wanted to kill you back then, Emelie.¡±

    Emelie couldn¡¯t help but hold his sleeves tightly. Her eyes began to lose focus.

    No wonder.

    No wonder he suddenly drove to see her at the apartment three days after New Year¡¯s. She thought that he had something urgent that needed doing, but he took her back to Eastbay without saying a word instead. He started to sleep with her the moment they went through the door.

    She was in so much pain those few days and she even bled. After taking it all out on her, he told her to leave and didn¡¯t even let her stay over. She walked out of Eastbay in the middle of the night. She even confused herself for a prostitute in that instance.

    He was far colder toward her after that and would usually take Ashton with him for outstation trips and Fabian for banquets and meals with clients. He didn¡¯t take the head secretary who would always be by his side every moment in the past. Even if he did sleep with her, he wouldn¡¯t be that gentle anymore.

    He had left her out in the cold for six months. After that, she had a miscarriage by ident and he took in Daphne.

    He went mad on the third of January<b>, </b>but it actually started on New Year¡¯s Eve. He stayed angry for two days, but he still wouldn¡¯t calm down. So, he tortured her <b>instead</b>. After six months, he still felt disgusted the more he thought about it, so he took Daphne in so she could disgust her.

    Emelie gulped and said nothing. There was nothing left to say.

    William¡¯s biting had turned into kisses. She could still hear him questioning her in his hoarse voice.

    He still hadn¡¯t recovered after an entire night <b>of </b>rest and he looked like he was drunk, as he kept on repeating the same sentence again and again.

    Emelie had to believe that his fever had gotten to him. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t exin why William would keep on questioning her with such discontent and frustration. ¡°Why? Why did you do that?¡±

 Chapter 396

    <b>Chapter </b>396 Voracity

    Emelie didn¡¯t know what <b>to </b><b>say</b><b>.</b>

    She pursed her lips for a moment and finally said, ¡°I refuse to believe that you havepletely no feelings toward Daphne. I won¡¯t believe it. If you have no feelings toward her, why are <b>you </b>still protecting her even now?

    <b>¡°</b><b>My </b>mom¡­ Because <b>of </b>Daphne, she has to use an artificial heart to stay alive. And it¡¯s also because of her that my mom can¡¯t think straight¡­ <b>I¡¯m </b><b>so </b>scared that she <b>won¡¯t </b>recognize me any more next time I go home. I¡¯m even more afraid that I can¡¯t see her ever again.

    <b>¡°</b><b>Get </b><b>off </b><b>of </b>me. Whenever <b>I </b><b>see </b>you, I remember how you¡¯ll be shielding Daphne every time I want to get an exnation out of her. You protect and favor her¡­ You said you like me, but that¡¯s not how you treat a <b>person </b>you like. That¡¯s not how you do <b>it</b><b>.</b>¡±

    William looked at her and saw the tears in her eyes.

    He felt it was quite unfair to him.

    And this was not the first time she looked at him like that.

    Thest time it happened was during the cultural heritage boat factory incident. Daphne framed Emelie, saying that she pulled the rope and caused the heritage boat to fall and injure others. He chose to side with Daphne and reprimanded her.

    However, he never really treated her that badly during those three years. That was the only time he told her to shut up.

    This was how she saw him that day, and he ignored her. After that, no matter how much she had to suffer and no matter how much she had to endure, she would never secretly look at him again.N?velDrama.Org owns this.

    It was said that the crying baby got the milk. However, all babies loved milk. When the baby stopped crying, it was because the baby knew that no amount of crying would get the baby any milk anymore.

    Now that she was looking at him the same way, William could feel the fire and the pain in him. He grabbed Emelie¡¯s hand as she tried to push him away and blurted, ¡°I didn¡¯t lie to you. I wasn¡¯t protecting her.¡±

    ¡°Daphne had to stay in the hospital because of the car ident at the time. She didn¡¯t have the energy to do anything else, and she had no way of knowing your father had a fight in the prison. She didn¡¯t bribe the caretaker. Why don¡¯t you think carefully about who else knows about the fight?¡±

    Emelie stared at him coldly. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to throw the question back at me, William. You want me to trust you? Fine, give me answers<b>. </b>Don¡¯t make me think and don¡¯t make me guess<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    ¡°Mrs. Middleton.¡±

    Emelie looked at him, eyes wide.

    Vanessa? How could that be?

    Emelie was confused.

    Confused by William saying he didn¡¯t like Daphne, and by him saying he saw what happened during New Year¡¯s Eve a year ago.

    However, the thing that shook her the most was when he said with full confidence that the person who bribed the caretaker wasn¡¯t Daphne. It was the kind Vanessa who treated her like a daughter.

    She didn¡¯t know how much of this was the truth, and how much of this was made up. Her mind got carried away as she thought about them and didn¡¯t notice there was a change in the way William was looking at her.

    He kissed her neck, and then her corbone. The button of the cardigan she was wearing was easily unbuttoned. He kissed her shoulder again, then down to her chest.

    William got even more sick. He was sick throughout. He said in an icy voice as he touched her, ¡°You left me on the floor the whole night? You¡¯re getting brave, Emelie.¡±

    However, Emelie ignored everything he was saying until she suddenly felt that something was wrong with her body.

    William¡¯s emotions swayed like a roller coaster as he said, ¡°Just one time, angel. I want you.¡±

    Emelie wasn¡¯t in the mood and grabbed his hand. ¡°William, stop it. I don¡¯t want to get infected.¡±

    William could be quite voracious. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to give 100 Fahrenheit a try?¡±

    Emelie gave it a try.

    As in, she tried giving the CEO <b>of </b>Cloudex Corporation a good kick.

    William still had a fever in the end. After he was kicked in the thigh, he lost interest and simply kissed her before climbing back into her bed.

    He refused to go to the hospital<b>, </b>so Emelie had no choice but to have him take the fever medicine from inside the medkit. It was lucky that the medicine was working. When she checked his temperature againter, it had already dropped to 98.96 Fahrenheit.

    Emelie removed the cooling patch on his forehead. It left a white mark as it had been left there for too long and she gave the spot a touch.

    William opened his eyes and said, ¡°<b>Go </b>get something to eat, angel. Or you¡¯ll have stomach problems again.¡±

    ¡°Just take care of yourself, alright?¡± Emelie pulled her hand back and left the room. She stood in the living room for a while before grabbing her phone and heading downstairs <b>to </b>have her breakfast in the restaurant.

    The buffet breakfast was provided until <b>11 </b>am and it was around half¨Cpast ten when she got there. She grabbed herself some pasta and found a ce <b>to </b>sit when she got a call from Bryan.

    ¡°Mr. Swanson.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re done with your business<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>

    ¡°Almost.¡±

    Bryan then said, ¡°Alright, thene back to thepany. I have to head to Eprand for a few days for work<b>, </b><b>so </b>you need to organize the schedule for after the New Year. We¡¯re going to have our Springfest holidays next week.¡±

    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll head back in the afternoon.¡±

    Chapter 396 Voracity

    Bryan gave it a thought and said, ¡°No need to rush. Come back tomorrow. I believe Jeremiah and Lindsey will try to have another meetup in the afternoon.¡±

    Emelia paused and suddenly realized why Bryan had called her.

    As expected, Bryan said, ¡°It will only benefit you if you agree to the Allens¡® request. I¡¯ll raise your annual sry by 5% next year.¡±

 Chapter 397

    <b>Chapter </b><b>397 </b><b>For </b><b>You</b>

    1/15

    Enelie pursed her lips. ¡°Did the Allens make a deal with you?¡±

    Bryan¡¯s silence <b>spoke </b>louder than words.

    That was how business worked. It was all an exchange of benefits. The Allens offered enough to pique Bryan¡¯s interest. That was why he joined the troupe to persuade her.

    Bryan was quite magnanimous too. He didn¡¯t use his authority as her boss to order her to ept the settlement, and he also offered her some benefits in return.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    Even if the benefit was simply a 5% increase to her sry and a promise that he wouldn¡¯t fire her for her poor work performance during this time.

    Emelie let out a sigh. She was touched. Elena¡¯s parents used everything they could to get to her so they could protect Elena. Nothing could bepared to parental love.

    ¡°Let <b>me </b>think about it.¡±

    Emelie hung up and finished her pasta.

    As she was going back to her room and passed by the reception, she asked them to prepare something to eat that was suitable for someone who was sick and to send it to her

    room<b>.</b>

    Once she was inside the elevator, she picked up another iing call. This time, it was Samuel.

    Half a month ago, Samuel told her he needed to attend a secret experiment for a month. When she sent him texts, he could receive the messages, but he wouldn¡¯t be able to respond in a timely manner. If she was in a hurry, there was no need to hesitate and she should ask Bryan for help.

    That was why he didn¡¯t know what happened to Emelie during this time. However, he probably found out about it. That was why he was calling her.

    Emelie walked out of the elevator and picked up the call in the corridor. ¡°Mr. Swanson.¡±

    It was just as she had guessed. Samuel had just found out what happened in Weston in the past month, and so the first thing he said after the call was connected was, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Emelie.¡±

    Emelie chuckled. ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize.¡±

    Samuel then said, ¡°I¡¯m heading back to Weston right now.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not done with your experiments, right? You don¡¯t have to rush back. I¡¯m doing fine here right now. The Allen family is looking for everyone they can to speak to me and they have already offered me ten million dors.

    <b>¡°</b>I¡¯ll be a rich woman the moment I agree to it,¡± Emelie said as she feigned a rxed tone and took out her key card to open the door.

    Samuel was a very smart man. She knew that he could see the costs and benefits of her choices. Emelie could even guess what his next sentence would be. He would probably ask her to ept it.

    There were so many people persuading her to settle that she was getting numb from it.

    She walked in and closed the door.

    She put the phone between her ear and her shoulder as she removed her shoes with one hand on the wall.

    Samuel suddenly said, ¡°If you want to sue them, I¡¯ll be there with you until the end.¡±

    Emelie was shocked as she raised her head, and her mobile slipped from her shoulders. She managed to save it and then leaned her body against the wall.

    Only after a moment did she ask, ¡°Don¡¯t you think that taking the settlement is the best choice?¡±

    ¡°Is it really the best choice? I can¡¯t tell,¡± Samuel said gently. ¡°All I know is that you¡¯re unhappy. If epting it will make you feel upset, then you don¡¯t have to ept the settlement.

    ¡°How does the saying go? It¡¯s not about the money, it¡¯s about the message.¡±

    Emelie blurted out augh.

    She could already imagine how Samuel would look when he said that. He would push his sses and gently smile as the chain on his sses swayed in the wind. Samuel repeated, ¡°It¡¯s all about the message, right?¡±

    Emelie sighed. ¡°Speaking of your experiment, is it something officially sanctioned? Just what are they teaching you there? You¡¯re speaking like some kind of rebel already.¡± Samuelughed as well.

    Emelie suddenly realized she wasn¡¯t that upset anymore. The Allens, Charles, Ashley, Mona, and Bryan¡­ But now, there was finally someone who supported her decision. Samuel then said, ¡°Do whatever you want to Elena. I¡¯ll stand by you. So will Wesley.¡±

    Emelie immediately stood up straight. ¡°What did you say?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry I didn¡¯t tell you about this. Wesley and I are acquainted, and it¡¯s almost time for him toe back. He¡¯s alsoing back for you this time.¡± Emmelie stood there in silence.

    Chapter 398 Cleen Lyee Monster

 Chapter 398

    <b>Chapter </b>398 Green¨C<b>Eyed </b><b>Monster</b>

    After Emelie hung <b>up</b>, she was still leaning against the wall.

    Back when she was soaking her legs <b>in </b>the hot spring pool at Lakeside Vi, <b>she </b>had already heard from Elena that Wesley was going to acquire <b>a </bpany back in <b>the </b>country. He was going to use <b>a </b>shellpany and move all his business from overseas back here.

    She didn¡¯t think too much about it at the <b>time</b>. But after Samuel told her this, <b>it </b>could only mean¡­

    Was he <b>really </bing back<b>?</b>

    <b>The </b>back of Emelie¡¯s head was also close to the wall as she raised her head, remembering what happenedst year on New Year¡¯s Eve.

    She had also met Wesley on that New Year¡¯s Eve which made William so obsessed.

    Wesley woulde back to the country every once in a while, <b>so </b>it wasn¡¯t like she didn¡¯t have a chance <b>to </b>see him at all.

    However, she didn¡¯t notice William, who was standing by the room door as she was lost in her thoughts and gazing into the distance.

    William looked at how nostalgic Emelie was. At that moment, he really wanted to know what she was thinking about.

    However, it wasn¡¯t long before Emelie¡¯s phone rang again. This time, it was Ashley.

    Emelie picked it up. ¡°Ashley?¡±

    Ashley said, ¡°Jeremiah and Lindsay contacted me again. They want to have lunch with you.¡±

    Emelie then replied calmly, ¡°I¡¯ll lose my appetite if they¡¯re right in front of me.¡±

    However, she didn¡¯t refuse to see them. ¡°Change it to three in the afternoon.¡±

    Ashley was surprised that she was willing to see them. ¡°You¡¯ve changed your mind.¡±

    Emelie looked at the floor and said, ¡°Ashley, can you please prepare a settlement agreement? Put down 15 million dors for the amount. If they agree to it, then I¡¯ll agree to a settlement.¡±

    Ashley was shocked. Emelie was so against the ideast night. How did she manage to have a change of heart <b>so </b>soon?

    That being said, it was good that she was willing to ept a settlement and end this matter once and for all. She hung up after acknowledging it.

    Emelie was getting tired from standing and headed to the living room.

    It was then did she see William standing by the door.

    After being sick for the entire night, he still looked a little tired. He was wearing a wrinkled shirt and a pair of wrinkled pants. He was seemingly surrounded by gloom as he stood

    in the shadows.

    Emelie paused before saying, ¡°I¡¯ve asked room service to deliver something to eat. It¡¯ll be here soon.¡±

    William asked, ¡°You agreed to a settlement? Why?¡±

    ¡°Because it¡¯s the best option.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t learn about it today and you refused to ept itst night, but you¡¯re willing to after a call from Samuel?¡±

    While he had a feverst night, he wasn¡¯tpletely out of it. The first question she asked him was how much he was willing to add to Elena¡¯s settlement. She was extremely aggressive back then.

    He even believed that Emelie would never ept this settlement. He had alreadye up with ideas on how to deal with the Allens so they wouldn¡¯t even think about touching Emelie.

    But just a call with Samuel made her change her mind.

    No one could persuade her, but a mere call from Samuel did it.

    Did he underestimate the weight Samuel had in her heart?

    William believed that Samuel¡¯s call was to ask Emelie to ept the settlement. That was why he had such a sour face. He thought Emelie agreed to the settlement because of Samuel.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°You were eavesdropping?¡± Emelie frowned.

    William scoffed. ¡°Please, you knew I was in your room.¡± He was not deaf, after all.

    Emelie pursed her lips and ignored him. Ultimately, she was still doubtful of his three exnations to her this morning. However, she had no time to give it more thought.

    She walked past him and went back to her room to put on makeup.

    William was right behind her and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to ept it. Don¡¯t worry about the Allens. They can¡¯t touch you as long as I¡¯m around.¡±

    Emelie looked at him through the mirror¡¯s reflection and said, ¡°Are you simply trying topete with Samuel or are you really supportive of me not taking the settlement?¡±

    William nodded. ¡°I can¡¯t bear seeing you swallow your pride andpromise.¡±

    Emelie then said, ¡°Haven¡¯t <b>I </b>swallowed my pride andpromised enough around you?¡±

    William let out augh. ¡°I¡¯m the one that¡¯s doing the swallowing andpromising right now.¡±

    Emelie went silent.

    She disregarded him and continued to put on her makeup. She heard the doorbell ring in between and William went to open the door. It was most <b>likely </b>room service. After she was done, William was already eating in the dining room.

    Emelie didn¡¯t even say anything to him as she left.

    She was going to have lunch with Ashley and discuss the settlement.

    William felt somewhat ufortable about how shepletely ignored him.

    Chapter 398 Green¨CEyed Monster

    Emelie wasn¡¯t like that in the past.

    William was taken aback at his own thoughts.

    He missed how they were in the past.

    He finished up the bowl of oatmeal without much expression on his face and then made a call. ¡°Samuel isn¡¯t busy enough. Make him busier.¡±

    So that he had no time to look for Emelie.

    The person on the other side nodded and said, ¡°The one from overseas reserved a flight back. He¡¯sing back the day after tomorrow.¡±

    William¡¯s eyes narrowed as he smiled. ¡°Then make it impossible for him to return.¡±

    Emelie and Ashley met at a restaurant and discussed over lunch.

    Ashley suddenly remembered something and took out a small box of pills. She popped out two pills and washed them down with lemon water.

    Emelie was worried. ¡°Are you sick?¡±

    Ashley didn¡¯t avoid the conversation. ¡°It¡¯s birth control pills.¡±

    Elias wanted to make her pregnant. She didn¡¯t know what his intentions were, but as long as he refused to sign that agreement, she would never get pregnant.

 Chapter 399

    <strong>Chapter 399 Pregnant</strong>

    Once back in the hotel room, William made a call and asked someone to bring him some fresh clothes.

    His sickness wasn¡¯t unforeseen.

    He was already feeling a little under the weather when he was at Alderbrook. Then he traveled overnight from Capebatt City to Weston for Emelie. In the end, he fell ill after walking around on a snowy day.

    He put on his shirt while looking at the full¨Cbody mirror. His slender hands buttoned it up but the expression on his face was still as pale as bitter cold. He didn¡¯t retain the hint of the roguishness he had when Emelie was around.

    It was true. He had to be a tramp so that he could stay in Emelie¡¯s room through the night. He could tell Emelie hadn¡¯t forgotten their past either.

    Everything that happened in the past caused Emelie to have heavy doubts about him. Their rtionship was extremely fragile. Whatever goodwill he had built had all been ruined thanks to Daphne. And <i>now</i><i>, </i>she was once again on full alert.

    This was indeed karma.

    He put on his jacket, walked out of the room and called the elevator.

    Then, he encountered Elias, who was going downstairs in the elevator as well.

    Elias moved his phone aside and asked in surprise, ¡°Will? Didn¡¯t you go back to Capebatt City?¡±

    William briefly frowned. ¡°I got here yesterday.¡±

    Elias looked at his pale face and said, ¡°So, you¡¯re really sick? Did you go to the hospital?¡±

    William answered without a change in his expression. I¡¯m fine now.¡±

    Elias gave him a curious look.

    William was standing with his back straight like a tall statue.

    Elias suddenly realized what was going on and raised his eyebrow, ¡°Ah¡­ I see. You¡¯re making yourself sick intentionally <i>so </i><i>you </i>can make peace with Ms. Hoven? Not bad, Will. You¡¯re trying to get her sympathy.

    He and William had been acquainted for over twenty years and had never seen him put himself so low. He was not as empathetic as Jayden, so all he did was tease him. ¡°It¡¯s quite impressive seeing that she¡¯s able to make you put in so much effort.¡±

    William would never tell him he still hadn¡¯t won Emelie¡¯s heart despite all the effort.

    He was getting somewhat annoyed out of embarrassment. He didn¡¯t know he would see Elias here. He said, ¡°I can see that your rtionship with Ashley hasn¡¯t gotten any better either.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. She¡¯ll be mine once she gets pregnant,¡± Elias said as he folded his arms in front of his chestExclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.

    and suggested to William, ¡°Maybe you can try this too, William. Make her pregnant and I can guarantee she¡¯ll stick with you.¡±

    William gave him an unfriendly nce and said, ¡°Rather than giving me suggestions, maybe you should ask around and find out who the Allens have hired to represent them.¡±

    When the elevator stopped on the first floor, William didn¡¯t wait and marched away.

    Elias didn¡¯t care about who the Allens hired.

    While Ashley wasn¡¯t a qualified wife, she was a very skilledwyer. Fewwyers in the Southern Region were her match. Victory was a low¨Changing fruit.

    Not to mention that it had nothing to do with him, whether she won the case or not.

    He wanted to find someone else to tease William with him instead.

    He was already calling Jayden while he was walking the short distance from the elevator to the hotel entrance.

    Jayden chuckled when he heard it as well. Meanwhile, Elias was still quite confused. ¡°How did he fall for Ms. Hoven all of a sudden, anyway?¡±

    Jayden spun a ball pen in his hand as he sat in his office and he said in a knowing tone, ¡°He didn¡¯t fall for Ms. Hoven suddenly. He had his eyes on her this whole time, but he simply didn¡¯t realize it. After so many things happened, he probably finally realized what he really wanted.¡±

    Elias stroked his chin. ¡°Even his ¡®kind¡® stepmother is making her moves. Why didn¡¯t he stay in Capebatt City but follow Ms. Hoven all the way to Weston instead? Is he as obsessed with love as you?¡±

    Jayden had noments.

    Jayden quickly finished the conversation. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m busy. See you around.¡±

    Elias got out of the hotel and into his car. Then, he asked the secretary who was driving. ¡°Who¡¯s thewyer that the Allens hired?¡±

    The secretary helped him pay attention to happenings rted to Ashley, so he promptly answered,¡± Beathan Collins.¡±

    Elias was actually enjoying the gossip around William, but his eyes instantly opened wide when he heard the name. ¡°What did you say?¡±

    The secretary thought he didn¡¯t hear them clearly and said, ¡°Beathan, which means life. Collins, which means young hound. Collins is also his surname.¡±

    Elias gritted his teeth as he faked a smile. ¡°Enough. I know what his name means.¡±

    Of course, he knew who he was.

    That was his wife¡¯s ex¨Cboyfriend.

    Ashley didn¡¯t tell him anything about this at all.

    No wonder William asked him to ask who the Allens had hired.

 Chapter 400

    <strong>Chapter 400 Sorry For Dying You</strong>

    Emelie couldn¡¯t be bothered to move to another location. She met with the Allens at the same restaurant where she had lunch with Ashley in the afternoon. However, she simply moved from indoors to the outdoors to the tables with a parasol.

    The New Year was over, and everyone went back to work. The streets were a little deste but Emelie remembered that night during the New Year. About how she walked on the crowded street with William¡¯s hand in her hand and they went to the Velvet Comedy Club to see the performance.

    Only when someone pulled the chair opposite her did she snap back into reality and look up.

    It started snowing again.

    William was the one who sat down opposite her.

    He no longer looked as sickly as he did this morning. He had changed into avish, proper suit. From the cors to his cuffs, all were properly ironed out. The high and mighty Mr. Middleton had returned.

    Emelie paused for a moment. ¡°Are you here to support me despite your sickness? Call me surprised, but Ashley alone will be enough. She¡¯s gone to the Notarial Services Department to get some documents and

    will be back soon.

    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, you should head back to Capebatt City. It must be getting very busy as Springfest

    ising.¡±

    When she was working with him, this was usually the time when she would get so busy that she would

    always be on her feet. She had no time to waste on anything inconsequential.N?velDrama.Org owns this.

    ¡°Ashton did nothing wrong, so I hope you won¡¯t fire her. She can help you.¡±

    When William saw that she was willing to speak to him, he smiled. ¡°You¡¯re worried about me being ill and the running of mypany? And whether I¡¯m working too much?¡±

    Emelie picked up the cup of coffee. ¡°I just feel guilty for dragging Ashton into this mess.¡±

    William then said softly, ¡°You always have a soft spot for others, but never for yourself. You didn¡¯t want a

    settlement, but you¡¯re forcing yourself to ept it despite how nauseating it is for you right now.¡±

    Emelie scoffed. ¡°When I refused to ept the settlement, so many of you came out of the woodwork to

    try to persuade me. Now you¡¯re telling me you didn¡¯t want me to ept it?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you enjoying ming me a little too much? Did I ever mention epting the settlement at all? I

    never even talked about this with you.¡± William then raised his hand to signal a waiter to serve him coffee

    as well.

    When Emelie tried to recall, he never actually mentioned it.

    He had simply appeared to support her when Jeremiah and Lindsey were trying to intimidate her.

    William let out a chuckle. ¡°I didn¡¯t interfere because believe that it¡¯s your choice on whether to ept the settlement. That¡¯s because I can protect you no matter what happens. In the end, you epted the

    settlement for Samuel.

    ¡°Sometimes, you really make me want to pull my hair out.¡±

    She pursed her lips. This was not a misunderstanding that was worth having around. ¡°Mr. Swanson didn¡¯t ask me to ept it either. It is my choice to ept the settlement.¡±

    When William heard her say that, he narrowed his eyes.

    If she simply agreed because Samuel asked her to, then he would be worried about how much influence Samuel had on her. But if he didn¡¯t ask her to, that meant something else changed her mind.

    Emelie put down her coffee cup when William¡¯s hand suddenly shot toward her from the other side of the table and grabbed her wrist.

    ¡°Did Samuel tell you that Wesley ising back?¡±

    There was a glint in Emelie¡¯s eyes.

    William managed to catch it. It was just as he had thought.

    His demeanor quickly turned cold. ¡°You¡¯re no longer in the mood to waste your time with the Allens because Wesley ising back. Is that why you agreed to a settlement? To get rid of your problems?¡±

    Emelie frowned as she could feel the increasing pressure around her wrist. ¡°William, you¡¯re hurting me.¡±

    William found it peculiar as well about how she suddenly cared for him. ¡°The reason you¡¯re telling me to go back to Capebett City is because I¡¯m a problem, too? Am I standing in your way?¡±

    Emelie pursed her lips as she stared at him. William smiled coldly and let go of her to stand straight up. The waiter came with his coffee, but he didn¡¯t even look at him and simply left.

    Emelie watched him leave and let out a sigh.

    The main reason that she agreed to the settlement was that she was no longer that furious afterst night. Thanks to William exining that Daphne didn¡¯t bribe the caretaker, her anger had died down. She didn¡¯t resent Elena that much anymore as a result.

    When she once again looked at this more logically, a settlement was indeed the best choice.

    Wesley had affected her choice, yes. However, he wasn¡¯t the decisive factor.

    But that was fine

    She didn¡¯t need to exin it to him.

    At 3 pm sharp, Jeremiah and Lindsey arrived at the restaurant with Charles.

    When they saw the amount on the settlement agreement, Lindsey mmed her hand on the table and got

    <ol>

    <li>up. ¡°You greedy little whore! You¡¯re extorting us! This is ckmail!¡±</li>

    </ol>

    Meanwhile, Charles ended the entire argument with three words. ¡°It¡¯s a deal.¡±

 Chapter 401

    <strong>Chapter 401 He¡¯s ying Cute</strong>

    With one hand signing the agreement and the other handing over the check, the matter was considered closed after the notarization.

    After his parents left, Charles immediately turned his attention to Emelie. Smiling broadly, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s find a ce to celebrate. Tonight¡¯s on me. How about we go to Lovelight?¡±

    Both Emelie and Ashley declined. Just the three of them going out? That didn¡¯t make much sense, and it¡¯d be weird.

    ¡°Are you worried that there aren¡¯t enough people? Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll call a few more friends!¡± Charles took out his phone.

    Anyone who didn¡¯t know better might think that he was Emelie¡¯s undercover agent in the Allen family. Who else would be so eager to celebrate after losing such arge sum of money?

    Since he was so enthusiastic, Emelie and Ashley had no choice but to go along. They might as well just treat it as having a meal together.

    Charles had invited a man who seemed around 30 years old and looked mature and refined. Emelie didn¡¯t recognize him, but Ashley clearly hesitated when she saw him.

    Charles introduced him and said, ¡°This is my friend, Beathan Collins. I had originally wanted him to represent Elena¡¯s case. Since that¡¯s not necessary anymore, let¡¯s just forget about it and have a meal.¡±

    Beathan had a handsome appearance but an inscrutable expression. He shook hands with both Emelie and Ashley.

    When he held Ashley¡¯s hand, he paused for a few seconds before releasing it with a smile when she moved slightly.

    They sat around arge round table. Charles crossed his legs and said in a rxed tone, ¡°Mr. Collins is a famous criminal defensewyer in Southern Region. Ms. Thornton, have you heard of him before?¡±

    Ashley remained calm. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of him.¡±

    ¡°Have you ever gone up against each other?¡±

    ¡°Not yet.¡±

    Beathan smiled slightly. ¡°I hope we never have the chance to be adversaries, Ms. Thornton. I wouldn¡¯t be able to bear it.¡±

    Ashley looked up coldly.

    Beathan casually added, ¡°I have a soft spot for prettydies.¡±

    Charlesughed. ¡°Oh,e on, Beathan. Don¡¯t pretend as if your nickname in the legal world isn¡¯t ¡®The Pretty¨CFaced Grim Reaper.¡°¡±

    Beathan lived up to his name. His smile was indeedpassionate.

    Ashley was usually quiet, but she seemed even quieter that evening.

    2/2

    Emelie noticed and wanted to ask if she was feeling unwell. If she was, they could leave early since this meal wasn¡¯t necessary.

    Suddenly, Charles leaned over to talk to Emelie. Just then, the door to the private room opened, and a waiter came in with the food. Out of the corner of her eye, Emelie saw that William, who had stormed off that afternoon, had also entered.

    Emelie didn¡¯t think that Charles would call William over. It seemed most likely that William had found out that they were dining here and hade on his own.

    At that moment, Charles leaned in close to her ear and said, ¡°Emelie, Elena wants to see you. She has something to tell you.¡±

    Elena wanted to see her? Emelie looked at Charles in surprise.

    Her eyes were beautiful, and when she gazed at someone absentmindedly, they held an unintentional depth.

    William walked in and saw this. He coldly kicked Charles¡® chair.

    The chair had wheels, so it rolled away while taking Charles with it.

    Charles put his feet on the ground to stop the chair. His smile remained on his face, but his gaze turned much colder as he asked, ¡°Mr. Middleton, it¡¯s one thing toe uninvited, but did you have to get

    physical?¡±

    With Charles¡® chair kicked away, there was now an empty spot beside Emelie. Ashton, who had followed William in, moved a chair to that spot.

    Emelie looked at Ashton in surprise and delight. Had William allowed her toe back?

    Ashton set the chair in ce and then smiled at her.

    William sat down leisurely and said, ¡°Not at all, Mr. Davis. I was just joking around with you.¡±

    Charles forced a smile and replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t find it funny.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Then, I won¡¯t joke around like that with you next time.¡± After dismissing Charles with a casual remark, William turned to Emelie and said, ¡°I was waiting for you at the hotel, but you didn¡¯te back.¡±

    Given how he had left that afternoon, Emelie thought that he had returned to Capebatt City.

    William said softly, ¡°I had Ashtone back.¡±

    Emelie looked at him in surprise. Why did it seem like he was trying to act cute?

    It felt like he was trying to say that he had listened to her and brought back the person she wanted, and it seemed as if he was now asking if he had done well.

 Chapter 402

    <strong>Chapter 402 She¡¯s Too Hard to Please</strong>

    Halfway through the meal, Emelie stepped outside to answer a call from her housekeeper.

    The housekeeper reported that Ronan had been drinking heavily for the past two days and had gotten drunk every day. Greta had tried to persuade him to stop, but he wouldn¡¯t. So, the housekeeper was worried that something might happen and wanted to ask Emelie what to do.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie had sensed that something was off with Ronan¡¯s mood when she had left Alderbrook. Why did he suddenly start drinking so heavily?

    She frowned, worried that Greta¡¯s concern for Ronan might affect her health.

    ¡°Call me when he wakes up tomorrow. I¡¯ll talk to him.¡±

    The housekeeper agreed.

    When Emelie returned to the private room, she found only Ashley and Ashton inside. The three men were gone.

    ¡°Where are they?¡±

    Ashley sinctly replied, ¡°Smoking, taking a call, and using the restroom.¡±

    Emelie returned to her seat. She looked past the two empty chairs and asked Ashton, ¡°Did you juste from Capebatt City?¡±

    Ashton replied professionally, ¡°Yes. I came to Weston after seeing Ms. Bowen off. She¡¯s been sent to Sentnd.¡±

    Daphne had been sent to Sentnd? Emelie was slightly taken aback.

    Ashton added softly, ¡°Ms. Bowen will most likely not being back anymore.¡±

    Emelie sipped her drink slowly. She hadn¡¯t expected William to be willing to send Daphne abroad.

    Was this another one of his attempts to act cute? By sending Daphne away, was he saying that he wouldn¡¯t be involved with her anymore?

    Was he trying to show Emelie that he really didn¡¯t care about Daphne by sending her so far away? Was Daphne really just someone he had used to provoke Emelie? Had he really never liked Daphne?

    Emelie felt a mix of emotions. The person who had bothered her for so long had turned out to be so insignificant. It made her feel ridiculous, as if all her efforts had been in vain.

    Emelie felt relieved that Daphne was finally gone. But at the same time, she also felt that Daphne had been let off too easily.

    Emelie nced at the door and saw that the three men still hadn¡¯t returned yet. A thought urred to her, and she turned to Ashley and asked, ¡°Do you know Mr. Collins?¡±

    Ashley wasn¡¯t surprised that Emelie had noticed. After all, Emelie had always been an observant person.

    Ashley didn¡¯t hide anything and directly said, ¡°He¡¯s my ex¨Cboyfriend.¡±

    So, that was their rtionship. Emelie pursed her lips and said, ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to ask a question for a few days now.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°The Allen family doesn¡¯t seem to know that even if Elena is convicted, she¡¯ll likely only get a suspended sentence.¡±

    If they had known, they wouldn¡¯t have paid so much for her settlement. After all, a suspended sentence meant no jail time. Getting her settlement wasn¡¯t that crucial.

    Ashley paused. ¡°There¡¯s only one exnation. Beathan didn¡¯t tell the Allen family that.¡±

    This meant that he was helping them to deceive the Allen family in a way. Beathan was the high¨Cpricedwyer hired by the Allen family. Why would he act against them?

    ¡°Is it because of you?¡± Emelie could only think of Ashley¡¯s past rtionship with him as the reason.

    Ashley shook her head without hesitation. ¡°We broke up years ago and haven¡¯t been in contact since. It couldn¡¯t be because of me. Either he didn¡¯t foresee the suspended sentence or there¡¯s another reason.¡± When she put it that way, Emelie believed her.

    Ashley turned to look at her and asked, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you check on them? I¡¯m worried that Mr. Middleton and Mr. Davis might get into a fight.¡±

    Given their status, that shouldn¡¯t happen, right? However, Emelie wasn¡¯t entirely certain. She hesitated before getting up to check on them.

    When Charles ended his call, he turned around and saw William lighting a cigarette.

    Charles smiled and said, ¡°Mr. Middleton, if you had paid this much attention to Ms. Hoven before, I probably wouldn¡¯t be in the picture now. But I believe that Ms. Hoven might favor Mr. Swanson or me over you. Your efforts were too little, toote.¡±

    William¡¯s eyes grew cold. ¡°Mr. Davis, I¡¯ve told you that Emelie is mine.¡±

    ¡°You did say that, but you also need to respect her wishes. From what I see, Ms. Hoven isn¡¯t interested in you. So, let¡¯s each do our best.¡±

    William exhaled a puff of smoke, which obscured his deep, icy gaze. Despite looking calm on the outside, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Charles¡® confidence came from signals that Emelie had given him.

    William flicked the ash off his cigarette. He was used to Emelieing and going at his call, and he was used to manipting her into submission. This was the first time William realized just how challenging it was to please her.

    Had he not done enough?

    Charles was about to head back to the private room, but he turned back when he thought of something.¡± Mr. Middleton, you must have seen Ronan Hoven at Alderbrook, right? Did he mention the 300 million dors?¡±

    William¡¯s tone was indifferent as he replied, ¡°Weren¡¯t we going to each do our best?¡±

    Charles lowered his voice and said, ¡°This is different. It¡¯s been too long, and everyone¡¯s running out of patience.

    ¡°Also, I recently heard that Wesley Graham, Ms. Hoven¡¯s first love and the one who¡¯s set to inherit the Filo Group, will be returning soon. I have a feeling that he might interfere. Should we act first?¡±

    William looked up, and a deadly gleam shed in his dark eyes.

 Chapter 403

    Chapter 403 No Precautions Taken

    Emelie heard the men¡¯s deep voices around the corner and walked over.

    There, she found William and Beathan standing side by side, each smoking a cigarette. Looking at the way they were getting along, they seemed to be acquaintances.

    Upon hearing her footsteps, the two men turned to look at her.

    Beathan knew that Emelie hade to find William. He nodded politely in greeting before heading inside.

    William stubbed out his cigarette and approached her. What are <i>you </i>doing out here?¡±

    Emelie was puzzled. ¡°Do you know Beathan?¡±

    William replied casually, ¡°Do you remember Thomas Collins, the one who yed cards with <i>you </i>on the Graham family¡¯s cruise?¡±

    ¡°I remember.¡±

    The four people at the poker table that day included Bryan, the venture capitalist tycoon of the Swanson family in Weston; William, the capital giant of the Middleton family in Capebatt City; Charles, the real estate tycoon of the Davis family in Calmcrest; and the CEO of the tech giant in cidville from the Collins family¡­ Beathan?

    Emelie raised her eyebrows in surprise. Was Beathan Collins from the renowned Collins family in cidville?

    William gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. His fingertip brushed against her soft skin as he gazed at her intensely and said, ¡°Beathan is Thomas¡® cousin.¡±

    The pieces in Emelie¡¯s mind clicked into ce. ¡°Did you instruct Beathan not to inform the Allen family that Elena might only receive a suspended sentence?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I said that whether you agree to the settlement or not, I can ensure that you¡¯ll walk away unscathed.¡±

    He <i>seemed </i>to have done a lot for her behind her back and never mentioned it. For example, he had arranged for the foreign doctors <i>to </i>fly in and see her mother, and he had also ced an undercover agent in the Allen family.

    William bent slightly <i>so </i>that he would be on the same eye level as her.

    He deliberately spoke slowly, and his deep voice that resonated like a cello softly ying in her ears tugged at her heartstrings as he asked, ¡°Are we still settling?¡±

    Instinctively, Emelie stepped back and said, ¡°I¡¯ve epted the money.¡±

    William chuckled softly. ¡°You dare to go back on your word with me, but you fear the Allen family? I¡¯ll consider this a breach of contract.¡±

    He was being unreasonable, but Emelie couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    When he finally saw her smile again, William¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed as he moved to kiss the shallow dimple on her face.

    As he leaned in, Emelie instinctively moved away.

    William missed, but he didn¡¯t retreat. He continued to look at her with an intense gaze. His intentions were obvious, and his thoughts were too straightforward.

    The words that he had uttered the other night, ¡°I really want you¡°, echoed in her mind once more. Initially, Emelie had been indifferent to his words. But now, as she recalled his words, paired with his intense gaze, she felt shivers run down her spine.

    Emelie couldn¡¯t bear it and could only flee helplessly when a man, especially <i>one </i>with whom she had been intimate with many times, looked at her with such desire and aggression. She said, ¡°I¡¯m done eating. I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡±

    William lowered his head and smiled. He put his hands in his pockets and followed. ¡°I¡¯ll leave with <i>you</i>.¡±

    He stayed close behind her with his shadow looming over her. Emelie couldn¡¯t help but recall all the other times that she had felt overshadowed. Overwhelmed, she turned around and pushed him away.

    ¡°Don¡¯t follow me. Go back to Capebatt City.¡±

    William grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms. He wasn¡¯t wearing cologne. Instead, the fresh scent of pine mingled with his mature masculinity enveloped her. ¡°Wherever you are, I¡¯ll be right there with you.¡±

    Emelie knew his intentions and pursed her lips. ¡°I¡¯m not nning to reconcile with you.¡±

    William remainedposed. ¡°I haven¡¯t even tried to pursue you yet. How can you be sure that I won¡¯t eventually win you over?¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t <i>know </i>how to respond. She struggled out of his grasp and quickened her pace.

    She felt a bit dizzy from being followed by him. When she reached the parking lot, she realized that she hadn¡¯t driven there. She turned to stand at the roadside, intending to hail a¡¯taxi, but William grabbed her hand with one hand and unlocked his Maybach with the other.

    ¡°Angel, get in my car.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not getting in.¡±

    ¡°Just this once.¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Come on. It¡¯s veryfortable.¡±

    Emelie realized that she had been teased and red at him in annoyance. William couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter, and the sound echoed throughout the parking lot.

    In the end, Emelie was cornered by him, and she had no choice but to get into the car,Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Her yielding only made him more aggressive.

    Once inside the car, he insisted they go to the hotel together. Then, he urged them to enter the room together. And once inside the room, he longed to kiss her, touch her, and hear her call him ¡°Liam¡°.

    Unable to escape, Emelie could only cover his mouth. ¡°Stop talking.¡±

    William didn¡¯t like to talk too much when doing such things either. He lifted her legs and ced them around his waist. Then, he leaned his forehead against hers and pressed his hand against her.

    Emelie¡¯s eyes were teary and filled with affection.

    In fact, she wasn¡¯t really willing to do this with him right now. She felt that there were traps in his advances and wanted to push him away. However, it was already toote.

    There were no contraceptives in the room. Thus, William didn¡¯t take any precautions.

 Chapter 404

    Chapter 404 Giving You a Ring

    The night outside was pitch ck, and the winter wind blew light snow through the window crack. Despite

    the chill, the room remained warm and humid.

    Emelie reached out from under the covers to turn on the bedsidemp.

    However, William pressed her bare back down and kissed her neck. When she shuddered, his movement intensified, and he began trailing kisses from her neck down <i>to </i>her waist.

    Emelie flopped back onto the pillows and curled up from the ticklishness. Just as she turned to push William away, he inteced their fingers together and pinned her hands down on the pillow before kissing her.

    Emelie felt ufortable with how clingy William was being.

    He had approached her like a sick stray dog the night before, but now, he was acting like a needy golden

    retriever.

    She hadn¡¯t intended to sleep with him again. However, when he rubbed against her, she gave in.

    As William moved within her, he watched as Emelie lost her usualposed demeanor under the dim light.

    He suddenly remembered the day that someone had called to ask if he had won Emelie over yet. He hadn¡¯t answered, but the person already knew that he hadn¡¯t seeded. Thus, the person had offered him another idea.

    ¡°William, have you heard the saying that confessions are for kids, while adults would seduce? The first step in seduction is to abandon human nature and be a cat, a tiger, or a dog caught in the rain.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°It means acting weak and pitiful and then seizing the moment to get what you want.¡±

    It seemed to be working. William smirked slightly. He scooped Emelie up off the bed and sat her on hisp with her head leaning on his shoulder.

    The depth of this position made Emelie¡¯s mind go nk. It felt as if she were sinking into the deep sea.

    Amidst this overwhelming sensation, she vaguely heard him whisper in her ear, ¡°Angel, how about I buy a ring and put it on your finger?¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t register it at first and just gazed at him with a dazed look. Momentster, his words sank in, and her eyes widened in shock.

    Did he just say that he would buy her a ring?

    What kind of ring? Was it just a piece of jewelry? Or was there going to be a proposal and a wedding?

    Emelie instantly felt her breath catch. She couldn¡¯t tell if he was speaking out of desire or if he had real intentions.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    She didn¡¯t dare to face the potential oue. When he finished, she quickly pushed him away and said, ¡°I

    need a shower.¡±

    William swiftly grabbed her hand as his dark eyes met hers. ¡°I¡¯ll join you.¡±

    Emelie pulled her hand back. ¡°Go to your own room. I want to sleep alone tonight.¡±

    Then, she shut the bathroom door with a bang.

    William stared at the closed ss door as he poked the inside of his cheek with the tip of his tongue. She¡¯d kicked him out after they were done. It was as though he was just a casual fling.

    At Lovelight, Ashley had been waiting in the private room for a while, but Emelie hadn¡¯t returned.

    Ashton said, ¡°Ms. Hoven has probably left with Mr. Middleton.¡±

    Ashley nodded in understanding. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll head home too.¡±

    She got up and left the private room, but she stopped by the restroom first.

    When she came out after washing her hands, she unexpectedly saw Beathan leaning against the wall

    while smoking a cigarette.

    Ashley didn¡¯t react. Instead, she walked past him without a nce.

    Beathan exhaled a puff of smoke and called out to her, ¡°Ashley.¡±

    Ashley instinctively paused. Beathan chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re still the same, stopping whenever I call you.¡±

    Ashley¡¯s brow furrowed slightly before she quicklyposed herself and continued walking without <i>looking </i>back.

    Beathan stubbed out his cigarette. He yanked her over and pinned her against the wall before kissing her forcefully.

    Ashley immediately turned her head to avoid him and brought her knee up to strike his groin.

    Her move forced Beathan to release her and retreat quickly.

    Ashley then pulled out a wet wipe from her bag, wiping her wrist where he had grabbed her, and looked at him coldly.

    ¡°Mr. Collins, it¡¯s <i>no </i>wonder that you¡¯re so hical. You were handling the Allen family¡¯s case, but you failed to inform them that it would likely only result in a suspended sentence. You clearly have no understanding of thew. Do you need me to exin the penalties for sexual harassment in public?¡±

    Having said that, she threw the wet wipe into the trash before looking at him as though she was looking at something filthy.

 Chapter 405

    Chapter 405 Only Death Could Part Them

    Beathan looked into her cold eyes and smiled calmly. ¡°Are you angry? You still care about me. We were together for seven years, and I know you better than anyone. If you didn¡¯t care, you wouldn¡¯t react so strongly to my touch.¡±

    His tone softened. ¡°Ashley, I¡¯ve broken up with her. Let¡¯s start over.¡±

    Ashley showed no emotion. ¡°Even though Elias and I didn¡¯t have a wedding, many people know we¡¯re married. What¡¯s the matter? Haven¡¯t you heard, Mr. Collins?¡±

    Beathan couldn¡¯t believe she had no feelings left after seven years together. He said sternly, ¡°Ashley, I¡¯m giving you a chance.¡±

    Before Ashley could respond, Elias suddenly appeared and kicked Beathan. ¡°How dare <i>you </i>flirt with my wife!¡±

    Beathan couldn¡¯t dodge in time, and a footprint marred his ck suit.

    Beathan looked up with his face still quite calm and collected. ¡°Elias, don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know why you married Ashley. She¡¯s your wife, you say? Are you dering your territory? She called me her husband when you were just a college kid.¡±

    Beathan smirked after recalling something. ¡°Interesting. When did you start having feelings for Ashley? No wonder you were so hostile when I visited you at university. You pervert, she¡¯s your aunt.¡±

    Elias was usually carefree and would rarely show a nasty look. He cursed and punched Beathan again.

    Beathan didn¡¯t give in to him this time. The two men then fought fist¨Cto¨Cfist in the hallway of the clubhouse.N?velDrama.Org owns this.

    Ashley called out. ¡°Elias.¡±

    Elias didn¡¯t stop, and she wasn¡¯t interested in breaking up the fight between two grown men. She wasn¡¯t going <i>to </i>risk getting hit. Since he wouldn¡¯t listen to her, Ashley didn¡¯t bother and turned to leave.

    They could continue <i>to </i>fight if they wanted to.

    Elias saw Ashley leave and didn¡¯t want to keep fighting Beathan. He was a better fighter than Beathan at the end of the day. He grabbed him by the cor and mmed him against the wall with a bratty and sinister look.

    ¡°Beathan, I¡¯ll be honest. I liked her long before you knew. So what? She¡¯s my rightful wife now!¡±

    Beathan struggled to keep hisposed demeanor at this point. ¡°Don¡¯t many couples divorce each year? My colleagues handle dozens of such cases daily.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. With her, it¡¯ll only be death that parts us. If you show up again, I won¡¯t mind breaking thew.¡± Elias shoved him away.

    Then he turned and followed Ashley.

    Beathan wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth while his expression went cold.

    Ashley hailed a taxi at the clubhouse¡¯s entrance. Just as she got into the car, before she could even close the door, Elias squeezed into the backseat after her.

    Ashley nced at him but said nothing. Elias didn¡¯t speak either. He looked more unruly than usual, with his hair falling over his forehead after the fight.

    He took several wet wipes from her bag and wiped his hands in disgust.

    Ashley got out of the car when it pulled up at the hotel. Elias stared at her slender back. His thin lips were pursed, and his expression clearly showed that he was holding himself back.

    As they stepped into the room and closed the door, he couldn¡¯t restrain himself any longer. He pushed her against the wall and forced his leg between hers.

    He demanded, ¡°What do you mean by this? Are you rekindling things with Beathan? Have you forgotten that you¡¯re a married woman?¡±

    Ashley leaned against the cold wall. Her voice was clear and calm as she said, ¡°I saw you there earlier. You were there the whole time. You heard everything Beathan said.

    ¡°If you heard it, then you should know that I¡¯ve rejected him. He was the one pestering me. So, where does this talk of rekindling thingse from?¡±

    As awyer, her logical thinking was strong. She wouldn¡¯t fall into his trap.

    ¡°You-¡±

    Elias was unable to argue with her, so he grabbed her face and forced her to look into his eyes. How

    could she be so calm after he had seen her with her ex?

    Wasn¡¯t she afraid that he would misunderstand her? Did she trust him that much, or did she just not care?

 Chapter 406

    Chapter 406 Get Out

    Elias stared intensely at Ashley.

    Ashley pulled her hand away from his. She <b>said </b>lightly. ¡°If you¡¯re just looking for trouble because you have nothing better to do, find someone else who has time. I have case files to review.¡±

    Her indifferent attitude infuriated Elias, who tightened his grip on her hand. ¡°You¡¯re awyer, and I can¡¯t beat you in an argument.¡±

    Then, he pressed his knee against her skirt and fiercely kissed her lips after letting out a curse.

    Ashley sensed this wasn¡¯t going to end easily, and her nerves spiked. She tried to grab his hand. ¡°Elias, Stop this nonsense!¡±

    However, Elias was hell¨Cbent on doing <b>so</b>.

    He pinned her hands against the wall with one hand and pushed up her skirt with the other. Did she even realize how seductive she looked in this professional outfit? Beathan, that old man, had never let his eyes off her!

    Fueled by anger, Elias roughly tore off her stockings and lingerie.

    Ashley was helpless against his control. She was unable to resist. Without returning to the room, he took her right there at the entrance.

    Elias

    as was usually very patient with her and would ensure she wasfortable. He was, however, somewhat relentless this day. ¡°I asked you to call me husband, but you refused. You¡¯d rather save it for Beathan. I¡¯m the one you¡¯re legally married to! I¡¯m your husband!¡±

    Ashley hadn¡¯t expected such a strong reaction from him. Unprepared, she endured the pain, and even her breath was uneven. ¡°Elias, you¡­¡±

    ¡°If Beathan hadn¡¯t cheated with his junior, would you be his wife by now? Would you? You¡¯ve been together for so many years¡­¡±

    Ashley was too focused on the pain to listen to his resentment.

    Unable to resist, she had to rx to prevent further harm.

    This was Ashley¡¯s most embarrassing moment.

    Once it was over, Ashley¡¯s suit was no longer presentable, and she was in a mess. She was nothing of her usual cold and dignified demeanor.

    Elias regained his senses after venting his anger. Realizing he had gone too far, he gulped and tried to please her by kissing her <b>and </b>making herfortable, then carrying her to clean up and change into fresh

    clothes.

    Ashley pushed away his attempts to be attentive. Her lips were slightly cut, which made it appear even more seductive. Her voice was cold and stern as she asked, ¡°Was it your first time to find out about my past with Beathan? Is dredging up the past interesting to you?¡±

    Elias was caught in a moment of anger back there, and he couldn¡¯t help it. ¡°Honey¡­.¡±

    ¡°Not only did I not ask about your past, I haven¡¯t even interfered in your life after marriage. I said we each take what we need. Let¡¯s continue to turn a blind eye to each other¡¯s actions. If you continue to interfere with me, I will find you very troublesome.¡±

    Ashley disliked trouble. If she did feel troubled, she would choose to <b>end </b>it once and for <b>all</b>.

    Hearing her hinting at divorce, Elias pressed his tongue against his cheek. Suddenly, heughed.

    ¡°Yes, you haven¡¯t interfered in my private life. You didn¡¯t care what little starlet or inte star I was going in and out of hotels with. You¡¯ve never thought of me as your husband. Of course, you¡¯ve been very generous.¡±

    ¡°Get out.¡± Ashley felt the pain between her legs when she moved<i>. </i>She couldn¡¯t help but shout angrily, ¡°Get

    out!¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this.

    After being kicked out of the room, Elias lit a cigarette and took a deep drag. He went downstairs and thought about going to the front desk to get a new room for the night, but he didn¡¯t see the point. He still wanted to be with Ashley. He¡¯d sneak back in when Ashley was asleep.

    With nowhere else to go, he heard there was a bar on the ground floor of the hotel, so he went there to pass the time.

    Coincidentally, he saw William sitting alone at the bar.

    Forgetting Ashley¡¯s anger, Elias walked over and gloated. He asked, ¡°Will, did Ms. Hoven kick you out too?¡±

 Chapter 407

    Chapter 407 Borrowing Her Medicine

    William nced at him but couldn¡¯t be bothered to respond.

    He took a sip of his drink. His expression blurred in the hazy light of the bar.

    Elias saw him as arade. He snapped his fingers to signal the bartender for a drink and scoffed, ¡°Why are these women so hard to handle?¡±

    Then, he took out a pack of cigarettes and offered one to William.

    Just as the cigarette was lit, a conversation between two men at the bar reached their ears. ¡°No, no. We¡¯re trying for a baby. I shouldn¡¯t have any alcohol or cigarettes. I¡¯ll just have a ss of lemon water.¡±

    Hearing this, both men paused in their drinking and smoking. Then, they simultaneously put out their cigarettes.

    William couldn¡¯t stay in Weston forever. After having breakfast with Emelie the next day, he and Ashton went back to Capebatt City.

    Emelie didn¡¯t see him off. She simply continued eating her meal.

    The first person Ashley saw when she entered the restaurant was Emelie. She took her meal and sat down opposite her.

    They chatted for a while. Although she had reconciled with the Allen family, the case wasn¡¯t over, and Ashley still had to follow up.

    While eating. Emelie suddenly remembered something and cleared her throat. ¡°Ashley, do you still have that medicine?¡±

    She and William hadn¡¯t taken precautions the previous night. Seeing Ashley with the medicine before, she thought about asking her for two pills to avoid going to the pharmacy.

    Ashley raised an eyebrow. She took out the pills from her bag, handed two to Emelie, and asked, ¡°Have you and Mr. Middleton made up?¡±

    Emelie wasn¡¯t sure how to define her rtionship with William at this point. She shook her head without answering, and Ashley, understanding the cue, didn¡¯t press further. <b>She </b>took two pills herself as well.

    Elias had been like a mad dog the previous night, and he certainly hadn¡¯t used protection.

    After breakfast, Emelie officially returned to work at Swanson Corporation.

    Although Bryan had yet to return from his business trip in Eprand, she was still¨Cbusy with the year¨Cend workload. The week passed in a blur.

    During this time, William often texted Emelie.

    He texted her that he <b>had </b>sent someone to check on her home. His father had stopped drinking, and his limp had improved significantly. He also mentioned consulting Sophie about Greta¡¯s condition, which was not irreversible. Sophie would create a treatment n specifically for Greta.

    Emelie didn¡¯t reply to every message, but she always thanked him for what he did.

    William would sometimes even text herte at night and say, ¡°Angel, I remember how you looked in that gown. When are youing back to Capebatt City? I want you.¡±

    Emelie never knew that this man could text her such things.

    It was strange. She wasn¡¯t a naive girl, and she wasn¡¯t someone who was easily swayed, but reading his messages made her feel something indescribable.

    She hurriedly tucked her phone under her pillow without responding to his flirtatious words.N?velDrama.Org owns this.

    Thest working <b>day </b>of the year ended. Near closing time, Emelie received a call from Ashley.

    Ashley said, ¡°Elena¡¯s case has been wrapped up before the end of the year. I¡¯ll bring it to the office for you. Treat me to dinner tonight.¡±

    Emelie smiled and thought for a moment before saying, ¡°Let¡¯s crash someone else¡¯s dinner.¡±

    ¡°Hmm? Whose?¡±

    ¡°Elena¡¯s.¡±

    William hadn¡¯t been the only one texting Emelie frequently this week. Elena had also been reaching out to her, saying that she wanted to meet her,

    Emelie had initially not wanted to respond to her, but something in Elena¡¯sst message piqued her interest.

    ¡°Emelie, I¡¯m so jealous of you. Why did he love you for so many years? Why? I hate you so much. You¡¯ve stolen what was mine.¡±

    Who was she referring to?

 Chapter 408

    Chapter 408 He Only Loves You

    Ashley had thought that Emelie was joking, so she didn¡¯t expect Emelie to actually take her to dinner with Elena.

    They arrived first. It took a little while for Elena to be fashionablyte with her bodyguards.

    She walked all the way from the doorway and looked at Emelie without blinking while thetter stared back at her. Their eyes locked, and they gradually drew closer. Emelie was somewhat surprised.

    In just over half a month, Elena had be quite wom.

    Her looks were exotic, with deep¨Cset eyes that were very striking. However, now her face had thinned considerably, and despite her makeup, it couldn¡¯t hide her gaunt appearance.

    Elena, barely in her twenties, already looked somewhat <b>aged</b>.

    Meanwhile, Emelie wore a mint¨Cgreen coat over her suit. Her fair skinplemented the outfit. Elena seemed like a dull grain of sand next to a pearl.

    Elena couldn¡¯t ept being inferior to Emelie. Her gaze grew colder. The first thing she said after sitting down was a sneer. ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t daree.¡±

    Emelie nodded honestly. ¡°After being tricked by you once, I was indeed hesitant, so I brought <b>a </bwyer, and I chose a restaurant with a lot of people. Most importantly, there¡¯s a camera above us recording every move. Ms. Allen, you won¡¯t be able to use any tricks.¡±

    Elena nced at the camera and then back at Emelie. Her gaze shifted from cold to calm. One couldn¡¯t tell what she was thinking.

    Ashley asked, ¡°<b>Can </b>we order now?¡±

    Emelie smiled. ¡°We just got off work and are quite hungry. Ms. Allen, do you have a budget for this meal? If not, we¡¯ll order as we please.¡±

    Elena didn¡¯t respond, so Emelie took it as having no budget. She called the waiter, ordered a few dishes, and then asked Elena, ¡°Do you have any dietary restrictions?¡±

    She asked because, firstly, as a secretary, she was used to considering everyone. Secondly, since she had epted the money for reconciliation and agreed to this meal, there was no need to get all worked up.

    Elena answered, but what came back <b>was</b>, ¡°Stew, barbecue, and skewers.¡±

    Emelie found it amusing. ¡°This is an eastern kitchen. They don¡¯t have those items. If you had mentioned stews earlier, we would have chosen a stew restaurant

    Elena¡¯s response was off¨Ctopic, and her intentions were clear. ¡°Did he never take you for stews, barbecues, or skewers? It seems you¡¯re not that special. He took me there when we were still together.¡±

    Ashley had no idea who the guy she referred to was.

    Emelie, on the other hand, understood immediately. She was talking about William, referring to their high school rtionship.

    Elena didn¡¯t seem to want any more.additions. Thus, Emelie signaled to the waiter that their order wasplete. Then she picked up her ss and took a sip of water.

    Elena stared fixedly at Emelie. She didn¡¯t want to miss a single change in her expression. ¡°After eating. we¡¯d <b>take </b>a walk hand in hand, enjoying the night breeze, sharing our thoughts and sweet words. Did he ever do that with you<b>?</b>

    ¡°When we passed a cinema, and I wanted to watch a movie, he¡¯d take me in. We¡¯d share a bucket of popcorn, and no matter how boring the movie was, he¡¯d watch it with me till the end. Did he do that with you?

    ¡°Then, at the end of the night, he¡¯d reluctantly walk me to the dormitory and say goodnight. Was he ever this tender with you?¡±

    No. No. No.

    If she insisted on asking, Emelie¡¯s answer would be no.

    She couldn¡¯t even imagine William doing those things.

    He was cold and dignified, and he seemed aloof to everyone. However, he had been particrly fond of her alone. To meet such a dazzling person in her youth, it was no wonder Elena had been obsessed with him for so many years.

    Elena¡¯s face showed a longing for the past. ¡°Back then, I truly believed I must have done many good deeds in my past life. Otherwise, how could I have had him and be his official girlfriend?¡±

    Emelie put down her ss and then asked, ¡°Is there anything else?¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Elena had expected Emelie to be jealous, resentful, or tosh out and tell her to shut up.

    However, she didn¡¯t expect Emelie to listen calmly as if she were hearing a stranger¡¯s story. Elena gripped the edge of the table tightly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you jealous? Aren¡¯t you envious?¡±

    Emelie said, ¡°You¡¯re treating me to dinner, and I¡¯m listening to you vent. It¡¯s fair. Ms. Allen, if you have more to say, please continue. I¡¯ll listen while eating

    *That¡¯s because you¡¯ve never loved him as much as I do. Of course, you don¡¯t feel anything!¡± Elena suddenly burst out in anger as she stood up abruptly.

    The restaurant that Emelie <b>had </b>chosen was crowded. Elena¡¯s sudden outburst drew the attention of several nearby diners.

    Elena red at Emelie with reddened eyes. ¡°Even just seeing the two of you together drives me crazy with jealousy! All these years, I¡¯ve been working hard abroad.

    ¡°I wanted to be worthy of him, and I wanted to return to him radiant. And I did it! I achieved it! Yet, he only loves you! He still loves you, just like back then!¡±

 Chapter 409

    Chapter 409 Young Crush

    Emelle was slightly stunned.

    Elena paused for a moment.

    Just then, the waiter brought out a tray of dishes, and she identally bumped into him. The waiter hurriedly apologized, but Elena grabbed a dish from the tray and smashed it onto the ground.

    ¡°All those times he had taken me to restaurants and cafes were because you had gone there first, and he had followed you! All those walks and movies¡­ he had done them all because he was just following you!

    ¡°He never walked me back to the dorm because <b>you </b>weren¡¯t in the same building as me, so he knew that he didn¡¯t have a chance to run into you. Even when I begged him to walk me back just once, he refused and wouldn¡¯t agree!¡±

    Elena unleashed her pent¨Cup emotions from the past month. People around them started filming her, but she didn¡¯t care.

    Emelie looked up at her. Her heart was trembling, and her eyes were quivering slightly.

    ¡°He got together with me because you decided to go out with Wesley that day, and he was jealous.¡± Elenaughed bitterly.

    ¡°Why do I want you dead, you ask? If you were me, wouldn¡¯t you hate it if you¡¯ve been used as a tool? Emelie, you have no idea how devastated I was when found out that you were with him!

    ¡°After all these years, he still loves <b>you</b>, <b>and </b>now, he finally has you. Just thinking about how satisfied he must be to have you makes me wish that you were dead! The man I¡¯ve been obsessed with for so many years has only ever had you in his heart!¡±

    Being used as a tool?

    Emelie had no intention ofparing who was more of a tool, but what Elena had said was all news to

    her.

    She found it unbelievable and absurd. If Elena weren¡¯t so earnest, she¡¯d suspect that it was all in her

    imagination.

    Emelie pressed her lips together and asked, ¡°Are you telling the truth?¡±

    Exhausted from venting, Elena slumped back <b>into </b>her chair, ¡°Emelie, what exactly makes me inferior to you?

    ¡°Is it because of your looks? You¡¯re pretty, but I¡¯m not bad either! Is it family background? You <b>don¡¯t </b>evenpare! You¡¯re not even a fallen heiress. You¡¯re just an ordinary person!

    ¡°Is it because of your capabilities<b>? </b>I¡¯ve worked hard abroad for years, and I¡¯ve gained lots of experience. I¡¯m confident that I¡¯m better than you! So, <b>why </b>can he only see you? Why is it that he only has eyes for you?

    At this point, there was no need to continue the meal.

    Emelie and Ashley left the restaurant and went to another ce to have a simple meal.

    Unlike Mona, Ashley didn¡¯t want to gossip about such a bizarre incident. Ashley didn¡¯t mention it at all, knowing that Emelie¡¯s mind was also in turmoil and that she needed time to think,

    After the meal, she mentioned that she would be heading back to Capebatt City.

    Emelie immediately took out a small box from her bag and gave it to her. ¡°Thank you for helping me these

    past few days. Drive safely on your way back. See you in Capebatt City.¡±

    Ashley blinked and opened the box. Then, she smiled.

    There was a pair of asymmetrical diamond earrings in the box. One earring was in the shape of a star, and the other was in the shape of a moon.

    Emelie rubbed her nose and said, ¡°When I saw these, I thought they¡¯d suit you. It¡¯s just a small token of my appreciation.¡±

    Ashley had received many gifts from clients before, but this one was her favorite.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take them. Thank you. Let¡¯s have dinner again when you¡¯re back in Capebatt City.¡±

    Emelie smiled and nodded. Ashley left after that.

    Emelie walked back to the hotel. After a few steps, she sat down on the steps of a store that was already. closed.

    She needed to think carefully about what Elena had said.

    Had William always been paying attention to her?

    Emelie¡¯s memory of William from high school was limited to knowing his name. They had barely crossed paths, to the point where she had forgotten about him after she had gone to college.

    Later, when she had be his secretary and had discovered that they had gone to the same high school, she was surprised. Therefore, what Elena had said was entirely beyond her knowledge. However, Elena had no reason to lie about such things. If everything Elena said was true¡­

    The cold winter wind cleared Emelie¡¯s mind further as she racked her brain for clues.N?velDrama.Org owns this.

    Thest time she¡¯d invited William for a meal at a private restaurant, he¡¯d inexplicably ordered a bunch of dishes to be packed for the janitors. That action had brought back a memory from her high school days. In that memory, there was a wealthy young man at the school who would always treat everyone to afternoon tea. She had even gained a few pounds because of it.

    Could it be that the person who had treated everyone to the afternoon tea was William? Did he treat the entire grade just to give her something? Was he repeating his old tricks just to hint at those memories? No wonder he had said yes so easily on that rainy night three years ago when she had begged him to take her.

    That night, to her, he had appeared as a savior from the heavens, but to him, she was the long¨Clost crush from his youth.

 Chapter 410

    Chapter 410 William¡¯s Love Letter

    A crush.

    Emelie felt a chill as the cold wind blew. It all seemed so unbelievable. Then again, how could she verify

    the truth?

    Emelie then recalled something. The day she invited him for a private meal, he had asked her about her stack of love letters.

    At the time, she thought he was too concerned about it. Now, she wondered if he had also written her a love letter back then

    Emelie abruptly stood up, and her eyshes fluttered. Those love letters should be at her home in Alderbrook. She immediately called Ashley.

    ¡°Ashley, have you left yet?¡±

    ¡°I was just about to. What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°I want to go back to Capebatt City with you. Is that okay?¡±

    Ashley paused and then replied, ¡°Sure. Are you still outside the restaurant? I¡¯ll pick you up.¡±

    Soon, Ashley¡¯s car pulled up. Emelie opened the door and got in.

    Only then did Ashley ask, ¡°Is this about Mr. Middleton?

    Emelie¡¯s heart raced for some reason. She was eager to verify this seemingly unbelievable story. She pressed her lips together. ¡°Yes, it is.¡±

    At this time, the drive on the highway back to Capebatt City on the road didn¡¯t encounter any traffic jams. They arrived in Alderbrook at around two in the morning.

    Ashley suggested and said, ¡°How about staying at my ce for the night to avoid disturbing your parents?¡±

    Emelie shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s something I need to confirm. I won¡¯t be able to sleep without knowing for

    sure.¡±

    Ashley let her be.

    Emelie had her house keys in her purse and opened the door. Ronan, Greta, and the housekeeper were all asleep at this hour. She went up to the attic using the shlight on her phone.

    When they moved houses years ago, they threw away many things. However, some important items were kept. She recalled that she hadn¡¯t thrown away those love letters.

    In the corner were several boxes containing things from her student days. She rummaged through them one by one and inevitably made a noise. The housekeeper, thinking it was a burr, came up with a shlight in one hand and a kitchen knife in the other.

    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±

    Emelie quickly poked her head out. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡±

    The housekeeper was startled. ¡°Oh¡­ Ms. Hoven? When did you get back?¡±

    *Just now. I¡¯m looking for something.¡±

    The housekeeper came up and saw the mess. ¡°What are you looking for? Do you need my help?¡±

    Emelie replied, ¡°It¡¯s fine. You should get <b>some </b>rest. Don¡¯t worry about me, and don¡¯t wake up my parents.¡±

    The housekeeper hommed in response and went downstairs.

    Emelie <b>sat </b>on the floor while feeling a little <b>dazed</b>. She had already gone through several boxes without finding the bag of love letters. Could they have been thrown away?

    The thought of the possibility left her feeling a bit downhearted.

    She

    was so close to getting a glimpse into the heart of the man she <b>could </b>never understand.

    The wooden floor felt chilly, and Emelie decided to get up. After searching for so long, her clothes were dusty and dirty. She thought of changing her clothes before resting.

    Just then, her eyes caught sight of a ck stic bag in the corner. Her tired mind suddenly became alert, and she reached out for it.

    The bag, which had been weathered by time, crumbled at her touch, and papers scattered all over the floor. Emelie was stunned but then saw a light yellow envelope amidst the scattered papers.

    ¡°To Emelie.¡±

    Emelie stared at it. She remembered that William had once casually written ¡°Call Emelie in¡± on a piece of paper while leading a conference call.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    Ashton had then gone to get her.

    Later, while cleaning up his desk, Emelie hade across that paper. It was the first time she had seen him write her name ¡°Emelie¡°. He had written it with a unique cursive style that resembled a mirrored

    crescent moon.

    She hadn¡¯t had the heart to throw the paper away and had carefully kept it.

    The way he had written her name on the envelope was almost identical to the one on the paper.

    Emelie slowly crouched down and picked up the envelope. It felt as light as the emotions that she was feeling in her heart.

    She examined the envelope for a long time, wondering if he had chosen the light yellow color because it resembled the moon.

    Then, she gently tore open the taped seal.

    Most people would pour out their feelings when writing a love letter, expressing sentiments like love at <b>first </b>sight, deep affection, and unmatched devotion. They would describe their love and insist that they could never like anyone as much as they liked the recipient.

    Meanwhile, William¡¯s love letter contained only one <b>sentence</b>. He had expressed that when he looked up at the moon, he would only see her face instead.

 Chapter 411

    Chapter 411 Let¡¯s Try Again

    The following day, Emelie was woken up by the buzzing of her phone.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    She had only fallen asleep at around four or five in the morning. She was still exhausted, but when she saw William¡¯s name on the caller ID, her sleepiness vanished instantly.

    Emelie sat up and nced at the pale yellow envelope on the nightstand. As she recalled the events of the previous night, she couldn¡¯t help but bite her lower lip.

    After taking a deep breath to calm herself, she answered the phone.

    ¡°Hello.¡± William¡¯s deep, maic voice came through the phone. His voice managed to give her goosebumps despite the distortion from the electric signal.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked.

    Tm sleeping

    ¡°Where are you sleeping? I¡¯m in your room, but I don¡¯t see you. Where did you go?¡± William¡¯s tone immediately became deeper. He sounded like he was catching her in the act of some wrongdoing Emelie was momentarily stunned. ¡°Are you in my room? Did you go to Weston to find me?¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t yesterday yourst day at work? I came to pick you up and bring you back to Capebatt City. Where are you now?¡± William pressed.

    Emelie, who was still wrapped in her nket, checked the time. It <b>was </b>just after seven. ¡°You¡¯ve arrived in Weston this early? Did you drive all night?¡±

    ¡®I came right after finishing workst night. Why do you keep dodging the question? Where are you now? Are you afraid to let me know where you are? Is it Charles or Samuel? Who are you with?¡± William¡¯s voice turned icy and impatient.

    Emelie hadn¡¯t even had a chance to respond before William hung up. She was taken aback, but a WhatsApp video call came through right after that.

    It was as though William was trying to catch her in the act of cheating.

    Emelie couldn¡¯t help but smile. She leaned against the headboard and answered the video call.

    As soon as the call connected, William¡¯s sharp features filled the screen. Even from hundreds of miles away, Emelie could feel hismanding presence.

    ¡°I¡¯m at my house in Alderbrook.¡± Emelie moved the camera to show the familiar attic, and only then did. William¡¯s expression soften.

    ¡°Why were you in such a hurry to return?¡±

    Emelie exined, ¡°Ashley was driving back to Capebatt Cityst night, so I hitched a ride with her.¡±

    ¡°Stay home<b>, </b>and don¡¯t go anywhere. Wait for <b>me</b><b>.</b>¡±

    William ended the video call after saying that.

    Emelie lingered in bed for another half an hour, Only when she heard noises downstairs did she get up to wash up and get dressed.

    It was just past eight in the morning, but Ronan had already left.

    The housekeeper said that Ronan seemed busytely, always <b>leaving </b>early anding homete.

    Emelie didn¡¯t think much of it. For middle¨Caged people, some of them would just spend their time ying poker, which Ronan enjoyed. He was probably off to y a few games under a tree somewhere.

    Emelie apanied Greta to buy some supplies for the holidays. It was New Year¡¯s Eve the following night.

    She estimated that William would arrive from Weston around noon. After helping Greta with the shopping and dropping off the supplies at home, she walked to the edge of town.

    Near the town, there was ake where people could rent boats. She sat on a bridge, lost in her thoughts, as she watched the tourists row their boats.

    It wasn¡¯t until she heard two car honks that she came back to her senses.

    A ck Maybach was parked by the side of the road. Its sleek design gleamed in the sunlight, and it drew everyone¡¯s attention.

    William stepped out of the car wearing a custom made tailored suit. His tall and handsome figure was breathtaking. His eyes locked onto her, and he walked toward her with long, confident strides.

    Emelie watched him approach. She remembered how he had approached her on a boatst New Year¡¯s Day

    Every time they were apart, he was the one who would go to her.

    Thinking of his love letter and how much he cared about New Year¡¯s Eve, a voice in her mind whispered,¡± Emelie, you¡¯ve fallen for him again.

    She was hopeless, for she had fallen for him again.

    But what could she do?

    When William was about ten feet away, Emelie got up and rushed toward him.

    William probably didn¡¯t expect her to run toward him. He paused for a moment, then seemed to

    understand and opened his arms with a slight smile.

    Emelie quickly closed the distance and jumped into his arms. William tightened his arms around her, and she buried her face in his chest while inhaling his scent.

    In a low voice, she said, ¡°William, let¡¯s try again.¡±

 Chapter 412

    Chapter 412 Putting a <b>Ring </b>on <b>Her</b>

    The moment Emelie finished speaking. William leaned in and kissed her deeply.

    The kiss was intense and possessive. Despite being in broad daylight with people around them, he didn¡¯t care. He held the back of her head as his tongue invaded her mouth.

    Emelie was afraid of being seen by someone she knew<b>, </b>so she clutched his suit tightly and said, ¡± William¡­ William¡­¡±

    William was more reckless, and he kissed her for a while before letting her go. He let out a breath, and his voice was filled with seductiveness and allure as he said, ¡°We¡¯re not just trying. It¡¯s settled. We¡¯ll be together.¡±

    He took Emelie¡¯s hand and, without giving her a chance to see what he was doing, slid a ring onto her finger

    Emelie¡¯s eyes widened.

    William¡¯s voice was hoarse <b>as </b>he said, ¡°Angel, the city hall is closed for the holidays. Once they reopen, we¡¯ll register for marriage.¡±

    W¨CWhat?

    What did he just say?

    Wait a minute!

    Emelie¡¯s nerves exploded when she realized that he wasn¡¯t joking.

    She hurriedly covered William¡¯s mouth to stop him from spouting more nonsense and tried to take off the ring. However, the diamond part of the ring formed an inverted V, making it hard to remove once the ring was put on. The ring fit perfectly, and without lubrication, she couldn¡¯t take it off.

    Emelie felt a little anxious. Frustrated, she said, ¡°Did¡­ Did I ever agree to that? All I said was that we should try¡­ try to see if we¡¯re right for each other!¡±

    If they tried and it didn¡¯t work out, they¡¯d break up! Why did he just propose? No, it wasn¡¯t a proposal. He was heading straight into marriage.N?velDrama.Org owns this.

    Marriage. Was she and William getting married?

    Emelie¡¯s heart tightened. She felt that the situation was ridiculous.

    Telling Mona that they were dating was enough to make her jaw <b>drop</b>. If Emelie told her that they were getting married, Mona would probably fly over immediately to take her to a doctor <b>or </b>a shaman to check if she had a mental illness or had been possessed.

    They had once been so secretive about it, but now, everything about their rtionship was legitimate.

    ¡°It¡¯s enough that I¡¯ve agreed.¡± William pulled her into his arms. His chest vibrated lightly as he said, ¡°You should quit your job with Bryan. After the holidays,e back to me.¡±

    his chest

    Not <b>only </b>was she getting married, but <b>she </b>was also being told to resign. Emelle pushed against his ch with both hands. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡®

    <b>William </b>lifted his chin <b>and </b>rested it on her head. He smiled after smelling the jasmine scent of her hair.

    ¡°<b>Swanson </b>Corporation¡¯s main <b>business </b>isn¡¯t your area of expertise, so you¡¯ve been struggling for the past month. People shine <b>brightest </b>in their fields of strength and familiarity. Cloudex Corporation is the best tform for you.¡±

    ¡°I can¡­¡± She wanted to say that she could learn.

    ¡°Your parents are here. After the holidays, Dr. Foster will bring her treatment n for your mom¡¯s further treatment. You¡¯ll be busy then. Can Bryan tolerate you taking frequent leaves?¡±

    Emelie remained silent.

    ¡°I can. Whatever you do, I¡¯ll support you.¡±

    Emelie¡¯s resistance weakened. Her thoughts wavered at his words. She wasn¡¯t that firm in her stance after all. ¡°Let¡­ Let go of me first. Everyone¡¯s watching us.¡±

    There were many tourists watching them. After all, attractive people always drew attention, let alone a handsome man with a luxury car who was kissing a beautifuldy in public. It was like a scene from a

    romance movie.

    Emelie wasn¡¯t usually shy, but facing those teasing looks, she pulled her jacket¡¯s hood over her head and ran away from the scene.

    She shouldn¡¯t have waited for him at the <b>edge </b>of town

    William smiled as he walked leisurely behind her in the morning sunlight. He appeared noble and charming with his hands casually in his pockets. His long legs allowed him to stride withrge steps.

    Emelie hurried ahead, but she was aware of his presence just behind her. Emelie knew that he was following her, as she could see his shadow when she looked down. She bit her lip.

    As Emelie tumed the corner, William quickly caught up with her. He grabbed her hand and gently pushed her against the wall. ¡°Now that I have proper status, let¡¯s meet your parents. Okay?¡±

    The previous year, he had dropped her off at home without going inside because she had said that hecked the right status.

    Now, he felt that things were different. After all, there was no better status than being <b>an </b>engaged

 Chapter 413

    Chapter 412 Putting a <b>Ring </b>on <b>Her</b>

    The moment Emelie finished speaking. William leaned in and kissed her deeply.

    The kiss was intense and possessive. Despite being in broad daylight with people around them, he didn¡¯t care. He held the back of her head as his tongue invaded her mouth.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.

    Emelie was afraid of being seen by someone she knew<b>, </b>so she clutched his suit tightly and said, ¡± William¡­ William¡­¡±

    William was more reckless, and he kissed her for a while before letting her go. He let out a breath, and his voice was filled with seductiveness and allure as he said, ¡°We¡¯re not just trying. It¡¯s settled. We¡¯ll be together.¡±

    He took Emelie¡¯s hand and, without giving her a chance to see what he was doing, slid a ring onto her finger

    Emelie¡¯s eyes widened.

    William¡¯s voice was hoarse <b>as </b>he said, ¡°Angel, the city hall is closed for the holidays. Once they reopen, we¡¯ll register for marriage.¡±

    W¨CWhat?

    What did he just say?

    Wait a minute!

    Emelie¡¯s nerves exploded when she realized that he wasn¡¯t joking.

    She hurriedly covered William¡¯s mouth to stop him from spouting more nonsense and tried to take off the ring. However, the diamond part of the ring formed an inverted V, making it hard to remove once the ring was put on. The ring fit perfectly, and without lubrication, she couldn¡¯t take it off.

    Emelie felt a little anxious. Frustrated, she said, ¡°Did¡­ Did I ever agree to that? All I said was that we should try¡­ try to see if we¡¯re right for each other!¡±

    If they tried and it didn¡¯t work out, they¡¯d break up! Why did he just propose? No, it wasn¡¯t a proposal. He was heading straight into marriage.

    Marriage. Was she and William getting married?

    Emelie¡¯s heart tightened. She felt that the situation was ridiculous.

    Telling Mona that they were dating was enough to make her jaw <b>drop</b>. If Emelie told her that they were getting married, Mona would probably fly over immediately to take her to a doctor <b>or </b>a shaman to check if she had a mental illness or had been possessed.

    They had once been so secretive about it, but now, everything about their rtionship was legitimate.

    ¡°It¡¯s enough that I¡¯ve agreed.¡± William pulled her into his arms. His chest vibrated lightly as he said, ¡°You should quit your job with Bryan. After the holidays,e back to me.¡±

    his chest

    Not <b>only </b>was she getting married, but <b>she </b>was also being told to resign. Emelle pushed against his ch with both hands. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡®

    <b>William </b>lifted his chin <b>and </b>rested it on her head. He smiled after smelling the jasmine scent of her hair.

    ¡°<b>Swanson </b>Corporation¡¯s main <b>business </b>isn¡¯t your area of expertise, so you¡¯ve been struggling for the past month. People shine <b>brightest </b>in their fields of strength and familiarity. Cloudex Corporation is the best tform for you.¡±

    ¡°I can¡­¡± She wanted to say that she could learn.

    ¡°Your parents are here. After the holidays, Dr. Foster will bring her treatment n for your mom¡¯s further treatment. You¡¯ll be busy then. Can Bryan tolerate you taking frequent leaves?¡±

    Emelie remained silent.

    ¡°I can. Whatever you do, I¡¯ll support you.¡±

    Emelie¡¯s resistance weakened. Her thoughts wavered at his words. She wasn¡¯t that firm in her stance after all. ¡°Let¡­ Let go of me first. Everyone¡¯s watching us.¡±

    There were many tourists watching them. After all, attractive people always drew attention, let alone a handsome man with a luxury car who was kissing a beautifuldy in public. It was like a scene from a

    romance movie.

    Emelie wasn¡¯t usually shy, but facing those teasing looks, she pulled her jacket¡¯s hood over her head and ran away from the scene.

    She shouldn¡¯t have waited for him at the <b>edge </b>of town

    William smiled as he walked leisurely behind her in the morning sunlight. He appeared noble and charming with his hands casually in his pockets. His long legs allowed him to stride withrge steps.

    Emelie hurried ahead, but she was aware of his presence just behind her. Emelie knew that he was following her, as she could see his shadow when she looked down. She bit her lip.

    As Emelie tumed the corner, William quickly caught up with her. He grabbed her hand and gently pushed her against the wall. ¡°Now that I have proper status, let¡¯s meet your parents. Okay?¡±

    The previous year, he had dropped her off at home without going inside because she had said that hecked the right status.

    Now, he felt that things were different. After all, there was no better status than being <b>an </b>engaged

 Chapter 414

    Chapter 414 The 300 Million Dor Ring

    As they walked home from the mall, Emelie spent the entire ten¨Cminute journey trying to figure out how to tell her parents that she was suddenly getting married.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    How could she exin to them that their daughter, who left the house single, was returning half an hourter about to be married?

    Still unsure, she kept pacing around the alley with William until he lost his patience and grabbed her by the back of her neck, dragged her home.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that even an ugly bride has to meet her inws. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m so terrible to the point that you can¡¯t take me home, am 17¡± William <b>said</b>.

    Quite the contrary, Emelie thought he was too impressive, which made it even harder for her to exin the marriage to her parents.

    William lifted his brows slightly, prompting Emelie to bring him home without further hesitation.

    Ronan had yet to return from his morning outing.

    Meanwhile, Greta was both surprised and delighted to learn that Emelie had brought a male friend home. This was the first time Emelie had ever brought home a friend.

    The housekeeper immediately recognised William. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the young man who came to our housest time?

    Greta was confused. ¡°Last time? When was <b>that</b>?¡±

    The housekeeper covered her mouth while chuckling. ¡°It was when Ms. Hoven came homest time. I saw himing down from the attic. Ms. Hoven said he was just a friend!¡±

    This time, Emelie didn¡¯t im he was just a friend. No one knew a daughter better than her mother, and Greta quickly understood their rtionship.

    She carefully examined William.

    His appearance was, of course, impable. In addition, he exudes an innate nobility which ounted for extra points.

    No matter how she looked at him, he appeared satisfactory.

    However, as a son¨Cinw who came the ¡°first time, he did not appear overly friendly and even seemed a bit distant. His authoritative demeanor also made it hard for others to feel at ease around him.

    Greta¡¯s initial joy turned into satisfaction and then hesitation.

    She tried to <b>ask </b>him some basic questions. ¡°Will, are you <b>also </b>from Capebatt City? How long have <b>your </b>known Eme?¡±

    William sat on the sofa. Despite the sofa¡¯s in and aged appearance as a simple solid wood piece, his demeanor made it appear as though it was made out of something akin to luxurious ebony wood.

    The house was facing the <b>sun </b>so there was ample daylight. Despite that, they had turned on the lights for their guest.

    William, as charming as he was, seemed somewhat out of ce under the harsh lighting.

    ¡°I¡¯m from Capebatt City, and we¡¯ve known each other for more than three years,¡± he <b>said</b>.

    Emelie kept her head down while she focused on making tea. She thought she would show him the love

    letterter and see how he would exin it.

    Greta got the gist of what William said. ¡°Three years is a long time. You must be very familiar with each other by now. You two must be thinking of the next step, right?¡±

    William nced at Emelie with a slightly amused expression. ¡°Yes, we are.¡±

    a and William

    Emelie remained calm. She used her right hand to ce two cups of tea in front of Greta while keeping her left hand, with the ring she couldn¡¯t remove, hidden in her jacket sleeve.

    Greta moved closer to William. ¡°Let me ask you a few more questions. Please don¡¯t <b>find </b>me annoying. I only have one daughter, and I worry about her a lot.¡±

    ¡°Ask away,¡± William simply replied.

    ¡°Are you working or running your own business? Is your ie sufficient? Do you have your own house and car? Are your parents still around? Do you have any siblings?¡± Greta asked.

    Emelie raised her head in surprise. Greta¡¯s barrage of five questions made her scalp tingle.

    She tried to chime into the conversation. ¡°Mom¡­¡±

    William calmly answered, ¡°I run my own business, and my ie is decent. I have a house and a car. My parents are still alive, and I¡¯m an only child.¡±

    For the first time, Emelie felt like she was sitting on pins and needles in her own home.

    What nonsense was this man talking about? His ¡°own business¡± referred to none other than Cloudex Corporation, a Fortune 500pany.

    And his notion of a ¡°decent ie¡± was starkly evident in the 300 million dor ring he casually slipped onto her finger.

    As for his house and car, they included a limited¨Cedition Maybach parked at the town entrance, a vehicle so prestigious it drew tourists to photograph it. Not to mention a garage filled with simrly luxurious

    cars.

    Emelie slowly realized just how mind¨Cboggling William¡¯s wealth was.

    Previously, she only saw him as her boss, someone she had a casual rtionship with with no deeper connection. Thus, she never cared about his financial status.

    After all, his money had nothing to do with her.

    However, if they got married and became a couple, that would be a different story.

 Chapter 415

    Chapter 415 Not Quite Satisfied with the Son¨Cin¨CLaw

    Greta was no fool.

    While William¡¯s answers understated his wealth, she could tell that his demeanor wasn¡¯t something that could cultivate with just a little money.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s good. That¡¯s good. You¡¯ve been together for three years, so you must know each other well. I suppose I was just being a bit too unnecessary,¡± Greta said.

    William wasn¡¯t one to beat around the bush. He suddenly reached for Emelie¡¯s hand. ¡°I just proposed to Eme, and she said yes.¡±

    Emelie instinctively nced at Greta.

    Greta¡¯s expression shifted subtly.

    She didn¡¯t seem quite happy and forced a smile. ¡°Marriage is a serious matter. We barely know haven¡¯t met your parents. At the very least, we should find a time for both families to sit down and discuss this matter.¡±

    you and

    William picked up the teacup

    However, he only brought it close to his nose for a sniff before putting it back down. His expression turned distant.

    Emelie knew him too well. He found the tea too ordinary for his taste. Plus, what Greta had said seemed to have put him off a little.

    He probably felt slighted that, despite being a wealthy prospective son¨Cinw, Greta wasn¡¯t fully satisfied

    with him.

    William was ustomed to being respected wherever he went. How could he stand for this?

    Emelle knew that they shouldn¡¯t have dropped by so suddenly. She should have spoken with Greta first,

    She sighed. ¡°William, your car is blocking the road at the town entrance. Could you move it to the alley

    entrance?¡±

    Greta added, ¡°Parking isn¡¯t allowed at the town entrance. If it blocks tourist traffic, it might get towed. William, please move your car to our doorstep. That would put my mind at ease.¡±

    William understood Emelie¡¯s intention to have a private conversation with Greta. He nodded and got up to leave.

    As soon as he left, Greta moved closer to Emelie and held her hand. Naturally, she saw the ring.

    Even if Greta didn¡¯t know what Eros was, she knew a <b>ring </b>worn on the ring finger meant an engagement. ring.

    She looked at Emelie with concern. ¡°Eme, tell me honestly, do you really want to marry William?¡±

    ¡°Mum, do you think he¡¯s not good enough?¡± she replied to Greta with a question.

    ¡°He¡¯s good. He¡¯s handsome and tall. I¡¯ve lived over fifty years and haven¡¯t seen many young men as spirited as him. He looks like he walked out of a movie.¡± At first nce, Greta was thoroughly satisfied with William. Only this kind of man deserved Emelie.

    However, there was one problem.

    ¡°He has to be from a wealthy family, right? Wouldn¡¯t you be too stressed with him? Do his parents like

    you? Rich people are all about matching families. Our family is too different from theirs, and I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to hold your head up in their family,¡± Greta said.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    Greta didn¡¯t ask for her daughter to be rich and noble or to be married to a good family. She just hoped she¡¯d have afortable life.

    It had been tough for Emelie for the past three years

    Emelie noticed the worries in Greta¡¯s eyes and softly said, ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve met his parents. They like me very much. They don¡¯t care about my family background,¡±

    *Does he treat you well? Did he take care of you when you were working abroad for those three years?¡± Greta asked.

    ¡°He¡­ he did. In fact, he¡¯s my boss, and he¡¯s always been <b>taking </b>good care of me. He taught me a lot and helped me a lot. His private doctor helped with the surgery you hadst time, and he was the one who helped behind the scenes to help dad get out of jail,¡± Emelie replied.

    These were all true.

    Emelie didn¡¯t tell her that in those three years, she felt like his tool. She also didn¡¯t tell her that his friend took away the heart she needed for a transnt.

    She believed she could let go of what she hadn¡¯t said.

    ¡°He told me that we¡¯ll go to the city hall to register for marriage on the ninth day of New Year. He must be serious, and I guess I have thought it through,¡± Emelie said.

    Greta didn¡¯t know that William had done so much for her. Now that she knew, her satisfaction with William, which had initially been only 50 percent, immediately soared to 99 percent.

    She smiled and said, ¡°Okay, then. As long as you¡¯ve thought it through. We¡¯ll meet his parents for a meal over the New Year¡¯s Day holiday, all right?¡±

    This was a very reasonable request. Therefore, when William returned, Greta brought it up to him.

    William paused before saying. ¡°My parents divorced in their early years. My mother is now in Sentnd, so she can¡¯te back. I¡¯ll tell my dad about the meal. Once I¡¯ve picked out the location, we can send a car toe and get you.¡±

    Emelie¡¯s nerves jumped. Did he just say Sentnd?

    So, it turned out his mother lived in Sentnd.

    She remembered Ashton telling her that William had sent someone to Sentnd before, didn¡¯t he?

 Chapter 416

    Chapter 416 Daphne¡¯s Rtionship with Whitney

    Ronan had yet to return by mealtime. Thus, the housekeeper went out to look for him.

    Emelie originally wanted to help Greta set the table, but Greta insisted she go and keep Williampany.

    She worried that her new son¨Cinw might feel ufortable sitting alone.

    As if William would ever feel uneasy. It¡¯s doubtful it would even happen if the sky were to fall.

    Still, Emelie went over.

    William was sitting on the sofa.

    Emelie had thought to sit on a smaller seat on the side, but William pulled her over to sit with him.

    He whispered in her ear, ¡°What did you say to your mother?¡±

    Emelie, sensitive to sound, moved slightly away. ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything.¡±

    ¡°If you didn¡¯t say anything, then why has her attitude toward me changed so much? Do you think I wouldn¡¯t notice? She wasn¡¯t pleased with me just now, but what could make your mother displeased with me?¡± William pinched her finger.

    William¡¯s confidence stemmed from his perfect qualifications. Unless they were only in it for the money, a parent¡¯s foremost consideration when getting their child married was the partner¡¯s character.

    Emelie calmly stated, ¡°Isn¡¯t our ambiguous rtionship enough to displease her?¡±

    William lowered his eyes and looked at her.

    Emelie thought that since they were considering marriage, they should be honest with each other. So, she decided to question him without hesitation.

    Thus, she also looked back at him. ¡°Your mother is in Sentnd, and you sent Daphne to Sentnd to apany her. What status did she go there with?¡±

    William yed with her fingers. He smiled a little. ¡°Is it your mother who¡¯s displeased or you?¡±

    Emelie stared at him without blinking. ¡°Why are you changing the subject? Is this difficult to answer?¡±

    ¡°Are you mimicking me?¡± William pulled her toward him, and Emelie quickly propped herself against his chest to avoid beingpletely embraced.

    Her mother was still in the dining room after all.

    She didn¡¯t have the habit of hugging and kissing a man in front of her parents.

    Emelie red at William.

    He looked affectionately at her with his eyes falling on her hand pressed against his chest.

    Initially, she didn¡¯t think much of it. They had been open with each other countless times before. What was wrong with a little touching?

    However, he looked at her so intentionally that she felt the warmth of his body under her palm.

    Emelie quickly withdrew her hand.

    Were a man¡¯s chest muscles <b>that </b>hard when rxed? Wasn¡¯t it supposed to be soft?

    Wait, that was not the point now!

    Emelie was almost distracted.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    She red at William with annoyance. She knew he was trying to change the subject.

    Before she could ask again, William calmly exined, ¡°My mother has bipr disorder, and Daphne¡¯s violin can soothe her emotions. She used to take care of my mother for a while. Recently, my mother¡¯s condition worsened, so she was asked to try it out. She didn¡¯t go with any particr status.¡±

    Emelie was stunned. She had no idea about this. ¡°When? When did Daphne take care of your mother<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>William moved the ring on her finger and said, ¡°When Daphne was a sophomore, she went on a trip to Sentnd with her ssmates and yed the violin in the park. When the nurse pushed my mother out to bask in the sun, she identally discovered that her violin could calm her emotions. Then, she told me.¡± Emelie realized something. ¡°Is it the violin that can calm your mother¡¯s emotions? Or is it only the violin yed by Daphne?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve had seven to eight violinists y the same piece for her, but it didn¡¯t work. She only calmed down when Daphne yed it.¡±

    Emelie frowned slightly.

    William continued, ¡°Thus, I dug up Daphne¡¯s contact andmunicated with her personally, offering her a sry and promised her a position at Cloudex Corporation in Sentnd after graduation in return for her assistance in my mother¡¯s treatment.¡±

    ¡°Did she say yes?¡± Emelie¡¯s eyes flickered. She seemed to be able to guess what was toe afterwards.

    ¡°She took care of my mother in Sentnd for a year. Afterwards, she returned to continue her studies. Half a year ago, she performed a violin piece at her senior graduation ceremony at Capebatt University, William said.

    ¡°After her performance, she came down from the stage, identified herself, and said she had graduated and wanted to be by my side,¡± he continued. ¡°This was something I promised her long ago.¡±

 Chapter 417

    Chapter 417 He Said He Only <b>Liked </b>Her

    Emelle only then fully understood the rtionship between Daphne and William.

    She nced at him and couldn¡¯t help but start specting.

    Men weren¡¯t that naive, especially not someone like William. He could tell when a woman had feelings for

    him.

    William knew that Daphne liked him but still agreed to have her by his side. Did that mean he tacitly epted her feelings?

    Considering how he had been cold toward her <b>since </bst New Year¡¯s Eve because of what happened, did he keep Daphne around not just to spite her but also because he was considering a change of heart?

    Emelie felt uneasy.

    She asked, ¡°Does your mother really like Daphne? Does she want you to marry her? Elena told me that Mr. Middleton Senior had originally epted Daphne but then suddenly changed his mind. Is it because Mr. Middleton Senior found out about the connection between Daphne and your mother?¡±

    Although Emelie wasn¡¯t very clear about the Middleton family¡¯s affairs, she could tell that Henry deep aversion toward Whitney.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.

    had a

    William grasped her chin. ¡°Ms. Hoven, you¡¯re a secretary, not a detective. You don¡¯t need to be so sharp

    She was too good at connecting the dots. She could deduce the whole story from minor clues.

    Emelie moved away from his hand. ¡°If we were to get married, would your mother oppose it? It seems like she¡¯s set on Daphne.¡±

    William said, ¡°Only small children would blindly follow their parents¡® words.¡±

    Emelie felt conflicted.

    She tried to remove her ring again while muttering softly. ¡°There must be a way to take this ring off. It¡¯s not embedded in my flesh, so it shouldn¡¯t be impossible to remove.¡±

    William could sense she was upset and understood why.

    He grabbed her hand as she tried to remove the ring and said in a low voice, ¡°Can¡¯t you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡±

    Emelie looked up nkly.

    William¡¯s eyes were deep and dark. ¡°Only little children listen to their parents. I never got together with Daphne or thought about marrying her because I didn¡¯t want to, not because my father opposed it. If I really wanted something, no one could stop me.¡±

    Emelie pursed her lips.

    William continued, ¡°I¡¯ve only ever liked you. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying now?¡±

    Emelie¡¯s eyes reflected the intense focus on William¡¯s face.

    ¡°Could you please not try to take it off?¡± he asked.

    Emelie felt like she could hear the sounds of spring flowers blooming, summer rain falling, autumn leaves fluttering, and winter snow drifting. ¡°Alright¡­¡±

    She responded more clearly the second time. ¡°Okay.¡±

    William¡¯s gaze became intense, and Emelie guessed he wanted to kiss her.

    <b>Sure </b>enough, he leaned <b>in</b><b>.</b>

    Emelie found it amusing that she had correctly guessed his intentions. She covered his mouth with both hands, stopping him from doing as he pleased.

    There <b>was </b>a faint smile in William¡¯s eyes.

    to avoid it.

    He deliberately teased her by leaning closer, wanting to kiss her again. Emelie bent backwards to av

    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡± she said.

    Greta had wanted to call them for dinner. However, when she saw them so close together, she couldn¡¯t help but hold back herughter and retreat back to the kitchen.

    She felt relieved. It seemed Emelie and William truly loved each other. This made her feel at ease.

    As long as she prepared well for Emelie¡¯s marriage and ensured her daughter¡¯s future was secure and stable, she wouldn¡¯t be betraying her motherly duties.

    She would also fulfill her friend¡¯s trust.

    William held both of Emelie¡¯s wrists with one hand. He had never failed to get what he wanted and was keen on kissing her.

    Emelie had initially thought of giving in to end this farce.

    However, the sound of the housekeeper and Ronan talking outside the door interrupted them.

    The housekeeper said excitedly. <i>¡°</i>Msl

    *A boyfriend?¡® Ronan asked.

    has brought her boyfriend over!¡±

    ¡°Yes! They¡¯re about to get married!¡± the housekeeper replied.

    Emelie quickly distanced herself from William.

    She didn¡¯t dare let Ronan see her so close to a man.

    William stopped as well. He straightened his suit and smiled slightly as a fleeting thought crossed his mind<b>.</b>

    Ronan entered the room looking bewildered. ¡°Eme?¡±

    When Ronan saw William sitting calmly on the sofa, his expression changed instantly.

 Chapter 418

    Chapter 418 Ending Rtions Upon Marriage

    Upon hearing Ronan return, Greta brought out thest dish and set it on the table.

    ¡°Let¡¯s eat. Will, Eme brought you home <b>today </b>without telling us beforehand. So, we didn¡¯t prepare much. These are just some home¨Ccooked dishes. I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯ll like them though,¡± she said.

    William stood up and calmly <b>nced </b>at Ronan¡¯s pale face.

    He spoke gently, ¡°It¡¯s my fault for not informing Eme beforehand that I intended to stay.¡±

    The more the mother¨Cinw looked at her son¨Cinw, the more pleased she became. Greta hadn¡¯t been this happy in a long time.

    She smiled <b>and </b>said jokingly, ¡°Will, don¡¯t spoil Eme too much.¡±

    She quickly defended Emelie at the same time. ¡®Then again, Eme¡¯s very sensible. She can¡¯t be spoiled.¡± Emelie smiled faintly.

    Everyone sat down to eat, and Greta served William a bowl of soup while spooning more and more food into his bowl.

    ¡°Will, try the fish soup. The vegetables are from our garden, and our old neighbor caught the fish. Also, the sweet and sour pork chop is Eme¡¯s favorite. She¡¯s loved sour food since she was a little girl,¡± Greta said. William nced at Emelie and, as expected, she started eating the pineapple dressing on the top.

    ¡°She likes sour food?¡± William asked.

    Greta chuckled. ¡°Yes. In fact, we just bought a pound of cmansi and two pounds of lime for the Lunar New Year today.¡±

    Greta suddenly thought about something. ¡°Oh right, Will, I haven¡¯t asked for your birth date yet. We have a tradition here where we check the birth dates to select auspicious dates for the wedding ceremony. Of course, we can discuss these matters after you¡¯ve met with your father.¡±

    Greta¡¯s warm hospitality contrasted with Ronan¡¯s silent and reserved demeanor at the dining table, which seemed increasingly unusual.

    However, whether it was Emelie or Greta, their attention was focused on William.

    They didn¡¯t notice that Ronan had been silent all this time and barely touched his food. His face was tense as if someone at the table had put him on edge.

    William maintained his polite smile throughout. He responded to Greta¡¯s hospitality with courtesy and never appeared distant.

    As Greta continued talking, she suddenly remembered something. ¡°Oh, I almost forgot! It¡¯s customary here for the new son¨Cinw to have a bowl of sweet food on his first visit. I¡¯ll make it now. This tradition mustn¡¯t be missed.¡±

    Greta was overjoyed. She was happy that Emelie finally had someone to rely on.

    As Greta busied herself, Emelie was about to tell her that William didn¡¯t like sweet stuff or that the food preparation could wait until the afternoon.

    Just then, Greta identally bumped into Ronan¡¯s elbow.

    It wasn¡¯t a big deal at all. However, Ronan suddenly couldn¡¯t hold back any longer.

    He shouted, ¡°Enough is enough!¡±

    His sudden outburst stunned everyone present except William.

    Ronan¡¯s emotions were running high. ¡°Marriage? What marriage! I don¡¯t agree Emelie was bewildered. She never expected this. ¡°Why?¡±

    to this! This won¡¯t happen!¡±

    Ronan¡¯s face flushed as he angrily roared. ¡°There¡¯s no reason why! I don¡¯t agree to this! If you insist on marrying him, then¡­ then we¡¯re done!¡±

    What?

    Emelie stared at Ronan in disbelief.

    Since returning home three years ago, she had sensed Ronan¡¯s guilt toward her. He hadn¡¯t said anything overly harsh toward her, let alone talked about cutting off rtions.

    Thus, Emelie was taken aback and didn¡¯t understand why he acted this way. ¡°Dad, what are you saying?¡± Ronan¡¯s emotions were already out of control.

    He threw down his fork and he pointed at William with his finger trembling. ¡°<b>You</b>¡­ you¡­ you¡­¡± William maintained a calm expression. His dark eyes were bottomless as he looked at him. ¡°You¡­ You should leave! Get out! The corners of Ronan¡¯s mouth twitched, and his voice was angry. Piss off! Don¡¯te to my house again! I won¡¯t let you have your way! Get out!¡±

    William remained expressionless while sitting quietly.

    Meanwhile, Greta was shocked. She stared nkly at Ronan.

    Emelie calmly turned to William and said, ¡°You should leave first.¡±

    William nced at Emelie and decided not to say anything else. He nodded in response.

    raspy and

    As Emelie sent him to the door, William chuckled softly. ¡°It seems it¡¯s not my mother who won¡¯t ept you, but your father who won¡¯t ept me.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s gotten into him. Maybe he¡¯s got something on his mind, Maybe he lost money at poker perhaps,¡± she said.

    It wasn¡¯t the first time Ronan had lost control of his emotions. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have done things like cause trouble for hospitals and started fights in jail.

    ¡°Let me talk to him.¡± Emelie frowned.

    Everything was going <b>fine</b>, and everyone was happy. Why did it have to turn to <b>this</b>?

    William paused.

    He hid his displeasure and bent down to meet her eyes ¡°If your father opposes our marriage, will you change your mind <b>again</b>?¡±

    He sounded like he was worried that she <b>would </b>reconsider the marriage.

    Emilie was feeling annoyed. But she saw how concerned William looked and couldn¡¯t help but let her frown unfurl.

    ¡°What if I really changed my mind again<b>?</b>¡± she asked.

    William lowered his head in contemtion, with a light wrinkle at the corner of his eye. ¡°I will find a troupe.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Emelie was puzzled.

    ¡°I will have that troupe perform ¡®The Betrayal of Eleanor ke¡® opera at your doorstep,¡± William said.

 Chapter 419

    Chapter 419 A p in the Face

    The Betrayal of Eleanor ke, <b>also </b>known as The Betrayal, was a ssic opera.

    It portrayed Cortis, a faithless man who rose to wealth and status before abandoning his wife <b>and </b><b>child</b>.

    William wasparing her to someone as ungrateful as Cortis.

    Emilie couldn¡¯t help butugh at his quirky thoughts.

    Who knew William knew how to joke?

    This made Emelie smile. ¡°Isn¡¯t this ring impossible to take off? How can I change my mind? I don¡¯t have 300 million dors topensate you

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s what this is about. I¡¯m going to kidnap you with a ring you can¡¯t take off. I was a little upset when your dad pointed his finger at me, but now you¡¯ve coaxed me out of my anger,¡± William said with a

    smirk

    Coaxing him? As usual, he was good at being dramatic

    Emelie asked, ¡°Are you learning new tricks from Patricia again?¡±

    ¡°Do I even need to learn from someone else?¡± He denied it.

    ¡°Mr. Middleton, do you want me to help you remember when you imitated Charles?¡± she said

    William touched her lips before turning and walking out of the alley.

    Emelieughed and turned back home.

    Just as she arrived at the front door, she heard the housekeeper scream. ¡°Mrs. Hoven! Mrs. Hoven! What happened to you!¡±

    Emelie¡¯s expression changed immediately, and she ran inside the house.

    Greta, with her eyebrows furrowed,id down on the sofa with the help of the housekeeper.

    The housekeeper used a blood pressure meter and, as expected, it was elevated

    Emelie quickly found some high blood pressure medicine for her to take. After a while, Greta finally calmed down, waving her hand to signify she was fine!

    Emelie frowned and helped the housekeeper bring Greta to her bedroom.

    Greta said, exhausted, ¡°Your father¡­ Don¡¯t mind <b>him</b>. He¡¯s been acting strangetely. He keeps changing his mind. He¡¯s either drunk or not at home. And when I ask him about it, he gets angry.¡±

    Emelie had heard from the housekeeper about Ronan¡¯s drinking <b>and </b>his absence at home. ¡°Does he often get angry with you? Why didn¡¯t the housekeeper tell me?¡±

    Greta was disappointed in Ronan at this <b>point</b>. ¡°I asked the housekeeper not to tell you. I didn¡¯t want you <b>to </b>worry. Don¡¯t listen to <b>him</b>. I think Will is a good man. He knows how to take care of you, and you like him too. I can see that you really do.¡±

    Emelie held Greta¡¯s hand. ¡°You should <b>rest </b>for now. I¡¯ll talk to him. Don¡¯t be angry.¡±Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.

    Emelie went out after Greta closed her eyes.

    Ronan was squatting at the door <b>smoking</b><b>, </b>and there were already two to three cigarette butts by his feet. Emelie asked him directly. ¡°Dad, why don¡¯t you agree to my marriage with William?¡±

    She wanted to talk with him properly and hear his thoughts. There must be a reason, right?

    However. Ronan was being unreasonable<b>.</b>

    He straightened his neck and scolded her, ¡°A parent¡¯s orders must be obeyed! I don¡¯t agree with this! You two are going to separate immediately! If you don¡¯t, you¡¯re cloping! And that¡¯s unfilial!¡±

    It was utterly ridiculous!

    Emelie said, ¡°There has to be a reason for everything. If you don¡¯t agree, there must be a reason, right? | would like to hear it. If you don¡¯t tell me why you want us to separate, I can¡¯t understand it, and I won¡¯t do it.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t do it, you say?¡± Ronan suddenly stood up and stared at her intensely.

    ou

    He bit his cheeks and said, ¡°That man is obviously not a good person! If you stay with him, you won¡¯t even know how you¡¯ll die in the future!¡±

    Emelie shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve known him for three years I <b>know </b>what kind of person he is.¡±

    Ronan pointed outside. ¡°Are the clothes he wears and the cars he drives on the same level as yours? These rich people are tricky! He must have an agenda for liking you and marrying you!¡±

    Emelie questioned Ronan. ¡°What agenda? Did you mean money? But do I have it? Is it my body and heart he¡¯s after then? But if he doesn¡¯t genuinely like me, why would he use marriage to get me to be together with him?¡±

    Ronan was lost for words.

    Emelie found it funny. ¡°So you¡¯re just opposing <b>us </b>without any reason<b>?</b>¡±

    Ronan threw away the cigarette butt and lit another one.

    His face was dark blue as if he was holding something back.

    The cigarette he was smoking wasn¡¯t a good one. The heavy smell of nicotine wafted in the wind while Greta coughed incessantly in the bedroom.

    Emelie felt that he was making trouble out of nothing just like when he would yell at her back when she was still a child.

    She was outraged and reached out to crush his cigarette.

    ¡°The doctor said my mother should be careful of infections in her daily life. I¡¯ve reminded you many times not to smoke around her, but did you listen?¡± she said.

    Emelie continued, ¡°She has an artificial heart and can¡¯t be agitated. Why do you provoke her and get angry at her everyday? She¡¯s a patient. It¡¯s not easy for her to get her life back. <b>Can¡¯t </b>you take care of her a little more?

    ¡°You¡¯re not a child, so why can¡¯t you understand priorities? Your words and actions have no logic. You are against my marriage, and you can¡¯t say why. We were all having a happy meal, and you had to make things difficult for us. When are you going to stop giving us trouble? Do you know how annoying you¡­¡± Ronan pped Emelie in the face before she could finish her sentence.

 Chapter 420

    Chapter <b>420 </b>Master of Seduction

    Emelie insuntively covered her face, the shock of the ps widing in.

    Bonan was shocked that he had actually hit her, but what was done was done¡­

    to marry bim! He¡¯s no good!¡±

    He clenched his <b>lists </b>and roared, ¡°I¡¯m your father! You will by forbid you to Emellowered her hand, her voice was calm ¡°The <b>wore </b>those people you sold me off to settle your dates ¡®good people¡±

    <b>Ronan </b>was stunned

    Emelle wasn¡¯t one to dwell on the past. Whether it was <b>William¡¯s </b>city or her parents¡® selling her off, she would forget about it after forgiving those who wronged <b>her</b>

    But today on <b>had </b>crossed a line.

    Emalie said firmly, ¡°You chose to abandon me back then. Don¡¯t try to order around as my father now. You have n

    With that, she turned around and leit

    <b>¦°¦§</b>

    <b>no </b>right to control my life. Upset Mom age, and I¡¯ll take her away¡±

    The p on her face stung even more in the wind. She held back her tears and an out of the alley.

    Unexpectedly, she saw a familiar Maybach parked at the entrance.

    William keanedagainst the <b>car </b>under the sunlight, looking even more alluring

    Emelie was surprised and walked up to him slowly. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you left?¡±.

    Wimsaw the p mark on her right <b>cheek</b>. His expression immediately hardened<b>.</b>

    ¡°Why would I Trave? Come here,¡± he said

    He hadn¡¯t left because he already knew that Emelie and her father would end up arguing and things would end badly

    William took out his hands from his packet <b>and </b>cupped her cheeks. His <b>hands </b>were warm, like an even

    <b>¥³©`</b>

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± the muttered.

    ¡°Soothing the swelling,¡± he replied th

    He didn¡¯t have a hot towel, <b>so </b>he touch would have to suffice for now.

    Nightfall and Emelle still hadn¡¯t returned.

    Roman was worried, she decided to go out and find her.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    the road. The car stood out

    As he walked out the alley, he saw a Maybach parked beside the road. The cam I out in the ordinary <b>small</b>

    The window rolled down, revealing Emelie curled up asleep in the back

    Her head was resting on William¡¯sp, <b>and </b>William had draped his coat over her. She looked like a weary bird finally finding its nest.

    Ronan was stunned, and his lips trembled. The crust Emelie ced in William was evident

    There were no emotions in William¡¯s eyes, a stark contrast to his police self when he was around. There was only cold inference now.

    William¡¯s lips moved.

    <b>Boman </b><b>stared </b>at him, feeling like he was trapped in a nightmare. It was the devil himself was asking ¡°care <b>to </b>a?

    Ronan panicked and ran back home.

    Emelie didn¡¯t know when she had fallen asleep.

    She hadn¡¯t gotten much sleep from searching for love letters the night before, so the warmth and wondy scent in the car lulled her to sleep very quickly.

    A cold breeze blew past, waking her. She realized that the window was still open.

    <b>¡°</b>It¡¯s cold,¡± she mumbled.

    William rolled up the window and tucked her hair behind her ear. ¡°Sleeping in the car is ufortable. I¡¯ll take you back to Eastbay.¡±

    Ebook <b>her </b>head. ¡°It¡¯s New Year¡¯s <b>Eve </b>tomorrow. I want to be beside Mathame.¡±

    William looked down. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you back tomorrow night.¡±

    Emelie thought that was fine. She didn¡¯t know how to see her father now anyway.

    She called the housekeeper, reminding her to take good care of Greta,

    It had been a long time since Emelierwent to Eastbay.

    Upon entering, she noticed a new and set in the Irving.coom

    Although she couldn¡¯t see any bandbel<b>, </b>anything William owned was undoubtedly top¨Cnotch. This sofa set was probably made with the finest leather andcraft.

    Emelie asked in puzzlement, ¡°Wasn¡¯t the <b>sofa </b>set reced earlier this year? Why <b>did </b>you change <b>it </b>again?¡±

    William said slowly, ¡°The otherenient¡±

    ¡°How so?¡± Emelie asked.

    He didn¡¯t answer right away<b>. </b>He just looked at her and raised <b>his </b>hand to unbutton his shirt.

    His skin contrasted againin his ck shivi, instantly attracting Emelle¡¯s attention

    She watched as he took off his thick, revealing a ck sweater beneath bt clung to body<b>, </b>faintly outlining thes

    Luselle¡¯s ayshes <b>fluttered </b>rapidly.

    This man know exactly how to edoce someone

    <b>muscles </b>she had touched before.

 Chapter 421

    <b>muscles </b>she had touched before.

    Chapter 421 Keep The Baby

    William stepped softly on the white carpet in his ck slippers and approached Emelle

    But Wiliam abrotted. ¡°I <b>ham</b>.¡±

    Emelia was rendered speechles

    So that was what ¡°honestly is the best policy¡± meant

    William then grumbled, ¡°I tested <b>you</b>, but you didn¡¯t reply to me.¡±

    He walked closer to her and entered her personal space.

    Emelie stepped back instinctively. ¡°What test? I didn¡¯t receive any tex

    William raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise. He seemed to be conveying that it must be a misunderstanding <b>and </b>that there was no need to worry, he would <b>simply </b>exin it again.

    He said in a husky voice, ¡°Angel, I want you.

    Fashocked.

    He continued, ¡°And baby, <b>mytie </b>is still in <b>your </b>room. Can you keep it safe and iron it for me? I got wrinkled when I tied you up, remember? I even sent you <b>a </b>picture as a reminder. Also, your underwear is still in my luggag=¡±

    Enelle longed forward to cover his mouth. Even if they were alone, this bastard could be a little less crude

    william simply <b>wrapped </b><b>his </b>arms around her waist and bent down to kiss her lipa. Ite <b>nibbled </b>and sucked on her lips, kissing her passionately.

    Emelie weakly pushed him ferice. Of course, she didn¡¯t really want to stop him.

    Willian <b>was </b>a very cold and alcol person, and he rarely spoke supestively.

    So when he did, it was a stark contrastand made him seem like an enigna. She had to admit that his confession moved her.

    Both men and women had intimate needs. If they had never done it before, it would still be <b>manugable</b>. But once they <b>had </b><b>a </b><b>taste </b>of it, they would easily crave it.

    Especially considering William¡¯s recent attentiveness. The way he had lifted her leg and lowered his head thest time. It had almost be too mach to bear.

    William stepped back, then sat down on the sita and palled her cowardim.

    Emelie kelt with one knee on the <b>sot </b>and <b>issed </b><b>him </b><b>hard</b>

    His hand <b>had </b>been <b>around </b>her <b>waist</b>, <b>and </b>now it found <b>its </b>way under her sweater. He traced a path up her spine, his <b>fingers </b>lingering on her lower back before undaping her bra.

    Then, he pulled her other leg onto the sofa, positioning her folly on hisp.

    Their bodies were pressed tightly together, separated only by their clothes

    Emilie¡¯s cheeks were burning

    change

    As he entered her, she understood why he had wanted to change the sata <b>set</b>, saying that it was inconvenient

    The old sofa set was <b>a </b>fabric soda, so it wasn¡¯t attain was it waterproof

    <b>On </b>the other hand, one could clean a leather sofa wady.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    He had been nning this all along

    Witam, who was usually <b>rough</b>, surprised her with his expected poteness. The unfamiliar sensation was both theilling yet agonizing

    She pushed him away <b>weakly </b>from time to time, whispering ¡°enough¡°, ¡°I don¡¯t want it anymore¡°, and ¡°I can¡¯t take it anymore¡±

    William asked in a hearte voke, ¡°What don¡¯t you want?

    ¡°I don¡¯t want it anymore.¡± she <b>said</b>.

    ¡°With who?¡± He deliberately teased her, trying to coaches in calling him

    He was anxious. She had made him realme at the What Comedy Club that her feelings were fading away.

    For some reason,melle didn¡¯t want to give in. William¡¯s gaze darkened as he grabbed <b>a </b>pillow stud below her before continuing

    The living room soon became a scene of disarray.

    The once pristine East Coast was now a testament to their passionate encounter, just like before.

    They hadn¡¯t had dinner yet, so William called for some food delivery before going to take a shower.

    Emelie Einished washing up <b>first </b>and changed into the dothes she had previously left here.

    When the walked out of the room and saw tissues all over the living room floor, her cheeks flushed. She quickly went to clean <b>up</b>.

    She wiped the <b>soda </b><b>with </b>a wet towel, threw the tissues into the trash can, and then tied up the trash bag

    Suddenly, Emelie thought of something and reopened the trash bag

    she peeked inside and shook it, but she didn¡¯t see any

    William had just finished showering.

    condom Wi

    dn¡¯t use any protection again

    When he saw Emelie couching next to the mash <b>bin</b><b>, </b>he asked<b>, </b>¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°You luven¡¯t been using any protection recently, and you should. I don¡¯t want another ident¡± she <b>said</b><b>.</b>

    William thought about in for a moment before walking to her.

    He pubodhet op, sat hes on hisp<b>, </b>and stoned han abdomen. ¡°We¡¯re getting married soon. If you get pregnant, we¡¯ll keep the baby.¡±

 Chapter 422

    Chapter 422 Don¡¯t do

    Emelerit Erbay the next day.

    She declined William¡¯s offer to drive her as she was having lunch with Ashley

    While mele doing her makeup, Wim Teased against the dressing table.

    By the one of his more, it was evident that he was unhappy about her leaving him for someone else. ¡°You¡¯re getting pretty close with Ashley now, huh?¡±

    Ja Imele does her eyebrows, sheaeteried, ¡°What? Mr. Middleton, is it not enough that you¡¯re jealous of Mr. <b>Swanson </b>and Mr. <b>Davis</b>, now you¡¯re also minding mtionship with ML

    Witam ddmind.

    He reached into her tolletry bag and selected lipstick thatplimented her look. Then, he led her chin and started applying it for

    ¡°They¡¯ve taken time that should have been mine. Can¡¯t even <b>grumble</b>? Don¡¯t be too strict with me, angel,¡± he said.

    Emalie couldn¡¯t help but smile. He leaned in closer and sailed too. ¡°Don¡¯t smile. It¡¯ll mess up the lipstick¡±

    He became focused and applied the lipstick on her meticulously.

    Enada stared at hestallnose withour Minding

    This was the second time he had applied lipstick for her

    The first time was on a corporate cruise. Back then, she thought he must have done this many times for because he was quite skilled.

    She asked a low voice. ¡°Who taught you how to apply lipstick?¡±

    William finished applying the lipstick and blended <b>it </b>with grip ¡°It¡¯s something you can learn just by watching I don¡¯t need someone to teach me.¡±

    ¡°What do you think?¡± William aded<b>.</b>

    Elle praed him ¡°It looks grVIL¡±

    He casually closed the lipstick <b>and </b>kissed her without warning

    ¡°Hay, me protected.

    She had spent a long time doing her makeup and did who init

    She

    dean back, but he held her head firmly and she couldn¡¯t escape.

    Wiliam was a selfish person

    Since he was the one that applied the lipstick, he should be able to enjoy it. If Emelie hat¡¯s pushed him away firmly, he would have kissed her more than just unce. Wiliam oped a drawer and randomly grabbed <b>a </b><b>car </b>bey. ¡°Dilves.¡±

    Eme took the key and<b>, </b><b>as she </b>stood up to leave, William grabbed her wrist.

    His eyes were beautiful ¡°Come see me tomDICE¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll we 1 might be with my mother,¡± Ema

    answered and walked away, but he grabbed her wrist again.

    After some thought, William said, ¡°Dener then<b>? </b>The day after minor?¡±

    Emelie wat amused ¡°Whenever Mr. Middle Senior is avable. We¡¯ll arrange our time ording to his schedule unce he¡¯s basy

    William nodded

    Emellett for the third time, but she turned around after taking two sept

    William didn¡¯t stop her this time and just leaned against the cab. ¡°Can¡¯t bear to leave? Then don¡¯t¡±

    Emelle Ignaced his pridefulment. She put on her shoes and bett

    Suddenly, they were lowey dovey.

    William <b>had </b>good lock. The car key he had <b>casually </b>was for a white setan, perfect for her

    She went praight to the restaurant

    Ashley could immediately tell that she was happy, ¡°in a good mood

    Emelie touched her face, unable to suppress <b>a </b>smile. ¡°Is it that obvious?Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.

    Emelle coughed What

    is the saying!

    In <b>contrast</b>, Ashley need to be in an average mood wise, the wouldn¡¯t have asked her to have lunch on New Year¡¯s Eve instead of spending time with bar Lamily. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you with Mr. Undvike?¡± Emelie asked.

    Ashley replied indiferently. ¡°The Undvike family na bir special. Besides <b>Mrs. </b>Undvika, This father has two other mistresses who live with him: Ha¡¯s challenging thew by doing so, hence don¡¯t want to go. I don¡¯t have many friends so could only ask you out. But it seems like Taught you at a bad time?

    Imele was curious. ¡°How do you <b>usually </b>spend New Year¡¯s

    **Working at thew firm,¡± Ashley replied. ¡°Though, there weren¡¯t a lot of cases this year.

    As she spoke<b>, </b>Ashley noticed the hickey on Emelio¡¯s neck. The casually took out birth emerol pills from her bag

    ¡°These are myst mopil. Take them.¡± Ashley said.

    Emelieughed

    She hadknown Ashley for a long time. She was very dedicated to her work but was a bit nabye when it came to other areas of life, Though<b>, </b>sharing <b>birth </b>control pills so casually was something else entirely<b>, </b>especially when there were as many people around

    Chapter 423 Surveince

 Chapter 423

    Chapter 423 Surveince

    Emelie took the birth control pills from Ashley and tucked them into her purse.

    Ashley noticed that Emelie didn¡¯t take any and asked, ¡°What is it?¡°¡±

    Then, Ashley saw the ring on Emelie¡¯s ring finger

    She was surprised and said. ¡°Are you and William getting married? Are you nning to have chikken?¡±

    ¡°He mentioned having childrenst night, but <b>I¡¯m </b>still undecided¡± Emelia¡¯s smile faltered slightly. ¡°But I went for a check¨Cup a few months ago. The doctor said that I have difficulty getting pregnant because I had an abortion and is thinned my nterns lining.¡±

    Ashley said solemnly, ¡°My advice is, even if getting pregnant is unlikely, take precautions if you¡¯re unsure about kids. Don¡¯t <b>leave </b>anything to chance. Don¡¯t end up in a situation where you get pregnant at the wrong time, but feel obligated to keep it because you might not <b>have </b>another chance.¡±

    Emelie pursed her lips and nodded. ¡°T¡¯ll think about it.¡±

    After lunch, Emelie imated Ashley to join her at the New <b>Year¡¯s </b>Eve dinner <b>at </b>her <b>ce</b><b>. </b>¡°It¡¯s <b>just </b>me and my parents. The moce the merrier.¡±

    Ashley shook her head. ¡°Thanks, but I¡¯ll pass<b>. </b>It¡¯s New <b>Year¡¯s </b>Eve and you should be with <b>your </b>family. I¡¯ll head back to the firm and tackle some <b>cases </b>for next year

    ¡°Are you sure?¡°<b>¡°</b>Emelie lood

    ¡°Goon, don¡¯t keep <b>your </b>mors waiting,¡± Ashley said

    <b>With </b>Achday¡¯s refusal firm, Emelie drove back to Alderbrook herself

    The housekeeper <b>was </b><b>also </b><b>spending </b>time with her family during the festive season, so Greta was cooking dinner tonight.

    When Emelie arrived <b>home</b><b>, </b>she called up her sleeves, donned an apron, and joined her mother in the kitchen..

    Later<b>, </b>William texted her, asking her what she was doing Emells sent a photo of a bloody fish that she was cleaning on the chopping board.

    He replied to her with three dots.

    Emelie could imagine how he looked when he was speechless, and she grinned.

    ¡°Eme,¡± someone called out to her

    Emelle turned around and saw Ronan walking into the kitchen, looking ill at ease with <b>his </b>hands sped together.

    Emelie was reminded of what happened yesterday.

    She put her phone in her pocket, put on gloves<b>, </b>and continued cleaning the fish, igroting him.

    Ronan spoke softly. <b>¡°</b>Emelie, Toverreacted yesterday. Himing you <b>was </b>wrong. I¡¯m truly sorry Please forgive me. I don¡¯t know what got i

    ot into me<b>.</b>¡±

    Emelie rinsed the fish under the tap and <b>ced </b>it on a te. Then, she began preparing the other ingredients.

    Bonan continued, ¡°I was overwhelmed and didn¡¯t mean to hurt you. And Eme, I¡¯m your <b>did</b>. I would never hurt you. You and William aren¡¯t <b>sulted </b><b>for </b>each other. You can¡¯t be together.¡±Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.

    As Emelie sliced the ginger and garlic, she said Eightly, ¡°If you can¡¯t give me <b>a </b><b>valid </b>reason<b>, </b>there¡¯s nothing left to discuss.

    Once she finished preparing the <b>ingredients</b><b>, </b>she took off her gloves, wanting to boil so potatoes.

    Ronan became anx

    <b>anxious</b>. ¡°Why won¡¯t you listen? I¡¯m your father! How can you trust a man you barely know more than me

    Emelie was unwilling to rehash the came argument, so she simply walked past him.

    That was when Bonan noticed the ring on her finger, <b>and </b>his eyes widened. ¡°Did he give you that ring? Take it off, right now!

    He became agitated and lunged forward to grab Emolie¡¯s hand.

    Emelie was <b>caught </b>by surprise and the pot the was holding fell to the ground.

    She frowned <b>as </b>she tried to escape his grip. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    Ronan¡¯s grip tightened as he attempted to remove the ring, but it wouldn¡¯t budge. His rough rugging rused her fingers to hurt. ¡°You¡¯re hurting me! It won¡¯te off!¡± she said.

    ¡°Of course it will! I will have it taken off it¡¯s a surveince device! He¡¯s monitoring you and <b>tracking </b>you!¡± he said.

    Emelleted her best to pull away. In fact<b>, </b>she could escape his grip, but she was afraid of hurting him since his leg hadn¡¯t fully healed. ¡°Let go!¡± she <b>said</b>.

    ¡°Let go of Emelle!¡± Gerta, who had born outside, She grabbed a broom and started hitting Banan

    ilter hearing themotion.

 Chapter 424

    ?Chapter 424 Jealous

    The broomnded on Ronan hard, sending blood trickling down his face.

    Emelie quickly stopped her mother. "Mom, stop!"

    Greta was disappointed and furious with Ronan. "You! Why can''t you stop stirring up

    trouble! We finally have some peace, but you just have to create trouble out of nothing and make everyone miserable! Y-You..."

    Greta''s face turned ashen.

    Emelie felt something was wrong. She rushed towards Greta and held her up.

    "Mom, calm down! Take it easy!" Emelie said.

    "You... You..." A surge of blood rushed to Greta''s head, and she fainted and copsed to the ground.

    Emelie''s mind went nk.

    The rm in Greta''s artificial heart was triggered.

    Emelie clutched Greta''s hand tightly and took out her phone to dial 911.

    It was New Year''s Eve today, so the medical staff in hospitals were on shifts and stretched thin. Getting an ambnce felt impossible.

    Thankfully, William''s act of borrowing Emelie his car on a whim proved invaluable.

    Emelie and Ronan carried Greta into the car, and they sped toward the hospital.

    Once they reached the hospital, Greta was sent to the emergency room.

    Eliana and Billy arrived just as Greta was still in the emergency room. Ronan must have called them and told them what happened.

    The moment Eliana arrived, she pounced at Emelie and grabbed her.

    Eliana, feeling both sad and angry, yelled, "It''s you again! It''s always you!"

    Eliana shook her so hard that she felt dizzy. "Is this my fault?"

    "Whose fault is it, if it isn''t yours?" Eliana shrieked. "If it weren''t for you, would Mom and Dad have fought? They''ve been married for over thirty years. At worst, they only argued. They''ve neverid hands on each other!"

    Billy held Eliana back, trying to calm her down, but it was to no avail. Eliana continued pointing at Emelie and berating her.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    "Everything''s gone wrong ever since you came back! Mom needed surgery, Dad almost went to jail, and now you''re getting married?" Eliana said.

    She continued, "You think that you''re independent now and can make all the decisions. You don''t ever listen to your family! Since that''s the case, why did you even bothering back?

    Emelie didn''t understand why Eliana was suddenly showing her so much animosity.

    Thinking back, it seemed to have begun around the time Greta had her heart attack and ended up in the ICU. Eliana couldn''t reach Emelie, and ever since then, she had been hostile toward her.

    Just as Eliana lunged forward to grab her, she was pulled aside.

    William stood before Emelie. He was six-feet-two, so he looked down most of the time when he talked to someone.

    He said calmly, "You know full well if you''re ming Emelie out of concern for your parents or because you''re jealous of her."

    Eliana''s face ashened.

    Emelie realized William had struck a nerve. But to say Eliana was jealous? What exactly was she jealous of?

    William turned to Emelie and said, "Let''s go."

    He then put his arm around her waist and led her away.

    In a corner, Ronan saw William taking Emelie away.

    He instinctively wanted to stop William, but a hand mped down on his neck, and he froze. He didn''t dare to move or make a sound.

    Charles said with a half-smile, "Don''t move."

    William brought Emelie out of the hospital and into a 24-hour convenience store across the street.

    He ordered a cup of warm milk and gave it to her, then scanned her from head to toe. "Are you hurt?"

    Emelie shook her head, but William noticed the small scratch on her finger, caused by Ronan when he attempted to remove the ring.

    Emelie noticed his gaze and curled her hand up. "It''s nothing."

    William looked down. "You should have stayed at Eastbay today."

    Emelie hadn''t expected her New Year''s Eve to turn out like this. She didn''t think Ronan would so vehemently oppose her marriage.

    She cradled the warm cup with her hands and asked in puzzlement, "You said Eliana is jealous of me?"

    "Her constant financial requests, the misced me, the coldness and sarcasm. It all

    points to jealousy. There''s no other exnation," Willian exined calmly.

    He added, "You''re siblings, but you''re a highly-paid assistant to a CEO while she''s a stay-at -home mom. Not everyone can ept the huge difference."

    Emelie didn''t know what else to say.

    She was worried about Greta and wanted to return to the hospital, but William brought her to get food.

    He said that the doctor worked for him and would update him if anything happened, so she didn''t have to hurry.

    He also told her not to worry because Sophie was on her way and would arrive at Capebatt City in four days at thetest. Only then did Emelie rx.

    After they finished eating, the hospital delivered an update: Greta was out of danger and had been transferred to a regr ward.

    Hearing this, Emelie hurried back to the hospital.

    William went with her and only left after seeing her enter the ward.

    He made a call and asked coldly, "Where are you?" Charles sent him a location, and he drove there.

 Chapter 425

    Chapter 425 Interrogation

    The moment William stepped into the private vi, he <b>heard </b><b>Ronan¡¯s </b>stubborn shouring

    I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about! I¡¯ve never heard about it!¡± Anman said.

    William narrowed his gaze.

    A servant took out a <b>pair </b><b>of </b>disposable slippers from the shoe cab and ced it beside <b>his </b>feet

    Inside, the living room was decoratedvishly.

    Charles was sitting on the couch with his legs wide open with one arm resting on his thigh. He stirred his coffee with his other hand as his pace fordon Ronan

    ¡°Ronan Hoven<b>, </b>don¡¯t you know why I didn¡¯t get anyone else to find you? We know everything. Why bother to continue putting up an act?¡± Charles <b>said</b>.

    ¡°Why am I here? I¡¯m a disabled man. I¡¯m limping, but you¡¯re still harassing me Don¡¯t you have a conscience<b>?</b>¡± Bonsall

    Charles flung his teaspoon away. ¡°You¡¯ve run out of chances, I don¡¯t want to hurt you considering you¡¯re Ms. Hoven¡¯s father, but you leave me no choice.¡±

    abodyguard grabbed Ronan and easily pinned him to the ground

    Ronan started crying desperately. ¡°Murder! Help! Someone help me!¡±

    The bodyguard was about to punch him when William walked <b>in </b>and raised his hand to stop him

    Charles scoffed. ¡°He hasn¡¯t been answering any questions.¡±

    Bonan looked up.

    When he saw William, his defiant facade crumbled and he became agitated.

    He tried to pounce at William while yelling ¡°Where did you Like me? What have you done with her?!¡±

    Roman almost escaped the bodyguard¡¯s grip. However, the bodyguard punched him <b>in </b>the stomach, and Ronan doubled over in <b>pain</b>.

    William stood <b>before </b>Ronan, frowning ¡°Where¡¯s the 300 million?

    Ronan wasn¡¯t about to tell the truth. ¡°I told you, I don¡¯t know anything! 300 mion? Are you talking about 300 million dors? I don¡¯t even have three thousand dors! If I had <b>that </b>kind of money, I would be living like <b>a </b>king! Would still need to stay at my runiken ce, barely scraping by?¡±

    William looked regal <b>under </b>the ceiling lights.

    He coldly nced at Ronan ¡°You¡¯re right about one thing. We wouldn¡¯t waste our time on you for nothing Ronan, your real name is Edward Howen

    ¡°Twenty¨Cfive <b>years </b>ago, you and Reggie¡¯s father served as personal bodyguards to Xander Group¡¯s chairman. You know very well what happened afterward. We know far more than you think ying dumb won¡¯t save you.¡±

    ¡°So this is why you¡¯re getting close to Emelle, right? Ronan¡¯s eyes reddened ¡°You don¡¯t love her! You¡¯re just using her!

    Charles scoffed. ¡°You think Mr. Middleton would sacrifice his marriage for this? I was in your ce, 1 would marry Ms. Hoven too. But as the heir of the Middleton family, you have to pay a

    William stayed silent. He didn¡¯t need to exin has rcionship to outsiders

    After a slight pause, William said slowly. ¡°The truth wille out eventually. Do you

    Honan lowered his head without uttering a word.

    William thought there was nothing more to be gained, so he turned to leave

    He nced at Charles and said, ¡°Let him go. He can think about it long and hard¡±

    Charles frowned. ¡°Just like that?¡±

    William left without saying anything more

    u really <b>think </b>hiding it would protect <b>her</b><b>? </b>With your limited ability, how long can you protect her?

    Charles rolled his eyes, muttering about the slow pace of extracting information. He figured <b>it </b>was up to himself now.

    He crouched down before <b>Bonan </b>¡°Not in the mood to talk Fine, We can go to Ms. Hoven¡±

    Ronan¡¯s lips trembled ¡°She doesn¡¯t know anything¡±

    <b>Charles </b>drawled, ¡°Although she doesn¡¯t, you¡¯ll talk when she¡¯s in our hands, won¡¯t you?¡°

    Ronan¡¯s head shot up.

    Charles felt amused and asked, ¡°What? You think we wouldn¡¯t dare to touch Ms Hoven?¡±

    Ronan¡¯s breathing quickened. ¡°What do you want with her?¡±Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.

    Charles, despite wearing a suit and looking refined, smiledevilly. It would send shivers down one¡¯s spine,

    ¡°We have many options, limited only by your imagination,¡± Charles replied.

    Churles continued, ¡°She¡¯s already chosen Wunt. Once they get married, it be official. She¡¯ll do anything he asks and go anywhere he goes.

    ¡°You¡¯ve worked for the Xander Group¡¯s chairman. You¡¯ve seen <b>a </b>lot of those patherings. You know what kind <b>of </b>games they enjoy. They like to swap wives.

    ¡°As Mrs. Milleton, she¡¯d <b>surely </b>be more popr. Can you bear to see her end up in that situation?¡±

    Ronan¡¯s fate darkened. He wanted tonge forward, but the bodyguard was stepping on his back

    The thrashed on the Bloore a fish out of water, yelling, ¡°You beasts! Come at me if you have the guts!

 Chapter 426

    Chapter <b>426 </b>She Needed Him

    ¡°Why should wee at you! It¡¯s the things you care about that hurt you the mood. We¡¯ll tell Ms. Have the truth: You¡¯re not her biological father, that your debt was fabricated, and <b>that </b>you manipted her to pay it back for you,¡± Charles neered

    ¡°<b>You </b><b>and </b>Blended money. You knew that ?ts, Hoven had hackers, as you conspired to kidnap her. You held her to a hefty ransom Charles concluded.

    Ronfelt his <b>throat </b>constrict after heating the truth being exposed. ¡°I. how did you know?¡±

    Charles checked. He rose to his feet and showed his <b>hands </b>into his pockets.

    As he owed over Bean, he said, ¡°Ronan, or should say Howard? You¡¯re just a <b>fraud </b>Why pretend to be a loving father?¡±

    Born was left toned for a long while.

    Finally, he stumbled, and tears started streaming down his face. ¡°Yes, I

    I¡¯m a fraud failed Emelie..

    ¡°Confess your wrongdoings then. Har future hinges on you.¡± Charles took advantage of his emotional vulnerability. ¡°Remember the chairman? He trusted <b>you </b>so much that he asked you take care of Hoven and the joo million dors. But how did you repay him<b>?*</b>

    Charles looked at Roman indifferently. Then, he went back to sit on the soda <b>andbook </b><b>a </b><b>sip </b>of his coffee

    Romantled, ¡°Today¡¯s New Year¡¯s Eve.¡±

    Charles drawled, ¡°Indeed, yet here I am, wasting my time with you. I¡¯m missing my own celebration

    Boot his head bod

    Aher a long while, he spoke softhe¡­lell you after the New Year.¡±

    Charles narrowed his eyes. ¡°So, you¡¯ve decided?¡±

    Randed almost imperceptibly

    Charles agreed readily, ¡°Very well 17e for you after nine days. You better not pull any trick. Otherwise, I won¡¯t let anyone go. Listen <b>carefully</b>¨Cnot amp

    Ronan was tossed out of the <b>vi</b>

    He wandered through the streets aimlessly, thinking about the past.

    He thought that no one would find out what happened if he changed hanuma and moved to a new ce, but he was still dncovered in the end.

    The promise he made to the chainman to protect her was broken again and again.

    He deserved to de

    Emelie was alone in the ward with Greta when she received a call from the police stationContent provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Boman in a strunken spor, <b>had </b>caused <b>a </b>scene and been arrested. The police were now contacting me to bail him out.

    She <b>was </b>frustrated. She really didn¡¯t want to care about her father.

    What kind of person would get drunk and cause a scene when his wife was in the emergency roo

    After the contemted <b>for </b>a long while, she finally called William ¡°My <b>dad </b><b>is </b>at the police station. Could you send someone na get him?

    ¡°will¡± His voice didn¡¯te from the phone but from nearby

    Emelie <b>was </b>startled and whipped her head around to see William walking into the ward holding his phone. He hung up when he saw her.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Ern¨¦lie asked

    William walked up toher Topany you ¡±

    Emelie reached out to hug him instinctively.

    Previously, when

    underwent surgery, he had blocked up in Eastbay and fuced her apany him.

    Now, he had bumbled himself and came to keep herpany at the hospital while she took care of Greta Emelle buried her head in his abdomen.

    Williams surprised. This was the first time he felt that she needed him.

    He looked at her and caressed her hair.

    Imelie was exhausted. Why couldn¡¯t sheger a break?

    She inhaled his scent and murmured, ¡®Liam, Lian.¡±

    His Adam¡¯s <b>apple </b>bobbed

    His emotions cited as he hoppether. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±

    They spent New Yeats together. They <b>hade </b>farewell <b>to </b>the past year and weed the new year together.

    At that moment, Emelis truly believed that thing would spendevety New Year together for the rest of their lives.

    The next day, Greta woke <b>up</b><b>, </b>ban cthe needed to stay hospitalized

    out of the question, as was the nned mesting with both families <b>to </b>discuss the wedding on the second day

    So, spending the night with William on the first day of the new year was out of

    On the third day, Ronan arrived at the hospital in a disheveled state.

    He <b>was </b>reeling of alcohol and d in <b>grimy </b>clothes, resembling a homeless man. He had gone drinking again.

    <b>Emelie </b>was disappointed and asked him to leave straight away. ¡°Mom needs cost. Undturbedient. Please <b>leave </b>Immediately.¡± Bonan¡¯s eyes looked sunken, and he looked at Emelie picifuly ¡°Eme, I know I¡¯ve failed you as a tather.

    ¡® protect you or take care of you, and I¡¯m sorry¨Csten to me queste ¡°

 Chapter 427

    Chapter 427 <b>Its</b>

    Emelie no longer believes his promises. Just like those of apulsive gambler, they held no weight anymore.

    She didn¡¯t want to disturb Greta¡¯s rest, so she took him out to the hallway. ¡°Go on.¡±

    Ronan looked at her and asked carefully, ¡°Does your face still hurt?¡±

    He was guilty about pping her. ¡°In all these years<b>, </b>I¡¯ve neverid <b>a </b>hand on you¡­

    Emelie cut him off impatiently. ¡°Let¡¯s move on, alright? Is there anything else?¡±

    Ronan stared at her face in a daze.

    It was the first time in years he had truly looked at her, and a startling realization dawned on him.

    The woman staring back bore a striking resemnce to her

    His expression softened as he gestured. ¡°When you first arrived<b>, </b>you were tiny. <b>You¡¯d </b><b>sleep </b>for 22 hours a day, and it was hard to wake you up. We thought you were sick and brought you to a lot of doctors. We were worried because your sister never slept so much as a baby.

    ¡°The doctors said everything was fine. I wondered if you had sensed the darkness hanging over our home, which was why you chose to sleep in a world where good deeds went

    unrewarded.<b>¡±</b>Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    The implication in his tone escaped Emelie. She assumed he was just being nostalgk.

    Why was he talking about this all of a sudden? She frowned but remained silent

    ¡°Back then, I¡¯d bring you out to soak up the sunshine. I¡¯d make youugh and buy you toys. I wanted to take <b>good </b>care of you, <b>but</b>

    Ronan continued, ¡°I lose interest in things easily. After some time, I just left you to your mother and stopped caring. Later, I felt like a failure.¡±

    Emelie thought that this phenomenon was prevalent in their country. Fathers <b>usually </b>just provided for them financially and left everything else to mothers.

    ¡°Fortunately, you¡¯ve always been a lucky child. It¡¯s like you have a guardian angel who keeps you safe from harm, Roman said.

    He then smiled bitterly. ¡°Do you remember? When you were five, you went missing for two days. But you were returned to us by kind strangers. If it was another child<b>, </b>they would have stayed missing.

    ¡°And three years ago. Both your mom and I believed that it was best that you didn¡¯t return home because it was safer outside.¡±

    Emelie could take everything else he said, but not this.

    She lifted her eyes and asked, ¡°How could you have known that it was safer outside? When I came back with three million dors out of the blue, did you ever think that Imitted a crime?

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even have any luggage with me, I was only 22 years old and just graduated from university,¡± she sneered, ¡°Do you think that I survived because of lock? Just because I had a guardian angel?¡±

    Ronan muttered, ¡°But you¡¯ve been

    sade all th

    Ithese ye

    years<b>. </b>We weren¡¯t wrong, were we?¡±

    Was she supposed to be grateful that William wasn¡¯t a monster<b>?</b>

    Emelie went straight to the point ¡°your irresponsibility has be so routine that resentment feels pointless. Spare me the excuses about luck or guardian angels. It¡¯s irrelevant. now. What do you want?<b>¡±</b>

    Ronan hesitated.

    Emelie lost her patience and returned to the ward.

    Ronan spoke up. ¡°All I can think about is the trust I¡¯ve broken and how I¡¯ve failed you all these years¡­ Emelie, I was a terrible father.¡±

    Emelie halted her steps and turned around instinctively.

    Ronan had already turned around and was leaving slowly, his head hung low.

    His leg still hadn¡¯t recovered so he was still limping with his back hunched. He grew smaller in the distance.

    Emelie was upset

    She still had expectations for her father and loved him. That was why she felt her heart breaking when she saw him so miserable.

    Yet, she was disappointed in him and resented him. <b>There </b>was a second that she wanted to <b>call </b>out to him.

    But in the end<b>, </b>she didn¡¯t

    Later, after many years, she would think back to this day and wonder: If she had called out to him then and said ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s start over¡±, would things be different?

 Chapter 428

    Chapter 428 Getting Married

    Honan didn¡¯t show up in the following days.

    Emelie didn¡¯t have time to deal with him anyway.

    Sophie had arrived at Capebatt City and Emelie had to arrange for her mother¡¯s treatment. The New Year festivities passed just like <b>that</b>.

    Emelie took care of Greta for yet another night.

    While Emelle was dozing off on <b>a </b><b>folding </b>bed, her phone vibrated

    She <b>was </b>still groggy, but she had already answered the call. ¡°Hello?!

    When she didn¡¯t hear an answer, she put it on speaker mode. ¡°Hello? Who is this? Are you the doctor?¡±

    ¡°ar¡¯s your husband.¡± William¡¯s voice came through.

    Emelie jolted <b>awake </b>and looked at the screen. <b>The </b>caller ID showed William¡¯s name

    She had been busy taking care of her mother over the past few days and had only texted him briefly

    She knew that he was spending the new year with his family. Powerful families like his were bound by traditions, so he didn¡¯t have time <b>to </b>see her.

    She was caught off guard by his call and stammered, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    william chuckled. ¡°What¡¯s up? Put the phone down, grab your calendar, and take <b>a </b>good long look. What day is it today?¡±

    Emelie instinctively followed his instruction and saw the date on the calendar.

    She gasped.

    William said slowly, ¡°It¡¯s the ninth day. The city hall is open, Mrs. Middleton, I¡¯m outside the hospital right now. Don¡¯t forget your identification card.¡± Only then did Emelle remember that they had agreed to get married after the New Year, and she sat up straight.

    William said with amusement, ¡°Hurry up, slowpoke¡±

    He hung up, leaving Emelie to slowly regain herposure. She took some time to regain her senses, and she realized her heart was beating faster. Though they had discussed it before the New Year, due to her recent circumstances, she hadn¡¯t been thinking about it at all. So, it felt sudden and surreal Were they really getting married and bing husband and wie?

    Greta had heard their conversation and reached out to pat Emelie¡¯s head, snapping her out of her daze.

    She smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t keep him waiting Go and get ready.¡±

    Emelie stumbled into the bathroom, the fog in her mind clearing as she sshed water on her face.

    She couldn¡¯t decide what to wear.

    Greta suggested, ¡°The white one. The picture background is red, so white will look nice and stand out

    Emelie ced the clothes down and walked over to Greta She hugged her and burled her face in her shoulder. ¡°But you haven¡¯t even met his parents. Won¡¯t it bother you?¡± Greta stroked her hair affectionately. ¡°<b>A </b>person¡¯s true character reveals itself over time. And from what I¡¯ve seen, Wim is a good man. He¡¯s been sending meals and fruits every day, making sure you¡¯re healthy and getting the right nutrients. I trust he can take care of you well.

    Emelie nazzled closer.

    Greta continued, ¡°Ultimately, you¡¯ll be spending your life with him. As long as he treats you well and you like him, what¡¯s there to object to?¡±

    Greta, having been at the verge of death, knew that she didn¡¯t have long to live. Her greatest wish was to see Emelie settled and happy. She knew that witnessing that would be immenselyforting, and she would die without any regrets.

    Greta took out Emelie¡¯s identification card from the drawer and said, ¡°Go on. He¡¯s so eager, so have faith that he¡¯ll take good care <b>of </b>you!

    Emelie took Greta¡¯s suggestion and wore the white shirt.

    As she was leaving the hospital, she texted <b>Mona </b>and Ashley, announcing that she was registering her marriage with William today

    Mona and Ashley replied to her immediately.

    Mona sent a string of question marks while Ashley texted, ¡°Do you need a <b>prenup </b>temte?¡±

    Emelie declined politely,

    Muna didn¡¯t wait for Emelie to reply and called her straight away.

    However, Emmelie rejected the call <b>because </b>she had walked out of the hospital and spotted William waiting at the side, William was more important at the moment

    Mona, who had just received the shocking news without any details<b>, </b>was restless on her train ride.

    She felt that the train was moving too slowly and wished she could speed it up herself to get to Emilie right away. She wanted to grab Emelie and asked her what had happened

    She had missed a whole chapter of her friend¡¯s life just because she had gone home for the new year.

    Thest time they spoke, Emelie had said that William was pursuing her. She had also promised she wouldn¡¯t fall for him.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    But look at her now!

 Chapter 429

    Chapter 429 Hungry For You

    Emelie was, of course,pletely oblivious to <b>Mona¡¯s </b>bewilderment.

    Instead, <b>she </b>found herself surprised by William¡¯s choice of clothing. He was wearing a white shirt too, which was rare.

    She used to think that ck suited him very well as <b>it </b>entuated his calm and regal air. But now, she saw how white <b>would </b>soften his appearance, lending h gentleness and refinement

    Emelie walked over and yfully chided, ¡°You didn¡¯t remind me when we spoke yesterday. I don¡¯t feel prepared at all

    Last night, he had sent her a video of his younger cousin¡¯s eat doing a backflip

    <b>She </b>was in awe<b>. </b>She didn t know cats could do that and told him to send her more videos of it.

    He said, ¡°You like this cat? I¡¯ll snatch it from her <b>and </b>give it to you.¡±

    Emelie pictured the dignified Mr. Middleton snatching a cat away from his cousin and found it absurd. She quickly stopped him but he insisted.

    An idea popped into her head and she steered the conversation elsewhere. ¡°I had <b>a </b>cat when I was young. I slept with it every night.¡±

    Predictably, William <b>said</b>, ¡°I won¡¯t steal it from her anymore. You can only sleep with me.¡±

    They had talked at length about a stream of random topies, but he never mentioned registering their marriage once.

    William smiled and opened the passenger seat door. <b>¡°</b>You don¡¯t need to prepare anything. You just need to be there.¡±

    Emelle shared toward the car.

    Just as she bent down to get in, she saw arge bouquet of red roses in the passenger <b>seat</b>.

    Herested one arm on the car and leaned downs to look inside. His good looks could rival the beauty of the flowers

    ¡°You won¡¯t toss the flowers I gave you this time, right?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Thaven¡¯t thrown away <b>any </b>of your flowers,¡± she sad.

    Other then bringing her food for the past few days, he had bought her flowers bice, She had put them in a <b>vase </b>and only threw them away after they willed.

    William wanted to being up the <b>past</b>. ¡°The first time I gave you flowers, you tossed them into <b>the </b>trash. <b>Charles </b><b>even </b>sent me a picture.¡±

    This was news to Emelie. <b>She </b>was surprised that he was affected.

    William got in the car as well, but he didn¡¯t fasten his seatbelt immediatel

    He looked at her face, as if he was deep in thought, and said, ¡°Your lipstick is too red.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± she said.

    him an air of

    Emelie usually stayed away from bright colors, but she thought it would be a nice touch for the asion. She reached for the mirror and wanted to blor some color away.

    William said, ¡°No need.¡±

    He then held the back of her neck and drew her in for <b>a </b>kiss<b>.</b>

    When their lips touched, he pried open her teeth with his tongue.

    Emelie¡¯s instinct took over as she clutched at his shirt, but then a <b>fleeting </b>image of wrinkled shirts and bad photos shed through her mind. She let go of his shirt and held his shoulders

    Witam was oblivious to her <b>concerns </b>and kissed <b>her </b><b>passionately </b><b>as </b>his tongue explored hers. <b>Her </b>lips were impossibly soft, and he deepened the kiss.

    Perhaps because they had been kissing more than usual in recent weeks, William¡¯s kissing skills had improved, Enselie was no match for him.

    It only took a few kisses to <b>make </b><b>her </b>weak in her knees. Her body would go limp and her breathing would quicken

    In between, she realized that they shouldn¡¯t be kissing like this as it felt like a prelude to something more. As if on <b>cue</b>, William pulled her onto <b>his </bp, and she straddled him

    Emelie¡¯s eyes were hazy as she became confused. She didn¡¯t know when his hand had slipped beneath her shirt.

    William <b>had </b>been standing outside for a while just now, so his <b>hand </b>was a bit cold. It sent a shiver down her spine, and an involuntary moan escaped her lips. She instinctively <b>grabbed </b>his hand.

    William didn¡¯t push it, thankfully. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed and <b>he </b><b>leaned </b><b>in </b>to kiss her neck.

    He then said, ¡°Let¡¯s hold off for now and continue tonight.¡±

    Emele regained her senses.

    They were in an amorous position, and her face burned. ¡°You!¡±

    William smirked as he buttoned up her shirt. ¡°It¡¯s been awhile <b>and </b>I wanted to satiate my hunger¡±

    However, there was a time and ce for everything. They were supposed to get their manage certificate first and do this alter. Now, she looked disheveled.

    Emelie pinched his waist yfully and <b>heard </b>his low chuckle.

    Her face burned and she scrambled back onto the passenger seat

    This lipstick blotting method was far from ideal. Her smudged lipstick and matching stains on William¡¯s lips painted a rather suggestive picture. They delincelynceded wet wipes.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Chapter 430 Legally Manded

 Chapter 430

    Chapter 430 Legally Manded

    Emelie checked her makeup and clothes in the mirror, but then she thought of something.

    She turned to William and asked, ¡°Does Mr. Middleton know that we¡¯re registering our marriage today?!

    ¡°Not yet. I¡¯m worried <b>that </b>he might break us <b>up</b><b>. </b>I¡¯ll tell him after it¡¯s done.¡± <b>William </b>was nonchnt

    Emelle doubted that he would, though. Henry <b>had </b>previously encouraged their rtionship.

    she suddenly thought about another person. ¡°Do you know anyone named Xen?

    Kenikivik a mysterious pregnant woman from Mona¡¯s hometown<b>.</b>

    Initialy, Emelie suspected she was William¡¯s mistress, until she heard from Jeremiah and Lindsey <b>say </b>¡°<b>you¡¯re </b>not the only heir¡±

    She had also heard will say that Vanessa was the <b>one </b>who bribed the caretaker to <b>kill </b>Get

    Arealization dawned on Emelle

    Before, she was fairly sure that the woman and her baby had nothing to do with William, so she didn¡¯t ask him However, she now wanted one final confirmation

    Emelie opened her bag She blinked when she saw the yellowed envelope and took it out

    william, who <b>was </b>driving, stole a ce in her direction before <b>slowing </b>down slightly. ¡°Dain¡¯t you throur that way?¡®

    ¡°I never said I did. I just tucked it away and found it again recently,¡± she said,

    With that, she opened the envelope and took out a yellowed piece of paper. It was a note from <b>a </b>younger William.

    Emelie deliberately add, ¡°What does this sentence mean?i

    Wim remained staring ahead. ¡°What sentence? It¡¯s been a long time can¡¯t remember what I wrote.¡±

    Emelie was ¡°bulled by him earlier, and now she wanted to pay back

    ¡°Why don¡¯t I read it for you? I see your face when I look at the moon¡® Sounds <b>like </b><b>a </b>poem. Who¡¯s the poet? Do you still <b>remember</b>, Mr. Middleton?¡± she said. Wilm puton astole expression

    <b>don¡¯t </b>kno

    Emilie took out her phone. ¡°Since you also don¡¯t know, I¡¯ll search for tonline.ch, it means ¡®I¡¯m thinking of you. The poet is Aristan from ancient Grielor. Was this what you wanted to convey back then?¡±

    Wilm stayed silent for <b>a </b>minute.

    In the end, he couldn¡¯t hold back and chuckled, but only out of frustration. ¡°Angel, do you really have to talk about this when I¡¯m driving? if we get into a car ident and die, we can¡¯t be buried together because we¡¯re not legally wedded yet.¡±

    Emelie put the piece of paper back into the envelope, and then brought it to her nose. Maybe she was imagining it, but she seemed to be able to smell the osmanthus that grew in <b>the </b><b>school </b>garden back in the day.

    She smiledExclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.

    The light turned red at the junction ahead, and will stopped the car.

    He held her hand <b>and </b><b>said </b>casually, ¡°It means I¡¯m thinking of you

    Emilie¡¯s smile grew wider.

    After the red light was the city hall

    y would be

    The process for registering their marriage was easy. They just needed to fill in a form, take a picture, and wait for their marriage certificate to be printed. Then, they legally wedded.

    Emilie was signing the form when she received a call. Her phone was on the table, so she immediately the unknown number. She rejected it and signed her name. Soon, her phone rang again. Emilie frowned and picked up her call

    A man asked, ¡°Are you Emilie Hoven? Is Ronan Haven your father?¡±

    Emilie replied, ¡°Yes<b>¡±</b>

    ¡°I¡¯m calling from the police station,¡± the <b>man </b><b>said</b>.

    Emilie paused her fingers.

    She thought that Ronan must¡¯ve gotten drunk and caused a scene agam. She <b>was </b>annoyed and didn¡¯t want to be bothered by it

    <b>She </b>picked up the pen and continued signing her sign

    In the background, <b>she </b>could hear the police sirens. It added to her growing concem.

    Emilie asked <b>with </b>indifference, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?

    The police officer said solemnly, ¡°<b>This </b>morning, Roman jumped off Hillcrest Tower. After being rushed to the hospital, he was pronounced dead. We need the family toe to the police station to discuss rted matters.

    She was almost done signing her name when her <b>hand </b>trembled and her pen skidded. There was a long stroke across <b>the </b><b>paper</b>.

    The injoy she felt dissipated at once, reced by a chilling emptiness.

    The world seemed to have stopped for emity

 Chapter 431

    Chapter 431 Suicide

    Hillcrest Tower was very new to the city hall in fact, it was right belund

    When Emile regained her senses, she dashed out of the city hall,

    William quickly caught up to her and grabbed her arm. He <b>didn¡¯t </b>know what had happened, of course.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he asked

    Emilie wanted to sell him not to stop hire. She wanted to tell him that <b>she </b>didn¡¯t believe her father was dead and that she wanted to see himExclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.

    Yet, she cralized that <b>she </b>couldn¡¯t say a word. The news was like a bombshell to her, and it <b>took </b>away her ability to speak

    She looked at William pleadingly without saying a word. She wanted him to let her go. She had to go see <b>her </b>father.

    This was the first time Emilie was looking at William with such a pleading. It was different from her selling face just a few moments ago.

    He frowned, pursed his <b>lips</b><b>, </b><b>and </b>let her go

    Emilian down the street without stopping. She ran so intensely that every step <b>she </b>took left an echoing stand in her ear, as <b>if </b>something was covering her car. The wind cut through her the like knives <b>as </b>she ran and it felt painful.

    She only stopped when she reached Hillcrest Tower.

    The incident had happened an hour ago, and his corpse had been transported away to the funeral parlor.

    There was a wide pool of blood on the ground. Acleaner was using water to wash it away.

    Even after it <b>was </b>diluted by water, the blood was still dark red as it flowed down the sewer. It was indicative of hour horrifying the scene had been.

    There were onlookers standing around, <b>along </b>with some policemen Everyone was discussing about the suicide incident that just happened.

    Some said that <b>he </b>fell off the building identally after getting drunk, while some disagreed, saying that the medical examiner didn¡¯t find any alcohol in the deceased¡¯s <b>blood</b><b>. </b>Following this, someone guessed that the medical examiner was lume because it was <b>a </b>murder, <b>while </b>some spected that it was normal procedure, hence it was really a suicide

    In the end, someonemented, ¡°How tragic. He killed himself right <b>after </b>the New Year. His family must be heartbroken<b>.</b>¡±

    Konan wasn¡¯t there, but it was as if Emille could see how he looked as he was lying in ¡®s own pool of blood

    Her legs <b>buckled </b>and she tell to the ground.

    <b>William </b>arrived just in time,catching her and pulling her into his arms.

    He said in a low voice, asked Ashton to speak with the police and Fabian to go to the funeral parlor. I¡¯ll take care of everything Come with me, will you?¡±

    Emilie blinked, and tears trickled down her face uncontrobly.

    She had never expected Roman tomit suicide <b>and </b>have them so suddenly.

    Why? Why did he do it?

    Emilie clutched at Will¡¯s shirt, unable to say a word she weed to say something, but due to her extreme geler, she couldn¡¯t

    She didn¡¯t want to leave and tried <b>pushing </b>William away, but she couldn¡¯t Wim was much stronger than her.

    He picked her up and brought her back to the car

    The panic sheet burned into heartache which spread from her heart to the rest of her body.

    william could feel her trembling, and <b>he </b><b>caressed </b>the back of her head gently ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±

    Emelle broke down and cried in agony

    She remembered herst meeting with Ranan. He had repeatedly apologized and expressed his remorse in <b>being </b>a <b>bad </b>father, not she had ignored him and thought he was an

    How could she have been so impatient with her father? She was always so patient with other people.

    Her guilt magnified <b>her </b>grief, and she cried even harder. She <b>didn¡¯t </b>think that she would recover from this.

    william¡¯s shirt was drenched in <b>tears</b>.

    He frowned and let go of her a little just so he could wipe away her tears. Yet, the second be wiped them off, more tears fall.

    He touched Emelie¡¯s throat, but she still couldn¡¯t speak

    William simply fastened her seatbelt and took her away from the scene.

    He wanted to bring her back to fastbay and asked the doctor to check on her, but she didn¡¯t want to. She tugged on his arm, wanting to go to the police station to find out what happened.

    Although Emilie didn¡¯t speak, William knew what she wanted.

    ¡°ribing you there if you stop crying.¡± William <b>bargained </b>in a lour voice

    Emille kept wiping tears away and tried not to cry Yet, whenever she thought of how dejected Roman looked when he left, she couldn¡¯t hold back and cried even harder

    William said, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you cry like this¡±

    It <b>made </b>him feel panicked and anxious.

    to the end, Wim still brought Emilie to the police station

    She had calmed down by the time they reached. At the very least, shur wasn¡¯t crying anymore.

    The police officer said that, after a thorough investigation, they had ruled out homicide Her father hadmitted suicide, and he had left <b>a </b>suicide nove

    Emilie immediately held William¡¯s arr

    William asked on her behalf, ¡°Where¡¯s the suicide note?¡±

 Chapter 432

    Chapter <b>432 </b>Concealing Everything

    A police officer handed the envelope over to Emelie.

    She knew with a nce that it was Ronan¡¯s handwriting.

    In the note, he had written: ¡°I¡¯m such <b>a </b>failure. My daughter doesn¡¯t listen to what I say and insists on marrying William. There¡¯s no point in living. I can¡¯t take this anymore. It¡¯s better if I¡¯m dead. It all ends here.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie was at a loss for words

    Roman couldn¡¯t stop her from marrying William, so he chose death to escape the situation.

    <b>Emelie </b>had never expected that to be the reason for Roman¡¯s suicide.

    she knew that he was against her rtionship with William but never thought he would go to such lengths to oppose it.

    Emelie instantly fainted in William¡¯s arms as they exited the police station.

    William brought her back to Eastbay and called a doctor.

    The doctor said she was emotionally overwhelmed and would be fine once she woke up.

    ¡°She hasn¡¯t been speaking at all¡± William said in a low voice.

    ¡°Mutism is a psychological issue. If she doesn¡¯t regain her speech after waking up, she¡¯ll need to see a psychologist,¡± the doctor advised.

    After the doctor left, William returned to Emelle¡¯s room. He tacked her in and then went out.

    As he was leaving, he pondered for a moment before locking the entrance of Eastbay using his phone

    Witam got into his car and dialed <b>a </b>number.

    ¡°Where are you?¡± he said.

    Charles replied, irritated, ¡°I just left the funeral home. I can¡¯t believe Ronan actually jumped. Damn it, our lead here has been severed.¡±

    William didn¡¯t say much. He simply replied, ¡°Meet me at the mansion.¡±

    He then drove to the mansion.

    When William entered, before Charles could speak, he grabbed him by the cor and pinned him against the wall.

    <b>¡°</b>The night of New Year¡¯s Eve, what did you say to Ronan after lett william coldly red at Charles

    Charles wasn¡¯t one to be trifled with as well. His expression named cold as he raised William¡¯s hand and exchanged a few blows with him.

    However, Charles couldn¡¯t match up to William. He ended <b>up </b>with William¡¯s hand around his neck, appearing even more disheveled than before.

    Charles recognized his own situation and gave <b>up </b>fighting. <b>His </b><b>countenance </b>rxed, <b>and </b>he leaned against the wallzily.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say much. I just wanted him to know <b>what </b><b>he </b>was doing. He can¡¯t take on everything by himself. He promised <b>that </b>he¡¯d give me an answer by the Ninth day. Seems like I got my answer now,¡± Charles <b>said</b><b>.</b>

    Charles snorted and continued, ¡°He probably nned to use his death to cover everything <b>up</b><b>. </b>Once he¡¯s gone, we can¡¯t use Mr. Hoven to make him spill the beans. Now, Ms. Hoven is also safer. What a good father, indeed.¡±

    William looked at Charles with a nk expression

    Charles smirked. ¡°He even left a note saying your marriage with Ms. Hoven was the reason for <b>his </b>suicide. Believe it or not, Ms. Hoven will probably have a grudge against you deep down. It¡¯s going to be hard for both of you

    ¡°Ronan managed to keep his secret and drive a wedge between you two. Hitting two birds with one stone. Clever, isn¡¯t he? No wonder Xander kept him around<b>.</b>¡±

    William¡¯s lips pursed together as he released Charles. The whole situation was developing in the most undesirable direction.

    Charles nonchntly adjusted his cor and lifted his gaze as he asked, ¡°Is Ms. Hoven really clueless about eveything?¡±

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t even know that Ronan isn¡¯t her biological father. What could she possibly know? if Ronan thought his death could keep everything hidden, it means he didn¡¯t tell anyone,¡± <b>William </b><b>said </b>with a cold voice,

    Hearing this, Charles fell deep in thought

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t know anything. Don¡¯t even think about going near her. Otherwise, I¡¯ll make sure you join Roman,¡± William wamed him through his gritted teeth.

    Charles chuckled ¡°You¡¯re talking as if I killed Ronan Like it or not, I <b>only </b>wanted an answer.¡±

    ¡°You should leave Capebatt City as soon as possible,¡± William said and turned around to leave.

    Emelie was home alone, and he had neither the time nor the patience to waste on Charles.

    Charles robbed his chin knowingly.

    Lelle was clueless. But what about Geeta?

    Greta knew better than anyone else that Emelie <b>wasn¡¯t </b>her biological dighter. As Room¡¯s partner, it was unlikely <b>that </b>she didn¡¯t know anything-

 Chapter 433

    Chapter 433 Waiting For An Answer

    When William returned to Exay, he opened the door and found alle still asleep

    He then took a quick shower and went to her room.

    He softly embraced and reassed her, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Everything will be alright.¡±

    willian knew that, with Ronan¡¯s death and the missing 300 hundred billion, Emelie¡¯s days were unlikely to be as calm as they ence were.

    And he was right.

    With Ronan¡¯s death, the factions that had been quietly lying in wait started taking action. They were like magma hidden beneath the surface, unstable and ready to erupt after a

    single tremor

    And when everything spiraled out of control<b>, </b><b>it </b>would be impossible to resume order.

    Jumping <b>orta </b>bulding was one of the most <b>brutal </b><b>ways </b><b>to </b><b>die</b>,

    Ronan¡¯s bodywas left beyond recognition.

    After Eliana <b>and </b>Billy saw Roman¡¯s body onest time, it was then cremated at the funeral home. The ashes were stored in a small boor.

    Eliana cried, carrying it while running out. She was in overwhelmed with emotion that she almost Cainted

    Meanwhile, in a ck car across the street, aman was <b>seated </b>in the <b>back </b>seat. He lowered the window <b>as </b>he silently watched the scene.

    At the front sat a man and a woman. The <b>man </b>was Marcel, who had once followed Emelie in Wimstour city and was secretly photographing her. Unfortunately, Emelie caught him

    The woman sitting beside him was Jodie, Wesley¡¯s assistant

    What about the identity of the person in the back seat? Well, the answer is clean.

    ¡°Edward¡¯s dead. Their next target will either be Ms. Emelie or Mrs Hoven.¡°Wesley raised the window and rested his eyes.

    ¡°We can¡¯t let me stay with Will any longer,¡± he said.

    When Emelie <b>woke </b>up, it was dreadedusk.

    She wrapped herself with the nket and sat on the <b>bed</b><b>, </b>staring <b>nkly </b>out the window.

    Under the warm rays of the setting sun, the world appeared simultaneously bright and dark. It left a distinct feeling of loneliness and desteness, lering Emelie feeling empty

    <b>Inside</b>

    Sheher arouch on her shoulder <b>and </b>tumed to see William putting <b>a </b>coat over her.

    He had changed into his casual clothes, namely a soft beige sweater that softened his demeanor

    William said sortly, ¡°<b>Eme</b>, try <b>saying </b>something¡±

    Emelie¡¯s lips moved ¡°My dad.¡±

    Although Enele could <b>speak </b>now, it was difficult for her. Every word she spoketelt forced

    She swallowed hard <b>and </b>continued, ¡°<b>My </b><b>dad¡¯s </b>funeral.¡±

    William replied, ¡°Eliana and Billy went to the funeral home. They had his body cremated

    Tears welled up in Emelie¡¯s eyes. ¡°No.¡±

    William nodded slightly to <b>reassure </b>her. ¡°Your mom doesn¡¯t know about it. I got Ashton to go to the hospital and stay with her. told her I was taking you out for a celebration <b>today</b>.¡±Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.

    Emer gulped.

    Tewas supposed to be her wedding day. However, she lost her father today.

    Wim sat down and embraced ber in his arms. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±

    Emelie had hat regained her ability to speak, and it was hard for her to speak continuously. Fortunately, William understood her perfectly.

    ¡°Myeyes.¡± she said..

    ¡°You¡¯ve been crying so much. Of course, your eyes would feel day,¡±

    He then let go of her to get an eyedrop<b>. </b>¡°Tilt your head back¡±

    ¡°Wim <b>said</b>.

    Emelle cited her head back, and William applied two drops <b>to </b>her eyes.

    <b>¡°</b><b>Close </b>your eyes and rest for a bit,¡± he said.

    The eyedrops had a cold <b>sensation</b>, relieving Emelie¡¯s fatigue.

    After being overwhelmed by grief and cathartically letting out her tears, Emelie felt much better

    William broughther out for a meal, and afterwards, he bought her <b>to </b>the cinema in an attempt to distract her. He even <b>chose </b><b>a </b>suspense film, hoping it would divert her attention.

    However<b>, </b>Emcle <b>wasn¡¯t </b>in the mood for it.

    After a while<b>, </b>she barked her face in her knees and shut herself out. She remained in that state for some time.

    Chapter 433 Waiting For An Answer

    212

    With her mind cleared the firstthing Emelie said to William was question

    She asked, ¡°never thought about why my dad was so against our marriage. He never gave me a reason. I thought he was being unreasonable. But it doesn¡¯t make sense for him to dislike you without a reason. Did you and my dad have any history?¡±

    Emele locked at Wiliam, waiting for a response.

    Her eyes were beary, and her gaze soft

 Chapter 434

    Chapter 434 Don¡¯t You Dare

    ¡°No. I¡¯ve only ever met your dad three times<b>,</b>¡± William answered

    They first meten New Year¡¯s Day, the second encounter was at Alderbrook, and then finallyon New Year¡¯s Eve at themansion, past three brief encounters.

    elle lowered her head<b>, </b>feeling disappointed.

    William knelt on one knee, held her face in his hands, tilting it upward.

    ¡°Angel, how can I help you move past this?¡± he asked as he <b>looked </b>into her eyes

    Emelie shook her head.

    was impossible for her to shake off the wright of <b>her </b>father¡¯s sudden death. Forgetting wasn¡¯t easy unless she lost her memory.

    Suddenly, Willem bed in to kiss her, but me instinctively pulled away. He didn¡¯t pursue the kiss <b>further </b>but simply looked at her deeply.

    with <b>their </b>intimate distance, <b>Emelie </b>could clearly see the <b>soft </b>creases of his monolids. His game wasn¡¯t sharp like it usually <b>was</b>. <b>Instead</b>, it was filled with concer

    Emelle pressed her ps together.

    She got out of bed and started changing out of her p

    ¡°I¡¯m going to the police station,¡± she said.

    rpgamas.

    She opened the wardrobe to look for her clothes. As she shut the wardrobe door <b>and </b>turned around, Will pulled her into his arms.

    ¡°<b>What </b>are <b>you </b>going to <b>do</b>?¡± he asked.

    ***Even if it was a <b>suicide</b>, something just doesn¡¯t feel right, I want to talk to the <b>police </b>and get to the bottom of it. It¡¯s already the Tenth day. You should get back to work Don¡¯t worry about me,¡± Emelie said in a husky voice as she pushed Wim away.

    She then entered the washroom to freshen up

    William listened to the sounded running water and lunowed his brows

    Emelie was racional, yet resolute. Although she was being stubborn, she didn¡¯t forget to grab <b>some </b><b>bread </b>and milk from the fridge to eat on the way before leaving

    Wiliam¡¯s gaze darkened as he watched the door shut. Then, he reached for his phone,

    ¡°Ashton,¡± he <b>said</b>.

    Emelle took the elevator and headed <b>downstates</b>. <b>As </b><b>she </b>stepped out of the elevator, she saw Ashton standing beside the car.

    ¡°Mrs. Middleton<b>, </b>Mr. Middleton is worried about you. He directed me to stay with you today,¡± Ashton said

    Mrs. Middleton<b>.</b>Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.

    Emelle froze upon hearing Ashton addressing her as such.

    Then, she suddenly remembered. She had only gotten her marriage certificate with William yesterday.

    If it weren¡¯t for Roman¡¯s death, it would have been a happy asion. But <b>now</b>, all she could think about was Bonan¡¯s suicide note.

    She opened the car door and got in.

    ¡°We haven¡¯t finished registering yet. You don¡¯t have to call me that,¡± she said in a low voice.

    Ashton hesitated for a moment, <b>then </b><b>drove </b>her to the police station in silence.

    The police officer in charge of Ronan¡¯s case was Zion Hayes, whom William had likely met with before Zion invited Emelie and Ashton into a mediation room and began speaking

    ¡°We¡¯ve tracked down Ronan¡¯s whereabouts over the past few days. We traced everything back, went for intendees, and didn¡¯t find anything unusual,¡± Zion said.

    ¡°Can you tell in detail¡± Emele requested

    Zion nodded, opened hisptop<b>, </b>and <b>pulled </b>up some surveince footage.

    ¡°Take a look at this. There¡¯s surveince cameras everywhere. Everything¡¯s captured clearly After he left the hospital on the Third day, he took a bus back to his home in Alderbrook. He didn¡¯t go out again until the evening when be book out a bunch of trash.

    ¡°On the Fourth day, he retumed thewnmower he borrowed to his neighbor in the afternoon, he had <b>lunch </b>with that neighbor at a local diner. For the next four days, he treated his neighbors to meals

    ¡°Wew interviewed them. They mentioned Ronan thanked them for their care over the years. He <b>also </b>mentioned that he¡¯d be going away for a while, asking them to look after his wife and daughter. We analyzed his behavior and believed he was making <b>final </b>arrangements.

    ¡°He hoped the neighbors would look out for you and your mom. Around that time, hekely already had the idea of ending his Ide on the eighth day, he stayed home al

    e all day: <b>¡°</b><b>On </b>the ninth day, he took the earliest bus to Hilcrest Tower. He must¡¯ve chosen Hillcrest Tower because <b>their </b>security wasx. He <b>could </b>get to the top floor without being stopped.¡± Zion finally finished speaking.

    Emlet at <b>a </b>loss for words

    She couldn¡¯t imagine that her usually ide

    How long had he been nning?

    idle father had meticulously nned out his finalmoments

    Zion showed Emelie the notes taken when they went for the interviews, and Emelie read through them carefully, page <b>by </b>pr

    Zion rechanged a nce with Ashton and let out a sigh. ¡°Ms. Hoven, we understand that it¡¯s hard to ept the loss <b>of </b>a loved one. But his suicide note showed that he was against you and your partner¡¯s marrige. It was likely the reason that drove me to such an extreme decision.¡±

    He continued, ¡°Our records show he had a history of trouble and disputes with medical staff. He may have had an impulsive natur. Given that, what happened is not entirely

 Chapter 435

    Chapter 435 Her Repulsive behavior

    Emele shook her head.

    No one whether she struggled with epting Ronan¡¯s passing or she had other thoughts on her mind.

    She organized the interview notes and handed it back to lon

    Without saying anything else, she left the police station

    Ashton followed her <b>closely </b>and asked in a <b>casual </b>tone, ¡°ele, what are you still not understanding about your father¡¯s death?¡±

    Emelle struggled to reply.

    ¡°Is there anywhere else you want to go? Ashton asked

    ¡°Please take me back to Alderbrook,¡± Emelie said.

    When she returned home to Alderbrook, Emelie found the house tidied up and cleaned.

    They hadn¡¯t even started their New Year¡¯s Eve dinner when Greta had to be rushed to the hospital, leaving the food untouched on the table.

    Roman must¡¯ve stored what was still edible in the fridge and disposed of the rest. No <b>wonder </b>Zion mentioned that Ronan had thrown out a big bag of garbage that evening,

    Up in the attic, Embe noticed her bedsheets and covers were reced with new ones. As she stared at them being perfectlyid out, tears instantly pooled around her

    The Hovens had surveince cameras installed around their house. After Ashton left, Emelie sat on her bed <b>and </b>began watching the footage on her phone.

    She watched Roman¡¯s finalmoments, finding him diligently cleaning up the house. Emelie was surprised to see that<b>, </b>since Ronan had never once done any chores over the past thirty years.

    She forwarded the <b>footage </b>further to <b>New </b>Year¡¯s Eve.

    That night, she brought Greta to the hospital because of an emergency while he went out drinking heavily. He was even reported to the police, and William¡¯s men brought him back home

    He spent the night on the couch

    After he <b>woke </b>up, he immediately left the <b>house</b>. During the following three days, he never once returned home

    Emelle began wondering where Ronan had gone during those three days?

    What did he do?

    Emelie and Eliana took charge of organizing Ronan¡¯s funeral.

    In Capebatt City there was a tradition of letting the bodies rest for three <b>days </b>before the cremation or burial. Since Ronan was <b>already </b>cremated, Emelie and Eliana kept the proceduces simple and proceeded with the burial rites.

    The cemetery that william picked was located in a scenic and prestigious ce in <b>town </b>burial plot therecost goo thousand dors. And while William intended to cover the expense himself, Emelle insisted on paying.

    William sensed the distance between them, but he remained silent about it.

    Only a small group of rtives and trends attended <b>the </b>burial

    However, Emelie <b>didn¡¯t </b>expect Henry and Vanessa to be there. They even brought flowers and bowed to Emelie.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Emelie said

    <b>Henry </b>approached her with a sigh. ¡°I know you and William remanded. From now on, we¡¯re family. If you ever need anything, don¡¯t hesitate <b>to </b><b>act</b>¡±

    Emelie responded in a low voice, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Middleton.¡±

    Despite Henry hinting at his eptance of their marriage, Emelie still addressed him formally.

    Vanessa book Emelle¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯ll stay with Emelie for a while!

    Henry nodded and leftContent provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Vanessa and Emelie sat down on <b>a </b>stone bench by the cemetery Vanessa <b>took </b>out a bank card from her purse and offered it to Emelle

    ¡°This is a token from Henry and me, Emelie. Please ept it,¡± Vanessa said.

    Emelie declined. ¡°No, thank you. It means a lot to me that <b>you </b>and Mr. Middleton came to see my dad off*

    ¡°We heard that your <b>dad¡¯s </b>passing was because of your marriage with Will. We¡¯re truly sorry about <b>that</b>. Please, take it.¡± Vanessa beld Emelie¡¯s <b>hand </b>and ced the card in her palms,

    ¡°It¡¯s better not to tell your mom about it yet. <b>We </b>heard she¡¯s <b>back </b>in the hospital. She can¡¯t handle anymore stress,¡± Vanessa added.

    Emelie slowly turned to <b>look </b>at Vanessa and said calmly, ¡°As long as you don¡¯t tell her, she won¡¯t know That way, she won¡¯t be stressed.¡±

    Vanessafro for a brief moment. ¡°Emelie, what do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°Nothing I just hope that if you¡¯re scheming ything. Mrs. Middleton, do it to me instead of my mom. Leave <b>her </b>out of it. Please don¡¯t bribe caregivers like before so you can purposely upset her. I¡¯ve already lost my dad. If I lose my mom too, I would never forgive you,¡± Emelie said with numbness in her tone.

    Vanessa abruptly stood up, looking Incredibly upset. ¡°Emelie, is it because of your dad¡¯s death that you¡¯re <b>spouting </b>nonsense?When have I ever done something like that? Who

    Vanessa delt deeply hurt. ¡°I¡¯ve treated you like my own all these years, always hoping for your happiness with Will, it will doesn¡¯t <b>understand </b>me, that¡¯s one thing. But now even you¡® <b>This</b>¡­.this <b>is </b>bound!¡±

    Chapter 436 To See Your True Colors

 Chapter 436

    Chapter 436 To See Your True Colors

    Capebatt City was always dry and deste during the winter. With no sun today<b>, </b>everything was shrouded in a surreal haze

    Emelie looked off into the distance, where rows of tombstones stood, feeling an acute sense of loneliness.

    ¡°If <b>you </b><b>say </b><b>so</b>. I¡¯ve made myself clear, and I assume you understand, Mrs. Middleton,¡± Emelie said, her <b>cold </b>voice hanging in the air.

    Vanessa slightly turrowed her brows. ¡°I feel <b>like </b>you have some misunderstanding about me. Did Will say something to you?¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t bother to look at Vanessa and remained <b>staring </b>ahead. It seemed like she was observing something, or perhaps she was just lost in thought

    Emelie couldn¡¯t shake off the numbness even after three <b>days </b>since Ronan¡¯s death

    Vanessa added with sorrow in her voice, ¡°Everyone says being a stepmother is hard. I¡¯ve tried my best to be good to Will, but he <b>still </b>can¡¯t ept me. Now, even you¡¯re treating me this way, Emelle. I feel like such a failure.¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t respond.

    Vanessa sighed and <b>said</b>, ¡°I know that Will always thought that his mother¡¯s mental state wasn¡¯t well because of me. But I didn¡¯t do anything, I was worried about her.¡±Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.

    <b>¡°</b>I¡¯ve also heard something happened and Will sent Olivia to Sentnd to take <b>care </b>of his mom..Oh!¡± Vanessa abruptly covered her mouth, realizing she had said something she shouldn thave

    She looked at Emelie, hesitating to speak

    Emelie smiled indifferently. ¡°Mrs. Middleton, are you suggesting that Olivia is with William¡¯s mom? <b>And </b>that William didn¡¯tpletely cut ties with Oliva?¡±

    Vanessa said, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it that way..¡±

    Emelie replied, ¡°I¡¯ve known about that for awhile William exined it to me.¡±

    Vanessa paused, then smiled with relief.

    She held Emelle¡¯s hand and said, ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. I was worried that you and Will might fight again. He¡¯s improved and knows to exin himself now. Since you¡¯re married, you can¡¯t be breaking up over little things anymore. Both of you need to be understanding toward each other.¡±

    Emelie turned and looked at Vanessa.

    Vanessa was exceptional at putting on an act. She was even better than a seasoned professional Every move of hers was well¨Ccurated.

    Vanessacontinued, ¡°Willis <b>quite </b>something. When he was with Olivia, he stopped you from getting a new job. And your mother¡¯s heart condition wasn¡¯t. Everything wasing at both of you

    ¡°you two had such big fights, and I thought it was hopeless. But he still managed to win you back. We¡¯re getting old, and all we want is for you two to be happy¡±

    Emelie caught the undertone in Vanessa¡¯s words, aware that they were anything but genuine.

    <b>¡°</b><b>Thank </b>you, Mrs. Middleton, for telling me all this. But do you really wish us well, or are <b>you </b>hoping that Will and I will fight¡± Emelle <b>said</b>.

    ¡°Of course, I wish both of you the best. You have no idea how happy I was when I heard you got married,¡± Vanessa said.

    Vanessa smiled gently. ¡°Capebatt City had a custom saying that one can¡¯t celebrate within a hundred days of a parent¡¯s passing. So, your wedding with Will will have to wait until after that. At least you¡¯ll have more time to n.

    ¡°Do you <b>want </b>a nature¨Cthemed or vintage mor wedding? After you¡¯ve got your marriage certificate registered, had the ceremony, maybe you can even <b>have </b>a child. Everything will be perfect.¡±

    Emelie felt an ice cold jolt shoot through her. She quivered and instantly pulled her hand away from Vanessa¡¯s grasp.

    Vanessa insisted on pressing into Emelie¡¯s <b>sore </b>spots<b>, </b>and Emelie wasn¡¯t in the mood to watch her theatrics.

    If that was the case, she <b>might </b>as welly everything out.

    Emelie finally let out all her emotions that she had been bottling up. ¡°Mrs. Middleton, you¡¯re quite the actress. It¡¯s only now that I figuredout your true nature,¡±

    Vanessa maintained herposure and frowned with confusion ¡°Emele, what do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I mean exactly what I said. You¡¯ve always supported me and William, but you never truly wanted us together, right? You knew William was always against, and would oppose anything his father wanted him to do.

    ¡°The more his father pushes for our marriage, the more resistant he¡¯ll be. You¡¯re using me to drive a wedge between them. Am 1 wrong?¡± Emelie questioned.

    Vanessa confidently imed she treated melle like her own, wanting Emelie to believe that her care was genuine. But the truth was, Emelie had always been just a pawn, Emelie chuckled. For the past three years, she had been nothing but a <b>tool </b>for others.

    ¡°This way, William bes the rebellious son in Mr. Middleton¡¯s eyes. You¡¯re trying to make Mr. Middleton <b>even </b>more disappointed in his own son. Eventually, your daughter will have <b>a </b>chance when he gives up on William,¡± Emelie continued.

    Vanessa¡¯s face slowly turned serious,

    Vanessa had done her rambling. Now, it was Einlie¡¯s turn to expose her true colors.

 Chapter 437

    Chapter 437 Hide it Well

    ¡°There¡¯s a woman in town, named Xenia, who is right months pregnant. She¡¯s your d

    daughter, ban¡¯t she? You purpoly Ind me on to make me believe she was William¡¯s partner ¡°mat the truth is, she¡¯s your daughter with Mr. Middleton, right? She¡¯s about a year or two older than William, which is why Mr. Middleton is afraid to let her into the family.¡±

    If they were to acknowledge mia publicly, Henry would have to admit to having an affair during his marriage.

    Henry wouldn¡¯t allow that toe to light and be made public in consideration of the Middleton family¡¯s name, Cloudex Corporation, and his own reputation

    Moreover, he wouldn¡¯t want to ruin his rtionship with William He¡¯d never cross William¡¯s bottom line.

    Elle added, ¡°You were unhappy seeing your daughter left out, so you spent years manipting their rtionship You tried to get Mr. Middleton to ept your daughter into the Middleton Lady By then, she can fight or the Middleton family¡¯s inheritance¡±

    Vanessa¡¯s gentle and loving facade crumbled,

    Suddenly<b>, </b><b>a </b>man¡¯s mocking volce broke the silence. ¡°me, you¡¯re being too straightforward. How do you expect Mrs. Middleton to respond?

    Emelle <b>turned </b>around to see William d in ck. He looked dillerent from his <b>usual </b>sellContent ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    He more ck suit and the with no essories¨Cno cufflinks, depin, not even watch. It was his way of showing respect at the funeral.

    Wim extended his hand. ¡°Comel¨¦re.¡±

    Emelie walked over to Wilban without lending another nce at Vanessa

    He took her hand and <b>asked</b>, ¡°join me for a prayer to Dad<b>?</b>¡±

    Headed to Donan as <b>¡°</b>Dad¡°.

    Emele <b>pursed </b>her lips and nodded

    They walked together toward Banan¡¯s tombstone.

    Emelle took some flowers and handed them to William. He slowly knelt down to ce the owers in front of the grave

    <b>Hiced </b>some dust on Ronan¡¯s tombstone, he gently brushed them away,

    As the <b>sun </b>went down, the cemetery grew dim, and it was time for them to head back.

    ble took onest look at Ronan and left with Wim

    He held her hand, idly ying with her Gegersas hesaid, ¡°thought you were to overwhelmed to think clearly¡±

    The cemetery was bercaced, with rows of tombstones on each level. They slowly walked down the steps side by side.

    ¡°Well, you thought wrong. If there were things she didn¡¯t want me to know, she should¡¯ve kept them well hidden. I¡¯m not going to y dumb for anyone,¡± Emelie said

    Wim tightened his gripon her hand and asked calmly, ¡°How did you <b>figure </b>that out?¡±

    ¡°I found a few loose threads and everything made sense,¡± she replied.

    Emelie had als viewed Vanessa positively and never considered her in a negative light.

    But when William told her that Vanessa wasn¡¯t as she seemed, Emelie changed her view other. She recalled past events and finally caught on to everything

    Emelie had <b>always </b>suspected that Xenia was Wan ca¡¯s daughter. However, she chose to believe that Xenia was having a rtionship with William instead.

    Since Xenia wasn¡¯t with William, the truth <b>had </b>to be Emelie¡¯s other guess. Emelie had abeys been sharp

    They walked over to the parking area. Since the cemetery <b>had </b><b>a </b>lot of slopes, William brought an SUV instead of his sedan.

    <b>The </b>SUV was <b>a </b>sportback mode with arge and all body, looking like <b>a </b>beast lorking in the night.

    Will lowered his head to look at tumitic ¡°Have you sent in the resignation letter to Bryn

    No. Took a leve on the Ninth day and then abeseavement leave. Mr. Swanson has been lenient. He¡¯s letting me take time off until next week,¡± Emelie said.

    Wilumchuckled and opened the passenger <b>door</b>.

    is it because he didn¡¯t want to lose any talent, o

    of it because of Samuel? Will asked.

    Emelie felt resigned <b>to </b><b>his </b>jealousy <b>and </b>nced at him. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because made some deals with the Allen family, <b>and </b>he got enough out of it. So now he decided to cut me some

    ¡°I could be even more lenient with you,¡± he said.

    William scooped her up under her arms and lifted her into the SUV like child. He then ced his hands on <b>the </b>seat to trap her, looking at her deeply

    ¡°I don¡¯t agree with living apart right after getting married,¡± <b>he </b><b>said</b><b>.</b>

    Was she supposed to quit her job just because he didn¡¯t agree?

    Emelie said, ¡°Then you should ghee up your position at cloudes Corporation ande with me to Weston

    Emelle was certainly bold.

    udex Corporation was led <b>in </b>the billions, and William bed the second¨Chighest post in thepany. Was she asking him to <b>quit </b>just like that? Wimoked at her, and Emelie this poe with a calm expression.

    He might lover high¨Cranking position, but why should she quit her job just to bulfill what he <b>wants</b><b>? </b>whoever suggested it should take action.

    Wicked ¡°It¡¯s not entlelyod of the question.¡±

    Chapter 437Hide It Well

    He moved his hand down, gently rubbing her waist. ¡°But I have a record. Though I graduated from a top university, I probably wouldn¡¯t get a good job. I¡¯d have to deliver packages, nun food orders, or be a security guard. You¡¯re going to have to support me.¡±

    Emelie knew he was joking. Despite that, a genuine smile appeared on her face for the first time in days.

    She tried to push him away as she said, ¡°Yeah, right¡±

    William, however, pulled her closer by the waist, whispering softly, ¡°You still owe me something from our wedding night.¡±

    Enjoy <b>Ad </b>Free Reading>>

 Chapter 438

    Chapter 418 Who¡¯s Daughter?

    Emehe ended up sleeping lying face down until the next morning

    When her phone rm <b>rang</b>, she felt as if she had only just fallen asleep.

    Last night was intense. William insisted on making up for their wedding night.

    is thrusts felt like he was trying to pin her to the bed, making sure she couldn¡¯t go anywhere.

    meltsore, and her whole body ached, she didn¡¯t want to move, but her phone kept ringing

    She groaned under the covers and finally reached out to grab ¡°Hello?

    Hearing her raspy voice, the person on <b>the </b><b>other </b>end passed briefly and asked cautiously, ¡°Eme?¡°¡±

    <b>Emelle </b>rolled over. ¡°Mona? What¡¯s up?¡°¡±

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± <b>tona </b>assumed Emelie¡¯s raspy voice was from crying over Ronan all night, unaware that there was another reason.

    Emelie <b>gradually </b>got up ¡°I¡¯m fine¡±

    Monasighed a breath of <b>cellet</b>. ¡°Don¡¯t stay cooped up at home, alright? Come out for breakfast. I¡¯ve invited Ashley too. Let¡¯s go get some pancakes.¡±

    After the call ended, Emelie got out of bed and entered the bathroom.

    She washed her <b>face</b>, brushed her teeth<b>, </b><b>and </b>took <b>a </b><b>shower</b>.

    Though <b>Wim </b>had helped her <b>clean </b>up after what happenedst night, ahot shower in the morning <b>soothed </b>her body and made her feel refreshed.

    After she finished showering<b>, </b>Emelle felt much lighter. She was free from the tension and depression of the past few days.

    Maybe it was because the humeral was over, and things hade to an end. Maybe what she had experiencedst night helped her release pent¨Cup emotions.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    After all, violence and were the best ways of releasing emotions

    Or perhaps humans are just field creatures. <b>No </b>matter how deep the pain, time would eventually erase the scars.

    After Em¨¦lie got dressed, she headed out, not hesitating to take a car from the underground parien.

    Soon, she arrived at the restaurant.

    <b>As </b>she walked in, she received <b>a </b>message from William. ¡°Angel, where did you go?<b>¡±</b>

    Instead of answering his question, Enneke asked, ¡°How do you know I went out? Are you spying on me?¡±

    had someone deliver breakfast to you. They vebeen ringing the doorbell for a while and no one answered, so I checked the cameras Wim exined, feeling somewhat upset. ¡°What did you think I was doing?

    ¡°I¡¯m out having breakfast with Mona and Ashley¡± Emelie responded.

    Just then, a knock sounded at Wian¡¯s office door, so he stopped his questions.

    <b>¡°</b>Come in,¡± he said.

    He was expecting his secretary, so he was surprised when he saw Henry walk in.

    ¡°Dad?¡± William slightly herowed his brews.

    It has been awhile since Henryst visited thepany.

    ¡°I was passing by and thought I¡¯d drop in to discuss something with you. <b>I¡¯m </b>not interrupting, am I?¡± Henry asked.

    He was dressed in a sharp suit, carrying steady demeanor <b>as </b>he settled into the lounge area.

    Wim already guessed what Henry wanted to talk about. His expression remained cold andposed

    He had a striking bone structure and monolids. When he wasn¡¯t smiling, his face always seemed aloof

    Witham stood up and walked over to the cab to get a canister of tea leaves to prepare some tea.

    ¡°Dad, what is it you wanted to talk about?¡± William asked.

    ¡°Letite,¡± Henry said as he took the tea canister from William.

    William didn¡¯t msist and instead walked over to the couch and sat down

    Henry was skilled at making tea. He used a teaspoon to scoop leaves into the teapot and lifted the <b>ss </b>kettle with <b>a </b>heat¨Cresistant cloth, As he poured the boiling water over the leaves, the fresh aroma filled the room.

    As the bea brewed, Henry spoke

    <b>¡°</b><b>I </b><b>wanted </b>to talk to you yesterday, but Emelie was there, <b>so </b>it wasn¡¯t appropriate.¡± Henry set the kettle down, trying to keep his emotions in check. ¡°I¡¯m your father, WIS. Yet you married Emelie without <b>even </b>telling me only knew about it from someone else.¡±

    Since the office had a heating system, William removed his <b>coat </b>and hung it on a rack.

    He wore a ck shirt with a matching dark¨Cpatterned the. His look was neat, and it emsed his elegant demeanor

    ¡°you used to like <b>her </b>a lot, Daul. You always tried to set us up. Now that I¡¯ve married her, just as you wanted, shouldn¡¯t you be happy?¡± William said.

    ¡°If she was the Fricllie <b>as </b>we know, then wouldn¡¯t oppose <b>the </b>mariage Even without a prominent background<b>, </b>her exceptional abilities make her a great parter for you, but the peoldrin in, she¡¯s Xander Piece¡¯s daughter!¡± Henry¡¯s voor was stem.

 Chapter 439

    Chapter 439 May Pretend

    William replied, ¡°Who¡¯s Xander <b>Pierce</b>? Her Lather¡¯s name is Honan. You were at his <b>funeral </b>yesterday. You even brought flowers and said your prayers. Did you dready forget!¡±

    Henrywald, ¡°There¡¯s no <b>need</b>

    od to y pretend with me. If you didn¡¯t know the truth, you wouldn¡¯t have secretly married her. You rushed the marriage because you were <b>afraid </b>¡® stop you, right?

    Wim remained alkat

    He picked up capoftrand brought it to his nose, inhaling the aroma. The steam blurred his face, masking the emotions in his eye.

    Pill Codex Corporation is now yours. You formed an alliance with Charles and Bryan behind my bark, but I have no issue with that. Now <b>that </b>you¡¯re in charge, you have to see things through. You have to get that 300million dors back or thepany¡¯s going to have a big bo!¡±

    With that being said, Henry swiftly le

    Wim put down this teacup, <b>and </b>demeanor turned as cold <b>as </b>a fierce snowstomi.

    Hecalled Jayden ¡°Are you free?¡±

    ¡°Yes, where do you want to meet Jayden replied

    William grabbed his cost and put it on ¡°I¡¯ll <be </b>to you.¡±

    Meanwhile, at the diner, Emelescanned the restaurant as she entered.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    She then noticed Mana, who was wing at her. ¡°Eme, over here!¡±

    ¡°Mona, Ashley,¡± Emele greeted them as she approached

    The food had already boon served

    Emelie was starring She took a sip of tea <b>as </b><b>she </b>sat down, grabbed <b>a </b>fork, and started to dig into the casar chicken sd.

    ¡°Is this ce new? The food¡¯s not bad. It¡¯s just as good as our <b>usual </b>spot,¡± Emelie praised the restaurant while nodding

    Ashley and Mona watched her intently

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you pay eating?¡± Emelie asked<b>.</b>

    Mona abruptly enveloped Emilia in a big hug. ¡°It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s all in the past now.

    On the Ninth day, Mona ertunted to Capebat city from her hometown. She had just <b>boarded </b>the train when she got themes about Emelle and William¡¯s marriage.

    Sherished back, ready to demand an exnation.

    But then<b>, </b><b>she </b>suddenly found out that fosas hadmitted suicide by jumping <b>of </b>a building. The emotional rollercoaster lett Mona feeling unsettled, and she couldn¡¯t mine how Emellet

    Mona was deeply sorry for Emelie

    ¡°Well go away¡± meresponded with a smile

    Moma held Emelie for a long time<b>, </b>sighing constantly.

    ¡°I¡¯m really hungry Can you let me eat first before you start crying?¡± Emelie said andughed

    Moma quickly grabbed the cutleries and began piling food on Emelle¡¯s te

    Moma started, ¡°Here you go. You must not have been eating or sleeping these days. Look at you You look so worn out and thin.¡±

    Moparsed She felt like Emelle had gained weight instead

    Imestea trick of the light

    Mona continued, adding food to Emelle¡¯s te.

    Ashley, who was moreposed, asked, ¡°Are you still nning to go to Weston?¡±

    ¡°Thuwen¡¯t decided yet. My mum stil doesn¡¯t know about my dad. I haven¡¯t been to the hospitaltely because I was afraid I¡¯d break down if I saw her. William¡¯s secretary has been keeping herpany,¡± Emelie exined

    Mona cased her hand ¡°Since I¡¯m back, and your mom is practically my mom, I can take care of her if you¡¯re going to Weston

    ¡°Meo.¡°Ashley <b>said</b>.

    Emelie nodded, feeling incredibly grateful

    Mana saw how Emelie was in good spirits and realized that Emelie had already recovered. She almost forgot how <b>resilient </b>Emelie <b>could </b>be under pressure.

    Mona let down her guard and asked curiously, ¡°Come on, tell me, how did you end up marrying Willian<b>? </b>He didn¡¯t force you into it, did he?¡±

    ¡°Of coursenal¡± Emelle said.

    She pondered for a moment, and added, ¡°Technically, our mariage certificate ka¡¯l finalized yet.¡±

    Roman¡¯s sudden situation Interrupted the process before the Goalsump of their certificate.

    ¡°Tell us all the jury details about how that bastand won you over,¡± Mana asked excitedly, examining the ring on Emele¡¯s finger.

    They continued their meal and chatted until noon.

    Sagrethey were feeling refortable to move somewhere else, they decided to stay at the diner for another <b>meal</b>

    While they were sedering, Menaderided in gpan¨Croasted fish.

    The fish was delicately sliced on top with a spoonful of hot oil poured over it. The flesh sizzled, releasing its mouthwatering scent.

    Despite the dish looking savory, the smell was too much for Ashley. She couldn¡¯t help but turn her head away and gagged. ¡°Ugh.¡± Ashley gagged.

 Chapter 440

    Chapter 440 Buy a Pregnancy Kit

    After Ashleyched once, <b>she </b>acted a couple more times.

    Emelle <b>quickly </b>embed a couple of test inste Ashley away from the smell while moving the smoking pan¨Croasted fish further away.

    Immediately, Monnasked, ¡°Ashley, are you okay?

    There was a pause as Ashley took a <b>sip </b>of <b>her </b>drink to suppress the queasy feeling in her chest, which was akin to motion sickness.

    she shook her head and replied, ¡°<b>I¡¯m </b>Line¡±

    Moria <b>sniffed </b>the fish and said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t smell that fishy Pam¨Croasted fish is delicious!¡±

    Ashley pursed her lips and said, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just indigestion from sitting too long, it came all of a sudden.¡±

    Mona hommed in acknowledgment without divelling too much on it as she refilled Ashley¡¯s ss

    Meanwhile, Inele was looking at ashley¡¯s belly with a small frown. <b>However</b><b>, </b>she remained silent.

    Although Ashley didn¡¯t gag again, her appetite was poor

    Mona, being somewhat oblivious, resumed their conversation from where they had left off. ¡°So, Emelie, you¡¯ll either be in Weston or living with William in that ridiculously expensive Eastbay region from now on, right? you¡¯re noting back to our little apartment anymore, are you?¡±

    Emelie replied<b>, </b><b>¡°</b>rech, I guess so.¡±

    Monapouted in response. ¡°Ugh, how frustrating. I¡¯ve been living with you for a decade. It¡¯ll be so weird to suddenly be apart,¡±

    Emelie said with a small smile, ¡°Perhaps you could find a new job in Weston, and we could be coommates there again.¡±

    Mona took <b>her </b>suggestion into consideration.

    After <b>the </b>meal, Emelie had to go to the hospital to see Greta, and Mona went with her.

    When they <b>arrived </b>at the hospital entrance, Mona suddenly remembered that they should bring a gift for the patient, <b>so </b>she hated off to buy a fruit basket,

    Emelie headed <b>upstates </b>alone.

    When she entered the elevator, she sent a text message to Ashley, asking, ¡°Was today the first time the smell of fish made you nauseated?¡±

    ¡°No I couldn¡¯t even stomach the beef brisket orderedst night.¡± Ashley replied.

    ¡°Aside from your aversion to the smell of fish, have you noticed any other unusual symptoms? Like a sudden craving for sour food, feeling more fired than usual, or irregr periods?¡± Emelie asked again<b>.</b>

    Emelie¡¯s questions were rather <b>forward</b><b>, </b><b>so </b>Ashley knew what <b>she </b><b>was </b><b>getting </b>at. They <b>were </b><b>both </b>adults, smart ones at that. Hence<b>, </b>she had her suspicions too.

    Ashley was sitting in herw firmand decided to check her period cycle. Indeed, her period <b>was </b>a few <b>days </bte

    Her grip on her phone tightened.

    Shefelt confused and instinctively denied it ¡°But I always take my birth control plis.¡±

    ??? Thest time she was with Elias was before the New Year in Weston.

    After his unreasonable outburst over Beathan, they gave each other the spent treatment and hadn¡¯t contacted each other throughout the holidays.

    ¡°If you suspect that you¡¯re pregnant, you can buy a pregnancy kit to check,¡± Emelie said.

    After a moment, Ashley replied, ¡°Alright¡±

    Emeliesent Ashley a hugging emoji before putting her phone away since the elevator arrived at her floor.

    <b>Just </b>as she reached the door to the hospital room, she heard Greta wailing <b>in </b>sorrow inside.

    <b>Emelie </b>sensed trouble and her heart <b>lurched</b>. She quickly entered the room.

    Ena stood by their mother¡¯s bed expressionlessly while their mother covered her face<b>, </b>crying her heart out.

    Emelie immediately turned to look at Eliana. ¡°You told Mom?!

    Elianatured her head away. ¡°To begin with, <b>we </b>should¡¯ve never kept this from her.¡±

    She had told their mother about their fathermitting suicide

    Emelie was instantly filled with anger. ¡°What

    She had <b>already </b>instructed Elians not to tell dret yet. She was already used to Ronan noting to the hospital so she wouldn¡¯t have even questioned tt.

    Why did liana have to make such a decision on her own? Why did she have to tell her when Greta¡¯s health was in a precarious state?

    Emelie kept her anger in check and pushed Eliana <b>aside</b>. She pressed the nurse call button multiple times, asking for a doctor.

    She then sat on the bed, wanting tofort Greta. But she was at a loss for words.

    Even though Greta and <b>Ronan </b>had always had their conflicts, they had been manied for 30 years and never separated. How could she ept the sudden news of her husband¡¯s

    death<b>?</b>

    Just then, Mona entered the room with a fruit basket in her hands, a little shocked to see the scene before her

    quickly, she rushed over to help. ¡°Please don¡¯t cry, Mrs. Hoven. You¡¯re not well yet, and you need to take care of yourself.¡±

    However, it was no use Gretawas illed with heart¨Cwrenching get.

    In the end, the doctor<b>, </b>fearing her extreme sorrow would harm her health, administered a sedative,

    The doctor also advised them, ¡°Try to keep any bod news from her for now. If you have to <b>tell </b>her, break <b>it </b>to her slowly. Her ability to cope with any drastic news is very poor ¡± ¡°Mona, please look after my mom for a mopent,¡± Emelle <b>said </b>before grabbing na¡¯s hand and dragging her to the stairwellExclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.

 Chapter 441

    Chapter 441 You¡¯re <b>Adopted</b>

    Ever since she returned home three years <b>ago</b><b>, </b>she had always been courteous to Eliana

    However, she couldn¡¯t hold it in any longer and she lost her temper for the first time.

    <b>¡°</b>Don¡¯t you know Mom has a weak heart? Don¡¯t you know she can¡¯t handle intense emotions? Don¡¯t you know why she¡¯s hospitalized? Didn¡¯t I tell you to wait until she¡¯s discharged to tell her about Dad? Why on earth did you rush to tell her the truth? What are you trying to <b>do</b>?¡± Emelie questioned Eliana.

    In response, na sneered<b>. </b><b>¡°</b>Yes, you did say that, but why should <b>I </b>listen to <b>you</b>?

    Emelie pped Eliana across her face.

    en Eliana.

    Hurting her mother was her bottom line. She wouldn¡¯t let anyone hurt Greta, not even

    *Why should you listen to me? <b>Are </b>you even human? Mom¡¯s emotions could trigger her heart to stop at any moment. Do you want something to happen to her?

    ¡°Let me tell you why you should listen to me! Because I paid all the fees for her hospitalization, surgery, and the doctors¡® visits! So how she should be cared for is up to me to decide!¡± Emelie said.

    Eliana held her face.

    She decided that there was no point in crying over spilled milk and <b>decided </b>toy everything out.

    ¡°That¡¯s just money. <b>What¡¯s </b>the big deal? Also, the money you spent is just repaying them for taking care of you for 25 years. It¡¯s what you owe them. Emelie, you¡¯ve already caused my father¡¯s death. From now on, don¡¯t bother yourself with my mother! It doesn¡¯t concern you!¡± Ena said.

    Emelle Laughed at her words. ¡°They¡¯re your father and mother?¡±

    na stood her ground. ¡°Yes, they are my parents, not yours! They didn¡¯t give birth to you!¡±

    At first, Emelie thought she was just saying things out of anger.

    However<b>, </b>they were adults, not little kids who threw around phrases like ¡°Mon found you in a <b>trash </b>can¡°. Eliana was serious.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    Emelle clenched her fists, and her voice turned cold. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?

    Mona, afraid they might start fighting, quickly ran to the stairwell when Greta seemed to be in a deep sleep.

    She overheard na,

    ¡°I¡¯m not talking nonsense. I¡¯m telling the truth. I¡¯m five years older than you. I remember clearly when Dad brought you home as a baby. You were adopted. You aren¡¯t biologically

    rted to us!¡± Eliana <b>sald</b>.

    Mona was stunned How could this <b>be</b><b>?</b>

    She immediately looked at Emelle, who was motionless and wearing a nk expression

    Eliana finally felt the satisfaction of crushing Emelie.

    William had been right when he said she was jealous of Emelie. She was jealous and resentful.

    She remembered being the only child in a wealthy family when she was very young. She was happy and carefree, always wearing pretty dresses and eating delicious cakes until she was five

    That year, their father brought home baby Emelie<b>, </b><b>saying </b>she would be her new sister.

    From that moment on, she was no longer the only daughter in the family, no longer the most loved.

    Her pretty dresses were reced with baby clothes, and her cakes were reced by baby form.

    From that moment, she resented Emelie. However, she always masked her feelings and <b>never </b>showed her resentment

    Even if their parents gave birth to another daughter, her deepest resentment was always directed at Emelle. This was because as Emelie grew, she became more beautiful, sensible, smart, and excelled in school. She was always the center of attention, making Eliana feel insignificantinparison.

    She had been ted when Emelie went missing for three years. The person who didn¡¯t belong in their family was finally gone

    Even when their youngest sister ran off with a man, she didn¡¯t feel sad. She felt like she was the only daughter again, just like before she turned live.

    She never expected Emelie toe back. Not only did she return, but she was even better than before

    She was more beautiful, more capable, wealthier, more well¨Cconnected, and more decisive.

    What about Eliana?

    After having children, her body <b>had </b>changed, and she was constantly exhausted from caring for them<b>. </b>She never had a strong will and didn¡¯t dare to express her own <b>ideas</b>. She envied Emelie¡¯s strength <b>and </b>ability to handle things.

    Emelie replinded her of her terlings of being overshadowed and insignificant as a child.

    Her patience had can thin, and her pent¨Cup dissatisfaction finally erupted when Ronanmitted suicide because of Emelie

    ¡°you are not my parents¡® daughter. My mom <b>has </b>nothing to do with you. Get out and never show up in front of us again, you murderer! You¡¯re the reason I Eliana showed Emelle forcefully

 Chapter 442

    Chapter 442 Waiting for the AnswerThis belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    Emele stumbled backward and hit a trash can. She lost her bnce and fell to the ground.

    ¡°Emelie!¡± Mona quickly ran over to help her up, ring at Eliana ¡°Just because you say it doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s true! What about the evidence?¡±

    <b>Eliana </b>yanked out a few strands of her own hair and flung them on the <b>ground</b>. ¡°Go and <b>do </b>a DNA test! We¡¯re not biologically rted!¡±

    Mona was taken aback by her confidence

    Was Emelie really not a biological daughter of Ronan and <b>Greta</b>?

    She couldn¡¯t imagine how Emelie must be feeling. After all, she had just lost her father and now she just discovered that she wasn¡¯t even their biological child.

    ¡°Emele..¡± Mona was concerned for her.

    Emelie pushed herself up by her hands. The <b>coldness </b>of the cement floor seeped through her hands, bringing her to her senses.

    Her eyes twitched when she recalled what Ronan had said when he visited her in the hospital on the third of January.

    You were so small when you first came to our family. Are you sleeping because you¡¯ve found out about the bad things happening at home? Are you still sleeping because you don¡¯t want to live in this world where good deeds gain no reward? I think I¡¯ve betrayed their trust.¡±

    Emelie hadn¡¯t given much thought to the implications of his words back then. However, they seemed off in retrospect

    Was she really not her parents¡® biologkal daughter? It she wasn¡¯t from the Hoven family, then who was her real family?

    Emelie got to her feet with Mona¡¯s

    support despite her paleplexion.

    After she nced at Eliana onest time, she quickly left the stairwell

    When she reached Greta¡¯s room, she took a few strands of Greta¡¯s hair before looking for a doctor. She wanted <b>to </b>run a test to find out the truth.

    It was easy to get a confirmatory test done since she was in a hospital, especially since William had already spoken to the hospital,

    Although they provided her special treatment by expediting her test, it still required three hours.

    During those three hours, Emelle sat outside Greta¡¯s hospital room waiting for the results with Mona by her side.

    Time had never felt so slow.

    It was still winter in Capebatt City. By 5:30 pm, daylight was already fleeting, and the sky was already dim.

    Ashley was returning to thew firm after meeting <b>a </b>client that afternoon,

    There was a pharmacy located opposite thew firm. After a moment of hesitation and contemtion, she entered the pharmacy. She coldly asked, ¡°Hi, do you have pregnancy test kits?¡±

    The pharmacy start, who recognized her as the beautifulwyer who passed by daily, was surprised to see her buying such an item.

    After a brief moment of shock, she responded quickly, ¡°Yes, we do. Ms.Thornton. We have several brands. Which one would you like?

    Ashley lowered her gaze. ¡°Which test kit is the most urate?

    <b>¡°</b>They¡¯re all very urate. Perhaps you could buy two different brands and test with both to obtain a more urate result.¡± The staff nced at her expression and noted Ashley¡¯s cool and strong demeanor.

    Although she was tempted to ask if she was married, she figured Ms. Thomton wasn¡¯t one for small talk, so she kept quiet.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Ashley said.

    As the staff scanned her purchases, she added, ¡°Ms. Thornton, you probably know this, but pregnancy hormone levels are highest in the morning, so testing during that time is the most urate. Of course, you can test at other times too,¡±

    ¡°I know that¡± Ashley gave <b>a </b>simple reply.

    After Ashley paid for the test kits<b>, </b>she put the two pregnancy kits into her bag

    She returned to thew firm and finished up herst bit of work. Then, she <b>took </b>the tests into the bathroom.

    She couldn¡¯t wait until the next day. She needed to know the answer Immediately

 Chapter 443

    Chapter 443 Why Have You Been Monitoring Me?

    There were two lines on the pregnancy test.

    Ashleyclosed her eyes <b>for </b><b>a </b>moment.

    Before she took the test, she told herself that she was very likely to be pregnant if it showed two lines, given her recent symptoms. If It was one line, she would do another test in the morning

    However, the results were clear. She was definitely pregnant.

    She threw the pregnancy test into the trash can and washed her hands at the sink. Her furrowed brows were reflected in the mirror.

    Although s always wanted children and never used protection, she made sure to take morning¨Cafter pills after each time they did it.

    She knew that no method was 100% foolproof, but she still wondered how she ended up being so unlucky.

    Ashley looked at herself in the mirror before moving closer to study her reflection in detail

    She was blessed with natural beauty, looking rather youthful at the age of 30 without much cosmetic or skin care intervention. No fine lines could be found on her face, perhaps due to her habit of keeping <b>a </b>stoic expression

    It was normal to have a child at her age.

    While she wasn¡¯t against the <b>idea </b>of having a <b>child</b>, she wanted Elias to sign <b>that </b>agreement. Although having a child and signing an agreement weren¡¯t connected, she simply wanted to use the child as leverage to make him sign it.

    Ashley grabbed a paper towel, dried her hands, and left the restroom

    She contemted whether she should keep the baby

    By the time she walked from her office to the elevator and headed down to the first floor, she had already made a n in her mind.

    Since her pregnancy symptoms were severe, she needed apetent nanny to take care of <b>her</b>..

    As <b>she </b>never expected to be pregnant, she had cases scheduled until April. She decided she would tell her assistant to stop epting new cases the next day.

    By August, she would take maternity leave,

    After she gave birth to her child, she would need to rest for two months, which meant she would be away from work for nearly half a year. She¡¯d have to discuss this with the partners at her kw firm.

    ¡°Ashley,¡± someone called out to her.

    Ashley <b>looked </b>up to see Beathan calling her by the ss door entrance of thew firm

    He was dressed in white and shot her a small smile. His smile was he a refreshing, gende stream in early spring

    Ashley suddenly recalled their first moments together and felt her heart flutter.

    Perhaps because Beathan hade specifically to see her, or maybe due to the sudden nostalgia that hit her, Ashley agreed to his invitation for <b>dinner</b>.

    He took her to a small but charming gastropub.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    The lighting in the gastropub was dim, with about twenty tables of varying heights inside. A man yed soft music while two

    o performers danced on stage.

    Beathan leaned toward her and whispered, ¡°The owner is my friend. Most ingredients are imported by air shipment daily. I think the food is pretty good. If you like it, you cane back with your friends<b>. </b>As long as you mention my name, you won¡¯t need to make any reservations.¡±

    They sat at the counter, facing the chel¡¯s station, where the <b>chef </b>served them food directly.

    As they were close to the grill, Ashley could smell the spices and ingredients. While others might find it appetizing, it made her a little queasy.

    Just as she reached for water, Beathan ced a beer mug in front of her

    you can¡¯t visit a gastropub without trying their special brew,¡± he said with a small smile.

    Ashley took a <b>sip</b>. The drink had a low akobol content and a mild, crisp lemon vor, so it was suitable for her.

    After she took a few more <b>sips</b>, she casually asked, ¡°Why did you want to see me?

    When the chef handed them a te of meat skewers, Deathan took one, wrapping it in <b>a </b>napkin before handing it to <b>Ashley</b>.

    ¡°Careful, it¡¯s hot.¡± He reminded her before continuing, ¡°I¡¯ve been in Capebatt City since January 4th. I¡¯ve been sitting at the caf¨¦ opposite your firm every day and the owner asked if I was waiting; for you. He even asked if I was trying to court you¡®

    When Ashley turned to him, he sanded and said, ¡°It seems you¡¯re quite well¨Cknown around here.¡±

    However, Ashley wastint a romantic<b>. </b>As her gaze sharpened, she asked, ¡°Why have you been monitoring me?¡±

 Chapter 444

    Chapter 444 Divorce Elias

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t monitoring you. I was just curious if Elias woulde pick you up. Although I¡¯ve been watching you for a few d

    every day.

    days, I always just see you going to and from work alone

    ¡°Just as I expected, that fe is only after your inheritance. He doesn¡¯t even bother to pretend.¡± Beathan tapped his fingers happily on his ss.

    Ashley couldn¡¯t understand what he was so pleased about

    Was he happy that her new partner wasn¡¯t as good as he was? Was he d that she might regret breaking up with him because of that? It seemed that regardless of their status, all men had the same w

    Ashley took the beef skewer the chef handed her.

    She sniffed it first to ensure it didn¡¯t make her feel nauseated before taking a hite. ¡°When we were together, you also didn¡¯t pick me up from <b>work </b>every day either. How can you say he¡¯s after my inheritance solely based on that?¡±

    ¡°If he wasn¡¯t after your inheritance, why would he marry you when he has so many young and beautiful women around him? You¡¯re four ryears older than him. Men always go for younger women. And you probably don¡¯t know this, but he hasn¡¯t ended things with those women.

    ¡°While you were at work over the New Year, he was outte with one of them. Photos of him hugging a girl in a bikini were circting on my social media feed¡± Beathan just wanted to tell her how much better he waspared to Bas

    The beef skewer was a bit salty, so Ashley took another sip of beer.

    She then retorted<b>, </b>¡°You¡¯re saying that as if you didn¡¯t cheat? Didn¡¯t I <b>catch </b>you in bed with another woman?¡±

    The chef, who had been listening in for a while, nced at them. Despite both of them appearing rather sophisticated, their rtionship was aplete mess.

    Beathan <b>was </b>upset that his ugly past had been brought up, and he furrowed his brows. ¡°I already exined that to you. I was upset and drunk when we fought, and she came onto

    <b>¦°¦±</b>

    ¡°So you were upset twice? You got drunk and cheated twice?¡± Ashley chuckled.

    She continued, ¡°Beathan, I caught you twice. Who knows how many other times there were? Finding one cockroach means there¡¯s <b>a </b>nest. You say you were drunk, but what if this were a criminal case? If your clientmitted <b>a </b>crime while drunk, could you get them acquitted, Mr. Collins?¡±

    That would be extremely tough as thew wouldn¡¯t excuse a person¡¯s criminal behavior just because they were intoxicated, judgment would still be executed.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    Displeasure tainted Beathan¡¯s handsome features.

    After Ashley ate a few more skewers, he finally admitted with a wry smile, ¡°Yeah, <b>I </b>gave in to teraptation. I wanted something different. I was feeling a bit bored after seven years.¡±

    He was bored what an honest statement.

    Ashley nodded. At least he admitted it, which was more than could be said for some people. Beathan still had a shred of decency lett.

    ¡°So now you¡¯ve cried others and decided I¡¯m the best, and you want to get back together?¡± Ashley dabbed her mouth with a napkin. ¡°Well, that¡¯s not out of the question.¡±

    Hearing that, the young chef¡¯s hand slipped<b>, </b><b>and </b>he spilled seasoning on his shoes.

    He stared at Ashley in bewilderment.

    From his third¨Cparty perspective, it seemed like Beathan was the one desperately trying, while Ashley remained calm and in control. He had thought that Ashley wouldn¡¯t bat an eye regardless of how Beathan begged.

    Hence, he never expected to hear her say that

    However, Beathan didn¡¯t get excited immediately

    He had been with her for many years, so he knew her well enough to know it wouldn¡¯t be that simple. ¡°Do you have any conditions?¡±

    Ashley was d in a beige turtleneck.

    She leaned back in her chair. ¡°You could be our unicorn.<b>¡±</b>

    Beathan knew she would say something like that.

    He loosened his tie and <b>said</b>, ¡°What I mean is that you should divorce Elias,¡±

    Ashley raised an eyebrow. ¡°And marry you? So you can also go after my inheritance?

    Beathan tried to exin himself. ¡°I¡¯m not after-¡±

    Ashley interrupted him with a scold. ¡°You¡¯re both after my inheritance, and you¡¯re both scumbags, but at least <b>Elias </b>is young. You missed out something earlier. It¡¯s not just men who prefer younger partners¨Cwomen do too.

    * is young and good looking, and I¡¯m <b>not </b>tired of him yet. You, on the other hand, are old and boring. I¡¯d have to be out of my mind to reconcile with you. What makes you think that just because you change your mind, I¡¯ll be waiting for you, Mr. Collins

 Chapter 445

    Chapter 445 Viral News

    Beathan¡¯s expression grew.cold.

    He reached for a wet tissue to wipe his fingers Then, he made a rather vague statement.

    ¡°Ashley, you know I always win my cases and convict my opponents 1 always achieve all I want to aplish<b>, </b>and I will get the person i want,¡± he said. Ashley knew that After all, he hailed from a prestigious family.

    The Davis family was inhurtial in the North, while the Rowem, Collins, and Swanson families were powerful in the South, East, and West respectively.

    He was a member of the Collins family

    He was exceptional, ghen that he was the <b>top </b>scorst in the college entrance exam, an outstanding graduate of the topw school, and now a renowned figure in the legal field

    On top of that, he was also outstandingly handsome. His handsome featuresplemented his background and profession. Hence, he attracted many young women wherever he

    went

    The young women he had slept with was an example of that.

    When Ashley had caught them in the act, the young woman zed herself for everything to protect him.

    Sheknek before Ashley and pped herself repeatedly, begging her not to me Beathan

    Hence, he could back up his ims.

    She leaned on the most of her chat and examined Bethan under the warm orange glow of the lights in the gastropub

    Beathan had newer spared herpassion nor a way out. Ashley still remembered the moment she found out about his affair.

    She stumbled back several steps, and even though there was nothing to trip over, she fell to the ground as <b>if </b>her legs couldn¡¯t bear the weight of the <b>shock</b>

    For the first time in her life, she was in a state ofplete me.

    The two naked bodies in front of her made her memories of their seven years together shed through her mind. So many moments of warmth, sweetness, and genuine affection. However, she couldn¡¯t hold onto any of it, and it left her heart hollow and empty.

    Aber she pped him three times, she packed her things and lit

    For the next two weeks, <b>she </b>avoided everyone and said nothing. If Es hadn¡¯t pried her window open<b>, </b>she might have suffocated herself to death at home

    During that summer, the scorching un crowned his forehead with heads of sweat.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    The & foot 1 tall young man from het memories casually joked, ¡°I¡¯m here to marry you, Ash.¡±

    When Ashley recalled that moment, <b>a </b>warth Elled her heart, and she instincovely stroked her belly.

    Suddenly, she no <b>longer </b>wanted to waste time with Beathan. She was better off discussing with Dias <b>about </b>their unexpected child.

    Ashley me from her high stool ¡°How much is this meal? Send me the billter, and we¡¯ll split it.¡±

    With that, she walked away with not looking back.

    Beatham leaned back in his chair, unbuttoning his shirt, his gentle demeanor reced with gloom.

    The chef cleared his <b>throat</b>, afraid to show that he wasughing at the scumbag who tried to justify his sidelity.

    The chef asked, ¡°There are two bowers lett, sir. Should I gril them?¡±

    Beathan nced at his wine ss, got up, and chased after her.

    Although she didn¡¯t feel <b>drunk </b>after having a few sses of beer, she decided against driving and took out her phone to call acab

    Suddenly, a past of wind blew at her.

    Although her mind was initially clear, it began to spin without waming, and she stumbled

    Just like that, thest consciousness and tell to the ground.

    in the nick of time, somebody caught her.

    Ashley tried to see who it was, but she only caught <b>a </b>glimpse <b>of </b><b>a </b>pair of jet¨Cck shoes before she lost consciousnesspletely. Bethan held her in his arms, staring at her. He gently caressed her cheek with his fingers

    As he had told her, he wouldntually get what he wanted.

    When Beathan entered the hotel with Ashley, paphiding in a corner took many <b>pictures </b>of the

    Deathan was worried that Ashley¡¯s face wouldn¡¯t be clear in the pictures, so he deliberately pushed her hair aside.

    Within two hours, the photos of him intimately embracing her as they entered the hotel were sent tos.

    As <b>Elias </b>locked through the photos one by one, una boyish smirk was reced with hy

    He refrained himself from smashing the phone, he called Ashley, but her phone was off. Hecalled her office and home separately, but no one answered.

    He was left with no choke but to call the <b>paparaz</b>

    ¡°Where did you get these photos? What do you want?¡± has asked.

    The paparazzochuckled. ¡°Fasy there, Mr, hdvike. I was at the hotel waiting for <b>a </b>minor celebrity¡¯s love scandal, but ended up catching your wille in the art instead I guess catching a scandal with your wife is way more voluble than some minor celebs, this leaks, it¡¯s gonna <b>go </b><b>virall</b>

    The paparazzo continued<b>, </b>¡°I¡¯ve dready thought of a few headlines, The Unfathil Mrs. Undvike from Capebu City¡¯s high society¡± and ¡°Renowned Mr. There¡¯s

    2/2

    Extremantal Affair¡± They¡¯ll grab people¡¯s attention for sure!¡±

    Es, devidofotion, asked, ¡°How much do you want?

    ¡°Not much, Mr. Undvike. It¡¯s a small matter for you. If you¡¯re generous, I can even tell you which hotel they just entered. If you go now, you can catch them red¨Chanded, have solid evidence, and improve your chances in the dice settlement and property division. What do you say?¡± the paparazzo said.

    m Bonus For Free Every Day

 Chapter 446

    Chapter 446 Won¡¯t Stop You From Divorcing Her

    After be hung up the phone, Elias was about to leave when someone called out to him s.

    Es wanted to hide the situation from her, so he suppressed his feelings before turning to look at his mother.

    Henonchntly responded, ¡°Hi, Mom¡±

    she asked, discontented, ¡°Your grandmother hasn¡¯t dismissed you yet, where are you going?¡±

    Elias sported <b>a </b>ck hoodie and had backed his hands into his pockets.

    Despite his casual appearance, his tone was tense. ¡°Dinner¡¯s over, and you guys can keep Grandmapany. There¡¯s nothing for me to do here.¡±

    His mother annoyedly replied, ¡°Your father¡¯s mistresses and their hastard sons are all keeping Grandmapany. If you leave now, her impression of you will only get worse.

    Es¡¯s father had a wife and two mistresses, and both of those mistresses had a son.

    The situation was quite strange. Elias¡¯s parents¡® marriage was abusiness alliance, so it was somewhat <b>understandable </b>that his father preferred the women he found himself over <b>the </b>wife arranged by his parents.

    However, even his grandmother preferred those mistresses and their sons over Elias and his mother.

    If not for that, Elias¡¯s mother wouldn¡¯t have forced him to marry Ashley in hopes of securing her immense inheritance as leverage to improve their position in the Undvike family.

    Elias scoffed

    He never paid too much attention to his family¡¯s drama.

    ¡°So what if she doesn¡¯t like me? <b>I </b>can¡¯t change her opinion by chatting with her. There¡¯s no need for you to be so nervous. After all, you¡¯re the official wife in our family.

    If Dad dares to divorce you, you ask my wife <b>to </b>sue him for half of his shares in the Undvike family, and he¡¯ll end up begging you to take him back¡± he said.

    <b>It </b>would be <b>a </b>legendary high¨Cprofile divorce case in the share market

    Hearing this, his mother rxed and snorted. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t dare divorce me.¡±

    ¡°Well then.¡± Elias had neither the time nor the intention to continue this conversation, waving his hand and turning to leave. ¡°I have things to do, so I¡¯m leaving

    She was <b>unable </b>to stop him, so she could only re at his departing figure

    Suddenly, a thought came to her, and she grabbed him.

    ¡°Speaking of your wide, Ashley didn¡¯t even visit us during the New <b>Year</b>. That crossed the line. Your father¡¯s mistress used this <b>against </b>me the other day

    ¡°I know you don¡¯t like Ashley, but she holds a huge inheritance. Just endure a bit longer<b>, </b>gather premant quickly, and secure the inheritance. When the timees, I won¡¯t stop you from divorcing her,¡± his mother said.

    All Elias could hear was ¡°I know you don¡¯t like Ashley¡°.

    His mother truly didn¡¯t understand him. If he wasn¡¯t willing to, he wouldn¡¯t have obeyed her instructions to marry Ashley.

    Hecast a <b>nce </b>and decided that he didn¡¯t have time to argue with her.

    After he grunted at her, be gut in his car and drove away, not even thinking about getting Ashley pregnant or getting her inheritance.

    He floored the elerator and left the fendly mansion.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    His expression turned story. He drove past the speed <b>limit </b>and rushed to the Craton Hotel

    His rational side told him that Ashley would never revisit her old dame, given her character and the fact that Beathan had cheated on her multiple times.

    On top of that, she despised him so much that she could barely tolerate <b>him</b>. So how could <b>she </b>possibly rekindle her old me with <b>him</b>?

    However, the image of them entering the hotel together filled him <b>with </b>rage.

    <b>She </b>knew he disliked Beathan, yet she had the audacity to meet him privately without avoiding suspicion.

    Additionally, she hadn¡¯t been responsive to Elias, het kwful husband. Despite the many messages he had sent her during the New Year, she hadn¡¯t replied to a single one.

    it seemed that her seven¨Cyear rtionship with Beathan made things different.

    <b>Using </b>his exceptional skills, the paparazzo had pinpointed their exact room number. Hence, Elias went straight to room number 11 3o without hesitation and pounded on the door forcefully.

    It was this barrage of knocks that woke Ashleyup.

    She was attacked by an excruciating headache, so she let out a low groan, frowning.

    When she opened her eyes, she found herself lying on a hotel bed, and the clothes on her had been reced with the hotel bathrobe.

    She was falling to understand what was happening, and she groggily turned her around to see Beathan at the window.

    He was dded in the same bathrobe, <b>holding </b><b>a </b><b>ss </b>of wine in hand as he shot her a small smile.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake, Ashley? You were drunk,¡± <b>he </b>said.

    Ashley sat up straight <b>instantly</b>, shocked.

    As she recalled the moments before she lost consciousness, her expression and voice turned cold. ¡°How dare you drag me, Mr. Collins.¡±

 Chapter 447

    Chapter 447 Shameless

    Chapter 447 Shameless

    ¡°As awyer, you should mow words can result in legal consequences, Ashley,¡± Beathan calmly stated.

    He continued, ¡°You were drunk, covered in vomit, and I didn¡¯t know where your home was. Since everyone at yourw firm had gone home, I had to bring you to the hotel to rest. I <b>did </b>nothing wrong. Even your clothes were changed by the service staff. I followed all the rules.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t drunk! You drugged me!¡± Ashley retorted indignantly.

    ¡°People who are drunk never admit it,¡± replied Beathan calmly.

    Ashley checked her body and found no signs of having been taken advantageof.

    She entered a state of surprising calmness and figured out that Beathan had nned it all.

    d by her body. Even if she went for a blood test, nothing would be found.

    He did not vite her or assaulted her. On top of that, the drugs in her drink had already been metabolized by her <b>body</b>. Even He wouldn¡¯t face any charges even if she reported it to the police or sued him.

    This is howwyersmit crimes. They leave no trace<b>, </b>minimizing any risk to themselves.

    The knocking outside continued, growing louder. Ashley nced at the door, having a hunch that it was probably Elias outside

    ¡°What are you trying <b>to </b>achieve by doing this? What¡¯s your n? Are you trying to make Elias think something happened between us so that he will divorce me?¡± Ashley sneered.¡± Have you considered that I still won¡¯t be with you even if I¡¯m divorced? Just looking at you now makes me feel sick!¡±

    With a snap, Beathan set down his drink and strode over, gripping <b>her </b><b>chin </b>firmly.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.

    ¡°If I <b>make </b>you feel sick, what about Elias? Take a look for yourself!¡± He threw a stack of <b>photos </b>at her. ¡°Proids with dates on them<b>, </b><b>so </b>don¡¯t use me of falsifying or tampering with the dates!¡±

    Ashley pushed his hand away but couldn¡¯t resist looking at the photos.

    The photos were exactly what Beathan had described at the gastropub. They were evidence of Elias spending the New Year with bikini¨Cd beautiful women on a fishing trip.

    Under the clear blue skies<b>, </b><b>a </b>luxurious yacht was setting sail.

    The camera captured a table full of seafood with three cases of fine wine underneath it There were sexy women by the table, and so was the cocky and arrogant Elias.

    In the picture, he was sporting beach shorts and a white shirt with buttons undone halfway <b>down</b>. The seawater on his pecs glistened under <b>the </b>sun¡¯s rays.

    His damp short hair was pushed back, revealing his smooth forehead. He was wearing sunsses, which made him look both rxed and satisfied.

    Beside him were two women barely d in bikinis, their ample bosoms almost touching his arms.

    Upon closer inspection through his tinted sunsses, one could tell that he was a carefree yer in the game of life.

    Beathan smirked. ¡°They spent three days and two nights on a small ind. Do you think Elias didn¡¯t do anything with these women<b>? </b>You can¡¯t stand me having an affair when we were dating, but can you tolerate him cheating when you¡¯re married?¡±

    Ashley¡¯s expression remained indifferent as Beathan slightly loosened his cor. ¡°So tell me, do you think he <b>can </b>tolerate you potentially having an affair?¡±

    With that, he opened the door that was about to be pounded down,

    Elias¡¯s eyes were filled with hostility and aggression

    After he spotted Ashley on the bed<b>, </b>he kicked Beathan hard in the abdomen.

    As soon as the door mmed shut behind him, the two men immediately began to brawl without restraint, fists meeting flesh.

    Ashley didn¡¯t even nce at them. Adults must take responsibility for their actions and face the consequences. Whatever they chose to do <b>was </b>their own decision.

    All she did was carefully examine each photo, not missing any details.

    <b>Finally</b>, <b>in </b>one of the pictures, she spotted a hickey on Elias¡¯s neck.

    Ashley scrutinized it for a long time.

    As soon as she confirmed that it was indeed <b>a </b>hickey, thest sliver of doubt in her mind disappeared.

    She got off the bed, walked out, and emotionlessly said, ¡°Keep fighting, you guys. If you continue fighting, I¡¯ll call the police.¡±

    Beathan, who was quite disheveled, kicked Ehas away. He sat on the ground and wiped blood from his mouth.

    Elias wanted to rush at him again, but Ashley said, ¡°If you hit him again, we¡¯re getting a divorce.¡±

    <b>Despite </b>being furious, Elias burst intoughter.

    He turned to her and said<b>, </b>¡°You want to divorce me for him? Ashley, have you forgotten what he¡¯s done? When he cheated on you with other women, you were furious. Now that he¡¯seback looking for you, you¡¯re <b>sticking </b>to him like a loyal dog Can¡¯t you fucki-¡±

    He was interrupted as Ashley¡¯s palm struck with his cheek

    Chapter 448 On the Verge of Tears

    Ashley¡¯s pnded hard, leaving a red mark on Elias¡¯s fate and handsome face. He touched his cheek, more shocked than hurt. ¡°You hit me because of him?¡±

    ?? ? ? ? ?? ??

    <b>As </b>she clenched her hands into fists, Ashley red at Beathan and coldlymanded, <b>¡°</b>Get lost. Don¡¯t ever let me see you in Capebatt City again.¡± Beathan didn¡¯t respond, but he was willing to leave for now. Since his goal had been achieved, he didn¡¯t mind giving them some space.

    He got <b>up </b>from the floor and retied his bathrobe ¡°Ashley, remember what I said.¡±

    The moment Elias heard him call Ashley by her name, his violent tendencies red up.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let me see you in Capebatt City again?¡± he repeated to himself. He wouldn¡¯t have spoken to him so politely.

    Although he had warned Beathanst time, he still had the audacity to mess with Ashley in Capebart City, Es wasn¡¯t going to let him leave unscathed.

    At that moment, Elias was already deciding which arm of Beathan¡¯s he would break.

    Ashley turned to enter the room, but Elias grabbed her arm and pressed her against the wall. Then, he undid her robes.

    ¡°What are you <b>doing</b>. Elias?¡± she whispered loudly.

    He didn¡¯t respond

    The knot on her robe was tied so tightly that it was incredibly <b>difficult </b>to undo. With his head down, he banged at it forcefully.

    The bruises on his lips and <b>cheeks </b>from the fight made him look more like a wild <b>hooligan</b>, Eke a troublemaking, <b>violent </b>schoolyard bully.

    Ashley was still feeling giddy, and she wasn¡¯t in the mood to argue with him<b>. </b>Since he wouldn¡¯t let her go despite her pushing and shouting at him, she pped him again.

    Her p wasn¡¯t hard this time, so Es ignored it

    Finally, he undid her bathrobe <b>and </b>found that she was still wearing her undergarments. Like <b>a </b><b>dog</b>, he sniffed her body for any unfamiliar scent before inspecting her body

    He noticed a red <b>mark </b>on her corbone, so he rubbed it repeatedly as he couldn¡¯t tell if <b>it </b>was a hickey or not. Finally, he raised his head.

    Unlike his usual carefree smile, his <b>lips </b>were pressed into <b>a </b>tight line. His fringe fell <b>over </b>his forehead, obscuring his eyes.

    He asked her, ¡°Did you forget you¡¯re a married <b>woman</b>? <b>I </b><b>caught </b>you with your ex at a hotelte at night. Instead of exining, you pped me, is that fair, Ash?¡±

    Instead of responding, Ashley pushed him away with both hands.

    She went to the bed, picked up the photos, and flung them <b>at </b>him. ¡°Can you exin these?

    Elias caught two of the photos, <b>and </b>the rest fell to the floor

    He nced at them and then looked at her intently. ¡°<b>Who </b>gave these to you? Did Mr. Collins give this to you? So you saw these pictures and you came to a hotel with him to get back at me?<b>¡±</b>

    Ashley <b>said</b>, <b>¡°</b>You¡¯re changing the topic. Are these photos real? Answer me. Did you do it with them?

    Elias found it absolutely absurd. ¡°What about you? Did you do it with <b>Mr. </b>Collins?¡±

    Ashley stared at him coldly<b>, </b>refusing to answer.

    Since he was the one who betrayed their marriage first, shouldn¡¯t he exin those photos first? Why should she exin her situation with Beathan when he didn¡¯t exin himself?

    Elias pressed his tongue against his cheek, his eyes gradually reddening. ¡°Don¡¯t you trust me at all?

    ¡°I¡¯m awyer. I don¡¯t trust free evaluation of evidence, only hard evidence.¡± Besides, Ashley had seen him get into a car with a young influencer.

    Flies¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed as he tore the photos in half, then into quarters

    His voice <b>was </b><b>hoarse </b>as he said<b>, </b>¡°Fine, let¡¯s <b>say </b>I did it.¡±

    Then, <b>his </b>soft tone turned <b>harsh</b>. ¡°But listen to me, Ashley. Even if I sleep with dozens <b>of </b>models, you can forget about getting a divorce!¡±

    Ashley¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°You think you can stop me from getting a divorce!¡±

    Elias flung the torn <b>pieces </b>of paper into the air, which floated like an unmeltable snowstorm between them.

    His eyes were bloodshot, almost on the verge of tears. ¡°You <b>can </b><b>try </b>it. Let¡¯s see if yourwyer status holds up against my family¡¯s power and money. Even if it¡¯s in name only, you¡¯ll stay as my wife until you die!¡±

    He turned and left, mming the door so <b>hard </b>it echoed through the entire floor

    Ashley felt a sudden pain in her abdomen. She quickly sat down on the bed<b>, </b><b>her </b>face pale.

    Was it the baby? Was the baby in pain?

    She grabbed her phone and dialed 911.

    Elias sped away from the hotel, narrowly missing the arriving ambnce,

 Chapter 448

    Results of the Patenty Test

    The ambnce rushed Ashley to the hospital emergency room.

    At her request, they drew blood for an HCG test, confirmingher pregnancy.

    Thankfully, both she and the <b>baby </b>were fine, <b>and </b>she would be able to leave the hospital after resting aletle

    However, she found it hard to walk.

    After she went through all her contacts, she finally dialed Emelle¡¯s number. ¡°Emelle, we confirmed that I¡¯m pregnant.

    melie¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°What <b>do </b>you intend to <b>do</b>? Do you intend to keep the child

    She knew Ashley had been on birth control

    ¡°Yes, Twant to keep it ¡°Ashley didn¡¯t hesitate.

    Despite whatever that had happened between her and <b>Elias</b><b>, </b>this child was hers. It <b>was </b>the only person in the world she was biologically connected to

    With this <b>child</b><b>, </b>she wouldn¡¯t be alone anymore. She had always felt lonely living in the world after her parents passed away.

    *Emelie, can you apany me tonight?¡± <b>Ashley </b>asked.

    Under normal circumstances, Emele would have agreed.

    *¡®ll send Mona to beep youpany,¡± Emele replied softly

    ¡°Did something happen?¡± Ashley asked

    ¡°I¡¯m taking care of my mother in the hospital,¡± Euelle said.

    Ashley didn¡¯t press for more details. ¡°Okay.¡±

    Emele hung up the <b>phone</b>.

    Although she had imed to be at the hospital taking care of her mother, she was actually sitting on a chair in the hospital corridor.

    Emelie was barred from seeing her mother by Eliana

    Since her return, she had paid for all her parents¡± expenses. She should have been the most qualified person to be by Gretz¡¯s side

    However, after tonasmitted suicide by jumping from a building, and after she had done that paternity test, she suddenly lost her standing

    As she put her cell phone back in her bag, she spotted the folder containing the A4 paper. Her eyes lost their spark as she zipped up her bag

    *Eme¡± Mona held two cups of hot cocoa and handed her one. ¡°You¡¯ve been sitting here all afternoon. It¡¯s almost ten. Why don¡¯t you go back to our apartment to rest first

    ¡°Well, I go back by myself in a little while, Emelie said ¡°Please apany Ashley tonight. Although she <b>didn¡¯t </b>say anything. I think that she isn¡¯t in a good mood.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m worried about you being alone.¡± Just them, an idea struck Mona. ¡°Let¡¯s book for Ashley together tonight, and I¡¯ll apany both of you ¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    El smiled <b>and </b>said, ¡°Are you organizing a gathering I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ve taken a break for an attemoon, and I¡¯m already back to normal. I still have to go back to Eastbay.¡±

    *Regarding that matter, do you n to tell that bastar¨Csorry, I meant to say, Mr. Middleton? Mona asked.

    As Emelle hadn¡¯t thought it through yet, she hurried Mom to leave.

    Mona thought that Emelle probably wanted to sit quietly, so she walked all.

    When Eliana emerged from the hospital room and saw Emelie still there, she pursed her lips and <b>said</b>, <b>¡°</b>I¡¯ll give you onest chance to go in and see my mother. After this time, don¡¯t disturb our Eves <b>anymore</b><b>.</b>¡±

    with that, she walked away briskly.

    After a while, Emebe finallystood up and walked to the door of the hospital room.

    Greta was awake, lying on her side facing away from the <b>door </b>so her emotions couldn¡¯t be seen

    However, the heart <b>monitor </b>beside her showed no significant fluctuations, she was probably quietly digesting the news of Ronan¡¯s suicide.

    Emelie pondered guling in to speak to her. But what was there to say?

    Should she say, ¡°Dad is gone, but don¡¯t be sad. You still have us.¡± Or should she say, ¡°I did a DNA test and found out I¡¯m not your biological child. Who am I exactly?

    She took a small step forward. Then, she backpedaled, deciding that it was better to forget it

    She wasn¡¯theartless. How could she interrogate her mother about her hidden secrets while she was grieving her husband¡¯s death?

    Emelie lowered her head and didn¡¯t enter the room in the end.

    Some people say that the New Year hasn¡¯t passed until February ends.

    As Emelie walked alone on the street, she entered a group of young children ying with sparklers.

    When she was young, her family ran <b>a </b>small supermarket that sold these items. She often sneaked out with Eliana and <b>Ashlyn </b><b>to </b><b>y </b>with sparklers, <b>hiding </b>from Banan and Greta.

    she stopped in her <b>tracks</b><b>, </b>watching the sparklers shooting sparks like flowers of <b>stars </b>in the children¡¯s hands. The sight was dazzling and beautiful to behold.

    As the children chased each other <b>and </b>yed around, one of the spent sparklers that was lit but burned <b>down</b>, fell to the ground. Emelie initially thought to stamp <b>out </b>the embers to prevent any danger

    However, in die watched it, she had the urge to fuel the mes <b>instead</b>.

    She took but the paternity test report from her <b>bag </b>and touched a corner of the paper to the fire in an instant, the tire red up

 Chapter 449

    Chapter 449 Results of the Paternity Test

    While her profile was lit by the bright, warm firelight, her eyes betrayed a heavy, silent, and dark emotion.

    The paper quickly turned to ashes in her hand, and Emelie let it go. The evidence turned to ashes in the blink of an eye.

    At that moment, a gust of <b>wind </b>scattered the ashes.

    As Emelie watched the ashes scattered in the <b>wind</b>, she unexpectedly saw a pair of brown leather shoes. The shoes happened to step on the ashes.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    Emelie¡¯s gaze froze, noticing the sharply creased trousers. A sense of foreboding arose within her.

    Emelie hesitated for a moment, then slowly raised her eyes to meet the owner of the shoes. It was a face that was all too familiar yetpletely unexpected.

    The wind seemed to stop <b>and </b>theughter of the children faded away the moment their eyes mat

    As the world around her fell silent, the words Emelie had said when she had chased after him echoed in her ears.

    ¡°If you leave this <b>time</b>, I won¡¯t chase after you anymore, Wesley¡±

    ¡°Eme,¡± the man said.

    Emelie¡¯s throat felt constricted, and it took her a long time to finally respond<b>. </b><b>¡°</b>Wesley¡±

    Wesley was back

    A lot happened that night on the tenth of January.

    Ashley discovered her surprise pregnancy, as was caught in an affair, Emelie found out she wasn¡¯t her parents¡® biological daughter, and Wesley suddenly appeared.

    Meanwhile, William met with Jayden at the Westward Club to discuss a little¨Cknown incident of the past.

    <b>¡°</b>You¡¯ve been visiting Weston frequently before the New <b>Year</b>. When I went to Cloudex to <b>look </b>for you, Mr. Rushton said you were investigating Weston<b>. </b>What investigation were you conducting? You were just trying to get close to Ms. Hoven, right? You even got Lyle to help you,¡± Jayden said, exposing William

    The Westward Club was closed that night, William and Jayden sat at the bar, with Lyle as their bartender<b>.</b>

    Although William had taken off his suit jacket and <b>was </b><b>wearing </b>only a shirt and vest, he still looked as dignified <b>and </b><b>elegant </b>as ever.

 Chapter 450

    <b>Chapter </b>450 Wesley Is Back

    The wind seemed to stop <b>and </b>theughter of the children faded away the moment their eyes mat

    As the world around her fell silent, the words Emelie had said when she had chased after him echoed in her ears.

    ¡°If you leave this <b>time</b>, I won¡¯t chase after you anymore, Wesley¡±

    ¡°Eme,¡± the man said.

    Emelie¡¯s throat felt constricted, and it took her a long time to finally respond<b>. </b><b>¡°</b>Wesley¡±

    Wesley was back

    A lot happened that night on the tenth of January.

    Ashley discovered her surprise pregnancy, as was caught in an affair, Emelie found out she wasn¡¯t her parents¡® biological daughter, and Wesley suddenly appeared.

    Meanwhile, William met with Jayden at the Westward Club to discuss a little¨Cknown incident of the past.

    <b>¡°</b>You¡¯ve been visiting Weston frequently before the New <b>Year</b>. When I went to Cloudex to <b>look </b>for you, Mr. Rushton said you were investigating Weston<b>. </b>What investigation were you conducting? You were just trying to get close to Ms. Hoven, right? You even got Lyle to help you,¡± Jayden said, exposing William

    The Westward Club was closed that night, William and Jayden sat at the bar, with Lyle as their bartender<b>.</b>

    Although William had taken off his suit jacket and <b>was </b><b>wearing </b>only a shirt and vest, he still looked as dignified <b>and </b><b>elegant </b>as ever.

    He nced down at his phone, where Elias bad texted him asking if he wanted to go out for <b>a </b>drink.

    He sent him the location of the Westward Club, and Els replied, ¡°y.¡±

    As Jayden swirled his drink, he teased William, ¡°I told you you¡¯d regret how you treated Ms. Hoven before. Is karma hitting you now? Do you need some tips <b>on </b>how to win her

    Wim put down his phone, calmly saying, ¡°Thanks, but I¡¯ve already won her over.¡±

    While Lyle knew about it, it was surprising news to Jayden ¡°You¡¯ve already won her over?¡±

    William rested his chin on his hand and repbed, ¡°<b>She¡¯s </b>wearing my wedding ring now. You can see for yourself the next time you see her.¡®

    That <b>was </b>news to Lyle.

    He stopped mixing the cocktail and stared at William together with jayden. Once they confirmed he wasn¡¯t joking, Jaydenughed, impressed.

    <b>¡°</b>Did you go all in because you¡¯re afraid she¡¯d run away <b>again</b>? Not bad! You did everything so quickly. So, why did you want to meet today? Are you inviting me to the wedding?or are you going to ask me for a gift? I¡¯m nning my own wedding too, so we can call it even,¡± Jayden said.

    Lyle mixed the cocktail a few more times <b>as </b>he chackled. With them married, he could finally let go of the lingering thoughts he had

    He poured the pale yellow liquid into two sses, the color <b>of </b>a bull moon.

    He handed one to William. ¡°Congrattions, Will ¡°¡®

    William clinked sses with him

    After Lyle took a sip, becasually sat on <b>a </b>high <b>stool</b>, starting a video game where <b>he </b>seed through <b>his </b>opponents like they were made of butter.

    William also took a sip of wine.

    The drink carried a hint of mint, feeling like snow in his mouth, bringing <b>a </b>cooling sensation to his stomach.

    His expression gradually tuned serious. ¡°I wanted to talk to you about the Xander Group that existed over twenty <b>years </b>ago.¡±

    ¡°The Xander Group? The one that¡¯s gone? Why the sudden interest?¡± Jayden asked, finding his question strange.

    Wim answered with another question. ¡°How much do you know about them?¡±

    Jayden tapped the table with his slender fingers and smiled. ¡°My master¡¯s thesis was on the <b>Xander </b>Group. I did extensive research, even interviewing the judge who sentenced Xander Pierce.

    ¡°Lanalyzed the math reasons for the group¡¯s downfall<b>, </b>and my thesis <b>was </b>published <b>in </b>Elsevier. You¡¯vee to the right person.¡±

    William nodded. ¡°Tell me more.¡±

    ¡°Where should I begin¡­ Well, let me put it this way if the Xander Group still existed today, the so¨Ccalled ¡°Big Four¡® in the business world would only be second¨Ctier,¡± Jayden said. Jayden¡¯s statement cought Lyle¡¯s attention, and he looked up from his game. ¡°That impressive? So why did they disappear? I¡¯ve never even heard of thispany.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    Jayden smiled, ¡°Of course you haven¡¯t. Xander Pierce, the founder of Xander Group, was sentenced to death about 25 years ago. If he were reincarnated, he¡¯d be your age now,¡± ¡°Death penalty!¡± Lyle¡¯s eyebrows shot up as he slid his chair over, ¡°Now I¡¯m interested.¡±

    Jayden nced at William. ¡°But if you want to <b>know </b>about the Xander Group, why not ask your father? He <b>should </b>know more.¡±

    Williain replied, ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m asking you instead of him?¡±

    There was always tension between William and his father.

    Jaylen shook his head and then said, ¡°There were both acts of fate and acts of men.¡±

 Chapter 451

    Chapter 451 Xander Pierce

    ¡°The Xander Group was thergest private enterprise in the country back then. Xander was said to have the golden touch in the business world. Every project he was involved in was guaranteed to be sessful, without exception. It was quite legendary

    ¡°Consequently, any project he wanted to undertake could attract massive investments from both domestic <b>and </b>international sources. He once embarked on a major mining project. Even before starting, he had already secured several hundred billion dors in investments.

    ¡°it was all highly anticipated. However, no one expected the mine to copse suddenly and bury over a hundred miners alive.¡±

    Lyle frowned and turned off his game after his character was killed. He decided to focus <b>on </b>Jayden¡¯s story,Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.

    Jayden sighed as well. That was over a hundred workers, which meant over a hundred families.

    After taking a sip of his drink, Jayden continued and said, ¡°Following the incident, Xander was detained by the relevant authorities. The investigation took more than half a year before they concluded that it was indeed an ident and ruled the case to be due to a natural disaster¡±

    William¡¯s expression was unreadable under the colourful lights.

    Jayden went on, ¡°But this incident had severely weakened the Xander Group and sparked public outrage. The authorities had no choice but <b>to </b>continue investigating the matter, ¡°To be fair, even the bigpanies are not very strictly regted <b>in </b>such a fast¨Cmoving era. Nopany could withstand such intense scrutiny.¡±

    As expected, the deeper the investigation, the more issues were uncovered within the Xander <b>Group</b>

    ¡°But the most fatal blow came from numerous anonymous reports received by the investigation team, each one elerating the Xander Group¡¯s downfall and Xander¡¯s demise. ¡°In the end, Xander didn¡¯t survive his time in prison. He was sentenced to death for multiple offences and didn¡¯t <b>appeal</b>, instead epting his punishment. After his death, the Xander Group was disbanded.¡±

    This was a case of man¨Cmade disaster.

    Jayden¡¯s brief words painted a picture of a giant enterprise¡¯s rise and fall.

    William¡¯s dark eyes reflected the colour of the wine, and there was shimmering in them

    Although Lyle didn¡¯t <b>run </b>apany, many of his friends did. He had some understanding of these matters. ¡°Wait a minute. How could such a bigpany just copse like that? Didn¡¯t he have any children or heirs to take over and try to salvage it?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if he has any children. There are also no reports mentioning that he has any heirs. The management has also yet <b>to </b><b>take </b>any steps to save the

    thepany. I suspect that the management is colluding with those anonymous whistleblowers in an attempt to kick out Xander Group.¡±

    Jayden turned to look at William, who hadn¡¯t said a word. He said in a mysterious tone, <b>¡°</b>When a whale falls, all creatures thrive. After the Xander Group fell, four major groups sprang up like mushrooms after rain. The reason I suggested that Will ask Uncle Henry about this is because Cloudex Corporation has acquired quite a few assets from the dismantling of Xander Group¡±

    Wim finished hisst sip of the drink. His expression turned somewhat cold.

    Lyle smirked. ¡°Are you implying that one of those whistleblowers might have been Uncle Henry??¡±

    Jayden <b>gave </b>him a confirming look.

    However, there was an old saying that if people didn¡¯t look out for themselves, they would be doomed. All business people were like that. If Cloudex Corporation were to falter, rivalpanies would seize the opportunity to elerate its downtall and divide its market share.

    When the lion was in its prime, the byenas only lurked in the shadows. But when the lion was wounded and dying, the hyenas would swarm to kill and feast on it

    William asked in a deep voice, ¡°Is this all you know? <b>Who </b>else knows more about Xander and the Xander Group? Especially about Xander¡¯s children¡±

    Jayden thought for a moment before replying, ¡°That <b>would </b>be Norman. When Xander was buried, all his usual associates were afraid of being implicated and stayed <b>away</b>. Norman was the only one from <b>the </b>business world who attended his funeral. He even helped carry the coffin.¡±

    William leaned back in his chair. It need out that there was a deep connection between the Grahams and Xander.

    Jayden was, after all, Wim¡¯s half¨Cbrother. He quickly saw what William was thinking. ¡°Are you pondering how to meet Norman?¡±

    William raised his head slightly. He did not deny it. Jayden raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°Will, this isn¡¯t like <b>you</b>. Why are you suddenly <b>so </b>interested in the Xander Group?¡±

    William didn¡¯t exin. Lyle snorted. ¡°If it were me¡­¡±

    He started a new game and said calmly. ¡°If I want to know something, I¡¯ll just ask. Otherwise, lingering doubts keep me up at night and ruin my appetite. Anyone could suffer, just

    hot nie.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right.¡± wi

    William stood up and patted <b>Jayden¡¯s </b><b>shoulder</b>, ¡°Come with me to the Graham residence.¡±

    Jayden was surprised. ¡°Huh? Right now? But it¡¯s already ten o¡¯clock!¡±

 Chapter 452

    Chapter 452 The Grahams

    When Es arrived at Westward Club, he only saw Lyle ying games there.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.

    The wounds on Elias¡® face were still untreated, and his expression was both cold and irritable. After looking at the surroundings, as asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Will? isn¡¯the supposed to beat Westward Club? This is the location he had sent <b>me</b><b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    Lyle looked up. ¡°Will suddenly became interested in Xander Group and dragged jayden along to find out more from Norman.. Elias, what happened to your face? Did you get into a fight¡±

    Elias had no interest in trivial matters. Annoyed, he sat down heavily. ¡°Lyle, get me a few bottles of something strong¡±

    After putting away his phone and getting up, Lyle picked a bottle of liquor from the cab behind him. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    As casual as Elias was, he didn¡¯t feel like exining that his wife had cheated on him. He opened a bottle of whiskey with a grim face and poured himself half a ss. ¡°You¡¯re young, so you wouldn¡¯t understand. But the prettier the woman, the harder she is to deal with.¡±

    Lyle pondered. Weren¡¯t they the same age? They were both 26, with Elias being only three months older.

    Later, after William and Jayden left, s yed a few games, but his mood inexplicably worsened. He poured himself another half¨Css of whiskey. With drooping eyelids and eyes reflecting the color of the alcohol, hezily <b>said</b><b>, </b>¡°I understand.¡±

    They raised their sses and drank silently, one <b>ss </b>after another, until both were quite drunk. Only then did Elias smirk slightly. His bruises still hurt.

    ¡°Can you believe that <b>she¡¯s </b>awyer? Before convicting someone, she doesn¡¯t even give them a chance to defend themselves and just hands them the death sentence. Is it so hard for her to talk to me beforehand? she¡¯d rather listen to her ex than to me. Does she even know who her husband is?¡±

    ¡°Sometimes, women are just unreasonable like that. If you offend them, they¡¯ll retaliate. But they¡¯ll still hold grudges and give you the cold shoulder whenever they see you.

    ¡°But if you <b>defend </b><b>a </b>mistress, they might forgive you <b>in </b><b>a </b>couple of days <b>and </b>even marry you. Women are strange creatures¡± Lyle chuckled.

    Elias had originally thought that Lyle wouldn¡¯t understand these things, but it turned out that he did. They clinked sses. ¡°I won¡¯t let go, so neither should you if we aren¡¯t happy, why should we let them be?

    Lyle took a sip of his drink but didn¡¯t swallow right away. He allowed the Gery liquor to linger in his mouth, contemting something before slowly letting it slide down his throat with a subdued grunt.

    When William and Jayden arrived at the Graham residence, it was already 11:00 pm.

    Suddenly visiting at this hour was clearly impolite

    Luckily, Normin usually stayed upte. He was just preparing to go to bed when they arrived. He hurriedly put on his coat and came downstairs. ¡°<b>Will</b>, what¡¯s the matter? Why are you here to see me thiste? Jayden, why are you here too?

    Jayden got up from the couch and smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re not here for anything serious. Will suddenly had a whim to hear some gossip. I scolded him on the way, saying he¡¯d scare youing over sote at night. I told him to wait till tomorrow, but he wouldn¡¯t listen.¡±

    ¡°<b>So</b><b>, </b><b>you¡¯re </b>fine¡± Norman was indeed startled by William.

    Thest time he was unexpectedly visited in the middle of the night was more than twenty years ago by the Pierce family. It had been raining heavily that night. The chill still crawled into his bones when he thought about it now.

    ¡°Bring us some coffee,¡± Norman instructed the maid as he sat down. He pointed at William. ¡°You¡¯re bing more reckless. I have heart problems, you know. Don¡¯t scare me to death.¡±

    ¡°If you can¡¯t handle this much, you wouldn¡¯t be fitto be Chairman of the Alliance Chamber.¡± William <b>chuckled </b>lightly. ¡°I just wanted to <b>ask </b>you about the Xander Group and Xander Pierce.¡±

    As the maid brought the coffee in, Norman hesitated for a moment before reaching out to take it. He looked at William and asked, ¡°Xander Pierce? Why are you suddenly bringing this up? All that happened decades <b>ago</b>.¡±

    ¡°Xander should have a daughter, right? Uncle Norman, since you were close with the Pierce family back then, do you know where this daughter is now? <b>William </b>asked straightforwardly.

    Norman lifted his cup. He lowered his head and blew on the coffee. After taking a sip, he <b>said</b>, ¡°Xander and I wererades. <b>We </b>started a business together back then, but after his trouble and c

    d conviction, there was no one left in his family to handle his funeral. We were old friends, <b>so </b>I took care of it for him.

    ¡°s, those are all <b>things </b>of the past. Why are you here thiste at night just to ask about this? what does it have to do with you?¡±

    He <b>put </b>down the cup and subtly changed the subject. ¡°Theard you¡¯ve been at odds with your father again recently. Is it necessary to have such a big disagreement during the holidays? When two dogs fight, a third one benefits. Don¡¯t let others take advantage of you<b>.</b>¡±

    William knew <b>that </b>he was referring to Vanessa¡¯s daughter

    Norman had kept a low profile in recent years, but he knew more than others. William smiled, ¡°If I were that easily taken advantage of, then I would have lived these years in vain.¡± ite then steered the conversation back to the topic and said, ¡°My issues are trivial. I came to talk to you about Xander. After we¡¯re done, we¡¯ll leave immediately and not disturb

 Chapter 453

    ave been up to an outsider like me to handle Xander¡¯s <b>funeral </b>just couldn¡¯t bear it because we were friends.¡±

    Jayden softly said, ¡°<b>You¡¯ve </b>always <b>had </b><b>a </bpassionate heart, which is why people praise you as a great business schr.¡±

    Norman waved his hand dismissively. He didn¡¯t care about such empty titles. He turned to William and said, ¡°Stop worrying about other <b>people¡¯s </b><b>affairs</b>. I went fishing with your dad yesterday, and it sounds like he¡¯s really nning to bring your so¨Ccalled sister back into the family.¡±

    ¦§

    William didn¡¯t even lift his eyes. He couldn¡¯t bother to pay any attention to such a matter

    ¡°<b>It¡¯s </b><b>so </bte already. Why don¡¯t you both stay here tonight? I have someone show you to the guest rooms,¡± Norman suggested to the two. William shook his head and stood up.¡± Someone is waiting for me at home. We¡¯ll leave now. Have a good rest.

    Jayden also <b>got </b>up to leave with William.

    As Normal watched them leave, his expression was no longer as rxed and casual. Frowning, his mind raced with thoughts. Why was William so concerned about Xander¡¯s children<b>? </b>Could it be that¡­

    If even Norman could sense something odd about William, Jayden certainly noticed as well.

    Just after they exited the Graham residence, Jayden called out to William. ¡°Will, is there something you <b>haven¡¯t </b>told me?

    William¡¯s profile blended into the dark night, and this was the first time Jayden couldn¡¯t read his expression. ¡°You kept asking about Xander¡¯s son and daughter. Do you know where the son is? Is it someone I know?¡±

    William took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket.

    He had quit smoking and drinking ever since he had decided to do so. However, he had drunk that night and couldn¡¯t resist smoking. After the brief re of the lighter, he held the cigarette between his lips and said with a hoarse voice, ¡°I didn¡¯t know that Xander had a son. But I do know the whereabouts of his daughter.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    Jayden <b>was </b>even more surprised. ¡°So, the daughter isn¡¯t dead?¡±

    William held the cigarette between his fingers as the smoke swirled in the air. His eyes were cold and detached<b>, </b>like a pond covered in ayer of frost. ¡°Xander had two loyal bodyguards back then. One was named Edward Hoven, and <b>the </b>other was James Carter. Edward <b>took </b>the daughter away.¡±

    Jayden startled. ¡°Edward Hoven?¡±

    William didn¡¯t look at him. With <b>a </b>cold expression, he repeated, ¡°Edward Hoven ¡±

    Jayden seemed to understand something. ¡°Give me one too.¡± He needed to calm down as well.

    William handed him the pack of cigarettes and the lighter. ¡°Although Xander Group has been down for over 20 <b>years</b>, the <b>case </b>is not over yet.¡±

    ¡°<b>So</b>, is this why you¡¯ve been getting close to the Swanson family, the Davis family, and the Collins family recently? These were the four familles that rose after Xander Group tell Xander Pierce must have died unjustly, right?¡±

    William didn¡¯t answer because a car drove into the Graham residence just then.

    Two straight beams of headlights swept over them. William squinted his eyes and looked over.

    Even with the distance, the night, the fog, and the windshield separating them, he could still see the cold, eerie eyes <b>of </b>his nemesis.

 Chapter 454

    Chapter 454 Missing

    The car didn¡¯t stop. It drove past them and entered the Graham residence

    Soon after, the sound <b>of </b>the car doors opening and closing  heard in the courtyard. The Graham Lamily¡¯s maid greeted softly, ¡°Wee back, Mr. Graham

    Afaint response disappeared into the night, followed by the sound of footsteps that eventually faded entirely behind them

    Jayden had expected him toe out and greet them. ¡°That must be Welley So, he¡¯s back¡± He hadn¡¯t heard my news about this.

    William¡¯s already cold expression became even colder ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    The driver drove the car over, and the ep got into the whicle from opposite <b>sides</b>

    Jayden was still thinking about the brief glimpse of the mm in the car as it had passed by Hecheckled inexplicably and <b>said</b>, ¡°He <b>hasn¡¯t </b>aged badly

    Will pulled out his phone and gave him a judgmental look.

    Jayden smiled faintly. While menually didn¡¯t care too much about each other¡¯s appearances, Wesley¡¯s face was hard to ignore. He had been striking even as a warster, he still looked handsome

    a teenager, and ten

    *Theard sailler this year that he was <b>managing </b>his family¡¯s assets abroad white acquiringpanies domestically. They aim to go public and quickly enter the domestic capital market. I thought his return would be a big <b>deal</b>, but didn¡¯t expect it to be som¨Ckey.¡±

    Will made no response. There was a frown on his face from the moment he had seen Wesley. He dialed Emelie¡¯s number.

    However, there was no answer. He called twice more, but only the automated female voice informed him that the person was busy.

    He then tried calling her through WhatsApp, but Emelle still didn¡¯t pick up

    His eye twitched slightly.

    Jayden, who was leaning on his hand, didn¡¯t notice William¡¯s Coubled expression. He turned and asked, ¡°You have such a good rtionship with Norman. Why don¡¯t you seem to have any connection with Wesley?

    ¡°We¡°re not in the same circle. Hence, there¡¯s no coction, William apled while opening the surveince app he had set up at Eastbay. He switched through several cameras, looking at the living room and dining room on the first floor and then at the hallway and study on the second floor.

    However, there was no sign of belle anywhere.

    .she still not home at this hour? Why hadn¡¯t she returned his calls or informed him?

    William pursed his lips at the thought of Wesley¡¯ste<b>¨C</b>night return well.

    Jayden said, ¡°That¡¯s true. He wont broaden ys ago, and all his connections are overseas, Otherwise, with your high <b>school </b>rtionship, he would be hanging out with us now,

    William sent a WhatsApp message asking me where she was, but as expected, he received no reply.

    Unable to stay calm, he urged the driver, ¡°Drivetaster!¡±

    Jayden finallynoticed that something was wrong. ¡°What¡¯s going o

    He dropped to Wim¡¯s WhatsApp screen, lingering on Enelle¡¯s name before shitting back to the topic that Wesley¡¯s appearance had interupted. ¡°Does Ms. Hoven know about her identity?¡±

    William replied, ¡°She doesn¡¯t know yet.¡±

    This secret had been hidden <b>for </b>over 20 years. No one knew it would remain barked for or be uncovered one day.

    When the carped into Eastbay, William quickly looked around the first floor Elle before heading upstairs.

    Only now did Jayden realize that he was looking for milia. Thus, he also went to search for her on the first

    William opened the door to the master bedroom but found no sign of her. He checked the guest rooms, but she went there either.

    Frustrated, he called Es. However, both <b>Elias </b>and Lyle were drunk and didn¡¯t answer the calls.

    Willis¡¯s patience wore thin

    The <b>antique </b>clock on the wall ticked steadily. Emehe Eked <b>it</b>, saying that the sound was soothing. He hadn¡¯t thought much about it before, but <b>since </b>she liked it, he had kept it

    Now, the ticking seemed unbearably agitating

    Every second fell prolonged.

    William then called Ashton

    ¡°Mr.Middleton.¡±

    ¡°Send me Ashley¡¯s<b>, </b><b>Mona¡¯s</b>, and Eliana¡¯s phone nu

    enumbers. Immediately.¡±

    William had initially wanted to ask Elias for Ashley¡¯s number because the <bst </b>time he had contacted Emelle, she had said that she was going to have breakfast with them.

    Within ten doutes, he <b>had </b>the numbers.

    Hecalled Ashleylinst

    ¡°Hello, who is this?¡± ashley¡¯s voice was always calm and <b>professional</b>This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    ¡°This is William, Ms. Thomton, is Emelie with you?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Middleton?¡± Ashley passed, then quickly replied, ¡°Emele bin¡¯t with me. We parted <b>ways </b>after lunch is something wrong?¡±

    True to her profession, Ashley sensed trouble immediately.

    ¡°She hasn¡¯te home yet, and can¡¯t reach her,¡± William exined

    ¡°alled her this evening, and she answered She even asked Mona to keep mepany, Mana, where did you and Emele part ways? Did she say where <b>she </b>was <b>going</b>?¡±

    Chapter 454 Missing

    Mona¡¯s voice came through as well. ¡°We parted ways at the hospital. She <b>said </b>that she was going back to Eastbay. She <b>hasn¡¯t </b>returned yet? Could she have gone to our old apartment?

    William listened, then hurried downstairs<b>. </b>¡°I¡¯ll head there

 Chapter 455

    now,¡±

    <b>2/2</b>

    Chapter 455 Trust Him

    Amer the call ended, Ashley passed before turning to look at Emelie, who was <b>sitting </b><b>in the </b>living room,

    Yes, Emelie was actually at Ashley¡¯s ce.

    When Ashley had receive William¡¯s call, Emelie had put a finger to her lips, signalling to her not to tell Wiliam that she was there.

    Ashley was purled ¡°Why didn¡¯t you want me to tell Mr. Middleton the truth?

    <b>Emelle </b>held a ss of warm water<b>. </b>The heat seeped <b>through </b>the ss, <b>burning </b>her fingertips red. Her Eps, however<b>, </b>were pale.

    ¡°I need your help with something, but you¡¯re pregnant.¡± She bit her Ep and continued, ¡°Then again, I don¡¯t know who else to turn to.¡±

    Ashley didn¡¯t think it was a big deal. ¡°What is it? post telline. I¡¯m pregnant, not paralyzed.¡±

    Mona chimed in. ¡°You have me too. I can help.¡±

    Emelie looked up. ¡°You both know that my mom fainted on New Year¡¯s Eve and was rushed to the hospital. My <b>dad </b>was with her at the hospital, butter, he disappeared. I got a call in the middle of the night <b>from </b>the police station saying that my dad was causing a disturbance on <b>the </b>street while drunk¡±

    Ashley nodded. ¡°And then?

    ¡°I suspect that he might have seen someone at the <b>hospital</b>, which caused him to leave and get dronk.¡±

    Ashley understood the situation now. ¡°So, you want me to investigate your dad¡¯s movements after he left the hospital?¡±

    Emelie nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±

    Although Ashley was <b>just </b>awyer, she had connections. It was easier for her to find out some things.

    This wasn¡¯t difficult for Ashley. Still, <b>she </b>was curious. ¡°Why do you suddenly have this suspicion?¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    It was pretty sudden.

    Emelie recalled the unexpected encounter a few hours ago. She seemed to stil be able to smell the faint scent of pine. She gripped the ss tightly

    ¡°Someone told me that my dad met two people on New Year¡¯s Eve. They were the real reason for his suicide. But the person didn¡¯t tell me everything. <b>So</b>, myself¡±

    Ashley probed, ¡°Do you trust this person a lot?¡±

    If that wasn¡¯t the case, Emelie wouldn¡¯t be <b>seeking </b>her help based on the person¡¯s word alone.

    Emele replied, ¡°He wouldn¡¯t lie to me. Her few words conveyed her unconditional trust in that person,

    Ashley and Mona exchanged nces<b>. </b>Mona was also puzzled. She didn¡¯t know who could make Emelie speakin such a tone.

    Ashley pondered for a moment. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll help you investigate.¡±

    ¡°Let me know everything you find out I¡¯ll be going now,¡± Emelie said as she put down the ss

    Mona quickly asked, ¡°Where are you going? Are you going back to our apartment?

    Thave to find out for

    Emelie wanted to reach the apartment before William. Hence, she didn¡¯t stay any longer and left inmediately.

    Mona said, ¡°Eme <b>didn¡¯t </b><b>say </b>why she didn¡¯t want us to tell Mr. Middleton the truth. Aren¡¯t they <b>married</b><b>? </b>Why is she still so guarded against him?

    Wouldn¡¯t that make their marriage pointless?

    As awyer, Ashley was very perceptive. ¡°I¡¯m more curious about who told her that.¡±

    Ashley¡¯s ce was closer to the small apartment than Eastbay.

    Emelle drove there on her own. She gripped the steering wheel tightly as she took a shortcut to get back to the apartment.

    Just as she parked her car, she noticed William¡¯s car <b>turning </b>the corner.

    She quickly got out and ran upstairs before entering the room and taking off her coat. She controlled her breathing, which was slightly erratic from running, while messing up her hair and then diving under the covers.

    Just as she was settled in, the doorbell rang

    William had looked up at the apartment earlier, but he didn¡¯t see any lights on. He couldn¡¯t be sure that Emelie was there, which made him anxious

    Thus<b>, </b>when he reached the apartment door, he rang the doorbell twice without hesitation. There was no response, which caused him to frown immediately.

    Jayden hade with <b>him</b><b>. </b>He understood that it was worrying when someone still hadn¡¯te home when it waste at night and couldn¡¯t be contacted, However, it was his firsttime seeing William show such visible emotion.

    Just as jayders was about to s

    cosuprest calling someone to investigate the <b>matter</b>, they heard movement from inside the apartment. It sounded like slippers dragging across the floor. The next thing they knew, the lights came <b>on</b><b>, </b>and the door opened

    They saw Fanelle, who seemed to have been woken up from her skep. She looked at them groeply and asked in confusion, ¡°Williant¡°¡±

    William, whose heart had been in turmoil all night, finally belt some relief. His voice was hoarse when he said, ¡°You¡¯re here.¡±

 Chapter 456

    Chapter 456 To Dig Out My Heart

    Emelie noticed the darkness in his eyes and paused. She softened her <b>tone </b><b>and </b>asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?

    Wim asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you answer my ca?¡±

    ¡°I was asleep and didn¡¯t hear them.

    Jaydanughed. ¡°Will was so worried when he couldn¡¯t find you at home that <b>he </b><b>started </b>panicking.¡±

    Emelie <b>nced </b>at will again. At this point, he didn¡¯t show any signs of anxiety. He was just staring at her intently.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re safe. It <b>was </b><b>a </b>false rm.¡± Jayden booked at his watch. It was already early morning. He parted William¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Will, I¡¯ll be going now.¡±

    Emelie politely said, ¡°Mr. Gleamfield, take care.<b>¡±</b>

    <b>Jayden </b>waved and lett. That left the two of them in front of the apartment.

    Emelle sighed before saying, ¡°You overreacted, I visited my moms, and I didn¡¯t sleep well <bst </b>night.1 was tired, so came here after that, <b>since </b>the apartment is closer. Then, Hell asleep. Why were you so worried.¡±

    Bedace Emellecould <b>finish </b>her sentence, William scooped her up and stepped into the apartment. The door mmed shat behind them.

    Emelie lost her <b>bnce </b>and grabbed William¡¯s hand in a pank. He ced her <b>on </b>the <b>shoe </b>cab and inted her chin before kissing her without warning

    The way he kissed her was harsh. He forcibly pried open her soft lips and white teeth, <b>then </b>pushed his tongue in. He held her chin so that she couldn¡¯t close her mouth.

    The kiss was intense, wild, and irrational

    Emelie had never seen him acting this way before.

    Before Emelle could se her eyes, she noticed the hidden emotions in his eyes. He was frowning and seemingly feeling uneasy.

    His dominance made Emelle ufortable, and she struggled to push him away. ¡°Why are you.. William! Stop ir!¡±

    Wim temporarily released her lips but kept his forehead against hers. His breathing was slightly rushed as he <b>angrily </b>asked, ¡°Did you forget you¡¯re a married woman? You didn¡¯te home and didn¡¯t tell me where you were.¡±

    Emelie was also breathless, but she quickly responded, ¡°You just got back to Eastbay, didn¡¯t you? You only realized that I wasn¡¯t home thiste at night, which means that you also

    dn¡¯te home untilte. But you don¡¯t tell me either, did you?

    William was speechless. He paused, then grabbed the back of her head <b>and </b>kissed her again. ¡°From now on, I tell you <b>wherever </b>I go

    If he continued to kiss her, something was sure to happen, and mille didn¡¯t want that. She pushed his chest and put some distance between them. ¡°Stop¡­ There¡¯s nothing prepared here.¡±

    ¡°Then, we won¡¯t use <b>anything</b>¡± William¡¯s hand roamed around her waist. Emelie grabbed his waist to stop <b>him </b>from going further. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m on my period.¡± william finally stopped, <b>and </b>he looked at her <b>through </b>narrowed eyes. ¡°Is your <b>cycle </b>ahrays this irrepch

    Emelie pursed her lips. ¡°Don¡¯t you believe <b>me</b>? Do you want me to undress and prove it to you?This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    ¡°I believe you. I¡¯m just saying that it¡¯s always so irregr. Do you want me to find a doctor to check it out?¡± William staped close to her. His lips brushed against hers as he spoke

    Then, he asked, ¡°Are you still holding a grudge for what I did to you? Didn¡¯t I apolog?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need a doctor. <b>I </b><b>know </b>my own body. My period bes irregr when I¡¯m stressed. I¡¯ve been upset about my dad recently. Emelle pushed him away. ¡°Let me down.¡± There was nothing she could do now. If they stayed close, <b>things </b>might escte, and it would be tough for him. William finally stepped back <b>and </b>adjusted her clothes. Imelie said softly, ¡°I <b>don¡¯t </b>have any grudges against you. When I put on your ring, I decided to let go of the past. However<b>, </b>if you ever mistreat me now that I¡¯ve put on the ring, I

    William looked at her. ¡°What will you <b>do</b>?¡±

    Emelle <b>looked </b>up. ¡°Are you implying that you¡¯ve done something?¡±

    William found her sensitivity both frustrating and amusing ¡°Thaven¡¯t. Don¡¯t use me

    Emelie fixed her eyes <b>on </b>him William grabbed <b>her </b>hand and ced it on his chest. ¡°I really haven¡¯t. Do you want me to dig out my heart for you to see?¡±

    nele finally looked away <b>and </b><b>gave </b>a nomittal hum in response.

    With her in front of him, William¡¯s earlier anxiety disappeared, and <b>his </b>demeanor softened. He gently stroked her cheek with his long fingers. ¡°Shall we go back to Eastbay Emelie leaned against the wall. ¡°It¡¯ste and cold. I¡¯m tired andy¡±

    William didn¡¯t <b>insist</b>, ¡®Then, I¡¯ll sleep here with you.¡±

    Emelie replied, ¡°The bed here is small and crowded, sleep, <b>and </b>you can just sit.

    William picked her up again. He didn¡¯t allow any room for refusal as he said, ¡°I hold you while we sleep.¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t sleep well that night.

    She wasn¡¯t sure if it was because the bed was too <b>small </b>or because <b>of </b>something else. Nestled in William¡¯s arms, she delt his intense body heat.

    Prchops it was the lingering heartrom burning the paternity test repact that still tingled on her fingertips, making her body feel ufortably warm, as she were being seweched the struggled to escape the tenace but bound herself unable to climb out.

    Then, aband appeared like a line in front of her, and she grabbed it desperately. The hand pulled her up, and she saw a pair of <b>calm</b>, brown eyes.

 Chapter 457

    Chapter 457 He Won¡¯t Harm Her? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    When she woke up, the room was silent, with only her on the bed

    Emelie sat up <b>and </b>felt heavy¨Cheaded. The consequence of <b>a </b>chaotic night of dreams was waking up feeling like her soul hadn¡¯t returned to its ce.

    She stayed still for a while. When she heard movement outside, she got out of bed and opened the door. William was at the dining table, unpacking a thermal bag <b>and </b>taking out

    several food containers.

    He caught a glimpse of her from the corner of his eye and tumed to look at her. Emelie¡¯s expression <b>was </b>somewhat dazed

    William smiled slightly and said, ¡°You¡¯re awake. Freshen up, thene and eat.¡±

    Emelle didn¡¯t need to ask. She knew that Ashton or Fabian had delivered the food.

    <b>So</b><b>, </b>she nodded and went to the bathroom to freshen up. When she was ready, she went to get some breakfast.

    William not only had Ashton deliver food but also some clothes.

    He was still dressed in a ck shirt. The difference now was that he had on a narrow ck tie. Compared to his usual appearance, this made him look younger and more fashionable.

    His sleeves were rolled up to his forearms, revealing the muscr lines of his arms and his blue watch. No matter how he essorized, every move he made still carried a hint of elegance.

    Emelie looked around before picking up a fork and taking a meatball. Unexpectedly, the meatball was juicy, and when she bit into it, the gravy dripped down her mouth.

    She eximed loudly and quickly reached for a tissue William was quicker and handed her a tissue. ¡°<b>This </b>ce is known for their juicy meatballs with gravy. Fortunately, it¡¯s been left to cool for a while. Otherwise<b>, </b>you would have burned yourself in your hurry to eat.¡±

    Emilie looked up at him. His smile was a little less <b>cold </b>and a little more deting as he asked, ¡°Are you going to the hospital to see your mother today? I¡¯ll give you a ride and visit her boo. After all, she¡¯s my mother¨Cinw now,¡±

    Emelle chewed slowly. She hadn¡¯t mentioned the paternity test to him. She just shook her head. ¡°My mom knows about my dad jumping off the building and should know about the will. She might not even want to see me, let alone you. <b>Fill </b>go by mysel¡±

    William frowned. ¡°Who told her?¡±

    ¡°My sister.¡±

    William didn¡¯tment but instead asked, ¡°Shall I pick you up for lunch ar the hospital?¡±

    Still, Emelle refused him. ¡°No, thanks. Mona has a few interviews today. She mighte to find me to chat about which job is suitable for her. I will eat with her.¡± ¡°What about tonight?¡±

    William suddenly became so clingy that Emelle was feeling not used to it. ¡°Aren¡¯t you by

    William was good at seizing opportunities. He hurriedly suggested her return to his side. ¡°I¡¯m busy. Can youe help me?¡±

    Before, Emelie had been considering resigning from Swanson Corporation. After all, she was worried <b>about </b>her mother. She now had another reason to leave as well. She pursed her lips. ¡°I intended to resign from Swanson Corporation.¡±

    Wim looked at <b>her</b>. ¡°Do you want to return to Cloudex Corporation?

    Emelie gently tapped her watch with the end <b>of </b>her fork. ¡°Mr. Middleton, you¡¯ll bete for work.¡±

    She didn¡¯t give him a straight answer. William looked at her for a while before finishing breakfast and getting up to <b>leave</b>

    Emelle tidied up the table before going back to her room to change clothes and then went out.

    Just as she was walking downstairs, someone followed behind her. She turned around to see the woman that she had seen with Wesley the night before.

    she had shoulder¨Clength hair and a capable demeanor, looking like a professional. She conscientiously introduced herself by saying, ¡°<b>Ms. </b>Hoven, I¡¯m Jodie Noble. Mr. Graham sent me to follow you just in case.

    Umelle asked<b>, </b>¡°Just in <b>case </b>of whathi

    Jodie couldn¡¯t borate. So, she just said, ¡°Mr. Graham said that Capebatt City is currently not safe. You must be careful when you go out, and don¡¯t easily trust anyone.¡±

    Emelie asked again, ¡°Does anyone¡® include him?

    Jodie paused, then replied, ¡°Uh. Of course not¡±

    ¡°Why not <b>him</b>? Why is he the exception?¡± Emelle continued to question as she stared at her.

    Jodie felt that Emelie¡¯s seemingly inconspicuous but actually aggressive eyes were oppressive. They were no weaker than Wesley¡¯s. She cleared her throat and said, ¡°Mr. Graham won¡¯t harm you<b>¡®</b>

    leven report

    Emelie chuckled. ¡°He sends people to follow me and take pictures at me at the slightest provocation. Do you think he¡¯s credible? I consulted mywyer friend. I could ev han to the police for this behaviour¡±

    before Jodie could figure out how to respond, a male voice sounded behind Emelie. ¡°You can be angry with me, but don¡¯t mistake my kindness for malice¡±

    Chapter 458 Wesley

 Chapter 458

    Chapter 458 Wesley

    1/1

    Emelie paused for a moment and then turned to look at him.

    It was a cloudy day. Dark clouds obscured the spring sun, casting the entire city in a dull gray. Rain was falling somewhere in the distance. The air carried a moist scent, mixed with hints of green grass or perhaps pine, weaving its way into her nostrils.

    A man stood about two to three feet away. He was tall, standing at about 189 meters tall. It was impossible to ignore him, with hismanding presence.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    Moreover, he possessed a charisma that drew her in Once her gaze fell upon him<b>, </b>it couldn¡¯t stray elsewhere

    He wore a brown cored suit. The suit looked more casual <b>and </b>rxed, without the formality and imposing feel of a traditional suit. There was only one button at his waist, which showed off his slim waist and broad shoulders even more.

    Underneath, his white shirt was of an unconventional style, with the rightpel pressing over the left one in a manner reminiscent of foreign elements. His cor was slightly undone, revealing the knot of his throat and half of his corbone

    His sleeves were rolled up to his forearms. Emelie couldn¡¯t help but think of William from this morning. However, this man was slightly leanerpared to William.

    Every aspect <b>of </b>him exuded an air of elegance. His features were well¨Cdefined, his eyes were deep, and his demeanor was elegant <b>and </b>aloof.

    Emelie remembered a line from Edward Langley¡¯s poem, ¡°The Wooden Horse.¡± He said, ¡°<b>Gradually </b>I felt a leaf startling the autumn cicadas chirping in thete in time sequence,¡± symbolizing how a falling leaf disrupted the serene chirping of autuan cicadas, signaling the onset of autumn¡¯s chill.

    Emelie remembered that Wesley had left ten years ago at the end of summer<b>, </b>and now he had returned in <b>early </b>spring

    They had met the previous night, but seeing him again in broad daylight <b>made </b>Emelie purse her lips.

    Wesley walked toward her. His pine¨Clike scent was calm and gentle. Emelie recalled the time <b>aboard </b>the Graham cruise <b>ship </b>when she danced blindfolded with a mysterious

    <b>person</b>.

    Back then, she couldn¡¯t see his face, only smelling a faint scent of pine emanating from him. She guessed it was him. However, when she lowered the blindfold, the person in front of her was Samuel instead<b>.</b>

    Sure enough, it was him. Here <b>and </b>gone in a hurry.

    There was calmness in Wesley¡¯s eyes as he asked in a gentle tone, ¡°Why did you stop?¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t understand. ¡°What?¡±

    He said, ¡°Being angry. You¡¯ve been angry at me for leaving you behind, haven¡¯t you? I¡¯m right here now. I¡¯m not leaving again. You can vent your anger on me if you <b>want</b>!

    Embe hadn¡¯t felt angry before, but for some reason, his calm tone stirred up a storm within her. She suddenly blurted out, ¡°You left, and now you¡¯re back. What for? I¡¯ve been doing fine without you for these ten years. I don¡¯t need you to y the savior, to rescue me from fire and water! Take your people away! I won¡¯t ept your guise of protection, which is actually surveince!

    ¡°Wesley, I¡¯m not the 16¨Cyear¨Cold Emelie anymore. I won¡¯t center my life around you, nor will I follow in your footsteps. Don¡¯t show up in front of me again.

    ¡°Back then, everyone in school was <b>saying </b>that you <b>couldn¡¯t </b>handle being chased by me, so you left the country. Everyoneughed at me, saying that I was crazy for trying to cling to the rich. I got a bad name because of you.

    <b>¡°</b>Now, I¡¯m married and have a husband. Don¡¯te and noin my reputation!¡±

    Wesley remained calm and serene¨Clike an old church, like <b>a </b>secluded path<b>, </b>and the the firstrays of down entering deep mountain forests¨Cas he calmly replied, ¡°Are you <b>done </b>venting? Jodie will still follow you. Your foster <b>father¡¯s </b>death <b>is </b>rted to your origins. You¡¯re not safe anymore<b>.¡±</b>

 Chapter 459

    Chapter 459 Let Me <b>Take </b><b>You </b>Away

    Emelie¡¯s mind worked quickly, even during danger. His choice of words was off. ¡°What do you know?¡± No, he should ask, ¡°Do you know everything already?¡±

    Wesley lifted a slight smile as though he was praising her intelligence. Then again, he merely looked at her without speaking.

    His double eyelids were perfectly shaped. When he smiled, theers of his eyes lifted slightly. His eyelids were thin, which gave his eyes a deep and sharp appearance.

    However, <b>his </b>gaze was calm and peaceful. This contrast made him appear <b>both </b>aloof and affectionate.

    He had naturally affectionate eyes,

    Emelie molded <b>his </b>gaze and said coldly. ¡°Instead of having someone tollow me, you might as well tell me the whole <b>story</b>. Only when I know my situation clearly can I protect myself.¡±

    rything. I wouldn¡¯t have left you back then.¡±

    Wesley replied in a calm voice, ¡°If it were that easy to tell you everything.

    Did that mean his sudden <b>leaving </b>back then was also rted to her background!

    Emelie frowned deeply.

    During the previous night, he mentioned that Ronan had met two people on New Year¡¯s Eve, and those two people were the reason Ronan had jumped to his death. She had Intended to find out who those two people were first

    However, before she <b>could </b>do <b>that</b><b>, </b>Wesley was now saying that the reason he had left back then was also rted to her background. Things were already a tangled mess<b>, </b>and now, they were even more chaotic.

    Emelie said irritably, ¡°If you refuse to tell me anything, then don¡¯t <b>drop </b>these hints. <b>What¡¯s </b>the matter? Do you enjoy fooling me that much?

    Wesley said gently, ¡°I just don¡¯t want you to be trapped in the guilt of thinking that your adoptive father died because of you¡±

    The emotions in Emelie¡¯s <b>eyes </b>shook.

    He was doing it again. He had always been acting this way. Even after ten years of barely seeing each other, he could still see what she was thinking at a notice her guilt over Ronan¡¯s death.

    nce. He was the first to

    There was an inexplicable maic field between them. She was easily drawn to him, and he could easily understand her thoughts. It was as if an invisible string connected them

    Emelie felt a lump in her throat. Things were getting moreplicated. Wesley lowered his head. The distance between them shortened, and his deep voice scraped into her ears.¡± Eme, let me take you away.¡±

    Emelie instinctively took a step back

    Wesley lifted his head His eyes were brown, like amber. They would probably be translucent under the sunlight but became deep and mysterious due to the shadows in the moonlight.

    Emebecalmed down and said, ¡°I will figure everything out.¡± Once she understood everything, she would decide what to do next. <b>She </b>wouldn¡¯t ept a life arranged for her in confusion. She wasn¡¯t someone he could just take away.

    Emelie pressed her lips together and turned to leave.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    Wesley had anticipated her refusal. He sighed and nced at Jodie. ¡°Follow her.¡±

    mood. He frowned and suddenly said to Ashton, ¡°Turn around

    On the way, William, resting his head on his hand, stared ahead. He sensed that something was off about Emelie¡¯s m and go to Centra Hospital¡±

    Ashton was taken aback. ¡°Mr. Middleton, you have the Capebatt Commerce Conference today. You can¡¯t miss it.¡±

    Capebatt Commerce, as the name implied, was the chamber ofmerce in Capebatt City, the one chaired by Norman

    sam adjusted <b>his </b>cufflinks. He seemed to be deep in thought and, after a moment, said again, ¡°Let¡¯s go take a look then.¡±

    The Capebutt Commerce Conference was held every year on the eleventh day of the first month, and all members were required to attend punctually

    William arrived, the <b>Lavish </b>banquet hall was already buzzing with people.

 Chapter 460

    Chapter 460 Pavoring Her

    Emelie knew Jodie was following <b>her</b><b>, </b>but she didn¡¯t care.

    She appeared <b>calm </b>on the surface, but her mind was in turmoil.

    She had so many questions that needed answers, and she had to unravel them one by one.

    The first question was, who was she<b>, </b>really?

    From Eliana <b>suddenly </b>saying she wasn¡¯t the Hoven family¡¯s biological child to Wesley saying Ronan¡¯s suicide was rted to her background, everything pointed to her true identity.

    And now, the only person who could answer this question was Greta

    When Emelie entered the ward, Eliana, who had been feeding Greta oatmeal, put down the bowl and spoon. <b>She </b>stood up and red at Emelie. ¡°I told you yesterday was thest time you could see my mom. Why are you here again?

    Emelie replied calmly, ¡°I¡¯ve been calling her mom for over 20 years. Whether I have the right to continue doing so isn¡¯t up to you<b>.</b>¡±

    She turned to Greta, who was on the bed, and her tone softened as she <b>said</b>. ¡°Mom, if you don¡¯t want to see me anymore, just say the word, and I¡¯ll leave. I promise I won¡¯t appear in front of you again.¡±

    Eliana was furious. ¡°You¡¯re <b>so </b>shameless! You.¡±

    Greta cut her off, ¡°Ena, you¡¯ve stayed up all night with me. You¡¯re tired. Go home and get some rest<b>. </b>You should check on the kids

    Eliana frowned<b>. </b>¡°Mom!¡±

    Greta sighed. ¡°Eme did nothing wrong. You shouldn¡¯t take your anger out on her. Please, <b>go </b>home. I want to talk to her.¡±

    <b>¡°</b>You keep calling her Eme. When have you ever called me ? Even now, you still favor her.¡± na sneered.

    She stopped talking and grabbed her coat before leaving immediately.

    Greta wanted to say more but ended up shaking <b>her </b>head and sighing

    Emelie walked over, picked up the bowl of oatmeal, <b>and </b>continued feeding Greta

    Greta looked at her with the same old expression. ¡°Eme, don¡¯t me yourself I don¡¯t hold anything against you. I know Eliana told you about it, but don¡¯t me her either. We couldn¡¯t act fairly.¡±

    Emelie said softly, ¡°How could I me you?¡±

    <b>¡°</b>You should me me. Sibling discord is <b>a </b>sign of parental failure.¡±

    Emelle¡¯s heart ached as if soaked in old water.

    <b>Greta </b>held her wrist. ¡°I¡¯ve always treated you as my own daughter.¡±

    Emelie knew that

    Greta looked at her with concern. ¡°You didn¡¯t sleep wellst night, did <b>you</b>? <b>You </b>have dark circles under your eyes.¡±

    Emelie bit <b>the </b>inside of her lip and said softly, ¡°Yes, I didn¡¯t sleep well Mom, I want to know who my biological parents <b>are</b><b>¡±</b>

    Greta had expected this question

    Of course, she would ask. How could she not after finding out? Still, Greta <b>shook </b>her head. She couldn¡¯t answer her, nor should she

    Emelle continued<b>, </b><b>¡°</b>Someone told me that the <b>reason </b>Dad jumped wasn¡¯t because I was going to marry William but because of my background. Mom, I need to know the whole truth to deal with everything that follows.¡±

    Greta hadn¡¯t anticipated this. She straightened up and asked, ¡°Is it.. Is it about your background? Have those peoplee looking for you?

    Emelie caught the keywords and immediately asked, ¡°Which people? Mam, there¡¯s someone outside watching me right now. I need to know who I¡¯ve provoked to protect myself better.¡±

    Jodie was speechless outside. She didn¡¯t know whether to go in and stop Enelle. It sounded like Emelie was using her of plotting something nefarious when she was only there to protect her.

    However, Wesley had only told her to protect Emelie, <b>not </b>to hide her background from her.

    Jodir hesitated <b>for </b><b>a </b>long time but ultimately <b>did </b>not enter the room.

    Greta closed her eyes with a troubled look. Emelle went on to say, ¡°I¡¯ve already got a lead. Mom, even if you don¡¯t tell me now, I¡¯ll keep digging until I find the truth. I¡¯ll knowThis belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    sooner orter.¡±

    Eventually, Greta reached out her hands, She measured a length with her fingers. ¡°The first time I saw you, you were only this big¡± The length was exactly the same <b>as </b>what Ronan <b>had </b>shown her that day. Emelie felt as though something was stuck in her throat.

 Chapter 461

    Chapter 461 The Full Story

    ¡°You were just two <b>months </b>old and would sleep 15 to 20 hours a day. <b>Then</b>, one <b>day</b>, you suddenly stopped sleeping and <b>cried </b><b>nonstop</b>. We thought you were sick, butter, we realized that day was the execution date of your biological father.¡±

    What?

    Emelie¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°What execution <b>date</b>?¡±

    ¡°Your biological father¡¯sst name was Pierce. His name was Xander Pierce. He started apany that was doing well, but suddenly everything went wrong.

    <b>¡°</b>Thepany copsed, <b>and </b>he was found guilty of serious crimes. I don¡¯t know the specifics, but they were severe enough to get him a death sentence.¡±

    Emelie never imagined her <b>background </b><b>could </b>be like this.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.

    Xander Pierce? The name sounded familiar<b>, </b>like she¡¯d heard it somewhere before. However, she couldn¡¯t recall where, so she put it aside for now and asked, ¡°What about my biological mother?¡±

    Greta shook her head sadly. ¡°You had an older brother, who was three or four years older than you. When the Pierce family fell apart, everything was in chaos.

    ¡°Your brother was ying outside when he was kidnapped by human traffickers. Your biological mother, who <b>was </b>already weak from childbirth, couldn¡¯t handle the sessive tragedies and drowned herself in the river.¡±

    Emelie felt her breath catch in her throat. Her whole body felt cold from the inside out.

    ¡°Your dad was actually Xander¡¯s bodyguard. On the day your mother drowned, he happened <b>to </b>visit the Pierce family, where he found you, a newborn, crying from hunger in a

    cradle.

    ¡°The house was empty. He feared that something might happen to you, so he took you home for me to feed you. Not long after, news of your mother¡¯s death came out.¡±

    Greta continued, ¡°The Pierce family couldn¡¯t find you and assumed that your mother had taken you with her when she jumped. They thought that you were dead.

    ¡°Your dad, having seen the true nature of the Plence family, knew that they weren¡¯t good people. With both your parents gone, you would¡¯ve ended up in an orphanage or suffering at the hands of rtives. Since everyone thought you were dead, we decided to keep you and raise you as our own daughter.¡±

    For the next 25 years, Ronan and Greta never mentioned anything rted to the Pierce family or Xander. <b>They </b>had buried everything deep in their hearts<b>.</b>

    After Greta finished speaking, Emelie finally pieced together her past. She now knew her origins, but her expression was nk.

    Outside, thunder rumbled. The cloudy sky seemed ready to pour down <b>rain</b>.

    Emelle had turned her phone to silent mode the previous night and forgot to turn it back on. With her mind in a mess, she didn¡¯t notice the phone vibrating in her pocket. Ashley had called her once, but since Emelie didn¡¯t answer<b>, </b><b>she </b>didn¡¯t call again.

    Ashley had nothing urgent to discuss. <b>She </b><b>had </b>just wanted to ask if William had found Emelie the previous night.

    After ending the call, Ashley opened the map on her phone to study the route.

    Emelie had asked her to investigate where Ronan went after leaving the hospital on New Year¡¯s Eve. Ashley used her contacts, who tracked Ronan through road surveince and pinpointed hisst known location nearby.

    There were no cameras in that area, making it impossible to continue tracking. Thus, Ashley had to drive over and think about where Ronan might have gone.

    Ashley put down her phone, started the car, and continued driving down the road.

    The area belonged to the outskirts of Capebatt City, with few residental buildings. The ce was spacious, with a few standalone vis.

    Ashley parked her car on the side of the road. Then, she picked up her phone and used the camera to zoom in and scan the surroundings like a telescope. Suddenly, she noticed something unusual

    <b>She </b>saw two guards standing at the gate of one of the vis..

    In Capebatt City, even wealthy individuals like William and Es wouldn¡¯t have guards posted at their gates. They would only have bodyguards following them at a discreet <b>distance</b>. This vi seened odd.

    With herwyer¡¯s intuition, Ashley sensed that if there was something fishy about Ronan¡¯s death, it might be connected to this vi

    She <b>took </b><b>photos </b>of the vi and its location and sent them to her contacts. ¡°Please help me findout who owns this vi or who has been using it recently,¡±

    Her contact replied, ¡°Alright.¡±

    There were no secrets <b>that </b>could be unearthed<b>, </b>and in Capebatt City<b>, </b>nothing escaped William¡¯s eyes.

    Soon, the news of someone inquiring about the vi, just as William entered the banquet hall, reached ashton.

 Chapter 462

    Chapter 462 Matchmaking

    Ashton immediately approached William and reported in a low voice, ¡°Mr. Middleton, Ms. Thornton is inquiring <b>about </b>that vi.¡±

    Ashley?

    Agleam shed in William¡¯s eyes. Why would she suddenly investigate that vi? Could it be that Emeliemissioned her to do so?

    No wonder he felt that her emotions were off,

    Did she know everything or just <b>a </b>part of it?

    William had already entered the banquet hall and <b>couldn¡¯t </b>bum back. He could only nce at Ashton, who understood his meaning <b>and </b>nodded before stepping back.

    Meanwhile, William maintained hisposure and continued into the venue.

    This year¡¯s Capebatt Commerce Conference theme was ¡°Blossoming Prosperity¡°.

    The crystal chandeliers were shaped like carved flowers, and the carpets spread out were embroidered with floral pattems. Besides, the flowers adoring everyer of the venue were rare species flown in from afar. The entire scene exuded opulence and grandeur.

    It felt like another world here, filled with luxury and decadence. Men in suits and women in elegant attire each held a ss of wine, sitting in small groups, chatting andughing. They addressed each other as directors or presidents, with the lowest title being manager.

    As soon as William entered the ce, several executives approached him for a talk. He had to stop in his tracks and take a ss of red wine from a passing waiter. Williams stood tall and distinguished as he held a ss of crimson wine thatplemented his dark blue watch. It created an indescribable harmony and elegance

    ¡°Mr. Middleton, I saw Cloudex Corporation¡¯s financial report forst year a couple of days ago. It showed a 203% year¨Cover¨Cyear growthpared to the year before. Thad to meet you today to congratte you in person. Mr. Middleton, you¡¯re truly impressive. With Cloudex Corporation entirely under your control, it¡¯s advancing at a remarkable pace.¡± ¡°Mr. Robinson, you tter me. It¡¯s the industry that¡¯s improving.¡±

    e you

    ¡°I believe Cloudex Corporation will climb even higher this year. Especially with the Wimstour City project, which startedst year, its returns are unpredictable. Since y personally oversaw that project, Mr. Middleton, it will surely be extraordinary.¡±

    ¡°Mrs. Lopez, thank you for your kind words ¡±

    William spoke sparingly, responding as others ttered him.

    He was the main attraction, even at a gathering of sessful people. His every gesture exuded the natural bearing of a leader, far surpassing those so¨Ccalled nouveau riches who had only recently made some money

    The Middleton family and Cloudex Corporation¡¯s wealth were enough to make people nationwide envious

    Of course<b>, </b>not everyone was there to tter him. Some wanted to use this opportunity to probe for information from William.

    ¡°By the way, Mr. <b>Middleton</b>, have you heard? Norman¡¯s younger son, Wesley Graham, has returned. I wonder if Norman will take this banquet as <b>an </b>opportunity to introduce his son to everyone. After all, he will be active <b>in </b>Capebatt City from now on.¡±

    William took a sip of red wine and replied in an indifferent tone, ¡°Mr. Jenkins, you seem to be better informed <b>than </b>I am. I haven¡¯t heard about this.¡±

    Although he didn¡¯t express an opinion, the topic among the goests began to revolve around Wesley.

    ¡°Norman¡¯s eldest son is a steady caretaker, but his younger son has quite the potential as his father.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Last year, he even fought his way out of the Filo family and sessfully inherited his grandmother¡¯s and mother¡¯s File Group. Now that he¡¯s back, his development both domestically and internationally is unstoppable.¡±

    ¡°Filo Group, you <b>said</b>? Did you mean that major conglomerate? So, Norman¡¯s ex¨Cwife is from the Filo family. The force of Capebatt City might need reshaping now!¡±

    William merely listened without showing any expression or reaction. However, others became sensitive to the topic. The Middleton family was the absolute leader in Capebatt City What did reshaping the force even mean? <b>What </b>kind of reshaping?

    Fearing that William might be displeased, the person gave a heavy cough to stop the discussion about Wesley.

    He awkwardly shifted the topic. ¡°Mr. Middleton, are you interested in finding a girlfriend this year? As <b>an </b>old man <b>once </b>said, one should cultivate one¡¯s body, manage the family. govern the country, and bring peace to the world. Mr. Middleton, with your achievements at such a young age, you should also consider your lifelong partner.

    Willen put down his wine <b>ss</b>, ¡°What¡¯s this, Mr. Jenkins? Do you have someone in mind?¡±This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

 Chapter 463

    Chapter 463 Tension Mounts

    ¡°Haha! I¡¯d love to introduce you to my daughter, Mr. Middleton, but I¡¯m afraid you might not be interested!¡± Joseph said.

    Another person quickly chimed in, ¡°Joseph, this won¡¯t do! How can you be so shameless in promoting yourself? <b>My </b>sister <b>has </b>admired Mr. Middleton for a long time! Mc. Middleton, my sister just graduated from university this year, and she¡¯s here today. Let me call her over to meet you!¡±

    William smiled lightly. ¡°I appreciate everyone¡¯sndness, but I¡¯m already married.¡±

    Everyone was surprised. None of them had heard about this.

    The marriage of the President of Cloudex Corporation is a significant event that could affect the stock market. Why has no one heard about it?

    ¡°Mr. Middleton, may I ask which family¡¯s daughter you married?¡± one person asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone here knows about her,¡± William said.

    He had never intended to keep his marriage a secret. He felt it was entirely appropriate to publicly acknowledge Emelie as his wife at an event hosted by the Graham family.

    He continued, ¡°She¡¯s my former¡­¡±

    However<b>, </b>before he could end his sentence with the word ¡°secretary, <b>a </b>cold voice interrupted his impending disclosure. ¡°<b>Without </b>the official stamp and the marriage certificate, how does that constitute a marriage?

    No one <b>had </b>ever <b>dared </b>to interrupt Witam publicly, let alone refute him. The voice was <b>sudden </b>and audacious.

    The several executives around William burned to look <b>and </b>saw a man with a striking appearance, which was no interior to <b>William¡¯s</b>, walking gracefully towards them.

    He wore a white suit, though not pure white. His vest underneath was gray, <b>and </b>his tie was blue. It added a touch of elegance to his otherwise pristine white attire, which perfectlyplemented his refined and aloof demeanor.

    The executives noticed his exceptional presence<b>, </b>but were unfamiliar with who he <b>was</b>.

    Everyone present at the banquet was a member of the Chamber of Commerce. Yet none of them seemed to have seen him in Capebatt City before.

    only one possibility came to mind.

    ¡°Are <b>you </b>Norman¡¯s younger son, Wesley Graham?¡± someone asked.

    Correct

    It was Wesley.

    Wam turned around slowly. His gaze finallymet those hazel¨Cbrown eyes after a decade.

    If William was like an unapproachable snow¨Ccapped mountain, Wesley was like an isted dense forest

    The snow<b>¨C</b><b>capped </b>mountain was treacherous and cold, while the dense forest was hidden and serene.

    The mountain could kill without a trace, while the forest could sustain and nourish itself.

    William¡¯s voice was devoid of warmth as he said, ¡°She wears my ring, and we signed the document at the civil registry. And yet, you¡¯re saying we¡¯re <b>not </b>married?

    Wesley¡¯s voice was equally unapologetic. ¡°A ring can be worn and removed, and <b>a </b>signed document without an official stamp is invalid.¡®

    There was a palpable <b>tension </b>between the two only after two exchanges. Several executives started to exchange nces with each other,

    Were they discussing the same woman?

    Those who could engage William in conversation were <b>naturally </b>astute individuals. They sensed that something significant must be happening, and their gazes alterated between the two men.

    One was the undisputed top figure in Capebatt City, while the other was the rising star poised to reshape Capebart City

    They shed over a woman the moment they met. Something like this had never happened beforeThis belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    However, they were not given much time to delve deeper into it

    Norman¡¯s heartyughter interrupted the argument. ¡°Will, I thought you would bete today. Turns out you¡¯re already here and chatting with Wesley!¡±

    Norman approached William with a smile and greeted the others. The conference is about to begin. Let¡¯s take our seats.¡±

    <b>This </b>was a subtle way to disperse the onlookers.

    Although the executives were curious about what had happened, they know the asion and their identities. They couldn¡¯t continue watching like they were at a marketce, witnessing a dispute between the two,

    Thus, they dispersed. Though each of them was sure to investigate the woman¡¯s backgroundter.

    William did imply that everyone present would likely recognise the woman he mentioned.

    <b>Norman </b>patted William¡¯s shoulder with one hand and Wesley¡¯s with the other. It was as though he was urging the two to shake hands and resolve their differences on the spot.

 Chapter 464

    Chapter 464 Me Letting You

    ¡°Theard you two having an argument from miles away. You two grew up together, isn¡¯t it embarrassing to make a scene like this in public? will, wes, you were high school ssmates. It¡¯s only been a few years since youst saw each other. Have you two forgotten Norman tried to reconcile them.

    However, Wim and Wesley were like the sults they wore today, one was ck while the other in white. They were naturally ipatible with each other,

    In the hall illuminated by crystal chandeliers, they stood several meters apart with their gas shing <b>in </b><b>mid</b>¨Cair. What Norman said instantly sent them back ten <b>years</b>.

    ¡°Wesley, aber¡¯s a bet. I don¡¯t want to see you in <b>Capebatt </b>City tomorrow. The further away you are from me, the better,¡± William <b>said</b>.

    ¡°it weren¡¯t for me letting you, do you think you could have won? William, remember, you only won because I allowed you to win,¡± Wesley said.

    Ten years ago, they were both still teenagers, full of youthful recklessness and vigor.

    However<b>, </b>their conflict began back then and had now be deeply rooted in their rtionship <b>with </b>each other. How <b>could </b>their differences be resolved with just a few words!

    Norman saw that neither of them were responding, so he tried again and said, ¡°Forget what happened in the past, you¡¯ll both be in Capebatt City, and there will be plenty of opportunities for you two to get to <b>know </b>each other again.

    ¡°There was <b>a </b>saying that mentioned how ¡®blood is thicker than water¡® and ¡®united we stand, <b>divided </b>we tall¡®. You should support each other in the business world<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    William replied coldly, ¡°Norman, I¡¯ve made my appearance. My secretary will take over the rest of the meeting. I <b>have </b>other matters to attend to.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re leaving now? Will, wait! will!¡± Norman called out

    However, Wilham didn¡¯t look back. His expression tumed cold the moment he stepped out of the banquet hall

    At the same time, dark clouds covered the entire city

    William kourned his fie

    He had expected Wesley to show up that day, but every mention of Wesley disgusted him. He couldn¡¯t stand to be around him for a second longer.

    WEMaterial ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    <b>Besides </b>their boxing gym confrontation ten years ago, he also rememberedst no, New Year¡¯s Eve two <b>years </b>ago.

    He <b>saw </b>it with his own eyes. Emelie was clinging to Wesley

    William¡¯s eyes grew colder as he walked toward his car

    After Ashton finished his business<b>, </b>be hurried over and opened the rear door of the car.

    He said, ¡°Mr. Middleton, I¡¯ve rified and Mrs. Middleton only went to the hospital today and hasn¡¯t left yet.¡±

    ¡°Go attend the meeting for me. <b>Also</b>, tell <b>Es </b>to take care of his wife. Ashley should stay out of Emelie¡¯s affairs,¡± William said tersely.

    ¡°Go to Centra Hospital,¡± William told the driver,

    The door closed, <b>and </b>the Maybach drove away.

    In the banquet hall, Norman was still puzzled about why William left so abruptly.

    Wesley looked sombre. ¡°I know you appreciate William and have had a good rtionship with him over the years, but Williams Henry¡¯s <b>son</b>. Everything he does is for the benefit of Clouder Corporation and the Middleton family.¡±

    Norman was taken aback. ¡°What <b>do </b>youn

    amean?

    Wesley looked at his father. ¡°Those people, things, and events that Henry didn¡¯t want to see the light of day, William will also want them erased from existence. He¡¯s not on the same page as you¡±

    twas only then did realization dawned on Norman. ¡°Are you saying that the Pierce family.¡±

    it was

    Wesley didn¡¯t speak further. Instead, he nced out the window. The gloomy sky signaled an impending storm.

    Norman¡¯s expression <b>changed</b>.

    The concerns be had the previous night turned out to be true<b>. </b>Someone did want to dig up Xander¡¯s old ounts.

    Then again, what was the point of unraveling such an old affair?

    Even if Xander¡¯s children were still alive, so what?

    When Xander had his ident, one of his children was three years old, and the other was only two months old.

    They know nothing. Did they still need to be rooted out?

    Norman¡¯s scalp <b>tingled </b>as he hurriedly said, ¡°<b>Will </b>came with Jaydenst night to <b>ask </b>me about Xander¡¯s children.¡±

    Wesley suddenly looked at him.

    Despite being father and son, he probably resembled his mother more. His features were different from Norman¡¯s<b>.</b>

    <b>Norman </b><b>was </b><b>a </b>kind man, and his appearance reflected that

    Although Wesley¡¯s demeanor was quiet, his facial <b>features </b>were strikingly sharp.

    Norman stammered as he said, ¡°I probably didn¡¯t reveal anything to will. Everything 1 sald was very superficial¡±

    Wesley <b>nodded </b>slightly, then walked out without waiting for the meeting to start

    Outside the banquet hall, Marcel <b>pulled </b>up in the car<b>, </b>and Wesley got in.

    ¡°To Centra Hospital,¡± Wesleysaid.

 Chapter 465

    Chapter 465 Whose Car to Get On

    After Emelie left the hospital, she didn¡¯t immediately get it brown car. Instead, she wandered along the road.

    The rain had been brewing all day and had finally started to fall in big drops

    look shelter in convenience store with other pedestrians.

    She felt hangry and bought a random boxed meal<b>, </b>asking the easier to beat

    After done, she took the board meal, sat by the window, and began eating slowly.

    Whether it was the meal¡¯s mediocre taste of the thoughts weighing on her mind,elefound the food hand to swallow. Eventually, she gave up on eating altogether.

    She stared at the rain outside in ad

    Earlier, she <b>had </b>searched one for information about Xander and the Xanler Grup<b>.</b>

    The inte had retained memories of events. Although more than twenty years had passed, traces could still be found.

    ording to online souters<b>, </b>the catalyst was amine copse. The deaths of over a hundred people arked the beginning of the <b>Xander </b>Group¡¯s downfal

    Subsequently, regtory authorities relentlessly investigated and uncovered various irregrities and even illegal operations within the Xander Group. Each discovery was a perious offense which led to Kinder¡¯s incarceration

    Following that was Xander¡¯s investigation, trial,pensation, and the disintegration of his family, culminating in atragedy.

    However, if the situation were so straightforward <b>and </b>concluded, why did Wesley hint that Ronan¡¯s death was rted to her background?

    He implied that Rorum was either murdered or coerced into suicide. If <b>true</b>, dil <b>Xander </b>Group harbor hadden secrets?

    Eruelle took out her phone.

    She saw a few missed calls from Ashley, and she immediately caled her back

    Emelie exined, ¡°Ashley, 1 didn¡¯t notice your call earlier. What¡¯s going on<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>

    Ashley replied, ¡°sent you some pictures on WhatsApp Take a look.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Emdieminimized the <b>call </b>screen and opened WhatsAppContent ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    There, she saw several screenshots from surveince footage of Roman being abducted into acar

    Emele straightened up immediately. ¡°Is this from New Year¡¯s Eve?

    ¡°yes Your father was abducted from the hospital and forced into a car. My contacts <b>tracked </b>the vehicle until it disappeared on Foss <b>Road</b>, where there was no surveince,¡± Ashley

    Ashley added, ¡°I personally drove around and found a suspicious vi. <b>I </b>suspect your father might have been taken there. I¡¯ve instructed my contacts to investigate the matter. I¡¯ll let you know as soon as we <b>have </b>any updates.¡±

    Emelle zoomed in on the images

    The man abducting Ronan wore a mask and only had his eyes revoided. He looked miliar

    <b>¡°</b><b>I </b>don¡¯t know this person,¡± Emelie sad

    ©¦Ashley replied, ¡°Yeah, without clear facial features, it¡¯s hard to identify him. But something coincidental is that I saw another familiar face in the surveince footage, leaving the

    hospital just minutes after your father was abducted¡±

    Emelle asked, ¡°Who was 11.7

    .Ashley was interrupted by amotion. It was as if someone had forcibly entered her office.

    Ashley abruptly stopped speaking. Instead, there was ascolding directed at the intruder.

    Indias! How many times have I told you not toe to these firm to see me? Besides, I¡¯ve already sent you the divorce papers! I¡¯m suing you for divorce!¡± Ashley said.

    Bas¡¯s rxed voice came through <b>the </b>phone. <b>¡°</b>What divorce papers? I didn¡¯t receive any. I came to see my wife. What¡¯s the rush, <b>Ms. </b>Thomson?

    which wie of yours? Ashley asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s the <b>person </b>asking me this question,¡± Els replied.

    Emelie coughed lightly. ¡°<b>Ashley</b>, you should deal with your matters first We¡¯ll talkter.¡±

    Given the circumstances<b>, </b>Ashley couldn¡¯t continue the conversation. Thus, the call ended hastily.

    Emelie put away her phone

    Gerat, it seemed there was another twist in the story.

    Loan was once abducted.¡±

    The convenience store grew increasingly crowded with people seeking shelter from the rain.

    Emelle decided not to join them and instead bought an umbre before stepping outside.

    Alter a few steps, a Maybach pulled up beside her.

    Famelie instinctively hated she looked down, and the rear window rolled down, with Wimeling out to her.

    Feliz hestrated for a moment. ¡°What are you doing here!

    Windi nol raps Tneed to talk to you!

    Chapter 165 Whose Car to Get D

    Before Emelie could inquire further, Jodie suddenly appeared and peed Emelie behind her. ¡°Ms. Hoven! Don¡¯t go with him! He¡¯s not a good person!¡± William immediately recognised her as Wesley¡¯s assistant.

    His expression turned cold. ¡°Have you already seen Wesley? When did this happen?

    Emelie was caught off guard by Jodie¡¯s Intervention. Unexpectedly, <b>a </b>white Maserati pulled up on her other side.

    Wesley got out from under the umbre and didn¡¯t look at anyone else.

    He said to Emelie, ¡°It¡¯s pouring, Get in my car first¡±

 Chapter 466

    Chapter 466 What Are You Hiding from Me?

    William found itughable. ¡°Wesley, what right do you have <b>to </b>tell my wife to go with you?

    Historie wasn¡¯t heavy, but when he said the word ¡°my wife¡°, it was particrly emphasized and conspicuous

    Wesley slightly lifted his umbre and revealed his face.

    He said calmly. ¡°Wam, of all the things you¡¯ve done behind Eme¡¯s back, which one do you think qualified you to call yourself her husband?¡±

    Emelie¡¯s nerves jumped. ¡°What have you <b>done</b>?

    William pushed the car door open and got out, with Ashton immediately holding an umbre over him. The rain pattered rhythmically against the umbre¨Clike drumsticks on a

    He said in a low voice<b>, </b>¡°Emelie,e home with me first¡±

    Wesley retorted with a faint mockery, ¡°Are you feeling guilty? Are you afraid she¡¯ll find out?¡±

    William¡¯s dark eyes were as sharp as an arrow. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s good for her to know? What can she do with that knowledge?¡±

    Emelie turned to him. ¡°Know what?¡±

    Wesley continued, ¡°It¡¯s better than keeping her in the dark. Besides, Mr. <b>Middleton</b>, we both know what you¡¯re trying to gain from her.¡±

    Emelie looked back at Wesley. ¡°Gain what?¡°??

    William took a step forward. ¡°Oh? Really. I¡¯m all ears, Mr. Graham.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    Wesley stood firm. ¡°Are you sure <b>you </b>want me to say it in front of her?!

    William¡¯s face remained expressionless, but the hostility in his eyes could be seen as he red at Wesley.

    Wesley lowered his head. Conflict was imminent

    Emelle remained <b>silent</b>.

    As the two men were having verbal exchanges right in front of her, she looked at the two from one to the <b>other</b>, her head spinning from the back<b>¨C</b>and¨Cforth. The flood of new Information lett her feeling dizzy and overwhelmed.

    what.. What was all this?

    No wonder these men were top figures in the business world. They knew exactly how to speak, filling their words with apparent information yet leaving nothing clear.

    <b>Emelie¡¯s </b>head buzzed.

    She looked at the man in the ck suit. He stood tall and cool under the umbre.

    Then<b>, </b>she looked at the man in the white suit. He stood in the rain while looking sharp and piercing

    ¡°What kind of riddles are you two ying? Emelie inhaled the chilly air and felt the cold seeping into her lungs. ¡°William, Wesley, I won¡¯t ept your for keeping things from me. I¡¯ll determine what¡¯s best for me, What exactly <b>are </b>you two hiding?

    our ¡®for my own good¡®

    ond¡® excuses

    She was sure they knew many <b>things </b>about her that she didn¡¯t

    However, it was as if the two men couldn¡¯t hear her.

    William had been holding back on Wesley due to the limitations of social situations. Here<b>, </b>on a street where no one knew them, he couldn¡¯t hold back any longer.

    He said, slowly and dangerously, <b>¡°</b><b>You </b>shouldn¡¯t havee back.¡±

    Wesley held the ck umbre handle with his fingers, looking like a cold emerald. ¡°You¡¯ve done a lot to keep me from returning. But if I hadn¡¯te back, who knows how much more you¡¯d deceive <b>her</b><b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    <b>William </b>sneered. ¡°Deceived by me, you <b>said</b><b>?</b>¡±

    ¡°Can you honestly say you haven¡¯t manipted her? Otherwise, how could she, with her character, get back together with you? William, you don¡¯t love Eme. You love the Middleton family, so you strategise every step of the way to trap her! Wesley said

    William¡¯s presence turned fierce as he shouted, ¡°What do you know about my rtionship with her?

    <b>Emelie </b>had heard enough. ¡°I know!¡±

    Both men finally turned to look at her.

    Emelie clenched her fists. Her throat felt dry and sore as she said, ¡°I know I¡¯m not the <b>Hoven </b>family¡¯s biological daughter. I also know there¡¯s more to my dad¡¯s suicide. Now I want to know it either of you have anything to do with it!¡±

    william moved toward her. ¡°We¡¯ll discuss this at home.¡±

    Wesley, who was standing closer to Emelie<b>, </b>reached out and pulled her over.

 Chapter 467

    Chapter 467 Have You Lost Your Minds?

    Emelie was <b>caught </b>off guard and stumbled. Her umbre shed with his, sending raindrops sttering into the puddles below.

    But soon<b>, </b>heavy footsteps sshed through the water.

    Emelie looked up and was startled to see Wesley¡¯s bodygreds forming a semicircle around them

    William¡® steps abruptly halted, and his expression gradually darkened. The tension finally broke out between them.

    Wesley said, <b>¡°</b>She won¡¯t be going with you anymore.¡±

    Wim¡¯s eyes sharpened as he looked at the bodyguards blocking his way. ¡°Do you think you can take her from me?¡±This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    wesley smile¡± can try.¡±

    Then let¡¯s try it williams had been itching to fight

    ¡°Bring Mrs Middleton back Themoment he said that, the bodyguards secretly protecting William immediately stepped into the rain and began to face Wesley¡¯s men.

    Enebe thought they must have gone crazy. ¡°What are you trying to do? Are you going to fight? This is a public street!¡±

    Although the sudden rain had cleared the streets<b>, </b>it was still daylight, and the roads weren¡¯t closed. Someone coulde by at any moment.

    If they were seen, the police intervened<b>, </b><b>and </b>the incident made the news, wouldn¡¯t it rain both udex Corporation and Graham Group¡¯s reputations? Were <b>they </b>willing to risk everything?

    Yes, they were willing to risk everything

    Emelle didn¡¯t even see who made the first move before a chaotic fight broke out in for

    The bodies chosen to protect William and Wesley were all trained in the fiercest way, ich move theyid out was more brutal than thest

    <b>Thunder </b>ruled in the sky as <b>fists </b>collided below. The air was filled with the grunts of exertion, angry shouts, and the pained cries of broken bones.

    For a moment, Emelie felt like she was witnessing adiator battle in ancient times.

    Thow strikes, kicks to the sides, body ms and knee thrusts. Each move was executed with deadly precision.

    At this moment, they were no different from beast trying to kill each other.

    Blood spattered under the force of panches, sshing into puddles and releasing nauseating smell.

    Emebe was already feeling unwell and horned pale. She wanted to stop <b>them </b>but had no idea how. The scent of blood made her gag.

    Marcel drove up, and Wesley quickly pulled Emelie into the car

    With a swift turn of the steering wheel, Marcel span the car around, speeding off down the road. Water sprayed up like <b>a </b><b>dragos </b>Emelie lost herbnce and mmed into the car door. Wesley pulled her se.

    There <b>was </b><b>a </b>pause as she realized he was acting too intimately, <b>and </b><b>she </b>hurriedly pushed him away. She sat down against the car door.

    Dark clouds loomed, and the car was dimly

    Wesley¡¯s brown eyes looked deep and serious. ¡°Eme,e with me¡±

    Emelle burned to the passing scenery outside. She was unsure where they were heading.

    Her lips were pale. ¡°Why should I go with you?

    Just because she was suspicious of Willu i didn¡¯t mem she trusted this man. Those two points were not logicallymected

    She had questions about him too. After being gone for ten years, what right did he have to <b>demand </b><b>she </b>go with him?

    Wesley started, ¡°Thad reasons for leaving back then. Flexin them to you slowly.

    Marcel¡¯s low voice interrupted their conversation. ¡°They¡¯re catching up!¡±

    In the rearview mirror<b>, </b>a Maybach was closely taiing them.

    However, it wasn¡¯t just one car. Four cars seemed to split from it, chasing them through the rain.

    Capebutt City was William¡¯s domain. <b>He </b>could summon as many people <b>as </b>he needed here.

    Despite the slippery roads<b>, </b>no one <b>slowed </b>down. The cars followed Wesley¡¯s car relentlessly.

    Wesley said, ¡°Lose them.<b>¡±</b>

    as the whicle sped oft

    Marcel understood. He grabbed a bag from the car door¡¯s groove, rolled down the window, and dumped its contents. He did so while keeping his eyes on the road and his foot on the pr

    Then, he began to count silently

    Three, two, one.

    Suddenly, he made a sharp tight turn

    Emelle, who did not have her seatbelt on, was nearly thrown out by the abrupt er. She heard the screeching of <b>tires </b><b>as </b><b>cars </b>behind them sharply braked

    She was astonished, and she turned <b>to </b><b>look </b>at the window at the back

    Marcel had thrown spike strips to puncture car tires. Several <b>cars </b><b>lost </b>control and crashed into the roundabout

    Police shens son red.

    It was dark, and they quickly drove far away. E

    away. Emelle couldn¡¯t see Wam¡¯s Maybach was among the wrecked.

    Even though shebaddocles about William, they were just double. She never wanted his hired Her heart tightened, and she grabbed the front sent ¡°Stop the car! Stop!¡±

 Chapter 468

    Chapter 468 His Little Wire

    Marcel nced in the rearview mirror. Since Wesley didn¡¯t tell him to stop, be kept his foot on the <b>gas </b><b>i </b>pedal, and the car continued to speed down the road.

    Elgrimed her teeth and red at Wesley. ¡°Tell <b>him </b>to stop the car!¡±

    Wesley suddenly leaned toward her, closing the distance between them. His scent, reminiscent of pine, now felt almost aggressive.

    Each person had a different sense of personal space<b>, </b>but crossing it would cause difort. Emelie pulled out a small knife from her bag and thrust it toward him without

    hesitation.

    How, Wesley was quick enough <b>to </b>catch her wrist.

    He nced down at <b>the </bpact <b>folding </b>knife. <b>Though </b>it <b>was </b><b>short</b>, it was also sharp enough to <b>be </b><b>dangerous</b>

    He then looked back at Emelle. He understood that the sudden <b>fight</b><b>, </b>abduction, high<b>¨C</b>speed chase, and near¨Cident had triggered Emelle¡¯s defensive instincts

    Stil, his voice was low and steady as he asked, ¡°Were you nning to stab me

    Emelie presed her lips together tightly.

    Marcell couldn¡¯t help but nce in the rearview mirror. ¡°Mr. Graham, are you alright?¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Wesley replied <b>calmly</b>, then took the kade from Emelie¡¯s hand.

    He reached over and fastened her seatbelt with a click

    His cool, clear voice whispered in her ear, ¡°I was just trying to help you <b>with </b>your seatbelt

    He then <b>leaned </b>back and fastened his own portbelt. ¡°He won¡¯t be harmed, but if <b>you </b><b>stay </b>with him<b>, </b>you will be.¡±

    ¡± you want me to believe <b>you</b><b>, </b>you need to tell me everything and let me judge for myself, not me blindly believing whatever you <b>say</b><b>. </b>I¡¯m not a child who will believe anything you say.¡± Emelie was firmon her stance.

    Wesley remained silent.

    timele turned her head to look out the window. She could see <b>his </b>reflection in <b>the </b>ss. Wesley¡¯s profile was strikingly handsome, with a sharp wine and nose

    He seemed to <b>be </b>deep in <b>thought</b>, considering whether to tell her the truth.

    Emele didn¡¯t push him.

    The road they were on led to the outskirts, and the buildings were bing fewer and Earther between. The paved road turned into a dirt path, which was uneven and caused <b>the </b>whare to jolt.

    Despite the rough terrain, Marrel maintained a high speed, making the car feel as though it might tip over at any moment.

    Emelle clung to the handle above the window.

    click

    The soft sound of a lighter flicking open made me look over instinctively. She saw Wesley holding a silverlighter.

    She froze.

    It was the lighter she had given him years ago.

    Wesley skillfully yed with the lighter as he timed it between his fingers

    Emelie noticed an orange gemstone embedded <b>at </b>the bottom, shining like molten gold at sunset. It was just like the one she had given him back then.

    His habitual movements with the lighter showed that he had used often over the years,

    Enelle¡¯s lips tightened.

    As the me Dickered in front of her, she was transported back to an evening after school. The golden light of dusk spread <b>across </b>hall the campus.

    A young man had just <b>finished </b>a few rounds of basketball, and his breathing was heavy. He hopped over the barrier from the yground to the stands and sat down to rest.

    Someone handed him a bottle of water, which he epted and drank hallofitionegu

    His schooluniform cor was undane, revealing his neck and <b>his </b>Adam¡¯s apple as it moved while he swallowed.

    Ackssmate must haveplimented his pan

    because be smiled slightly. The man locked rxed and <b>aloof </b>in the Eading light, <b>which </b>appeared both <b>beautiful </b>and captivating.

    Many girls stayed after school just to watch him y. They would hover around him carefully

    A boy handed him a cigarette, <b>and </b>he took it, holding it between his lips.

    One of the girls seized the opportunity to offer to light it for him, and his eyes caught sight of her immediately.

    He squinted against the Eight and smiled a bit more. ¡°Eme,e light this <b>for </b>me.¡±

    She didn¡¯t. She turned and walked away <b>instead</b>.

    wesley quickly followed her, and she heard his ssmates teasing, ¡°Oh! Wesley¡¯s little wife mad again!¡±

    Wesley hamed and threw his basketball at the loudest of them, hitting him squarely <b>and </b>causing moreughter.

    He didn¡¯t care. He took her backpack <b>and </b>ng it over his shoulder.

    He lowered his head <b>and </b><b>asked</b>, ¡°te, are you mad? Why? ?

    she didn¡¯t awer the question.

    A few dayster<b>, </b>she gave him that lighter and told him to light his own cigarettes from then on.

    Wesley had yed with the lighter just as he did now.

 Chapter 469

    He smiled as if understanding something and said, ¡°I don¡¯t really like smoking. Even if you hadn¡¯te that day, I wouldn¡¯t have let them light it. But I¡¯ll keep this. Eme, this is the first gift you gave me. I¡¯ll keep it forever.¡±

    Chapter <b>469 </b>I Don¡¯t Like You Anymor

    Chapter 469 I Don¡¯t Like You Anymore

    The memories shed through Emelie¡¯s mind, and she couldn¡¯t help but sneer.

    She suddenly said, ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being ridiculous? Ten years ago, you broke up with me and left the country without warning. And now, you suddenly appear and say you want to take me away. <b>What </b><b>do </b>you take me for?

    ¡°You think you can adopt me when you like <b>and </b>discard me when you don¡¯t? Am I some pet you <b>can </b>just take back when you feel like it?¡±

    Wesley <b>looked </b>at the tense look on her face and said <b>calmly</b>, ¡°I knew you still had some lingering anger left. What else do you want to yell at me? Go ahead. But once you¡¯re done, no more knives.<b>¡±</b>

    It was as if her defensive stance had hurt him deeply.

    Emelie snapped. ¡°I don¡¯t <b>like </b>you anymore.¡±

    Wesley remained emotionless. ¡°Do you like William?

    Emelie replied without hesitation,

    Wesley asked, ¡°What do you like about him? Do you like that he treated you as a tool for three years? Do you like his wandering eye and preference for purer<b>, </b>cleaner women?

    ¡°Or do you like how he suppresses you so you can¡¯t find a new job? Or do you like how he coerces you into either going back to him or living in solitude?¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t respond.

    Wesley continued to y with the lighter. What he said may sound cold and <b>sarcastic</b>, but his tone was as calm and quiet as usual. He was not talking aggressively.

    Emelie felt suffocated. ¡°So, you knew everything that happened to me? When I needed you the most, you were nowhere to be found. And now, after I¡¯ve reconciled with William and even gotten married, you suddenly show up. <b>Did </b>you expect me to believe your vague <b>words </b>and just go with you?¡±

    Why were the men she met in her life always so unreasonable?

    William was one<b>, </b><b>and </b>Wesley was another.

    She tightened her lips and tried to open the car door<b>, </b>but it was locked.

    Wesley nced at her and asked, ¡°Marcel, ask Jodie if she was almost there¡±

    Yes, Mr. Graham.¡± Marcel put on his bluetooth headset to contact Jodie.

    Emelie was irritated. ¡°Where are you taking me?¡±

    Wesley replied, ¡°Come with me, and I¡¯ll tell you everything¡±

    Emelie realized that no matter how much she yelled or used him<b>, </b>he remained unmoved. He was only fixated on calding her away.

    She gave up trying tomunicate and stared out the window.

    The heavy rain continued to pour down as it drenched the entire city. Even inside the car, she could feel the chill of the cold weather through the ss.

    Wesley noticed that she had quieted down and called her name, ¡°Eme.¡±

    When she didn¡¯t respond, he said, ¡°Do you hold such a deep <b>grudge </b>against me? Haven¡¯t Ie back to see you all these years? Remember New Year¡¯s Eve two years ago when you got drunk? I was the one who picked you up.¡±

    Two years ago on New Year¡¯s Eve¡­

    Emelie smirked. ¡°If it hadn¡¯t been for you picking me up that night and William seeing <b>us</b><b>, </b>a lot of things between us could have been avoided.¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Nothing significant happened that New Year¡¯s Eve. It was just that the festive season had made her miss her parents, so she drank a bit too much at a friend¡¯s gathering.

    She could hold her Equor well, often drinking without getting drunk at social events. But

    it when there was nothing to worry about, she could easily let herself get drunk

    She had called Mona to pick her up, and Mona said she would be there soon. Thus, Emelle got toofortable and passed out.

    However, Wesley found her before Mona did.

    As she had told her drinking <b>buddies </b>that someone wasing to get her, they assumed it was Wesley and let him take her away.

    Chapter 4691 Don¡¯t Like You Anymore

    Chapter 469 I Don¡¯t Like You Anymore

    1/1

    The memories shed through Emelie¡¯s mind, and she couldn¡¯t help but sneer.

    She suddenly said, ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being ridiculous? Ten years ago, you broke up with me and left the country without warning. And now, you suddenly appear and say you want to take me away. What do you take me for?

    ¡°You think you can adopt me when you like and discard me when you don¡¯t? Am I some pet you can just take back when you feel like it?¡±

    Wesley looked at the tense look on her face and said calmly, ¡°I knew you still had some lingering anger left. What else do you want to yell at me? <b>Go </b>ahead. But once you¡¯re done, no more knives.¡±

    It was as if her defensive stance had hurt him deeply.

    Emelie

    le snapped. ¡°I don¡¯t like you anymore.

    Wesley remained emotionless. ¡°Do you like William?¡±

    Emelie replied without hesitation, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Wesley asked, ¡°What do you <b>like </b>about him? Do you like that he treated you as a tool for three years? Do you like his wandering eye and preference for purer, cleaner women?

    ¡°Or do you like how he suppresses you so you can¡¯t find a new job? Or do you like how he coerces you into either going back to him or living in solitude?¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t respond.

    Wesley continued to y with the lighter. What he said may sound cold and sarcastic, but his tone was as calm and quiet as usual. He was not talking aggressively,

    Emelie felt suffocated. ¡°So, you knew everything that happened to me? <b>When </b>I needed you the most, you were nowhere to be found. And now, after I¡¯ve reconciled with William <b>and </b>even gotten married, you suddenly show up. Did you expect me <b>to </b>believe your vague words <b>and </b>just go with you?¡±

    Why were the men she met in her life always so unreasonable?

    Willum was one, and Wesley was another.

    She tightened her lips and tried to open the car door, but it was locked.

    Wesley nced at her and asked, ¡°Marcel, ask jodie if she was almost there.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Graham¡± Marcel put on his bluetooth headset to contact Jodie

    Emelie was irritated. ¡°Where are you taking me?

    Wesley replied, ¡°Come with me, and I¡¯ll tell you everything.¡±

    Emelie realized that no matter how much she yelled or used him, he remained unmoved. He was only fixated on taking her away.

    She gave up trying tomunicate and stared out the window

    The heavy rain continued to pour down as it drenched the entire city. Even inside the car, she could feel the chill of the cold weather through the ss.

    Wesley noticed that she had quieted down and called her name, ¡°Eme.¡±

    When she didn¡¯t respond, he said, ¡°Do you hold such a deep

    got drunk? I was the one who picked you up.¡±

    Two years ago on New Year¡¯s Eve.

    e against me? Haven¡¯t Ie back to see you all these years? Remember New Year¡¯s Eve two years ago when you

    Emelie smirked. ¡°If it hadn¡¯t been for you picking me up that night and William seeing us, a lot of things between us could have been <b>avoided</b>.¡±

    Nothing significant happened that New Year¡¯s Eve. It was just that the festive season had made her miss her parents, so she drank <b>a </b>bit too much at a friend¡¯s gathering,

    She could hold her liquor well, often drinking without getting drunk at social events. But when there was nothing to worry about, she could <b>easily </b>let herself get drunk.

    She <b>had </b>called Mona to pick her up, and Mona said she would be there soon. Thus, Emelle got toofortable and passed out.

    However, Wesley found her before Mona did.

    As she had told her drinking buddies that someone wasing to get her, they assumed it was Wesley and let him take her away.

 Chapter 470

    Chapter 470 He Caught Up

    Wesley wrapped his arm around her as they exited the bar

    The wind was howling, so he took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. Then, he lowered his head and gently adjusted her cor.

    ¡°You drank so much is something bothering you?¡± Wesley asked softly.

    Emeke was knocked out the leaned her head against Wesley¡¯s chest and murmured something

    Wesley had never are her the intoxicated before. He was worried about lowing her alone, so he decided to take her to <b>a </b>hotel.

    The hotel <b>required </b><b>guests </b>to register their personal information when booking a room.

    Wesley held onto her and asked, ¡°Do you have your D

    Her voice was slurred as she said, ¡°Um¨Chman,¡±

    wesley asked patiently<b>, </b><b>¡°</b>Your mu?¡±

    ¡°Un¨Chmm,¡°bnelie said again.

    He was exasperated but amused at the same time. <b>¡°</b>Your ID, you little drunkard.¡±

    Only then did she say in a ply voice, ¡°It¡¯s in my pocket.¡±

    Wesley searched for her ID card in her pocket

    Emeleted her head to study him. After a long time<b>, </b>she seemed to have recognized him in her drunken stupor <b>and </b>asked, ¡°Wesley?¡±

    He looked up and said, ¡°Yes?¡±

    Emelie scorded at herself. ¡°Wesley<b>? </b>There¡¯s no way it could be you. I must be dreaming¡±

    His gaze <b>deepened</b>. ¡°Do you dream about me onen<b>?</b>¡±

    Emelie straightened up slightly, leaning against him once more, and shook her had it was unclear whether this meant she didn¡¯t dream of him often or simply rebused to admit

    Wesley feltplicated feelings as he reached out to pat her head. ¡°Can you walk on your own, or should carry you?!

    ¡°I¡¯m not drank,¡± shemumbled.

    ¡°Really?¡± Wesley asked

    To prove that she was sober, Emekle snatched back her card and strode toward the front desk. ¡°Hello! I¡¯d like a room, please!¡±

    Wesley shook his head in amusement and followed behind her.

    As fate <b>would </b>have it, Willkim was driving by the very same hotel.

    He saw Emdie dinging to Wesley and assumed that they were <b>getting </b>a room together. So, Wim jumped to the conclusion that she <b>had </b><b>rekindled </b><b>her </b><b>old </b>me

    This caused him to feel anger, <b>resentment</b>, and disgust toward her, which resubed in his treating her coldly for about so months

    Later, Emelle suffered a miscarriage and Daphine entered the picture<b>, </b>and these rtionship spiraled further out of control,

    Wesley held a lighter in his hand, garing at her intently<b>. </b>¡°So, you¡¯re ming me for what happened with Wim?¡±

    Emeldan¡¯t deny it.

    Wesley responded calmly, ¡°You know how to push my buttons sometimes.¡±

    William had also said the same thing, but how was she pushing their buttons<b>? </b>They had started everything, nother.

    Meanwhile, Marcel drove to the outskirts of the city After stopping in <b>a </b>vast<b>, </b>open tied, he got out of the car,

    He looked up and nced at the stormy sky, then walked up to Wesley and said through the car <b>window</b>, ¡°Sir, Jodie said she¡¯ll be here in three minutes, but the visibility is terrible.

    Emelie looked out the window and saw nothing but an empty <b>field</b>. ¡°Why did we stop here? There¡¯s nothing here:

    Just as the worth left her lips, Marcel¡¯s sharp eyes caught sight of several vehicles approaching in the distance.

    The carssped across the uneven terrain, heading straight for them.

    Marcel immediately pulled out a dagger from his boot and said in a low voice, ¡°They¡¯reing<b>¡±</b>

    Emelie had heard the sound of the engines too and rolled down her window. She <b>poked </b>her head out and saw that several cars were indeed hurtling toward them.

    These were most likely Wiliam¡¯s men, but the heavy <b>rain </b><b>and </b>dark surroundings made it impossible to see <b>William </b>himself was among them. She simply opened the door and

    <b>¡°</b><b>Eme</b>!¡± Wesley.couldn¡¯t <b>stop </b>her, <b>so </b>he grabbed an umbre and scrambled out of thecar

    He <b>ruched </b>after her<b>, </b>attempting to shield her from the rain

    Enelle strained her eyes to look at the approaching vehicles. Finally<b>, </b>she managed to identify the lead car¨CMayboch

    In that instant, a <b>wave </b>of relief washed <b>over </b>her. William was saleThis belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    The cars closed in, and there were no obstacles on <b>the </b>field. If Wesley had ordered Marcel to continue driving, they would still be surrounded <b>in </b>no time.

    Marcel, de in hand, stood in front of them

    Hestently counted down the distance 100 feet, 50, 30.

    He then nced at his watch. Three minutes, two<b>, </b>dec

    Although there was an umbre above Emelie, the wind whipped the rain against her, saaking her clothes.

    Chapter 470 He Caught Up

    Her mind raced. Wesley wouldn¡¯t tell her the truth, so she couldn¡¯t be taken away by him. She had to stay with William and continue investigating

    After she made the decision, Emelle bolted from under the umbre and sprinted toward the Maybach that was a few feet away.

    Inside the backseat of the Maybach, William spotted Emelie running toward him. He was stunned <b>for </b><b>a </b>moment,

    ¡°Speed up!¡± he growled.

    and his eyes

    s darkened.

    Wesley lunged, grabbing Emelle¡¯s arm. <b>¡°</b>Emel¡±

    Emelie turned around, the wind making her hair flutter.

    <b>She </b>held her breath and shouted, ¡°William¡¯s here! You won¡¯t be able to take me away!¡±

    A storm seemed to be brewing in Wesley¡¯s eyes. ¡°Are you choosing him over me?¡±

    Emelie paused. She didn¡¯t know what to say.

    In the end, she managed, ¡°You can¡¯t take me away.¡±

    ¡°What if I can?¡± The next second, a deafening roar drowned out everything around them. Emelie locked up in shock. There was a helicopter hovering menacingly low overhead.

 Chapter 471

    Chapter 471 She Left <b>With </b><b>Wesley</b>

    The helicopter des churned and the powerful gusts ttened the grass around them<b>, </b>whipping up Wesley¡¯s <b>suit</b>.

    Wesley tossed his umbre aside.

    He stared at Emelie. ¡°<b>Eme</b>, are youing with me or not?¡±

    Thousands <b>of </b>thoughts shed through Emelie¡¯s mind in <b>a </b>span of a few seconds.

    Should she leave? Should she stay?? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    Who could she trust? William or Wesley?

    Who should she bet on?

    Could she continue her investigation if she stayed, or would leaving be the only way to get answers?

    Images flickered through her mind: William slipping the wedding ring on her finger, Wesley protecting her in her youth, William¡¯s ¡°I miss you¡± on their wedding day, Wesley walking away despite her pleas¡­

    Emelie breathed heavily.

    A raindrop fell into her nose and she choked in a panic. She felt like she was drowning.

    The helicopter¡¯s hatch swung open.

    Jodie was lying near the hatch, and she yelled, ¡°Sir!¡±

    ¡°Lower thedder!¡± Marcel yelled back.

    Jodie immediately threw down a ropedder, and itnded right in front of them. ¡°Climb up! Climb up!¡±

    William¡¯s eyelids twitched. This was the first time he felt that the distance of about 20 feet was far away.

    ¡°Emelie!¡± he shouted.

    She had agreed to get back together with William and marry him not too long ago. They had just gotten married, and they hadn¡¯t even begun their life together as a married couple yet.

    Wesley was also calling out to her. ¡°Eme!¡±

    Emelie closed her eyes and took a deep breath before turning to meet Wesley¡¯s gaze. ¡°If I go with you, will you tell me everything? The whole truth?¡±

    Wesley¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed. ¡°Yes.¡±

    Without further hesitation, Emelie grabbed thedder and started to climb up.

    William¡¯s pupils narrowed. For some reason, he felt like Emelie was a kite with a string that was about to break.

    He flung open the car door and jumped out before the car even came to aplete stop.

    5 He only had one goal. He had to catch Emelie.

    Jodie spotted William from the helicopter and screamed, ¡°Take off!¡±

    The helicopter lurched upward, taking Emelie away with it.

    At the same time, Marcel brought his de down on William.

    William reacted swiftly and his anger ring.

    The two men were locked inbat. It was rare for someone of William¡¯s stature to be engaged in a physical brawl himself.

    The other cars had arrived by now. Lyle jumped out and took William¡¯s ce in the fight

    ¡°Will! Go after Ms. Hoven!¡± Lyle said.

    William jumped back into the car and mmed on the gas.

    Because Emelie was still on thedder, the helicopter didn¡¯t fully take off and kept hovering at a low altitude.

    Emelie clung to the flimsydder. It was already hard enough to climb up a ropedder, let alone when it was on a moving helicopter.

    Even though the helicopter was swaying as little as it could, Emelie still felt like she was violently rocking on a swing.

    Emelie was soaked in rain and her face pale.

    She nced down and saw the Maybach gaining on them. Emotions swirled within her.

    Meanwhile, Wesley, having been trained, climbed up thedder quickly. He reached down and grabbed Emelie, securing her.

    He then yelled to Jodie, ¡°Pull us up!¡±

    ¡°Got it!¡± Jodie responded and hauled them toward the open door. Jodie leaned out and grabbed Emelie, pulling her into the cabin. William mmed on the brakes, his eyes glued to the helicopter.

    Emelie had <b>been </b>suspended in the air for several minutes and was now trembling, but she wasn¡¯t sure if it was because of the cold or her fear. The helicopter flew over Marcel.

    Marcel tried to climb up thedder, but Lyle kicked him down. Before Marcel could get up, Lyle mmed his foot down on his chest.

    Lyle looked up, his gaze meeting Emelie¡¯s at the cabin door.

    Marcel yelled with all his might, ¡°Sir, Go!¡±

    Wesley said immediately, ¡°Go.¡±

    Chapter 471 She Left With Wesley

    2/2

    The helicopter broke out of its circling pattern and ascended, then it flew away and disappeared from sight.

    Lyle, who was drenched, wiped the rainwater away from his face. ¡°Damn them! They were prepared!¡±

    William had returned with the car and got out. He walked straight toward Marcel and stepped on his neck. The pressure caused Marcel¡¯s face to turn an rming shade of purple.

    Marcel wanted to fight back, but he was trapped under Lyle¡¯s foot. He could only await his fate.

    William¡¯s eyes burned with anger as he asked a single question, ¡°Where is the helicopter taking her?¡±

    Blood trickled down Marcel¡¯s throat, but he managed a defiant grin. ¡°Even if you kill me, I won¡¯t tell you.¡± A murderous glint flickered in William¡¯s eyes.

 Chapter 472

    <b>Chapter </b><b>472 </b><b>Wesley </b><b>Can¡¯t </b><b>Escape</b>

    William removed his foot from Marcel¡¯s throat a few secondster and turned to walk to his car.

    It was a waste of time to deal with him here. Lyle had many ways to make him talk. Hopefully, a few hours with him would loosen Marcel¡¯s tongue.

    Lyle nonchntly gestured to his men.

    They immediately came over, bounded Marcel¡¯s hands and feet, and taped his mouth shut. Then, they tossed him into the trunk.

    Lyle took the towel that one of his men handed to him and wiped his face and hair before climbing into the Maybach.

    He asked, ¡°Will, what¡¯s the n?¡±

    Raindrops clung to William¡¯s mono eyelids, which looked like razors.

    He cast a nce at the tumultuous weather. Visibility was low, so flying was logically out of the question.

    However, Wesley knew that the longer they stayed at Capebatt City, the higher the chance of William finding him. So, it was more likely that he would insist on flying

    William said in a deep voice, ¡°Ashton, call Jayden. He has connections in the aviation department. Ask them to ban Wesley¡¯s flight route immediately.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Ashton replied.

    William added, ¡°And get someone to the hospital to guard Emelie¡¯s mother. No one can see her except the doctors and nurses, of course. She can¡¯t be discharged either. Don¡¯t let her treatment be interrupted.¡±

    <b>¡°</b>Understood!¡± Ashton said.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    William loosened his tie. ¡°Lyle.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead, Will,¡± Lyle said.

    ¡°Keep an eye on Norman, particrly hismunications. If he contacts Wesley, let me know immediately.¡± In a span of minutes, William had spun an intricate web that left no escape for Wesley.

    Lyle, giving orders into his phone, found a moment to say, ¡°Don¡¯t worry so much, William. Emelie cares about her mother the most. She will return as long as her mother is under our watch.¡±

    William¡¯s response was cold. ¡°Of course she¡¯ll be back. She¡¯s my wife. Where else would she go?¡±

    After Lyle instructed his men, he kept his phone away and touched his bruised mouth, courtesy of Marcel.

    He cursed with hatred. ¡°Wesley¡¯s got guts, I¡¯ll give him that. Kidnapping someone right under your nose? We need to teach him a lesson. Otherwise, he¡¯ll think he rules Capebatt City.¡±

    Indeed.

    William wrapped his tie around his hand coldly as if it was a venomous serpent. ¡°What was the domesticpany he wanted to buy again?¡±

    Ashton answered at once, ¡°Bridge Corporation.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t Elias in a bidding war with his two brothers over his father¡¯s estate? If he acquires Bridge Corporation, it will earn him some brownie points with the old man,¡± William said slowly. ¡°Ask him if he¡¯s up for it. I can provide him with funds and connections.¡±

    Ashton shuddered.

    Bridge Corporation was still in its nascent stages. Attacking it now would be like a tiger attacking a cub or a cruise crushing a rowboat.

    William would win without a doubt and Bridge Corporation would only be left with one ending¨Cdestroyed.

    He wanted to cut off Wesley¡¯s pathpletely, preventing him from developing in the country.

    Ashton had a premonition. If Wesley didn¡¯t return Emelie within three days, or William couldn¡¯t find her, Norman might be William¡¯s next target.

    Ashton replied with a single ¡°Yes¡°, and she started making the arrangements on her tablet.

    Suddenly, Ashton received a call, and she quickly picked it up.

    After listening for a moment, she turned to William and asked, ¡°Mr. Middleton, a passerby recorded a video of the car chase and posted it online. The PR department has suppressed it but the traffic police is aware, and they have intervened.¡±

    Lyle arched an eyebrow. ¡°Didn¡¯t Wesley leave first? If anyone needs to answer to this, it¡¯s him.¡±

    William¡¯s expression was indifferent, but he didn¡¯t object.

    Ashton retreated to the back and said to the driver, ¡°We can leave now.¡±

    As they drove back, the car didn¡¯t speed like before but instead drove steadily.

    As the car was driving onto the main road from the suburbs, a helicopter flew overhead.

 Chapter 473

    Chapter <b>473 </b>She <b>Underestimates </b><b>Him</b>

    The helicopter cabin wasn¡¯t huge.

    Emelie was curled into a tight ball, shivering and sniffling with cold.

    Wesley asked Jodie to fetch a nket<b>, </b>after which he draped it over her. ¡°I don¡¯t have any spare clothes for you here, but we¡¯ll be there soon. Hang in there a little longer.¡±

    Emelie lifted her head. Her face was wless and was shimmering under the moonlight after the rain had cleansed it.

    ¡°We¡¯re leaving just like that? Aren¡¯t you going to rescue your guy?¡± Emelie asked.

    Wesley tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and said in a gentle voice, ¡°William won¡¯t kill him. My father will negotiate, and Marcel¡¯s smart enough to find his own way out.¡±

    Emelie pulled the nket tighter around her, feeling a chill in her bones.

    She turned to look out the window.

    Night had fallen, engulfing Capebatt City in the dark. She couldn¡¯t see much.

    Emelie thought that their destination was a house, but theynded at a dock instead. They got down from the helicopter and boarded a private cruise.

    The torrential rain whipped up strong winds and waves that battered the shore. Yet, the huge vessel was like a floating pce, firmly holding itself against the horrid weather.

    Wesley helped her onto the cruise.

    Once they were inside the cabin, he removed the damp nket around Emelie.

    Emelie looked around. This ship was even bigger than the one Norman had used for the party.

    ¡°Originally, we nned to leave Capebatt City via a private jet because it would be faster, but we just received word that all flights are grounded due to the bad weather. My guess is William yed a hand in that. Now, we can only leave by sea. I¡¯ll ask Jodie to take you to get a warm shower,¡± Wesley said.

    Emelie nodded.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    It wasn¡¯t wise to take to the seas in this bad weather too, but Wesley had still decided to set sail.

    She understood his worries. Any dy and William would catch on to their escape by sea. By then, he would use his connections to block their path as well.

    Emelie took a quick hot shower and put on a fresh set of clothes prepared for her. She finally felt the warmth returning to her limbs.

    Emelie surveyed the room and noted the distinctly Vereios¨Cstyle decor.

    The paintings on the walls and the books on the table were in foreignnguages. This ship must have been imported.

    It seemed she had underestimated the extent of Wesley¡¯s aplishments during his ten years abroad.

    He was wearing a soft white turtleneck sweater, tucked into custom¨Cmade white trousers. Over his sweater was a matching white knit cardigan.

    Like William, he favored a particr color palette. His preference for light shades entuated his enigmatic persona.

    The cabin itself resembled a top suite at a five¨Cstar hotel.

    Wesley was sitting on a leather sofa, busy brewing a pot of mulled wine that filled the air with a rich aroma and a touch of warmth.

    ¡°Feeling better?¡± Wesley lifted his head to look at her.

    Emelie walked up and sat some distance away from him.

    She went straight to the point and said, ¡°Care to exin now?¡±

    ¡°Are you feeling cold? The rain is really heavy today. I made some mulled wine to warm you up first¡± Wesley poured the wine into a ss and offered it to her.

    Emelie felt like he was deflecting the question, but then Wesley said, ¡°We have a long journey ahead.¡±

    If the voyage was long, escaping from this conversation was impossible no matter how big this ship was.

    Emelie was determined to get answers, so she epted the wine and took a tentative sip.

    The cinnamon and orange infused the wine with a richer vor.

    Emelie, somewhat of a wine connoisseur, recognized it as Roman¨¦e¨CConti. It was an expensive wine, but Wesley had used it for mulled wine. It was a bit wasteful.

    Emelie lifted her head. ¡°Do you have something to eat?¡±

    He nodded. ¡°What would you like?¡±

    ¡°I can order something?¡± Emelie asked.

    ¡°We were short on time when we switched ships, <b>so </b>nothing too borate. Hot or cold?¡± He didn¡¯t wait for her response and helped her make a decision. ¡°Hot, it is.¡± Emelie wasn¡¯t picky. Wesley gave some instructions to Jodie, who in turn passed it onto the chef.

    Soon, the chef had prepared four dishes: Bolognese pasta, mushroom soup, pan¨Cfried sole, and Frenchmb chops.

    Emelie looked at the food in front of her and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you having any?¡±

    Wesley gave a slight shake of his head. ¡°Go ahead, eat.¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t need his urging and picked up her cutlery.

    The portions were small, and she had an interesting habit of finishing one dish entirely before moving on to the next.

    Wesley watched her, his expression softening.

    After he finished his wine and Emelie was halfway through her meal, Wesley finally brought up the topic. ¡°You mentioned knowing you¡¯re not rted to the Hovens, <b>and </b>your adoptive father¡¯s suicide wasn¡¯t <b>so </b>simple. What else do you know?<b>¡±</b>

 Chapter 474

    Chapter <b>474 </b><b>She </b>Will Return

    With her experience as a head secretary<b>, </b>Emelie instantly picked up on the peculiar structure of his question. ¡°Are you trying to tailor your story based on what I already know?¡±

    She stared at him while emphasizing each word. ¡°You promised to reveal everything.¡±

    There would be no cutting corners. She looked dead serious.

    Wesley smiled and uncrossed his legs. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to deceive you. It¡¯s just that the timeframe of this is long and there are a lot of details. I¡¯m at a loss for where to begin, so I asked you for a starting point.¡±

    Emelie pondered for a moment before asking about Ashley¡¯s discovery. ¡°Someone took my father from the hospital. Whoever it was, they seem to have brought him to a vi, but the owner remains a mystery.¡±

    ¡°It belongs to Charles,¡± Wesley responded swiftly.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie was surprised. ¡°Charles?¡±

    Wesley reached for the ss kettle simmering on the induction cooker and poured out the hot wine. ¡°Charles Davis from Calmcrest. He pursued you before, didn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°This whole thing involves him too?¡± Emelie frowned, puzzled by the seemingly irrelevant connection.

    The cruise ship glided smoothly across the ocean and was devoid of turbulence. It felt more like solid ground than a vessel.

    Wesley said, ¡°Of course. He was the one who took your adoptive father from the hospital.¡±

    Suddenly, Emelie could guess what Ashley wasn¡¯t able to tell her during the call in the afternoon.

    Ashley had mentioned that she saw a familiar figure in the surveince footage leaving the hospital ten minutes after her father. That person was most probably Charles.

    Emelie blinked. She felt like everyone around her seemed to be harboring hidden motives: It was absurd.

    ¡°Why Charles?¡± she asked.

    Wesley responded calmly, ¡°After Xander Group fell, four major business families rose to prominence: the Middleton family of Cloudex Corporation, the Swanson family of Swanson Corporation, the Davis family of Davis Group, and the Collins family of Collins Corporation. They divided up the market previously held by the Xander Group.¡±

    Emelie pursed her lips. ¡°There are winners, and there are losers. That¡¯s normal.¡±

    She had witnessed this countless times. When apany crumbled,petitors would swoop in to im its market share. This was how things worked.

    However, Wesley asked, ¡°Why those specific families?¡±

    Emelie was taken aback.

    He continued softly, ¡°Have you ever looked into the background of these families¡® chairmen?¡±

    She shook her head.

    ¡°When Xander Group still existed, the Middleton family and the Swanson families were its closest partners. The Davis family had a vice president position within the group, while the Collins family¡¯s representative was Xander¡¯s secretary. They were all very close to Xander himself,¡± Wesley said.

    Emelie¡¯s eyelids twitched.

    She set down her fork. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that they conspired to bring down Xander and hispany?¡±

    ¡°The Xander Group wasn¡¯t wless, but not to the extent of being wiped out. Xander wasn¡¯t without his faults, but he didn¡¯t deserve to die,¡± Wesley replied.

    He continued with a rare hint of sarcasm, ¡°But if Xander hadn¡¯t died and the Xander Group hadn¡¯t copsed, how would those coveted markets have opened up, and how would The Great Four exist today?¡±

    A deafening crack of thunder seemed to erupt right on cue. It was like a sledgehammer had hit Emelie¡¯s heart, sending shivers down her spine.

    The moment William stepped inside of Eastbay, the rain started pouring.

    He didn¡¯t bother to turn on the lights in the living room and headed straight for the bedroom.

    One entire wall of the master bedroom was constructed entirely of ss..

    On clear days, it offered a great view of the sky, reminiscent of a Hayao Miyazaki scene. Emelie used to love lying on the bed and watching the clouds.

    Now, the storm outside felt like an impending apocalypse, mirroring William¡¯s mood.

    He took a remote and pressed a button. The curtains shut automatically, blocking out the downpour.

    He took off his damp clothes. His expressionless face was reflected on a ss cab.

    He had given tasks to his men in the car, but it didn¡¯t include sending someone after Wesley and Emelie. This was because he was very sure that even if they managed to leave Capebatt City, Emelie would eventually return.

    She only left with Weseley because she wanted to find out the truth. Once she knew, she would return. If not for herself, then for her mother. Her mother was still in his hands,

    after all.

    As always, William trusted his own judgment. All he needed to do was wait patiently at home for her to return.

    He remained calmn andposed as he removed his shirt and belt. He turned on the shower after entering the bathroom.

    As warm water trickled down his body, an image surfaced in his mind, and the impassive demeanor that he had maintained for so long began to crumble.

 Chapter 475

    <b>Chapter </b>475 <b>My </b><b>Wife </b>Ran Away

    Emelie did it again.

    She actually did it again.

    She didn¡¯t hesitate to leave with Wesley. Without a single backward nce, she had climbed thedder and left him.

    It was as if her wedding ring meant nothing to her. Their trip to get married was just a sightseeing trip, and their marriage was a joke and never held any weight to her.

    The steam from the hot shower filled the bathroom.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    <b>For </b>the first time, William felt suffocated. He mmed the shower tap shut and put one hand against the wall to support himself, his head hung low.

    Water trickled down his hair and onto his face.

    William let out a scoff. As long as Wesley was in the picture, no matter what he did, Emelie would always choose him.

    It was just like in high school.

    Both of them were popr, but she only ever had eyes for Wesley. He had watched her run past him countless times to Wesley who was standing behind him, and she never spared him a nce.

    She cared about Wesley so deeply that she couldn¡¯t ept anyone else. That was why the moment Wesley returned, she forgot about their marriage and left him without a second thought.

    William dried himself off, put on a bathrobe, and walked out of the bathroom.

    He took a bottle of wine from the cab, not even bothering to check the brand or year. Then, he popped the cork, poured himself half a ss, and tossed in a few ice cubes.

    He wore an indifferent expression and he subdued his emotions as he sat alone in the darkened dining room, sipping his drink.

    Suddenly, his phone rang. He nced at the screen and saw Patrice¡¯s name.

    He didn¡¯t need to answer to know what she wanted: An update on the progress of his and Emelie¡¯s rtionship.

    The progress? His wife had run off with her ex¨Cboyfriend.

    William immediately hung up the call, but his phone rang again.

    This time, Charles¡¯s number appeared. He answered it and switched it to speakerphone, then set it on the table.

    ¡°Mr. Middleton,¡± Charles began hurriedly. ¡°I heard Ms. Hoven was taken away?¡±

    ¡°Who told you that?¡± William¡¯s voice was t.

    Charles chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s a secret, but is it true?¡±

    William scoffed. ¡°So what if it¡¯s true? She doesn¡¯t know about the 300 million dors anyway. Even if she stayed, she wouldn¡¯t be able to answer your questions. Besides, she¡¯s my wife. Who would dare to question her?¡±

    Charles drawled, ¡°Oh, I wouldn¡¯t dream of questioning Ms. Hoven. I like her, and I also hope for her to be happy.¡±

    Just as William was about to hang up, Charles changed the subject. ¡°But Mrs. Hoven certainly knows something, wouldn¡¯t you agree? After all, she¡¯s the one who raised Emelie. Plus, she has been Ronan¡¯s wife for years. I don¡¯t believe Ronan kept everything from her.¡±

    William listened silently.

    ¡°I went to the hospital earlier, hoping to see Mrs. Hoven, but your men wouldn¡¯t let me in. Apparently, I needed your permission. Mr. Middleton, could you loosen the reins a bit for me?¡±

    William swirled the wine in his ss, the liquid clinging to the sides of the ss.

    He said in a calm voice, ¡°I thought I told you to leave Capebatt City after what happened to Ronan. Why are you still here?¡±

    Charles figured that William wasn¡¯t going to let him see Greta.

    In fact, he had always suspected William wasn¡¯t truly invested in finding the missing money, despite taking over his father¡¯s role in the partnership. He seemed more like an observer, which was rather dull.

    Back then, the fall of the Xander Group benefited Cloudex Corporation the most. Now, with the Middleton family consolidating their power, Charles wasn¡¯t about to stand by idly. Since they had gained so much profit, they had to take an equal amount of responsibility.

    ¡°Leave Capebatt City? Fine, I¡¯ll go,¡± Charles replied nonchntly. ¡°But Ronan is dead and Emelie was taken away. All four families need to sit down and have a discussion. Considering the unexpected events around the 300 million dors, we need to decide how to proceed.¡±

    William took a sip of wine but didn¡¯t swallow it to savor the taste. ¡°Tomorrow morning, ten o¡¯clock. Just like how our fathers met to discuss taking down Xander, we¡¯ll meet to discuss how <b>to </b>solve this problemn once and for all.¡±

    William¡¯s eyes were cold.

    Charles¡® chillingughter, tinged with a hint of malice, could be heard on the phone. ¡°Don¡¯t forget toe on time tomorrow, Mr. Middleton. Cloudex Corporation and the Middleton family have <b>a </b>stake in this too.¡±

    Charles hung up.

    After William swallowed the wine, he threw his mobile phone against the wall. With a smack, the screen shattered into pieces.

 Chapter 476

    Chapter 476 A Ledger Named <b>300 </b>Million

    <b>Emelie </b>clutched her chest as she felt something squeeze her heart.

    Was this what it meant <b>to </b>be connected by blood?

    Even though she had never met Xander and had only seen a blurry picture of him in her investigations, Emelie felt like her heart was torn apart after hearing Wesley¡¯s brief description. It hurt badly.

    In her daze, she pictured a majestic lion in the forest, and it had fallen into a hunter¡¯s cunning trap. Despite its valiant struggle to escape, the lion was wounded and weakened, <b>so </b>it became an easy target for its rivals that were hungry for its territory.

    These rivals used every dirty trick in their books and worked together to kill the lion. Finally, they tore it apart, iming itsnd and dividing its wealth.

    Meanwhile, the liony forgotten in a corner, rotting away until it died and only its bones remained.

    Emelie couldn¡¯t continue eating. She felt like a bone was lodged in her throat.

    The image of Xander, who looked dignified and kind, began to distort into something evil in her mind.

    She was unable to contain her emotions and blurted, ¡°If he was framed, why didn¡¯t he fight back?¡±

    Wesley responded gently, ¡°The trap was so wless that it was impossible for him to escape. Even if he fought to the bitter end, he might not have been able to win.

    ¡°Moreover, he had a family and was afraid that others would seek vengeance against them, so he chose to shoulder all the me, hoping his death would end everything.¡±

    Family¡­ Family meant her.

    <b>For </b>the first time in twenty¨Cfive years, Emelie learned the heartbreaking truth. Her biological father had sacrificed himself to protect her.

    She held back her tears and asked, ¡°But why target my father after everything was over?¡±

    Emelie curled up defensively.

    Wesley stood up, increased the temperature of the air conditioning, and went to grab a nket. He then wrapped it around her and gave her aforting hug.

    It wasn¡¯t meant to be intimate in any way. It was done so she wouldn¡¯t feel alone.

    Emelie indeed needed a pir of strength to lean on at this moment. Wesley¡¯s pine scent calmed her down, and she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

    His low and hoarse voice rang in her ear. ¡°The death penalty isn¡¯t handed out lightly, but Xander received this sentence for embezzlement. They imed he embezzled 10 million dors during the construction of several railroads where 300 million dors was invested.¡±

    Emelie¡¯s head snapped up, her eyes wide with shock.

    10 million? No wonder Xander was given the death penalty. The embezzled amount was so massive that it jeopardized the country and the public¡¯s well¨Cbeing. Who wouldn¡¯t be sentenced to death?

    However, Wesley said, ¡°But Xander never took the money.¡±

    Emelie¡¯s breathing became erratic, and she gripped Wesley¡¯s sweater subconsciously.

    Wesley noticed her knuckles and spoke softly, ¡°Back then, Xander was cautious about the project, fearing to make any mistakes. He even kept a ledger where he meticulously recorded every transaction.

    He jokingly referred to it as being worth 300 million dors, hence the name of the ledger became ¡®300 Million.¡®¡±

    Ledger¡­

    Emelie¡¯s mind raced. ¡°Could this ledger prove Xander¡¯s innocence?¡±

    ¡°Not only would it clear his name, but it would also expose the true culprits behind the embezzlement scheme,¡± Wesley said.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie eximed, ¡°Then this ledger is a ticking time bomb!¡±

    Wesley said, ¡°The four families who brought down the Pierce family couldn¡¯t find the ledger no matter where they looked. It became a constant worry, but since no one could find it, they thought it would forever remain a mystery, until three years ago.

    ¡°Because of his greed, your father was set up and owed a huge debt. Reggie had asked Ronan for money. When Ronan saw Reggie, he recognized his resemnce to James.

    ¡°Even though James was no longer alive, he had told Reggie about Ronan¡¯s abduction of Xander¡¯s daughter. While begging for mercy, Ronan revealed his identity as an old friend. ¡°Reggie exploited Ronan¡¯s desperation. He revealed someone was protecting you and hatched a n with Reggie to use you to pay his debt, intending to flush out your protector. They nned a scheme involving a three million dor debt. However, that night, you met William first<b>.</b>¡±

    Emelie listened in a daze, her eyes fixed on Wesley. His features weren¡¯t particrly sharp, but the smooth lines from his forehead to his nose and chin lent him a retined air.

    She stared at him for so long that his <b>gaze </b>flickered and he looked away. Unexpectedly, she reached out and grasped his hand.

 Chapter 477

    Chapter 477 <b>Protect </b>You in Their <b>Stead</b>Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Wesley paused and looked back down at Emelie.

    Emelie pursed her lips. ¡°Were <b>you </b>the one protecting me?¡±

    She remembered herst conversation with her father.

    He had vaguely mentioned her being a ¡°lucky child¡°, blessed by some unseen force. Every time she encountered danger, she would escape unharmed. He had even given her a few examples.

    At the time, she ignored it because she thought he just didn¡¯t want to shoulder the responsibility. But now, his words took on a new meaning.

    Someone had been watching over her, but who?

    Wesley seemed like the most likely candidate. After all, hadn¡¯t he previously had Marcel trail her?

    After a brief pause, Wesley said, ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t me.¡±

    Emelie released his hand immediately and asked in confusion, ¡°Then who?¡±

    ¡°It could have been someone else Xander trusted.¡± Wesley picked up his wine ss and took a sip. The mulled wine had cooled considerably, and he could feel it entering his stomach.

    He exined, ¡°Xander was a loyal man who treated his friends well. When hispany started to decline, some people kicked him when he was down, while some people lent a helping hand.

    ¡°Before Xander Grouppletely fell, Norm¡­ my father alone invested over 50 million to keep it from failing. Only after Xander sent us a message from prison, urging us to stop helping him, did we finally give up.¡±

    Wesley put his ss down. ¡°Ronan decided to take you away and raise you because of how kind Xander was. Perhaps others who remembered his generosity have been secretly watching over you, his sole heir.¡±

    Emelie thought about what he said for a moment before nodding slowly.

    This exnation made sense. Wesley was probably right.

    ¡°What happened next?¡± She steered the conversation back to where they left off.

    Wesley exined, ¡°Reggie only knew his father¡¯s friend, Edward, had taken Xander¡¯s daughter. He wasn¡¯t aware of Edward¡¯s whereabouts, treating it as a mere story. He didn¡¯t go around publicizing it.

    ¡°But with Ronan¡¯s confession, it stopped being a mere story and became an opportunity. Reggie wasted no time informing the Davis family.

    ¡°It was only then that the Davis family realized that Xander¡¯s daughter hadn¡¯t died with his wife in the river. Instead, she had been taken by a bodyguard and raised in secret. So, they started having suspicions.¡±

    Emelie suddenly understood what was going on.

    She interjected, ¡°So they suspected the bodyguard took not only Xander¡¯s daughter, but also the ledger.¡±

    Wesley nodded lightly.

    Emelie felt as though she had just watched a dramatic y unfold, leaving her sorrowful yet enlightened. So, this was what happened. The pieces of the puzzle were finally falling into ce.

    They said fate worked in mysterious ways. In fact, her fate had already taken a sharp turn three years ago..

    Now, she understood why her parents had driven her away and told her to never return. They were afraid that she would be a target if she did.

    The Davis family led the four families and cornered Ronan, forcing him to give them ¡°300 Million¡°, the ledger owned by Xander.

    This ledger was the key evidence of their set up, something that after twenty¨Cfive years, could bring them crashing down from their pedestals and face the same legal consequences as Xander.

    Emelie¡¯s lips turned pale. ¡°They forced my father to hand over the ledger, and when he refused, hemitted suicide?¡±

    Wesley didn¡¯t think so. ¡°As Xander¡¯s bodyguard, Ronan must have possessed a strong will. Physical torture alone wouldn¡¯t have driven him to take his own life. After all, he had you to look after. My guess is they threatened him with you.¡±

    Threatened?

    Emelie looked at Wesley.

    ¡°They might have threatened your father, saying something along the lines of ¡®if you don¡¯t talk, we¡¯ll find Emelie and make you watch as we hurt her. We¡¯ll see if you¡¯ll still insist on keeping quiet, then.¡°¡±

    Emelie felt like she was suffocating.

    Xander¡¯s death caused her immense pain. However, the image of Ronan¡¯s deste figure when shest saw him before he died, would always bring tears to her eyes.

    Wesley continued, ¡°In the end, Ronan was afraid that you would be hurt when they used you to threaten him. So, he made the same choice as Xander, taking the secret of ¡®300 Million¡® to his grave. He believed that by doing <b>so</b>, they would leave you alone, since you didn¡¯t know anything.¡±

    Emelie took a deep breath of the sea¡¯s air.

    When she exhaled, she couldn¡¯t hold back her tears and cried. Both her father and adoptive father had died for her.

    Wesley wiped away her tears and said gently, ¡°<b>Don¡¯t </b>cry. From now on, I will always be by your side and continue protecting you in their stead.¡±

 Chapter 478

    Chapter 478 Taking Revenge On Us

    1/3

    <b>It </b>was still cloudy the day after the storm.

    Just past nine in the morning<i>, </i>William drove his car through the gates of the Middleton Residence.

    As soon as the car rolled into the yard, Henry¡¯s secretary, Alfred Caine, who had been waiting for some time, strode over and opened the car door. ¡°Mr. Middleton, you¡¯ve arrived. Mr. Middleton Senior is waiting for you in the master bedroom on the second floor.¡±

    ¡°The master bedroom?¡± William nced at Alfred before hurrying into the house.

    He climbed up the stairs swiftly and steadily. ¡°Is he sick?¡±

    ¡°Yes. His blood pressure skyrocketed to 200st night, and he fainted on the spot. Thankfully, the family doctor was around and stabilized him. We checked his blood pressure again this morning at seven, and it¡¯s still very high,¡± Alfred said.

    William¡¯s steps faltered momentarily.

    Henry had been diagnosed with hypertension for a while. Whenever he argued with Henry, Emelie would be at the side reminding him of Henry¡¯s condition. Yet, this time, it seemed far more severe.

    William frowned as reached the master bedroom. The door was ajar, and he saw Vanessa sitting on the edge of the bed and feeding Henry some soup.

    Alfred announced softly, ¡°Sir, madam, Mr. Middleton is here.¡±

    William walked into the room and saw his father sitting up and leaning against the headboard.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    He was nearing sixty. But he was once a powerful business mogul. Now, he appeared frail and sickly.

    His face was flushed with a deep red, and there were dark circles under his eyes. Deep lines had formed around his nose with age.

    The curtains were drawn and only the bedsidemp was switched on, so it was dim. It made the atmosphere seem even more somber.

    Vanessa stood up hurriedly. ¡°William, you¡¯re here. I hope I didn¡¯t disrupt your work. Your father woke up in the middle of the night and insisted on seeing you.

    ¡°It was four in the morning then, so I convinced him to wait. If you hadn¡¯t returned this morning, he would have gone straight to thepany to find you. The doctor said that he has to rest in bed.¡±

    William ignored Vanessa and walked straight to the bed. ¡°Dad.¡±

    Henry coughed twice and said weakly, ¡°Everyone, leave. I need to speak with William privately.¡±

    The secretary nodded and left the room.

    Vanessa didn¡¯t know why Henry wanted to see William so urgently. She tried to pry while she was feeding him earlier, but to no avail.

    Now, she was being sent away again. Her eyes flickered, but she still smiled and nodded.

    ¡°Alright, dear. I¡¯ll go check on your medication and bring it up when it¡¯s ready. William, remember your father¡¯s condition. Try to be patient and not provoke him,¡± Vanessa said.

    William couldn¡¯t be bothered to talk to her. He remained cold and did not even spare her a nce from the moment he came in. Vanessa could only leave the room in disappointment.

    After everyone left, William sat down in a chair beside Henry¡¯s bed.

    He wasted no time and asked, ¡°What happenedst night that sent your blood pressure skyrocketing?¡±

    Henry was instantly agitated.¡± Don¡¯t you dare y dumb! Do you really believe that I wouldn¡¯t know what happened after ming the car chase on the Davis family? Tell me the truth. Has Emelie escaped?¡±

    William said, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Henry clenched his fist and hit his thigh that was covered by a nket.

    He said with regret, ¡°When I went to thepany to look for you that day, I told you that you should find out the ledger¡¯s whereabouts from Emelie since she was already with you. But you didn¡¯t listen to me! Now, she¡¯s gone, and the damned ledger is missing again!¡±

    The numbers on the blood pressure monitor strapped to Henry¡¯s arm kept rising.

    William poured a ss of water and handed it to him. ¡°Calm down, Dad. Is it worth jeopardizing your health over this matter?¡±

    Henry gasped for ax as he shook his head. ¡°We went from being in the offense to being forced into defense¡­ If she exposes the ledger to the public, and if she¡¯s nning to clear Xander¡¯s name, then Cloudex Corporation will be in serious trouble!¡±

    William said calmly, ¡°Emelie doesn¡¯t have the ledger, and she¡¯ll definitely return.¡±

    Henry didn¡¯t believe it. ¡°How can you be so certain that she doesn¡¯t have it? What if she¡¯s lying to you? If she truly stood by your side, she wouldn¡¯t have left with that Davis fellow! Return? The next time shees back, she¡¯ll be taking revenge on us!¡±

    Images of what happened in the outskirts shed through William¡¯s mind, and his eyshes trembled.

    The more Henry thought about it, the more convinced that he was right and the more fearful he became.

    Henry said, ¡°She won¡¯t be able to cause amotion alone. The problem is the Davis family is supporting her. Mr. Davis was good friends with Xander back then. He just might help her, and then w¨Cwe¡­ cough, cough!¡±

    Chapter 479 Troublemaker

 Chapter 479

    <b>Chapter </b>479 <b>Troublemaker</b>

    Henry coughed violently in the middle of his sentence. William stood up immediately and patted Henry¡¯s back, then handed him a ss of water.

    William frowned. He wanted to ask Henry if he had ailments other than hypertension.

    But Henry didn¡¯t take the ss of water and grasped William¡¯s wrist instead. The water spilled out from the ss and scalded William¡¯s hand.

    Henry didn¡¯t seem to notice. He stared intently at William, his eyes clouded with age yet flickering with a dark light, like a weak yet ferocious beast.

    His voice was <b>raspy </b>due to the coughing, sounding like an elderly man as he said each word. ¡°William, I know you¡¯ve always harbored resentment toward me for what happened

    with your mother ever <b>since </b>you were young.

    <b>¡°</b>It¡¯s all my fault. I owe both of you an apology. Now, the only way I can atone is to offer you the Middleton family¡¯s inheritance and Cloudex Corporation. They will be yours in the future<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    Vanessa was standing outside the door, the expression on her face cold.

    William was still hunched over and patting Henry¡¯s back as he looked at Henry. The bedsidemp shone on his cold face, making him look rather dark and gloomy.

    Henry continued, ¡°It hasn¡¯t been easy for Cloudex Corporation to reach its current heights. Now that it¡¯s yours<b>, </b>you have to find the ledger n¨Cno matter what! Nothing and no one should stand in Cloudex¡¯s way!¡±

    William remained unmoved and silent.

    Henry seemed to have used up all his strength speaking, and he abruptly released William¡¯s hand. He slumped back against the headboard, gasping for breath. His eyes remained fixed on some unseen point in the distance.

    William heard his father¡¯s incoherent and confusing mutterings. ¡°I beat Xander. Victory is mine¡­ Cloudex cannot fall. William, Cloudex cannot fall. I cannot lose to Xander, or I¡¯ll die with regret¡­ Xander, you won¡¯t defeat me¡­¡±

    William left the master bedroom and went downstairs.

    Vanessa was walking out of the kitchen, holding a bowl of Henry¡¯s herbal medicine.

    When Vanessa saw William leaving, she asked eagerly, ¡°William, are you leaving already? Won¡¯t you stay with your father a little longer?¡±

    William simply walked out of the main house.

    Vanessa watched him go, her smile slowly fading. She looked at the bowl of medicine before shifting her gaze toward the second floor.

    William stepped into the yard.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    The sky was still cloudy, and the air was damp and chilly. Everyone in Capebatt City hated weather like this.

    Alfred opened the car door for William.

    William instructed, ¡°Once my father¡¯s blood pressure stabilizes, persuade him to get aprehensive health screening at the hospital.¡±

    ¡°I will. Mr. Middleton Senior is actually in good health. It¡¯s just thatst night¡¯s news hit him hard. It has always been a sensitive topic for him,¡± Alfred said.

    Alfred had been working for Henry for a few decades, and he was in his fifties. William would address him as ¡°Mr. Caine¡°.

    William asked, ¡°How involved was my father in that whole mess?¡±

    Alfred said honestly, ¡°At least 40 percent. That¡¯s why he¡¯s so afraid. He fears that the matter will resurface, and by then<b>, </b>it will implicate Cloudex Corporation. Cloudex represents his life¡¯s work, and your grandfather¡¯s as well.¡±

    40 percent? That was significant.

    William suddenly felt irritated, and he nced back at the second floor. ¡°He truly is a troublemaker.¡±

    Alfred countered, ¡°Regardless, he¡¯s still your father, and you¡¯re still a Middleton. If the Pierce family seeks revenge, you¡¯ll be their r primary target. It¡¯s

    ¡®s best to strike first.¡±

    William gave Alfred a nce before getting in the car.

    He instructed the driver, ¡°To Cloudex.<b>¡±</b>

    On his journey there, he kept turning his wedding ring. It was a custom¨Cmade male version of Emelie¡¯s Eros ring. It was also his wedding band.

    Initially, he had wanted Emelie to slip it on his finger when they got married, but a manufacturing dy had held it up for a few days. It had only arrived this morning.

    It seemed like things would never go his way.

    <b>Just </b>then, Lyle called. ¡°Will, we found out that Wesley left Capebatt City by seast night.¡±

    William asked, ¡°A cruise ship?¡±

    <b>¡°</b><b>Yes</b>. Wesley has a cruise named ¡®Moonlight Voyage¡®. It left the port during the stormst night. We are still tracking its route,¡± Lyle said.

    William growled, ¡°Inform me immediately once you find out their destination.¡±

    Lyle answered, ¡°Got it.¡±

    After Lyle ended the call<b>, </b>he chewed on his gum.

    Moonlight Voyage¡­

    He sneered without restraint. It was fine if William used that name, but who did Wesley think he was?

    ¡°..

    William arrived at thepany. He was an hourter than usual.

    After he entered his <b>office</b><b>, </b>he opened hisptop. A video call invitation immediately popped out on the bottom right corner of the screen.

    Chapter 479 Troublemaker

    He stared at the blinking red light and pursed his lips. His eyes were deep and dark like the abyss that was covered with ayer of fros He loosened his tie and epted the call expressionlessly. Soon, four faces appeared on the screen.

 Chapter 480

    <b>Chapter </b><b>480 </b><b>Stop </b>Shielding <b>Your </b><b>Mother</b>¨C<b>in</b>¨CLaw

    In the top left corner <b>of </b>the screen, Charles smirked. ¡°Mr. Middleton, busy day, huh? You¡¯re only half an hourte.¡±

    William exined, ¡°There was an urgent personal matter<b>, </b><b>so </b>I had to attend to it first. Sorry to keep everyone waiting.¡±

    Bryan, who was on the <b>top </b>right corner of the screen, was in his office based on his background.

    He was signing documents and said slowly, ¡°Mr. Middleton, don¡¯t mind Mr. Davis. He was just joking. We¡¯ve only been here for five minutes.¡±

    ¡°Just five minutes? I must have been mistaken then,¡± Charles said.

    Charles was listening to opera music in the background. The song that was ying was called ¡°The Betrayal of Eleanor ke¡°. He was humming to the tune and tapping his fingers on his knee following the rhythm.

    In a sing¨Csong voice, he said, ¡°My memory¡¯s been a bit fuzzytely. I always thought that all four of our families had a hand in backing Xander into a corner. Turns out, it was just the Davis family. No wonder I¡¯ve been the only one scrambling about while the rest <b>of </b>you sat idly by.

    ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll just sit idly by too. I don¡¯t care about the ledger or Xander¡¯s daughter. Y¡¯all can do whatever you please. We¡¯ll see whose name is implicated the most in that ledger. I¡¯m curious to know who¡¯ll be the one to get executed by shooting, just like Xander.¡±

    Everyone responded differently to Charles¡¯s words.

    William took a sip of his coffee, the steam rising as his expression hardened.

    Meanwhile, Bryan paused his document signing.

    Beathan, representing the Collins family, adjusted his sses and spoke gently. ¡°Charles, that¡¯s not what we meant. We never thought that Edward would jump off the building. ¡°We thought that he would give us the ledger if we asked. We also thought we could control Xander¡¯s daughter, considering her position as Mr. Swanson¡¯s secretary and Mr. Middleton¡¯s girlfriend.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°We never expected Edward to be so loyal that he wouldmit suicide, nor did we expect her daughter to flee.¡±

    Bryan nodded. ¡°Yes, these events were unexpected.¡±

    Charles scoffed, and Beathan continued, ¡°Butst night, I thought of something. Even if we find the ledger, it doesn¡¯t mean that this matter is over.¡±

    Bryan asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t eliminate the possibility that photographs had been taken or copies had been made. If Xander¡¯s daughter intends to take revenge, even if we get the original ledger, she can always use copies to stir up trouble,¡± Beathan said.

    Bryan raised an eyebrow. ¡°So, Mr. Collins, as awyer, are you suggesting we silence them by killing them off?¡±

    It was ironic that Beathan should imply that as awyer. He should uphold the rule ofw, but he was suggesting uwful actions. His profession and his conduct were indeed a contradiction.

    Beathan smiled innocently. ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m simply providing a different perspective.¡±

    Charles lowered his gaze and pondered. No one knew what he was considering.

    William put his coffee cup down with a clink, breaking Charles¡¯s train of thought and drawing Bryan and Beathan¡¯s attention.

    William stated indifferently, ¡°We don¡¯t know if Edward possessed the ledger while he was alive, and we don¡¯t know if Edward had entrusted it to Emelie. We also cannot be sure that Emelie would risk everything to avenge a father that she barely knew.

    ¡°So, to suggest taking a life on a whim? The students really surpass the masters.¡±

    They were even more ruthless than their fathers back then.

    Beathan remained smiling. A cold glint reflected off his metal¨Cframed sses, like a venomous snake lurking in the rainforest.

    Charles adjusted his camera, cing it closer to him.

    Charles said, ¡°I agree with Mr. Middleton. My instinct tells me that Ms. Hoven doesn¡¯t have the ledger yet. But Mrs. Hoven most likely knows where it is. Mrs. Hoven is currently in your custody, Mr. Middleton. Stop shielding your mother¨Cinw and hand her over for questioning.¡±

    Bryan nodded. ¡°I agree. Let¡¯s ask Mrs. Hoven first.¡±

    Beathan smiled. ¡°After all, we don¡¯t have any other leads right now. We can only question Mrs. Hoven first<b>¡±</b>

    After a short pause, William said tly, ¡°I¡¯ll get to the bottom of this.¡±

    Charles switched off his camera and left the meeting first<b>.</b>

    The opera he was listening to was nearing the climax. It was at the part where Eleanor <b>was </b>condemning her husband for putting profit above everything else, being ungrateful, and for harboring murderous intent toward his wife and children.

    Charles seemed to have been reminded of something, and he chuckled dryly.

    Beathan left the call next, and only Bryan was left.

    William raised his head, and his gaze turned cold. ¡°Mr. Swanson, is there anything else I can help you with?¡±

 Chapter 481

    Chapter 481 Brush On The Cheek

    Bryn folded his arms together and ced them on the table, his expression serious. ¡°It¡¯s best if the ledger is handed over by Mrs. Hoven herself, and it must be proven that Ms. Hoven over came across it¡±

    Wim narrowed his eyes. Could he mean that

    <b>¡°</b>Though Ms. Hoven had never seen the <b>lodger</b>, <b>she </b><b>must¡¯ve </b>already known that Xander is her biological father, which makes her <b>a </b><b>threat</b>. Unless she remains <b>unshaken </b>by Mander¡¯s affairs and continues to stay as your wife. Then there¡¯s a mutual benefit,¡± Bryan added.

    William leaned back in his chair. He realized Bryan was giving <b>him </b>advice for him to safeguard Emelie

    First, he had to shift the responsibility for the ledger to Greta.

    Second, he had to make sure Emelie would never leave his side.

    Witam said calmly. ¡°I heard you met Patricia before the New Year during your business trip to Eprand. Is that why you¡¯re helping Emelle? Or is it because of Samuel? Perhaps it¡¯s because she used to work for you? Or is it because Patricia is my cousin?¡±

    Bryan only offered to help because <b>he </b><b>cared</b>

    He avoided the questions and added, ¡°Well, I¡¯ve heard that Beathan and your friend, Elias, are fighting over a woman That might exin Beathan¡¯s threats of violence. You should keep in eye on him, Mr. Middleton.¡±

    With that being said, Bryan signed off the call

    William¡¯s faceted somber as he habitually fiddled with his wedding ring.

    Outside, dark clouds rolled in, and thunder rumbled Lighting pierced through the gray clouds <b>and </b>rain started pouring,

    Suddenly<b>, </b><b>a </b>lock sounded at the door.

    ¡°Come in,¡± Willium said.

    Ashton pushed open a door and reported in a low voice, ¡°Mr.Middleton, Mr. Gleamfield was here earlier. Since you were in a meeting, he went to the conference room to wait. Shall I bring him over?<b>¡±</b>

    William remained silent.

    He then got up from his seat and walked out of his office to get some air

    Meanwhile<b>, </b>Jayden was stacking a house of cards on the conference table<i>.</i>

    Just then, William entered. A gust of wind followed him, and the entire simicture copsed instantly.

    ¡°<b>First</b>, that <b>man </b>built towers. Then he invited guests. And finally, he watched it alle crashing down,¡± jayden muttered, shaking his head as he bent down to gather the cardsContent ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    William loosened his rie, his expression was distant.

    ¡°Are you here to y cards? William asked, carrying cold edge.

    Jayden chuckled. *1 just got bored. Remember how Xander built his empire, hosted grand parties, and in the end, it all bell apart?

    Jayden¡¯s demeanor grew serious as he stacked the cards with his slender lingers

    ¡°During <b>the </b>New Year, I took Yelenato the North Pole. The river was covered in a thickyer of ice, looking perfectly sate. <b>We </b>even went ice sailing,

    ¡°Until one day, we <b>saw </b>a pr bear break through the ice with a single swipe, and water started shooting right up<b>. </b>We realized that beneath <b>the </b><b>cales </b>surface, there¡¯s always: something churning underneath,¡± <b>jayden </b><b>said </b>as he looked at Wim deeply

    Jayden continued, ¡°Will, the four families and Xander¡® situation has been Eke that frezen river. But with Ronan¡¯s suicide and Ms. Hoven leaving, the surface now cracked. Ther has to be an end to this. Who will you protect? And have you figured out howi

    Time seemed to pass more quickly on the sex than onnd.

    The Moonlight Voyage sailed on without pausing, and the waves rolled continanusly. Soon, another day passed, giving way to night.

    Emele sat by <b>the </b>window in her cabin, lost in thought as she listened to the sound of the weers. Only when Wesley draped a coat over her shoulders did she realize he was there.

    Wesley reached out to shut the window

    ¡°It¡¯s cold at night. Keep it <b>closed</b>,¡± he said in a low valen.

    Enelle pressed her lips together.

    ¡°Where are we going?¡± she asked.

    Wesley noticed the red veins in her eyes. ¡°We¡¯re making <b>a </b><b>detour </b>to Lonia<b>. </b>You didn¡¯t <b>sleep </b>wellst night, did you? <b>You </b>should get some <b>rest </b>tonight.¡±

    Emelie was absorbed in her own thoughts. ¡°Why are we going to Lionia? And how <b>do </b>you know I didn¡¯t skep wellst night?¡±

    Wesley didn¡¯t bother to answer her questions, sensing herck of real interest. Instead, he picked her up and carried her in his arms,

    ¡°I¡¯ve set up some essential oils to help sleep¡± he said.

    Emelie was bundled in her thick coat. However, Wesley was <b>lean</b><b>, </b>and his tall frame <b>made </b>Emelie seem small and almost weightless as he carried her

    He lowered his head and nced at Emelle, then bent down and put her on the bed.

    <b>The </b>familiar scent of the essentiel at her bedside coght Emelie¡¯s attention. As she led the aroma, a retion struck her.

    Emel¡¯s heart skipped <b>a </b>bear at the sadden thought, and she scrambled out othed.

    Wesley hadn¡¯t stood up yet when Emelle emerged from her bed. Her head bumped into him, and her lips briefly brushed against his cheek.

 Chapter 482

    Chapter 482 An ident Kiss

    <b>Emelie </b>and Wesley both reacted at the same time.

    One retreated while the other straightened up to create some distance. Still, their eyes instinctively locked onto each other.

    For a few seconds, shared silence filled the room. The air was thick with the citrus scent from the diffuser, and a subtle hint of <b>tension </b>lingered.

    Emelie noticed the glide on Wesley¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple, and the tension became even more palpable.

    A memory from her time in high school shed through her mind.

    It was right before finals when she had asked Wesley <b>for </b>tutoring Since the music room was empty, they deckled to meet there.

    While Emelie was working on problems, Wesley focused on his book. His loweredshes cast a shadow under <b>his </b>eyes, making his profile look ethereal On an impulse, she leaned

    over to kiss him.

    Just as her lips touched his cheek, he caught her chin, preventing her from getting closer. His eyes:

    ¡°Did you ask me to tutor you just for this?¡± he <b>said</b>.

    Emelie¡¯s ear burned as he teased her.

    remained on his book, and azy smile yed on his lips.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    She quickly returned to her work, angrily protesting, ¡°It was an ident! I was reaching for my craser. You were ying with it earlier! Why were you messing with my eraser, anyway?

    Wesley set his book down and looked at Emelle with a knowing look, then he abruptly leaned in towards her.

    Emelie had <b>a </b>feeling that he was trying to take revenge, but she was already too flustered. She tossed the question papers back to Wesley, saying she was done, the can off to the washroom.

    Wesley <b>was </b>left speechless in the music room.

    Though in the past it was deliberate, this time it really was an ident.

    Wesley broke the silence and asked indifferently, ¡°What were you saying earlier?¡±

    Emelie pointed at the essential oil diffuser. ¡°I know this scent. Previously, Patricia abandoned me in the woods <b>in </b>Wimstour City. Later that night, when I was rescued, Jayden¡¯s secretary lent me a diffuser with this same <b>scent </b>to help me sleep. Did you just happen to buy the same one, or¡­

    Wesley answered bluntly. ¡°She works for me.¡±

    It was just as

    tas she suspected.

    Emelie pursed her lips. ¡°Why did you have her lend me that

    ¡°Because I was worried you might¡¯ve been injured. You don¡¯t know this, but I was also out there searching for you in the woods. I was just <b>a </b><b>step </b>away from reaching you,¡± Wesley

    William had gotten to Emelie before Wesley could

    ly wait until you were

    Wesley¡¯s voice grew deeper with the night. ¡°You didn¡¯t want to see me back then. I went to the hotel, but you walked away as soon as you saw me. I could only

    sleep to check on you in your room

    Emelie was at a loss for words

    ¡±

    She quickly recalled something. ¡°No wonder William said someone was in my room without me knowing. Did you two run into each other?¡±

    Wesley <b>nodded </b>slightly.

    Emelle finally understood. So that was why William looked so upset when they passed by each other at the revolving door at the hotel lobby

    William disliked Wesley, and seeing him in Emelie¡¯s room must have driven him mad. Now that she had left with Wesley, William must have been furious.

    Emelie unconsciously touched her wedding ring.

    Wesley lowered his head. ¡°Got any other questions? If not, get some sleep.¡±

    Emelie sped her hands together. ¡°If you have business in Lionis, just drop me off at the nearest port. If there isn¡¯t one nearby, then please arrange for someone to take me back In Capeball City once we get to Lionia¡±

    ¡°You want to go back to Capebatt City? To see William? Do you not believe the things I told you?¡± Wesley asked.

    believe you,¡± Emelie replied.

    ¡°And still, you¡¯re going back to Capeball city?¡± Wesley sald

 Chapter 483

    Chapter 483 Her Feelings For Him

    ¡°Tam going to Capebatt City to see William. He wasn¡¯t? dly involved in that matter<b>, </b><b>and </b>we¡¯re still mantled ¡°Emelie tried to exin

    However, Wesley interrupted her. ¡°You went to the city hall. Do you not know whether you¡¯ve gotten your marriage certificate or not?¡±

    ¡°Wait, wasn¡¯t it done? With Wim¡¯s attitude, I assumed it was settled¡± Emelle ponised briefly and added, ¡°Even if it wasn¡¯t, I still have to talk to him in person. What happened was Henry¡¯s doing, not his. Phis, my mother is still in Capebatt city. I can¡¯t just leave her

    Wesley looked at her with a tinge of anger.

    Willian¡¯s tone turned harsh whenever he mentioned Wesley <b>Simrly</b>, Wesley¡¯s nice took on a cool and sharp edge when he spoke of William,

    ¡°And Henry¡¯s actions have nothing to do with him? Has William not enjoyed the Middleton family¡¯s perwer and wealth? He has. And that¡¯s enough to connect him to the matter, Wesley sald

    Emelie felt <b>a </b><b>mix </b>of agreement and defiance. ¡°It¡¯s not like he can choose his family. I¡¯ve been his secretary for years. He wasn¡¯t involved in any affairs rted to the Xander Groop I¡¯m certain he didn¡¯t know about this. Ignorance isn¡¯t a crime¡±

    Wesley tilted her chin up, his touch was cool and faintly scented with pine. ¡°Knowing your true lineage and the Middleton family¡¯s wrongdoings towards the Perce family, can? you honestly be with him in good conscience?¡±

    Emelie was at <b>a </b>loss for words.

    Her heart felt heavy, and she was unsure of how to reply, wanting to avoid Wesley¡¯s hand.

    A hint of emotion flickered across Wesley¡¯s gaze. He grasped Emelie¡¯s chin, bent down, and kissed on her lips

    Emelie¡¯s eyes widened in shock, and she swiftly pushed him away

    Initially, she sat on the bed. Afterwards, she rolled to the side to draw some distance between them

    ¡°Wesley!¡± she yelled.

    Wesley remained stooped down. His cors were open, revealing his lean neckline as his Adam¡¯s apple moved subtly.

    He looked at Emelie, slightly narrowing his eyes, a dangerous allure flickered in his gaze

    Last night, Wesley made some wine. He added orange to it to prevent intoxication, but even after Emelie drank it, <b>a </b>subtle haze lingered in her mind.

    Much like the mulled wine he made, he was <b>also </b>the type of charmingness that hid danger beneath its surface.

    ¡°Have you really fallen for him? Wesley asked.

    Emelie was aware that Wesley was testing her<b>, </b>and <b>a </b>surge of anger welled up within herThis belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    Who was he to do that?

    ¡°I told you long ago, I stopped waiting for you! We were over when you lett ten years ago!¡± she <b>said</b>.

    ¡°So you chose William? I know you like him. But do you know how much he¡¯s manipted you? Wesley clenched his jaw night.

    ¡°How has he manipted me?¡± she questioned him

    Wesley deepened his voice ¡°With that personality of yours, would you have gone back to him if it weren¡¯t for his schemes? Would you have married hum?

    Emelle was about to rebuke when Wesley cut her off, delivering his verdict, ¡°You¡¯ve been in his trap all along!!

    Wesley was reluctant to listen to her affairs with another man. As he turned to leave, he passed at the door. ¡°I¡¯m not going to Limia for myselt. I¡¯m taking you to see s Someone?

    ¡°Who?¡± Emelie asked.

    Wesley didn¡¯t answer her question directly. ¡°You¡¯ll finally understand William¡¯s tricks when you meet her. Get some sleep

    He then switched the light off on his way out, and the room plunged into darkness.

    sat on her bed alone, listening to the sound of the waves crashing against the ship.

 Chapter 484

    Chapter 484 Distant and Unfamiliar

    The main fell incessantly<b>, </b><b>as </b>if it would never end<b>, </b>causing summer to be dyed in <b>Capebari </b>Ory,

    By aletle after four in the afternoon, the sky had already turned dark. The rain added a veil¨Clike misty haze, blurring the view.

    William stepped out of Cloudex Corporation, with Ashton following close behind. Ashton held arge ck umbre, shielding William as <b>he </b>got into the car. Then they headed to the hospital

    Greta was staying at the Central Hospital. She was treated by the doctors that William spent a substantial amount to hire. Hana was <b>also </b>there to take care of her as well.

    However, the patients, family members, and passersby in her ward were all hired by William. They were all stationed there to keep watch of her.

    Greta had been quietly held captive. Without William¡¯s approval, Greta couldn¡¯t leave<b>, </b>and no one from the outside could meet her.

    Nevertheless<b>, </b>she remained unaware of that.

    William arrived at the door of the ward, and <b>the </b>nurse excused Eliana out.

    When Eliana exited the ward, she stayed silent upon seeing william she lowered her head <b>and </b>quickly walked away.

    Lately, her husband had started a new job as a <b>manager </b>at a Cloudex Corporation subsidiary. That seemed to exin her actions.

    When William entered the ward alone, Greta lifted her head, looking momentarily surprised. A look of joy quickly spread across her face, and she hurriedly nced behind hun.

    ¡°Will, you¡¯re here¡­ Where¡¯s Eme? Didn¡¯t shee with you? It¡¯s been five days since shest visited me. Her phone was off, too.

    Did something happen to her? Did she get sick from the ram? <b>Or </b>has she gone back to work in Yanille City? That can¡¯t be, though. She would¡¯ve told me if she did<b>¡­ </b>Will? Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± Greta hit William with a barrage of questions.

    William maintained a cold expression.

    Greta couldn¡¯t tell why William, in his tailored seat, felt different from when they met at Alderbrook during the New Year. He felt more distant, more unfamiliar.

    Greta stared at William, a sense of unease growing deep within her.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Eme? Where¡¯s my daughter?¡± Greta asked, confused.

    ¡°Whether you want her here or not, Mrs. Hoven, the decision is up to you. It all depends on whether you choose to cooperate with us,¡± William replied, his tone devoid of emotions.

    ¡°What what do you mean? Cooperate with what?¡± dreta was confused.

    ¡°You told Emelie about her true lineage. Did you tell her where the ledger is?¡± William asked bluntly.

    Greta clutched her nket tightly, her gaze faltering ¡°What ledger? What are you talking about? Why are you bringing that up?

    ¡°Emelie must ve told you that Mr. Hoven¡¯s suicide was because of the ledger. If you want to keep her out of the Pierce family¡¯s mess, hand it over. Otherwise, Mr. Hoven¡¯s death <b>would </b>be for nothing.¡± am said:

    Ronan sacrificed himself in exchange for Emelie¡¯s safety. If Greta didn¡¯tply, it would mean that they would stille after Emelie.

    Greta looked <b>at </b>William, who were an ice cold demeanor.

    Suddenly, something struck her mind, and her breath quickened with anxiety.

    She leaned in closer and <b>asked</b>, ¡°You <b>said </b>your name WS¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°Middleton. The Middleton family of the Cloudex Corporation,¡± Wiliam said clearly

    Greta fell back, and a lood thad sounded as her head knocked on the headboard. Her face betrayed a disarray of emotions.

    How could that be?

    Previously<b>, </b>Greta had asked Wim about his job, and he mentioned he <b>had </b>his own business

    Greta sensed he wasn¡¯t an ordinary businessman. However, she never connected him to the Middleton family, who ran Codes Corporation.

    She was well aware of who had taken down the Xander Group back then. If she had known William was from the Middleton family, she would never <b>have </b>agreed to Emelie¡¯s marriage.

    Greta finally understood why Roman was <b>fiercely </b>against Emelie¡¯s marriage. He knew William¡¯s identity.

    You¡­you only married Emelie to get your hands on the ledger!¡± <b>Greta </b>murmured, her heart racing

    The next instant<b>, </b>she tried leaping out of bed<b>, </b>but was held down by the hired members in the ward.

    She continued to struggle, desperate to lunge at William.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Time? What did you do to her? She doesn¡¯t know anything. Don¡¯t you dare touch her!¡± she <b>yelled</b><b>.</b>

    It¡¯s been live days since Greta hadst seen Emelle. <b>She </b>couldn¡¯t imagine what Emelie would have to go through.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    Wim stood motionless, his tone unchanged. ¡°You need to calm down. If something happens to you, then there¡¯ll be no one to protect your daughter.¡±

    Grete panted hewly

    By supporting Lanelle¡¯s marriage, Greta had unwittingly sent Emelic into the lion¡¯s den. She had let Emelie marry the son of her father¡¯s remy

 Chapter 485

    Chapter 485 Maddening

    ¡°How could you to <b>me</b><b>? </b><b>She </b>loved you so much¡­So much! She even bought a vase to <b>put </b>the flowers <b>you </b>bought her. She was so happy the <b>day </b>you went to get your marriage restdicate registered. <b>How </b>could you!¡± Greta cried out.

    Wimchickled iconically¡± so, she won¡¯t be walking away with someone <b>else</b><b>.</b>¡±

    Greta frantically demanded, ¡°Who is she with/where is she?¡±

    William only had one question. ¡°Where is the ledger?

    Greta was only worried about one thing ¡°Where is me?Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    <b>William </b>repeated his question once again. ¡°Where¡¯s the ledger?¡±

    His emotionless bone was maddening, Greta was losing her mind.

    In an instant, Greta¡¯s emotions crumbled.

    She was desperate to protect her daughter, <b>and </b>she struggled <b>against </b>these holding her back Despite her efforts, she couldn¡¯t gone <b>William</b>

    He looked down at her with an <b>indifferent </b>demeanor, clearly dominating in this exchange

    Greta¡¯s hair was disheveled <b>as </b>she thrashed and screamed. ¡°What did you do to Eme? How could you do this? Killing Mr. Pierce wasn¡¯t enough? Now you won¡¯t even spare his only daughter! What <b>kind </b>of monsters are you?¡±

    Aheart monitor was strapped to Greta. And as her heartbeat spiked, the monitor began berping wildly.

    William slightly pressed his lips together and repeated his question <b>for </b>the third time. ¡°The leden. Where is it?

    Greta <b>was </b>overwhelmed with guilt, regret, and sorrow. She couldn¡¯t believe <b>she </b><b>had </b>allowed her daughter to marry

    Greta¡¯s face was streaked with tears, and her visions tumed dark. The rm from the monitor grew increasingly rapid, creating an onsettling atmosphere.

    Ashton couldn¡¯t help ncing at William.

    William subtly furrowed his brows, but from a closer look, there was almost little to no reaction from him.

    Greta¡¯s face was red yet pale as she red at William ¡°Eme doesn¡¯t anything. She really doesn¡¯t. Please don¡¯t hurt her. If you have toe after me.¡±

    Greta¡¯s words <b>trailed </b>off as she copsed, and the monitor¡¯s screen tlined with a finalberg.

    Ashton was taken aback ¡°Mr. Middleton!¡±

    William turned around and left the wind. ¡°Call the doctors.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Ashton said.

    The ingred Eights in the hospital room were chaotic and blinding Wet, William caught a glimpse on the clock <b>on </b>the wall

    There was a subtle green dot on the clock, as though <b>a </b>predator¡¯s eye was watching from the shadows

    ¦§

    On the other end, Charles cheered and apuded. ¡°Mr. Middleton indeed lives up to <b>his </b>reputation. You can even feel the intensity of his idental gaze through the screen.¡± The <b>pinhole </b>camera was secretly installed without Wil¡¯s knowledge. If William had known, Charles wouldn¡¯t have been able to tell if Will had gone to ask Greta for the ledger.

    The Middleton, Davis, Swanson, and the Collins families were now allies. Despite that, trust among them wasn¡¯t absolute.

    charles rested his legs on the desk and casually grabbed a bunch of gripes, enjoying the moment. ¡°After all, Mrs. Hoven is William¡¯s mother¨Cinw. He knows she¡¯s <b>ill </b>and can¡¯t handle stress. And he¡¯s still being so blunt¡±

    ¡± he ends up pushing her to her breaking point, how¡¯s he going to exin it when Ms. Hoven reens Charles Joked.

    Beathan saved the five¨Cminute surveince footage and reyed in

    Charles eyes him. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    For some reason, Beathan found William¡¯s approach edd. ¡°He¡¯s too direct.¡±

    Charles was confused. ¡°How else could he have done it then?¡±

    Beathan took a sip of his tea, narrowing his eyes behind his sses. ¡°Just <b>Be </b>you said, the pushes her to her breaking point, he might never find out where the ledger is.¡± Charles chuckled dismissively, ¡°<b>Well</b>, seems that you don¡¯t know Mr. Middleton that well with his status and personality, has he ever been nice to anyone?

    Was that so?

    Beathan pondered as he held his teacup

    Meanwhile, Charles spat out the grape skin he was chewing, not seeing any issue. <b>¡°</b>From Mrs. Hoven¡¯s reaction, it seems Ms. Hoven really doesn¡¯t know anything about the ledger.¡±¡±

    Bethan nced at Charles.

    Charles clicked his tongue. Though he and Beathan were close, he was annoyed by Beathan¡¯s overthinking.

    Hepa Beathan a nuder with his leather shoe and added, ¡°What¡¯s on your <b>mind</b><b>?</b>

    Beathan smirked and held the cup finaly in his hand. ¡°Hmmm. Let¡¯s just say¡­I prefer to the up all loose <b>ends</b>¡±

    ly ¡°buse madh,¡± he meat eliminating all possibilities.

    Whether Inele knew about the ledger or not, it would be better to get rid of her. They had to prepare for the worst

 Chapter 486

    Chapter &86 <b>No </b><b>Way </b>Out

    Charles¡® expression darkened, and <b>hesilently </b>tossed the lever grapes back onto the fruit

    Beathan looked at him. ¡°All this mess only happened because we didn¡¯t handle things thoroughly back then. If we don¡¯t fix it now, it¡¯s only a matter of time before some uncorners the truth.¡±

    Though Charles¡® feelings for Emelie were mostly driven by the ledger, he genuinely liked her. He hesitated at the thought of taking Emelie¡¯s life.

    ¡°<b>Let¡¯s </b>just look for the ledger first. We¡¯ll <b>deal </b>with the restaller, ¡°Curles sald

    Deathan lowered his eyes, his lehes casting a shadow across his farm.

    When Wiliam exited the hospital, the rain had just stopped, leaving the air humid and cold

    with a <b>nk </b>expression, William descended the stairs, He broke the puddles with his leather shoes and headed towards his rar,

    The sky ww dark, and the streetlights weredia. Win munanered <b>his </b>way toward his ear, his tall figure drifting between lightand shadow.

    Before he entered, he received a call from Wired, ¡°Wir Middleton, if you have time now, please visit home.¡±

    Meanwhile, Ashion stayed at the hospital for Greta¡¯s emergency

    The driver opened the car door, and Will get in.

    ¡°Was my father looking for me?¡± he asked through the phone

    ¡°It¡¯s not that Mr. Middleton Senior <b>has </b><b>been </b>having nightmares <b>and </b>talking in his sleep. He kept mentioning Xander and the Pierce Corporation. The family doctor thinks it¡¯s a mental issue and suggests seeing a psychiatrist,¡± Alfred <b>said</b>.

    William <b>didn¡¯t </b>expect <b>Emilie¡¯s </b>escape and the <b>missing </b>ledgers have such a <b>huge </b>impact on Henry. He looked out the window, deep in thought.

    ¡°It he <b>had </b>the nerves to act back then, he <b>shouldn¡¯t </b>be afraid now,<b>¡± </b>Wira si

    alled <b>sighed</b>. ¡°Hello Coudes Corporation.¡±

    ¡°You should find him a psychrist I¡¯m on my way home new,¡± <b>Wim </b>said, posturing to the driver start the rar

    Sice hestarbed adulthood, Wilim hadanver Ysitadthe Middleson Residence as frequently as he didnow.

    After he armed, William headedsmaight to the second floo

    as ever. ¡°Will, you¡¯re here<b>!</b>

    Inside Henry¡¯s room, Vanessa at Henry¡¯s bebole, as tender <b>as </b>ever.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    Henry wasying in bed with his eyes <b>closed </b><b>and </b>dark circles underneath. ¡°Xander why do you always want to take everything from me? never forget you¡­ never.

    Vanessa locked distressed. ¡°Your father¡¯s been this way for the past ten days. Even the doctor couldn¡¯t get why What should we do. Why don¡¯t <b>you </b><b>stay </b>with him for a while, will go check if his medication is ready¡±

    After Vanesalef, William asked Alled, ¡°Whor¡¯s my dad talking about? What¡¯s this about taking something?¡±

    Wheed briefly hestated belote anawering, ¡°Mrs. Here <b>was </b>Mr. Middleton Senior¡¯s first love¡±

    Vam pondered and quickly ced the story together, letting out an ironie chuckle, ¡°So <b>that¡¯s </b>what started their dead?

    Dawn? made sens

    Since ancient times, men have always seemed to fight for eithernd <b>and </b>women until their death

    Meanwhile, in <b>the </b>lochen downstairs, vanessa dismissed the maids. Then, she used an instion cloth to open the lid <b>of </b>the medicine pot. The bitter <b>aroma </b>of the craditional medicine instantly ther

    <b>She </b>looked at <b>the </b>bubbling liquid indiferently and <b>took </b>awal from her pocket. She unscreed it, adding the powder to the medicine.

    Vanessa¡¯s follower watched from the <b>side </b>and asked, ¡°Mrs. Middleton, haven¡¯t you already found out what you wanted to know? Why <b>still </b>give M.Middleton Senior this? Didn¡¯t you say it could cause dementia iftaken too much?

    Henry¡¯s nightmares and sleep¨C<b>talking </b>were all because of <b>Vanessa</b>. The other day, she overheard him and Wim talking about a ledger, and she wanted to find out more

    Since asking directly wouldn¡¯t work, she had to make Henry¡¯s thoughts modded. With that, he¡¯d end up revealing information to her in his confused state.

    Vasstheransterred the <b>medicine </b>into a bol atender smile ying at her lips. ¡°He said it himself. Everything in the Middleton family and udes Corpocation will William He¡¯s leaving Xenia and me with nothing if that¡¯s what he¡¯s doing to us, why should I give <b>him </b><b>a </b>way out?

    Vanessa¡¯s follower lowered her head and stayed stent

    Vanessa narrowed her eyes. ¡°As for Emelie and her mother. Keep an eye on the hospital. Maybe I can use Emelie to deal with Wiliam, our finalobstacle.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± het follower replied

    Williams

    I stayed around untilone in the moming.

    After Henry was sound asleep, he finally let the Middleton Residence

    Vanessa, ever the doting mother, suggested that will stay the night. Since it was raining and the night was already dark, it could be dangers to drive. However, Willianpletly goed her and got into his ear.

    He then <b>checked </b>WhatsApp

    Justen mindes ago, Ashton sent him a message. Though etwas revived, she had fallen into a dee. The doctor mentioned she might never wakeup.

 Chapter 487

    Chapter 487 The Truth

    Wilhan was hith thought as he drove through the rain.

    Just then, a newmessage popped up on his phone. ¡°Will, we found them. They went to <b>Lonia</b>.¡±

    William¡¯s expression turned cold as he switched off his phone.

    ¡°To the airport,¡± he directed the drier

    The car unexpectedly jerked, and Emelle¡¯s head mmed into the window. She was then jolted awake from the sudden painMaterial ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Did it hurt?¡± Wesleyasked

    Rather than worrying about her bead, Fracle Instinctively pressed her hand to her chest. The heavy emotions in her heart made her feel uneasy

    Wesley shielded Tanrlie¡¯s head with his <b>pals</b>. Despite that, she still knocked her head on the car window.

    the gently rubbed her head and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t sleep well against night? You¡¯ve been asleep the whole journey.¡±

    Emelie shook her head. She slept well after using the essential ofst night. But for some reason, she still felt sheepy.

    After a moment, the difort in her chest faded Emelie carddn¡¯t help but feel something bad had happened

    Did something happen to her mother? No, it couldn¡¯t be. William would definitely take race other mother.

    Emelie swallowed hard. She couldn¡¯t shake off the unsettling feeling

    After a long drive, the car finally came to a stop in front of a mason

    Emelie looked around ¡°Where are we?!

    ¡°Allen Residence,¡± Wesley replied.

    Allen Residence!

    Emelie abruptly turned her head to look at Wesley. Was it the same Allen family she kurm?

    Wesley could bell what was on Eme¡¯s mini. Tefore she could ask, be unbuckled his seatbelt and said calmly, <b>¡°</b>That¡¯s right¡±

    ¡°You brought me here to see Elena? Emelie could hardly believe it

    Wesley¡¯s gaze remained soft and calm. ¡°In the beginning you rejected William, but then you epted him. It all changed when Elena tramed you<b>, </b><b>and </b>he helped you, right?

    Yes. Barshat about it?

    by Wesley was bringing that up. The unease she had just managed to calm down resurfaced again as bementioned past events.

    Emelle didn¡¯t understand why!

    Emelie pressed her lips together.

    Wesley got out of the car and extended his hand to Emelie ¡°Come on. Told you I¡¯d bring you to <b>the </b><b>truth</b>.¡±

    Emelie clenched her fingers

    ¡°Afraid?¡± Wesleyasked.

    A few secondster, Emelie fullyexited the car and followed Wesley Into the Allen Residence.

    After the incident in Weston, Fl moved to Lonia with her parents to take a break. Or perhaps she just hadn¡¯t pulled herself together yet.

    After all, she waspletely defeated by Emelie. She also had a taste cd William¡¯s cold¨Cheartedness. It was a total loss for her.

    Before they visited, Wesley had contacted Elma. The Allen family¡¯s maids led them to the backyard.

    The garden <b>booked </b>the <b>a </b>ssical painting with its vibrant array of flowers

    <b>Elena </b>sat <b>in </b>a wicker chair with a white plush nket draped over her. She had subtle makeup <b>on</b>, <b>making </b>her exotle features even more striking

    Elena lifted her head and paused for a moment upon seeing Emelie behind Wesley. She then quickly straightened up.

    ¡°Mr. <b>Graham</b>, you didn¡¯t mention you were bringing her along.¡± Elena <b>sald</b>

    Jodie was standing behind Wesley <b>and </b>responded on his behalf, ¡°Ms. Allen, Mr. Graham has helped the Allen family out with their financial issues. He¡¯s not <b>asking </b><b>for </b>much in return. You just have to answer a few questions.¡±

    Recently, the Allen family¡¯spany had hit a rough patch. They were facing a major financial crisis at the start of the year. If the matter wasn¡¯t resolved soon<b>, </b>the entirepany would be at serious risk

    <b>Justas </b>Jeremiah was nning to seek help from the Davis Group, Wesley approached them instead.

    Wesley had be the secondrgest shareholder in the Allen Group, right after the Allen family itself.

    Elena was sharp. She could see that Wesley <b>only </b>offered to help for Emelie¡¯s sake. She clenched her jaw and red at Emele, jealousy evident <b>in </b><b>her </b>eyes.

    ¡°Mind telling me your secret? Both Wian and Wesley are always on your side. How¡¯d you make theme back to you all the time? Elena <b>asked </b>Emelie

    Like Westry, Emelie had no interest in talking to Elena. However, unlike Wesley¡¯s calm demeanor, <b>Emelle¡¯s </b>mind was a whirlwind of emotions.

    Elena nced at Emelie and leaned back in her chair, realizing she had no other options.

    She fored a smile and sald, ¡°Ask away, Me, de ahan. You¡¯ve helped out family through a crisis. I¡¯ll <b>answer </b>everything thoroughly and honestly,¡±

 Chapter 488

    Chapter 488 The Memories

    As Wesley nced back indiffecency, Jodie stepped forward

    ¡°Ms. Allen, don¡¯t you find anything strange alter your incident with Ms. Hoven! Try thinking back now,¡± podle said bluntly.

    Elena was confused. ¡°Strange? What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°The testimony of those <b>two </b>thugs was key to the whole Incident. They¡¯ve used Ms. Hoven of belbing them,¡± Jodie <b>said </b>clearly.

    Those two men with <b>their </b>phones pretended to ask Emelle for directions, When they in fact wasted the survence <b>camera </b>to capture Emelie¡¯s interaction with them

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Elena responded ndly.

    Jodie continued saying, ¡°They¡¯re the main witnesses. Shouldn¡¯t they have been in police custody immediately to advance the <b>case</b>? But as I recall, the police only found them ather three days. <b>Why </b>did you arrange it that way?¡±

    Elena couldn¡¯t understand the point of Jodie¡¯s question.

    She hesitated <b>for a </b>moment and answered, ¡°It wasn¡¯t my arrangement. In my n, they were supposed to be caught by the police that night, and then confess about Emelle. I¡¯m not sure why the police didn¡¯t find then that night.

    ¡°I thought they ran away. After a few days, they were caught. They still followed the script, so I didn¡¯t ask much.¡±

    Wesley added <b>calmly</b>, ¡°They didn¡¯t run away. Wim¡¯s men captured them.¡±

    Elena froze. ¡°Will.¡±

    Emelle b?nked Wilm had never mentioned that to her before

    Emelie slightly parsed her lips and said, ¡°Oh, so William caught those two and handed them over to the police? Good thing he did. I wonder how <b>long </b>it would¡¯ve taken to clear my

    name.

    ¡°Good thing?¡± Wesley asked. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for their testimony, do you think you¡¯d be detained for a whole day and night? Are you sure William was helping you?¡±

    Ensele replied without hesitation, ¡°William just wanted to help the police catch them. He thought that would clear my name. How would he know what the guys would say to the police?!

    Wesley looked at her. ¡°Do you even believe what you¡¯re <b>saying</b>? He caught them. Don¡¯t you think he¡¯d question them first?

    Emelie wavered for a moment before she firmly suppressed her thoughts.

    She calmed down and debated, so you¡¯re saying the thugs are trustworthy? They¡¯re <b>the </b>type to stab someone at the back. They must¡¯ve said Elena instructed them <b>when </b>William questioned them and at the police, the usations turned back to <b>me</b><b>. </b><b>It¡¯s </b>not like Wiliam can control what happened in the station.¡±

    Wesley could sell that Emelle <b>was </b>desperately trying to convince herself. <b>The </b>irritation in her tone was a clear sign that she had doubts. However<b>, </b>she refused to acknowledge them.

    Wesley spoke slowly. ¡°If he <b>didn¡¯t </b>have control, why did the guys suddenly withdraw the confessions?¡±

    Emelie replied, ¡°It¡¯s not a movie. Do you think those thugs could outsmart the police? The police officers are sharp and well experienced, it¡¯s natural the guys would crack <b>and </b>tell the truth. It¡¯s just logic.¡±

    Wesley stared at her indeferently, and she quickly looked away

    She always managed to defend William in all ways, justifying his actions.

    ¡°Just because Henry¡¯s a bad person doesn¡¯t mean everything William is the same. You can¡¯t deny what he¡¯s done for me. That¡¯s not fair,¡± Emelle <b>said</b>.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    A person¡¯s <b>sins </b>shouldn¡¯t be med on the

    Henry formed allies with the Dunds, Swanson<b>, </b>and Collins families to attack Xander. It was Henry¡¯s fault, and it had nothing to do with William.

    William was only three years <b>old </b>when it happened. What could he have known?

    Just because Henry was William¡¯s father, that didn¡¯t mean Wiliam <b>was </b>bad. It couldn¡¯t prove that Wim was dishonest.

    Emelle deltasting in her palms and released her clenched fingers<b>. </b>She was unconsciously digging her nails into her palms.

    She still remembered that night

    William took her to the square to watch the pyrotechnic disy. He had arranged for the fireworks just for her.

    Acascade of lights filed the sky, and everyone danced under the moon. He lifted her hand and twirled her around<b>, </b>pulling her <b>into </b><b>his </b>arms. For the first time, he apologized for his past mistakes and asked for a chance to start over

    She believed in his sincerity and refused to believe the usations

    Emelie took a few steps back, reluctant to listen anymore. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing <b>else</b>, I¡¯m going back to Capebatt Cry.¡±

    <b>She </b>switcly turned around to leave.

    She only took two steps before Wesley¡¯s calm voice sounded from behind her. ¡°If you really believe <b>in </b><b>him</b>, why are you running away? What are you afraid of?

    Emelie instantly med around upon being provoked. ¡°I¡¯m not¡­¡±

    ¡°Then stay and listen to everything I¡¯m going to say,¡± he said.

    Wesley no longer held back. He was determined to make me face the truth of the entire situation.

    What was she trying to do? Go back to Capebatt City? To see William?

    Things have fallen to this point. How could she still think of returning to William?

 Chapter 489

    Chapter 489 Pulling the Strings

    Elena watched from the sidelines, ncing at Wesley and then at Emelie.

    She <b>wasn¡¯t </b>stupid. On the contrary, she was quite clever. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to make Emelie misunderstand that William would listen to her every word.

    Hence, she had already figured everything out.

    She leaned back in her chair with a sickly expression, she let out a strange, abruptugh. ¡°So my scheme wasn¡¯t a total failure after all. It actually helped Mr. Middleton won over your heart.

    ¡°<b>You </b>came to my house to hear the truth, didn¡¯t you? Now that I¡¯m ready to tell you, you refuse to listen. How ironic, Ms. Hoven.

    ¡°Oh, I get it. You¡¯ve probably guessed the truth, but you¡¯re too scared to face it, right? After all, you¡¯re already wearing his ring. How will you cope when you find out now that you¡¯ve trusted the wrong person?¡±

    Elena noticed the Eros ring on Emelle¡¯s ring finger but felt no jealousy this time. Instead, she found itughable in the sense that they were both in the same boat.

    Wesley frowned, displeased by Elena¡¯s mocking tone, but he didn¡¯t interrupt her. He wanted Emelie to understand just how na?ve she was for still believing William was innocent.

    Emelie was extremely tense. However<b>, </b>she refused to admit she was scared.

    Why did she need to stay and listen to Elena¡¯s sarcastic taunts? She refused to heat any of it and turned to leave

    ¡°Stop her.¡± At Elena¡¯smand, the Allen family maids blocked Emelie¡¯s path, preventing her from leaving.

    Emelie turned to face her with <b>a </b><b>stoic </b>expression

    With a small smile, <b>Elenasaid</b>, <b>¡°</b>Although you don¡¯t want to hear it, I want to tell you. The wolf has a winning game when the shepherds quarrel. I¡¯m telling you, Mr. Middleton is the one pulling all the strings!¡±

    She got up from her chair, casually cing a blooming <b>rose </b>from its bush. She circled around Emelie while she tore off petals and tossed them to the ground.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    She said, ¡°Those two thugs were caught by William long ago. Why did he wait three days to hand them over to the police? Because he needed those three days to perfect my not¨Cso -perfect scheme. You received inappropriate photos of me, didn¡¯t you?

    ¡°The truth is I never had them sent to you initially thought the thugs were behind it, but now I realize it was William¡¯s n. Without sending them to you, how could the evidence be linked to you? How else could the police have a reason to lock you up in the detention center?

    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t ended up in there, how would you <b>have </b>fallen into utter despair? How <b>could </b>william have yed the hero and rescued you, making you cling to him like a lifeline?¡±

    Emelie held her breath

    The incident from two months ago, She had nearly forgotten the details but they¡¯ve resurfaced vividly in her mind with Elena¡¯s words.

    She recalled the helplessness she felt upon receiving the photos and the anxiety of being summoned to the police station.

    Memories of the relentless evidence and interrogations from the police flooded her mind. She remembered signing documents before being thrown into the detention center that only provided her foul¨Csmelling stew and stale bread.

    Her stomach had ached so badly that day, and she had writhed in pain on the detention center¡¯s cot, wondering why no one hade to save her.

    Suddenly, William appeared like a savior, taking her away. She clung to him tightly <b>because </b>he showed up at that very moment

    She still remembered thinking that he was her only light in the dark world she was living in

    She fell silent

    Her emotional side refused to believe Elena. After all, she was just trying to ruin her rtionship with William. Did she have any evidence to support her ims?

    However, her rational side reminded her how both Samuel and Charles had been tied up with personal matters <b>at </b>the time so they didn¡¯t know what had happened to her. Hence, they couldn¡¯te to her rescue.

    What a coincidence for both of them to be busy and unaware of her plight at the same time.

    Could it really be just a coincidence? It¡¯s hard to call it a mere coincidence if so many of them happen simultaneously.

    What if what Elena said was <b>true</b>? What if william had really orchestrated it all?

    Despite the sunny weather in Lionia, Emelie felt a chill run through her body as doubts clouded her heart.

    Elena wasn¡¯t done yet. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing. I thought it was <b>a </b>coincidence at the time, but now it seems like Mr. Middleton was behind it too.¡±

 Chapter 490

    ?Chapter 490 Ask Them for Yourself

    Emelie turned around and stared at Elena. "What is it?"

    Elena replied, "Back then, the inte opinion was very much against you, ming you for hurting me." Emelie snapped, "Wasn''t that just a narrative you created?"

    Elena spread her hands innocently. "It wasn''t me. Didn''t Ashley help you sue me for inciting public opinion? Don''t you remember that the court ruled that there was no factual evidence to prove I did it? It really wasn''t me."

    Emelie pressed her lips together tightly.

    Elena continued, "I might be willing to risk everything to take you down, but that doesn''t mean I''d recklessly post my own photos online for my followers to see. If someone wasn''t pulling the strings behind the scenes, I don''t think the situation would have blown up like that.

    "I''m guessing it was William. His goal must have been to tear down your psychological defenses, making you feel helpless and thus more dependent on him."

    Before she knew it, Emelie''s hands were clenched into fists as she blinked in disbelief.

    Elena stepped in front of her with a slight smile. "I remember you even received a blood-stained package from an online user. Was that really the case, or did Mr. Middleton send it? Do you have an answer now?"

    Impossible. William couldn''t have done that.

    Emelie''s thoughts jarred her to her senses.

    She shot a cold, sharp re at the gloating Elena.

    She gritted her teeth and retorted, "Stop ming everything on William! Don''t think I''ve forgotten you''d do anything to ruin me back then. The public opinion against me started when you climbed onto the hospital roof pretending tomit suicide, causing the police and fire department to get involved.

    "It was themotion that made things go viral online! Wasn''t that to push public opinion against me and use it to force the judiciary to arrest me?"

    "Do you really think I''ll believe that you didn''t stir up public opinion and that it was all William?" Emelie retorted, still defending William.

    She had believed Eliana when she said Emelie wasn''t a biological daughter of the Hoven family. She trusted Greta''s im of being from the Pierce family.

    She also believed Wesley when he said the Middleton, David, Swanson, and Collins families had colluded to bring down Xander Pierce, leading to the copse of the Xander Group and the destruction of the Pierce family. She believed it all.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    However, she couldn''t believe that William had been insincere toward her.

    Her fingers brushed against the ring that could be put on but not taken off, symbolizing that, from the moment William put it on her, he never intended to part with her. If that wasn''t love, then what was?

    Elena exined, "I staged the suicide to force my parents to side with me. They were hesitant because William was protecting you, and they were afraid of offending him. The day after my suicide attempt, my parents went to William to negotiate, offering fifty million and a house. You knew about that, didn''t you?" Emelie shook her head, refusing to believe her. "You''re twisting the story!"

    "You still don''t believe me? Then ask him for yourself." Elena handed her the phone. "I worked at Cloudex

    Corporation for a while. I know William gives his orders to Ashton or Fabian. Call them now and ask if they''ve ever helped him manipte public opinion."

    "Go on, ask them," she goaded, her eyes lighting up with excitement, eager to see Emelie''s reaction when Ashton and Fabian admitted the truth.

    "Emelie, are you afraid? Don''t you believe in William?" Elene continued to provoke her.

    Jodie called out softly, "Mr. Graham."

    They couldn''t let Emelie contact Ashton or Fabian. If she did, William would know they were here.

    Wesley didn''t respond. Instead, he watched Emelie calmly, leaving it up to her to decide whether or not to make the call.

    Emelie gritted her teeth and took Elena''s phone, dialing Ashton''s number.

    Elenaughed and pped. "Great! You''re really calling them."

    Emelie figured she had nothing to be afraid of.

    Ashton answered after a few rings, sounding puzzled. "Ms. Allen?" "Ashton, it''s me," Emelie replied.

 Chapter 491

    ?Chapter 491 I Don''t Believe It

    Ashton was stunned and eximed, "Emelie? Is that you, Emelie?"Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    She was so surprised that she forgot to address her as "Mrs. Middleton".

    "Why do you have Ms. Allen''s phone? Where are you? Mr. Middleton has been looking everywhere for you these few days!" Ashton said.

    Emelie asked quietly, "Are you with William right now?"

    Ashton replied, "No, he didn''te to the office today. He didn''t notify us about it. Tell me where you are, and I''ll contact Mr. Middleton toe get you right away."

    Emelie abruptly said, "Ashton, we were colleagues for three years. Even though we didn''t interact much, I thought we were friends. So why did you manipte public opinion against me when Elena framed me?"

    Elena''s smile widened. That was a sharp question.

    There was silence on Ashton''s end before she finally said, "Emelie, what are you talking about? I didn''t¡ª" However, Emelie refused to listen and hung up, her expression growing stiffer by the second.

    Elena watched Emelie clutch her phone tightly and burst intoughter. Sheughed so hard that she couldn''t stand up straight.

    "I can''t believe she tried to say that she didn''t do it. If she really hadn''t done it, she would''ve denied it immediately. Why was there such a long silence? She must have been scared!" na continuedughing. An innocent person would instinctively defend themselves right away, saying something like, immediately denying the im while questioning the source of the im. That was the typical response, not silence.

    Ashton''s hesitation clearly showed that Emelie''s interrogation had rattled her, making her wonder whether to admit it or not.

    Elena admired Emelie''s questioning strategy. It was exactly what she expected from her.

    When she was doneughing, Elena pped her hands. "Do you believe me now? I said my scheme wasn''t aplete failure. It failed for me, but it was very sessful for William.

    "The photos the thugs took became his chance to y the hero. My fake suicide attempt created public opinion he could use. In the end, I did everything while he kept his hands clean. Despite that, he achieved everything he wanted."

    She took back her phone and grabbed Emelie''s hand, looking at the 300 million dor ring.

    She used to think William loved Emelie deeply. However, she finally realized that he manipted her too, and she couldn''t understand why. If he truly loved her, he wouldn''t want to see her hurt.

    Nheless, William repeatedly pushed Emelie to the brink, only to show up like a hero when she was in her most vulnerable moments. How much genuine affection could there be in that? What was there for Elena to be jealous of?

    They both shared the same affliction. William was cold and heartless to both of them. Neither of them received his love.

    Emelie didn''t react to Elena''s mockery. She remembered the first time she had run to William was when the public opinion was strongly against her.

    Because of that, her colleagues had gossiped about her at work. She received bloodstained threats in the

    mail and was even suspended by Bryan.

    At a loss, she had fled hispany in a panic. When the elevator doors opened, William was there. That was the first time since their breakup that she had run to him.

    From that moment, she began to lower her guard against him. On that night with the fireworks, she had practically forgiven himpletely.

    They had shared a rare moment of intimacy that night. She called him "Liam" as he whispered "Happy New Year" in her ears.

    That incident was indeed the turning point in their rtionship. It was the main reason that William was a kind person in her eyes, different from his cruel father. All because William helped her when she was most helpless.

    If even that was fake, why did she agree to marry William?

    She backed away unconsciously until she bumped into someone. She turned around in confusion and saw Wesley looking at her calmly.

    Emelie clenched her fingers around the ring on her hand.

    After a moment, she said, "I don''t believe it."

 Chapter 492

    ?Chapter 492 How Ridiculous Emelie gritted her teeth.

    Contrary to her usual calm and rational demeanor, she currently appeared stubborn and unyielding.

    Even though Elena hadid out the whole story clearly, and even though Ashton''s silence confirmed everything, she still refused to ept it.

    "These are merely your spections!" she said.

    Her obstinacy was too much even for Elena, who sneered in response.

    Just as she was about to retort, Wesley interrupted, "Eme, he doesn''t deserve your trust."

    Wesley, who had been silent the entire time, finally spoke up in a calm and emotionless manner. The red as blood rose petals had been blown by the wind to his feet.

    His words hit Emelie like a sledgehammer, suffocating her with anguish.

    She watched her reflection in his warm brown eyes, which stood in stark contrast to his cold piercing words.

    "How was he supposed to return to your home without reconciling with you? How else was he supposed to marry you and use your rtionship to force your adoptive father to hand him the ledger?" he said.

    Emelie found it hard to breathe, as though she was being strangled.

    Wesley continued, "Eme, every step he took was calcted. Can''t you see that even now?"

    After Emelie hung up on her, Ashton tried calling her back but received no answer. She sensed something was amiss and immediately called William.

    "What is it?" he answered coldly.

    "Ms. Hoven just called me using Ms. Allen''s phone, Mr. Middleton," Ashton said.

    William''s voice turned colder. "What did she say?"

    Ashton replied softly, "She asked me if I manipted public opinion behind the scenes when Ms. Allen framed her. I didn''t respond immediately. I was quiet for a while before denying it, but she hung up afterward. I don''t think she believed me. She might have figured something out."

    "Got it." William hung up.

    The car he was in was driving quickly. Lyle, who was in the front seat, had just finished organizing some

    information.

    Lyle spoke, "Will, it looks like Wesley''s car is heading towards-"

    William stoically interrupted, "They went to the Allen residence."

    Lyle was surprised. He turned around and said, "Will, how do you know?"

    William replied coldly, "Get your people ready."

    Lyle smirked. "Don''t worry, Will. Whether onnd or in the sky, I''ve got it all covered. Wesley won''t escape my grasp!"

    William sat silently in the car, fidgeting with his ring as he closed his eyes.

    At that moment, a cloud drifted across the sky, shrouding the bright sun and dimming the light in the Allen family garden.

    Emelie felt her legs go weak.

    She struggled to stand and moved to a nearby chair, taking a seat. She looked down at the ring on her finger and tried to take it off.

    However, just like every other time, it didn''t budge. It was like the trap William had set for her, binding her securely.

    Emelie remembered the first time William took her back to Alderbrook. She had asked if he wanted toe in, and he had said he wasn''t in the position to do that.

    She had felt moved that the great Mr. Middleton was trying so hard to gain her approval. When he put the ring on her finger, he said that he was finally in the right position to return home with her.

    Was she happy and content that they were finally a legitimate couple again?

    However, it turned out that the position he mentioned wasn''t what she had thought. He meant that she was finally in his grasp, and he was in the right position to threaten her father by using her as leverage.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie''s lips broke into a smile as her eyes filled with tears.

    She used to think that Ronan didn''t love her much.

    However, he was merely behaving irrationally because he was terrified of the enemy that had been brought home as her fianc¨¦.

    He was terrified and demanded they break up immediately. That showed how much he loved her.

    In the end, he even killed himself to protect her.

    On the day that hemitted suicide, she had gone to the city hall with William to get married. How ridiculous could her life be?

 Chapter 493

    Chapter 493 No Tuming Back

    Emelie fought back against her tears, tilting her head up to look at the sky.

    Wasn¡¯t it sunny just a moment ago? Why did the sun disappear so suddenly? Why did she find out the truth so suddenly? Did William ever love her?

    For the past three years, she had been nothing but a tool for him, and now she was still his tool

    How did she fall for him a second time after suffering once? Was it because of his high school crush on her? <b>Was </b>it because of that long¨Clost love letter?

    If even the feelings he had that she saw with her own eyes were fake, how much truth was there in the things other people had told her about his feelings or his vague sweet talk? Emelie swallowed hard, trying with all her might to remove the ring, but the diamond wouldn¡¯t budge. Even though the force tore her skin and made her knuckles bleed, the ring stayed firmly in ce.

    She gritted her teeth and forcefully tugged at it, but Wesley suddenly grabbed her wrist.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Eme. This ring can¡¯t be taken <b>off</b>.¡± Wesley <b>said</b>.

    ¡°Really? It can¡¯te off?¡± she asked, her voice tremb?ng.

    ¡°it¡¯s an Eros ring. Its owners can only take it off after they die,¡± Wesley replied.

    How could there be such an unreasonable ring in this world? How could <b>there </b>be such a heartless man like Williams? And how could she be so foolish, falling for the same person twice?

    She recalled William calling her ¡°Eme¡°, ¡°angel¡°, and other sugar¨Ccoated words.

    Faced with the harsh reality, she felt a wave of nausea and turned her head, retching.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    However, the nausea persisted, and she retched several more times.

    Wesley frowned, gently rubbing her back. ¡°Eme, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    She stared into the distance as she murmured, ¡°How can such a disgusting person exist?i

    Wesley knew that she had received too much information in just a few days. She had discovered she wasn¡¯t the Hoven family¡¯s biological daughter, had to deal with the Pierce family¡¯s grudges, and found out William had been plotting against her all <b>along</b>. It was all too heavy and brutal for her.

    However, he understood her well enough to know that if she didn¡¯t leam the <b>truth</b>, she wouldn¡¯t willingly leave with him.

    Wesleylonelt in front of her. ¡°Eme, don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ll take you away. We¡¯ll <b>go </b>somewhere and leave all of this behind<b>.</b>¡±

    Just as he <b>said </b>that a cold male voice interrupted them. ¡°Mr. Graham, how many Umrs do I have to tell you that Emelie is my wife? What right do you have to take her away With that, a group of men stormed in, surrounding the entire Allen residence.

    Elena, pale with fear<b>, </b>shouted, ¡°<b>Who </b>are you people? What are you doing in my house?!¡±

    These men looked fierce and menacing, clearly not with good intentions. They parted to create a path, and two men walked through.

    Lyle was dressed in a tank top and cargo pants, although the weather in Liona wasn¡¯t warm enough to warrant that.

    His fit revealed his muscr arms and tanned skin. His wild and unruly appearance highlighted William¡¯s refined elegant demeanor.

    William was d in a suit as he swept his gaze over to Wesley¡¯s hand on Emelie¡¯s back.

    He looked at her pale face and said indifferently, ¡°Emelie,e back with me when you¡¯re done ying around<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    Emelie slowly looked at him.

    ying around? Did he expect her to go back to him?

    Did he really think that his deceit, maniption, and the destruction and death caused by <b>past </b>grudges were just acts of ¡°ying around¡°? Did he really believe she could still go back with him after knowing the truth<b>?</b>

    She couldn¡¯t help butugh bitterly.

    It made sense that he thought that way. Even after she had resigned and clearly distanced herself from him, even after he and Daphne had hurt her deeply, he still believed she would return.

    He had always been confident in himself. No, it was more than that. He was confident in his abilities.

    He had used threats, temptations, emotional maniption, <b>and </b>sugar¨Ccoated words on her, ying everything by casually asking her toe back.

    Emelbe looked at William and shook her head.

    This time, there was no turning back

    g <b>every </b>card and seeding

 Chapter 494

    Chapter 494 Come Back with Me

    Wesley looked at Jodie <b>calmly</b>, and she pped her hands.

    Despite appearing alone, they had backup. Another group quickly appeared, standing off against William¡¯s men.

    Tension grew between them.

    Wesley stood in front of Emelie, blocking her with his tall and slender figure. ¡°If I remember correctly, I¡¯ve already told you that Eme won¡¯t be going with you, Mr. Middleton

    William¡¯s gaze darkened instantly. ¡°Try me.¡±

    Lyle sneered as he stepped forward. ¡°So, you think your people can beat mine?¡°

    Jode <b>stepped </b>forward, tightening her tactical gloves and clenching her fists, her page sharp.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    Lyle was unfazed and pulled out a piece of gum and slowly unwrapped the wrapping. He popped it into his mouth and thoughtfully put the wrapper back into his pocket.

    ¡°I don¡¯t fight women,¡± he said, pointing at Wesley. ¡°I want to fight you.¡±

    -Wesley¡¯s expression remained unchanged, equally dismissive of him.

    Lyle hadn¡¯t been ignored like this in a long time. He lunged at Wesley with an amused sneer, his punch quick and fierce.

    Jodie met him head¨Con. In a sh, they exchanged several blows.

    With their leaders engaged, the followers on both sides naturally joined the brawl, quickly burning the garden of the Allen residence into <b>a </b>battlefield

    Surprisingly. Jodie was able to match up to Lyle¡¯s abilities, so the fight was at a standstill.

    <b>Elena¡¯s </b>attempts to stop them were futile as no one paid her any attention.

    Emelie watched them, feeling numb. The fighting men seemed like two packs of wild beasts meeting in the jungle, driven by a purpose or perhaps none at all, just an intent on destroying the other.

    Wesley held Emelle¡¯s hand, speaking softly to her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    William¡¯s cold gaze was fixed on their joined hands. ¡°Emelie, have you forgotten your mother is <b>still </b>in Capebatt Ory?¡±

    Emelie jerked her feet, about to rush toward William. However, Wesley held her back.

    She was furious at Wim, her eyes widened with anger. ¡°What have you done to my mother<b>?</b>¡±

    William maintained an indifferent expression.

    Emelie <b>gritted </b>her teeth and said, ¡°You¡¯ve already driven my father to death, and now you want to do the same to my mother? My father didn¡¯t give us the ledger. We know nothing. What more do you want from us?!¡±

    William replied, ¡°I want you toe back with me.¡±

    Hadn¡¯t he already said that? How much longer did she want to stay so close to Wesley?

    Emelie shouted, ¡°Let my mother gol¡±

    Greta was her weakness, and William¡¯s words caused her to have an emotionall breakdown

    Wesley tried tofort her. ¡°His only lead now is your foster mother. He won¡¯t harm her.¡±

    William said emotionlessly, ¡°Mrs. Hoven is already in the ICU. It is uncertain whether she¡¯ll wake up or not. Emelle, are you sure you don¡¯t want to see her?¡± Emelie¡¯s face turned ashen when <b>she </b>heard that

    How could this be? When she left Capebatt City, her mother was fine. Did <b>he </b>do something to Greta?

    Emelie¡¯s eyes were bloodshot as she stared at William, her heart tightening with pain that made her tremble. ¡°William.

    He knew how important her mother was to her. He knew, yet he still did this. How could be im to care about her?

    <b>William </b>stood still under her familiar gaze.

    He pursed his lips and suddenly shouted, ¡°Everyone, stop!¡±

    His men immediately withdrew and returned to his side. Lyle stopped throwing punches as well.

    William then left the choice to Emele. ¡°I¡¯let you decide whether you¡¯lle back with me.¡®

 Chapter 495

    Chapter 495 I¡¯m Your Husband

    Was it really Emelle¡¯s choice? Was it really up to her to decide?

    Since he was using her mother to threaten her, did she have any option but to give in to him?

    Emelle closed her eyes, a bitter smile on her face. She felt dizzy as she took a stiff step toward Wi

    wesley¡¯s hand slid from her arm to her palm, their hands cold against each other.

    Emelie turned to look at him. While they didn¡¯t speak<b>, </b>their eyes conveyed everything to each other.

    William watched their silent exchange with a cold gaze, his eyesnding on their joined hands.

    Emelie clenched her hands into fists and turned back to William. ¡°If I go with you, will you release my mother?¡±

    Wisen retracted his gaze and replied, ¡°Who else would you go with if not me?¡±

    Emelie removed her <b>hand </b>from Wesley¡¯s grip. She exhaled and headed toward the garden gate.

    -Jodle took <b>a </b>step forward ¡°Mr. Graham.¡±

    Wesley remained silent, watching Emelie¡¯s retreating figure<b>, </b>his face growing <b>colder</b>.

    On the other hand, William felt no triumphant satisfaction. His paze was as cold as ke

    ¡°I¡¯ll settle this <b>score </b>with youter,¡± <b>William </b>said to Wesley.

    He followed Emelie, grabbing her hand as they passed, and led her to the car without a word.

    Jodie gritted <b>her </b>teeth. ¡°Mr. Graham, are we just going to let him take Ms. Love? We might be outnumbered, but we can still fight¡±

    ¡°Her foster mother is in William¡¯s hands. She can¡¯t abandon her,¡± Wesley said.

    Capebatt City was William¡¯s territory. With <b>the </b>other three families involved, rescuing Greta wouldn¡¯t be easy. Her health was tragle, any harsh measures could be fatal.

    Wesley added, ¡°Marcel is also in William¡¯s hands.¡°.

    Besides, when <b>he </b><b>held </b>Emelie¡¯s hand earlier, he had slipped her something.

    ay silent.

    The car ride was

    Emelie and Williamsat on opposite sides, both of them staring out of the windows silently. It seemed as if they would remain in rever

    In the front seat, Lple turned around,

    He scratched his brow and asked, ¡°Are we heading back to Capebatt City, Wil?=? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    ¡°Yes,¡± William simply replied<b>.</b>

    Since they had flown in on a private jet, they¡¯d leave the same way. The car drove straight to the airport

    Emelie got out and walked directly to the ne. William followed, grabbing <b>her </b>hand, but she pulled away without hesitation.

    Once on the ne, she went into a room and shut the door, making it clear she didn¡¯t want to see him,

    William¡¯s expression darkened.

    By the time the ne took <b>off</b>, it was already 2.00 pm. A flight attendant knocked on Emilie¡¯s door to bring her food, but she didn¡¯t answer. Lyle tried as well, but she ignored him. The flight from Lonato Capebatt City was just five hours. However, Emelle hadn¡¯t eaten anything since the morning, which her delicate stomach <b>couldn¡¯t </b>handle

    When the door was knocked on for the third time, it was also met with silence.

    However, the person outside didn¡¯t <b>leave </b>immediately this time. Emelie heard the sound of <b>a </b>key entering the lock.

    At that moment, she was sitting on the bed, hugging her knees.

    When she saw William opening the door, she quickly got up, trying to block the door. However, she was too slow, William was already halfway in.

    He grabbed her hand and pressed her against the will

    He leaned down and asked, ¡°Are you trying to starve yourself to get back at me?¡±

    She <b>could </b>hold back her anger as long as they didn¡¯t speak. However, she failed to <b>contain </b>her rage the moment he spoke to her.

    She retorted, ¡°Don¡¯t tter yourself You think I¡¯d waste my life away just to spite you?¡±

    William¡¯s eyes were cold. ¡°I¡¯m your husband. Who else would you spite?

    He was her husband?

    Emelle couldn¡¯t believe he had the nerve to say that it was utterly ridiculous.

    ¡°We neverpleted the marriage process. We aren¡¯t married yet. We have no rtionship with each other!¡± Emelle said.

    Win prated her hand and showed her the ring on it. ¡°You¡¯re wearing my ring, and you entered the city hall with me. You are my wife.

 Chapter 496

    Chapter 496 Three Yeses

    Emelie clenched her teeth, trying to push him away, bat it was useless William pressed himself tightly <b>against </b>her.

    Their legs, waists, and chests were <b>in </b>close contact. His warm body and cool, crispscent surrounded her, just like when he used to hold her while they slept

    Especially after her father jumped to his death, she has <b>had </b>terrible insomnis. He would hold her, staying up with her through the night.

    Back then, it moved her. Now, she saw <b>him </b>as <b>a </b>master maniptor.

    she was unable to stand his touch and struggled against him harder. ¡°We aren¡¯t married because we don¡¯t have a marriage certificatel

    ¡°That¡¯s not what you thought <b>in </b>the past. William looked into her eyes. ¡°¡®s because of Wesley. The moment you see him, you regret everything. It¡¯s been ben years. What makes him so unforgettable?¡±

    Was <b>he </b>jealous?

    Emelie found it amusing ¡°At least he doesn¡¯t manipte me. That alone makes him much better than you.¡±

    Emelie knew she couldn¡¯t break free, so she stopped moving and looked up at him. Her beautib eyes were filled with anger.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to keep emphasizing that you¡¯re my husband and I¡¯m your wife, I know you married me to force my dad to hand over the ledger,¡± she said.

    William looked at her and suddenlyughed, mocking her. ¡°You know quite a lot ¡±

    Emelie wasn¡¯t sure if he was admitting it. It didn¡¯t matter as the truth was clear mough,

    Sheughed with him, with the same mocking bone. ¡°Too had my dad never gave the bolger to me or my mom<b>. </b>We know nothing. Even if you have us both, you won¡¯t get what you

    He pursed his lips and asked, ¡°Do you really know what I want?

    Emeliescoffed.

    ¡°How could I know what you want? <b>Your </b>mind is too <bplex </b>for me to understand, Mr. Middleton,¡± her mockery was directed at both him and herself.

    William grabbed her chin

    <b>The </b>cabin was dimly, casting shadows over them during their confrontation. He couldn¡¯t see her expression clearly<b>, </b>nor was <b>she </b><b>able </b>to see his.

    ¡°Do you really see me as some kind of viin now? Did Wesley tell you that? Will you <b>only </b>listen to him and not to my exnations?¡± he said./

    ¡°What more is there to explon? Emelle retorted. ¡°I just realized, when you found out about my tristity and nned to reconcile with me, it was <b>after </b>the time I stood you up You didn¡¯t retaliate, right?

    That was a long time <b>ago</b>

    He had offered an artificial heart and a medical team for her return.

    When she finally left Capebart City to work for Swanson Corporation without looking back, she expected him to all her. After all, he had never shown het mercy before.

    However, he wished her sess at the Navarro family¡¯s party and promised never to bother her <b>again</b>.

    At the time, she thought Patrice had taught him how to court her. Now<b>, </b>she finally realized he had known her identity all along and had been nning their reconciliation to achieve his goals.

    Emelie asked, ¡°Is that right?¡±

    ¡®Yes,¡®

    ¡°William said.

    At least he admitted it.

    Even though she had already figured it out, hearing his personally confirm still hurt her.

    Why would he need anyone to teach him how to court her? He <b>had </b><b>a </b>natural talent for it in everything he wanted to do. Courting someone was child¡¯s y to him.

    She gulped and continued, <b>¡°</b>When you first sest me back to Alderbrook, you met my dad, didn¡¯t you<b>? </b><b>You </b>asked him for the ledger, didn¡¯t you?!

    After her father¡¯s suicide, Emelie had alked Willem about his interactions with her dad. He had said they only met three times

    Back then, she was too grief¨Cstricken to <b>think </b>much about it. However, it finally struck her that things didn¡¯t add up Hadn¡¯t they only met once when she brought him home to meet her parents? When did the other two times happen?

    After she thought about it long and hard, she could only conclude that it was during the New Year when he had driven her back to Alderbrook and met her father behind her back. That was when her father¡¯s behavior had <b>changed</b><b>. </b>He started leaving home early in the morning and returningte at night. He even started smoking and drinking. Anyone would be stressed after being centronted by <b>an </b>old enemy.

    Emelle asked, ¡°Is that right?¡±

    Willem answered again, ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°You weet jealous of charles because of me, right? You knew he was after the lodgerton on New Year¡¯s Eve, when my dad was taken to the monston <b>by </b>Charles, you were there That was the third time you met my dad, right?¡± she asked.

    William again replied with a simple ¡°Yes¡°,

    Three free. They were all true.

    Anger singed through Emel, and she showed his chest violently. ¡°What else <b>do </b>you have to exin then?? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

 Chapter 498

    Chapter 498 Because He Likes You

    William froze for a moment. When he realized what Emelie had said, his face darkened instantly

    ¡°You really-¡°But before he could finish, a wave of anger surged through him, making him cough violently William was infuriated by Emelie.

    Before the situation could <b>escte </b>further, Lyle decided to step in ¡°Will, the captain needs to see you. Maybe you should go check it out?¡±

    William¡¯s face burned pale from coughing, making his eyes look even darker. He stared at Emelie intensely.

    After a moment, he finallycaught his breath.

    He said in a hoarse voice, ¡°You better stay alive. If you die, what will happen to your mom? Are you going to let her die too? What about your sisters and your little niece? Don¡¯t you adore her? You always bring her gifts. If you¡¯re not around, we¡¯ll have to turn to them.¡±

    Emelie¡¯s lips curled into a bitter smile.

    She had nothing left to say, nor did she want to. She turned and went back to the cabin, mming the <b>door </b>behind her.

    William pressed his lips together, not opening the door again. She probably even wished he were dead now What was there left to say?

    He held his aching ribs and walked away.

    As he passed Lyle, he left amand, ¡°Take some food in for her.¡±

    Although Emelie¡¯s words had hit him hard, it hurt her too. She copsed onto the sofa, clutching her stomach in pain..

    After awhile, the <b>pain </b>subsided. She curled up, feelingpletely drained.

    After some time<b>, </b>she began to worry. With things between them so strained, would William still let her visit her mom in the hospital?

    The door opened again, and she looked up coldly.

    It was Lyle.

    da tray of food. ¡°Aren¡¯t you

    you going to eat? You¡¯ll need your strength to visit your mom after wend. If you starve

    Emelie didn¡¯t hide her displeasure, but Lyle just smiled and held up a tray yourself, who¡¯ll take care of her?¡±

    That hit her weak spot. She paused for three seconds before looking away.

    Taking her reaction as consent, Lyle grinned and walked in. He set the tray on the table <b>and </bid our the food.

    Her meal consisted of pasta, ribs, and nched broli.

    As he handed her the utensils, he said softly, ¡°There¡¯s not much good food on a ne, but this will do.¡±

    Emelle didn¡¯t care about the food. She just knew she needed to eat something.

    She took the utensils and tes from him and noticed they were porcin,

    Her eyes flickered briefly before she started eating. After a few bites, she realized Lyle was still leaning against the wall, watching her with an unreadable expression ¡°What¡¯s up? Are you going to scold me on his behalf?¡± she asked without emotion.

    ¡°You really don¡¯t appreciate anything, do you?¡± Lyle said, crossing his arms and smicking ¡°Will is doing all this because he likes you. Those other women? Daphne, Mnie<b>, </b>Elena are all impostors. You¡¯re the only one in his life. What more do you <b>want</b><b>?</b>¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    He spoke as it William¡¯s affection was a blessing she should be grateful for. Emelle ignored him and continued <b>eating</b>.

    As if he was making <b>casual </b>conversation, he asked, ¡°Is that Graham guy really your first love? You¡¯ve been hung up on him for ten years? What¡¯s so special about him? Just his looks?¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t respond

    Lyle was never very polite to her. When she didn¡¯t answer, he pushed her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m talking to you.¡±

    The slight push made her drop the te, which shattered on the floor

    Lyle froze

    Fanelle looked at him with a nk expression. ¡°If you didn¡¯t want me to eat, why bring it at all?¡±

    Lyle scratched his nose. ¡°It was an ident. I¡¯ll get you another one.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother. I¡¯ve lost my appetite,¡± she said, putting down the utensils and bending down to pick up the pieces.

    Lyle quickly stopped her. ¡°I¡¯ll have someone bring a broom. Don¡¯t hurt yourself.¡±

    Inele shagged off his hand, retreating to the sofa and curling up again.

    Lyle nced at the broken pieces on the floor before looking back at Emelie¡¯s indifferent expression. Something shed in his eyes. Hepeshed his tongue against his check and called someone in to clem up the mess.

 Chapter 499

    Chapter 499 His Overall Command

    Five hourster, the nended in Capebatt City, <b>and¡¯Ashton </b>arrived with a fleet of cars in pick them up at the airport.

    Emelle beaded straight for one of the cars, intending to sit in the front seat, killing any chance of being in the same spare as Willum

    However, William grabbed her and pulled her into the back seat before she could get in. She struggled briefly but couldn¡¯t break free, so she turned her head away <b>as </b>soon as she

    Ashton cautiously asked, ¡°Mr. Middleton, are we heading back to Eastbay?¡±

    William replied tly, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Emelie Immediately objected, ¡°I need to go to the hospital to see my mom.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s in the ICU, and you <b>can¡¯t </b>go in there. What good would it do for you to see her? I won¡¯t allow you to stay by her bedside in the hospital,¡± William said calmlyContent ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°It¡¯s up to me to decide. Who are you to dictate that?¡± Emelie retorted.

    ¡°Then try me and see if I¡¯ll let you,¡± William replied. ¡°Back to Eastbay.¡±

    Emelie raised her voice<b>, </b><b>saying</b>. To the hospital!

    Of course, the driver followed William¡¯s instructions and set the destination as Eastbay.

    Emelie gritted her teeth. Then let me out. I¡¯ll go <b>to </b>the hospital myself.¡±

    The driver nced at the rearview mirror and saw William¡¯s calm expression, <b>so </b><b>he </b>continued <b>driving </b>without stopping, ignoring Emelie¡¯s words.

    Emelie felt both stilled and furious. She suddenly lunged forward and tried to grab the steering wheel from the driver¡¯s seat.

    ¡°Stop the car!¡± she demanded.

    The driver was caught off guard and swerved slightly on the road. Luckily, there were no other cars around, so it was more of a scare than a danger

    William immediately pulled her back. ¡°Are you trying to get yourself killed?¡±

    The next second, Emelie shook off his hand. Then, she deftly pressed a shard of broken porcin against William¡¯s neck.

    Ashton eximed, ¡°Mrs. Middleton! Please don¡¯t do this!¡±

    William stared at the porcin shard, surprised that things <b>had </b>escted to this point between them. Slowly, he lifted his eyes to meet Emelie¡¯s

    With a firm yet trembling grip on the shard, Frelle demanded slowly, ¡°I want to go to the hospital

    William asked calmly, ¡°Where did you get that plece of porcin?¡±

    He seemedpletely unconcerned that the deadly weapon was pressing against his artery, his expression and tone devoid of any emotion <b>or </b>agitation. Has calm demeanor only seemed to exacerbate Emelie¡¯s restlessness

    Unintentionally, she pressed harder, and the sharp edge of the porcin immediately pierced his skin, drawing blood.

    Ashton watched in horror. ¡°You¡¯ll kill him, Mrs. Middleton!¡±

    Emelie shouted<b>, </b>¡°How many times do you want me to repeat myself?¡±

    William chuckled softly, then reached for her hand. Emelie was startled and tightened her grip, causing the sharp edge to sink deeper into his <b>skin</b>, more blood seeping out

    She had intended to scare him off, but William didn¡¯t seem afraid at all. He grabbed the porcin shard firmly, and blood began to flow from his palm.

    Emelie never expected him to react like this. ¡°You-

    ¡°Can¡¯t you ask for it nicely? There¡¯s no need to use something like this to threaten me. We¡¯re going to Centra Hospital,¡± William <b>said</b><b>. </b>¡°You can see her for a moment and then

    He took the shard from her and tossed it into the storagepartment by the door. Blood was still dripping from his hand. Emelie stared at him with a pale face, noticing the ring on his ring fingt

    She didn¡¯t know when he started wearing it, but she recognized it as a ring matching hers, except it was stained red with blood.

    She felt a hump forming in ber throat and turned away.

    Ashton handed Will a first aid kit and a bandage ¡°You should bandage it up first, Mr. Middleton. We¡¯ll treat it at the hospital¡±

    William took the bandage and wrapped a few <b>turns </b>around his hand before reaching for a wet wipe. Instead of cleaning his hand, he grabbed Emelle¡¯s and wiped away the blood

    Ite spoke softh, ¡°Was it from the airne meal tray? Aren¡¯t you afraid of hurting yourself?!

    was genuinely concerned for her well being He¡¯s acting as it she were the one whose neck and palm were bleeding

    i putting on an act and struggled to pull her hand ww.ne forcefully, but William held on until it was <b>clean</b>.

 Chapter 500

    Chapter <b>500 </b>Crazy in Love

    The car soon arrived at the entrance of Centra Hospita

    Emelie got out of the <b>car </b>and started to walk away. However, William, who got out of the same side of the car, followed closely behind her and grabbed her arm.

    ¡°William!¡± Emelie tried to break free, but William calmly said, ¡°If you want to see your mother, cooperate with me.¡±

    Cooperate with him? Emelie frowned, but William didn¡¯t borate further. He simply held her hand and led her into the hospital, never letting go.

    As they ascended the steps, a car that had been following them slowly pulled up at the entrance.

    The back window rolled down, revealing that Charles and Deathan were inside.

    were out of their sight, they retracted their gaze

    Their heads turned in sync as they both watched Emelie and William enter the hospital together. Finally, when they ¡°Mr. Middleton actually brought Ms. Hoven back,¡± Charks chuckled. ¡°I thought Ms. Hoven had run away with Wesley Wasn¡¯t Wesley her first love? I guess an old me can¡¯tpare to a new lover, I suppose she thinks Mr. Middleton is better?

    Beathan toyed with his rosary beads as he calmly said, ¡°She <b>came </b>back for her mother,

    her, which is why she came straight to the hospital as soon as shended.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not necessarily that simple. You don¡¯t understand her. I put in a lot of effort when I pursued her, but she never spared me a nce. She is exceptionally calm andposed. she can go as far as marriage with William, it must be true love,¡± <b>Charles </b><b>said</b>.

    Beathan could tell what he was implying. ¡°Are you suggesting that she would give up on seeking justice for Edward, Xander, and the entire Pierce family for William¡¯s sake?¡± Charles¡¯s expression remained unchanged. ¡°That is possible. The smarter the woman, the crazier she bes when in love.¡±

    Beathan unbuckled his seatbelt calmly. ¡°I think you¡¯re pretty crazy when in love too.¡±

    He knew Charles said because he was afraid Beathan would get rid of her, which was why he tried to lower Emelie¡¯s perceived threat by describing her as someone <b>¡°</b>crazy in love¡±

    Beathan opened the car door and got out ¡°I¡¯d like to take <b>a </b>look for myself.¡±

    He entered the hospital and headed to the floor where the ICU was located, keeping himself hidden.

    He saw Emelie standing in front of the ss window, looking at the motionless Greta inside. Her shoulders were trembling as if she were sobbing

    William stood behind her<b>, </b>holding her shouldersfortingly. Emelie didn¡¯t push him away or resist

    Beathan squinted and saw William take out a handkerchief from his packet to wipe Emelie¡¯s tears.

    William murmured softly, ¡°The doctor said this is one of the side effects of that episode of hypoxia. It¡¯s already being treated, so there¡¯s a possibility she could wake up. If you dare to move away from me now, I¡¯ll take you <b>back </b>to Eastbay.¡±

    William¡¯sst sentence was spoken in a very low voice, audible only to Emelie.

    Emelie abruptly stopped trying to turn away, allowing him to wipe her tears. <b>She </b>stared <b>stubbornly </b>at William, who was watching Beathan¡¯s reflection in the ss window. After William saw that he had left, his expression turned cold.

    Since the elevator was crowded, Beathan didn¡¯t bother waiting and took the esctor down instead

    He weighed the rtionship between Emelie and William. During thest video conference held by the four families, William did not agree to get rid of Emelie.

    Given William¡¯s status, it was best not to offend him if possible.

    If Emelie ended up as <b>Mrs. </b>Middleton for a lifetime, she might align herself with William¡¯s interests. Hence, letting her off might not be a bad idea.

    However, Beathan was afraid that Emelie was only pretending to bepliant while still harboring thoughts of vindicating Xander Pierce, which would be a huge risk to them.

    As he descended each floor, he spotted a familiar figure on the second floor. He narrowed his eyes and immediately followed them.

    The second floor housed the obstetrics and gynecology department.

    Soon, a voice called out, ¡°Patient number 028. Ashley Thornton. Please proceed to Room At for your consultation.¡±

    Punctual as <b>usual</b>, Ashley stood up and walked into the room.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    today?¡±

    The female doctor looked at her and asked, ¡°What brings you in to

    Ashley replied softly, ¡°I¡¯m six weeks pregnant. These <b>past </b>few days, I¡¯ve been feeling a hot sensation in my stomach and some pan. I wanted to ask if it¡¯s anything serious?¡± The doctor asked, ¡°Does it hurt? Have you experienced any bleeding

    ? it¡¯s not very painful, and there¡¯s no bleeding,¡± Ashley replied.

    cask, ¡°Are you usually very busy with work? Do you stay upte? How have you been feelingtely?¡±

    ¡°Thurven¡¯t been staying opte, but I¡¯ve been really busy. As for my mood. ¡°Ashley pursed her lips. ¡°My mood hasn¡¯t been great. I argued with my husband recentl

 Chapter 501

    ?Chapter 501 I Won''t Raise Elias'' Child

    The doctor nodded. "Generally, it''s not a problem if there''s no bleeding. Please lie down, and I''ll check with the ultrasound."

    "Alright."

    Ashleyy down on the bed and lifted her shirt. The cold probe moved over her still-t stomach. She stared at the white ceiling while clutching the edge of her clothes tightly.

    Since the incident at the hotel half a month ago, she and Elias hadpletely fallen out. He thought that she had gotten back together with Beathan and booked a room with him, and she couldn''t be bothered to exin.

    Meanwhile, he had spent the night with a young model. He was the one who was cheating.

    She knew that Elias would never agree to a divorce as he was after her inheritance. Thus, she went ahead and filed for a divorce in court.

    While she could turn a blind eye to Elias'' ulterior motives, she couldn''t tolerate her husband cheating.

    However, the arrival of this child was sudden and unexpected. She still didn''t know if she wanted to keep it. The doctor retracted the probe and handed her a few tissues. "There are no major issues. The baby is developing healthily. Adjust your work hours and your mood. It''s important for a pregnant woman to get enough rest, to have good nutrition, and to maintain a happy mood."

    Ashley wiped the gel off her stomach. "Okay, I understand. Thank you, doctor."

    After tidying her clothes and leaving the consultation room, she unconsciously ced her hand on her stomach. Just as a vague thought was forming in her mind, someone suddenly appeared in front of her.

    She almost bumped into the person but managed to stop just in time. When she looked up, she saw Beathan, who had a gloomy face.

    Ashley paused, as she was a bit surprised to see him here. Nheless, she had no interest in stopping to chat with him. Thus, she bypassed him and continued walking.

    Beathan grabbed her arm, but Ashley shook him off without hesitation. Expecting her reaction, Beathan tightened his grip on her wrist and pulled her into a corner.

    Ashley managed to free herself from his grasp and put a few feet between them. She said coldly, "Mr. Collins, you''ve really outdone yourself. Last time, you drugged me in a pub, and now, you''re trying to kidnap me in public? Don''t touch me!"

    Beathan had overheard everything earlier. "Are you pregnant?"

    "What does that have to do with you?" Ashley retorted.

    Beathan''s usually mature and gentle face now looked gloomy and dangerous. "Is it Elias'' child? Are you going to keep it? Aren''t you in the process of getting a divorce?"

    "So what? What does my divorce with Elias have to do with whether I''m pregnant or whether I want to keep the child? Can''t I have a child and raise it by myself?" Ever since Beathan had drugged her, Ashley had been utterly disgusted with him.

    She didn''t want to talk to him any further and tried to walk away.

    Beathan said, "I won''t raise Elias'' child."

    Ashley, who had already walked away, found this statement ridiculous. She turned back to look at him and

    said, "Paranoia is a mental illness. The psychiatry department is on the fourth floor. Go there yourself." Did she ever say that she would get back with Beathan after divorcing Elias? What was he fantasizing about?

    If she couldn''t tolerate Elias'' cheating, what made Beathan think that she could ept him?

    If she could have tolerated it, she wouldn''t have painfully ended their seven years of toxic rtionship. Ashley strode away, ignoring Beathan''s sharp gaze.

    When Ashley reached the first floor, she suddenly noticed a man carrying a woman in his arms. Surprised, she raised an eyebrow and then called out, "Emelie."

    Emelie wanted to stay and take care of Greta, who was in a deepa. However, William had already said that he wouldn''t allow it.

    Thus, he had picked her up, despite her resistance and struggles.

    Emelie struggled like a fish out of water. William looked down at her and said, "If you keep struggling, I''ll cut off your mother''s medication."

    Emelie froze and then fumed with anger. ."You..."

    Ashley''s voice interrupted them just then as she said, "Emelie."

    Emelie immediately turned her head. Her eyes were filled with joy, as though she had seen her savior." Ashley, I..."

    William tightened his hold on her and whispered, "Think about your mother."

    Emelie swallowed the words that she was about to say. She forced a smile and asked, "Ashley, why are you at the hospital?"

    Then, remembering that Ashley was pregnant, she asked, "Are you feeling unwell?"Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    "I''m fine." Ashley noticed the odd atmosphere between the two. "I''ve been messaging you over the past few days, but you didn''t reply."

    "My phone broke," Emelie said dryly. William nced at her nonchntly, then nodded at Ashley. "We have something to do, so we''ll be going now."

    With that, he carried Emelie out of the hospital. Ashley stood in the lobby, watching them.

    Meanwhile, Beathan, who had just reached downstairs, clicked his tongue as he watched the other two and Ashley.

    Outside the hospital, Charles also watched the scene from his car. All three of them had different thoughts.

 Chapter 502

    ?Chapter 502 Relying on My Feelings for You

    Just as William ced Emelie into the car, she grabbed his cor, not letting him leave. She stared into his eyes and asked, "William, why did my mom suddenly fall into aa? What did you do to her?"

    Greta had been perfectly fine before Emelie had left Capebatt City. How did she end up like this in just a few days?

    William, who was still bending over, looked down at Emelie. Then, he nced slightly to the side and noticed a car quietly approaching them from behind.

    Emelie''s mind was consumed by the image of Greta lying on the hospital bed. She choked back a sob as she struggled to breathe. "Did you scare her?"

    William didn''t answer the question. Emelie couldn''t stay calm when it came to matters rted to Greta. She yanked at his cor.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    "William! Let''s make things clear now! What do you want? Do you want the ount book or both my life and my mom''s?"

    William''s gaze shifted back to her angry face. Suddenly, he said, "I don''t want either. I just want you to stay by my side."

    Emelie lifted her head. She wanted to tell him to dream on, but William unexpectedly cupped the back of her head and pressed his lips to hers without warning.

    "Mmph!"

    His cold, unmistakable scent filled her senses in the most intimate way. Emelie immediately tried to push him away. "William... Mmph!"

    William blocked her lips again. He then grabbed her resisting hand and ced it around his neck. This way, it would look as though she was holding him close and was willingly kissing him.

    Emelie was furious at his shameless act. She used all her strength to push him away, but he held the back of her head firmly, leaving her no room to struggle.

    His tongue forced its way past her dry lips and teeth, invading her mouth with bold intensity while exploring and intertwining with her tongue.

    One of them was seated inside the car, while the other stood outside. One was leaning back, and the other was leaning forward. To an onlooker, it appeared as if they were deeply in love and reluctant to part.

    The car drove straight past them.

    William paused. Sensing his grip loosen, Emelie seized the opportunity to shove him away. Then, without hesitation, she raised her hand, intending to p him across the face.

    William caught her wrist quickly. With a gloomy look, he said, "You are my wife. Why do you feel wronged when I kiss you?"

    Emelie''s chest heaved with anger. Despite this, her face was both pale and flushed, and her lips glistened attractively.

    William hadn''t noticed this, as he had been putting on a show for the person who had been following them. But now, his Adam''s apple bobbed twice as he leaned in to kiss her again.

    Emelie gritted her teeth. "If you want to see me die, just keep going."

    William sneered. "Is threatening me with death the only trick you have?"

    Emelie smirked. "My tricks are few but effective. Don''t you always use my mom to threaten me? Mr. Middleton, I''ve learned everything from you. I have to master this too."

    William held her chin and brushed her lips with his thumb. "I use your mom to threaten you because I know that you care about her. You use yourself to threaten me because you know that I care about you."

    Emelie''s eyshes fluttered like a butterfly''s wings.

    "Don''t you find yourself contradictory? You im that I don''t like you and that I only manipte and use you, yet you rely on my feelings for you to act recklessly."

    William pulled her closer to show her the scar on his neck. "Just look at this wound you gave me. If I didn''t care about you, what do you think your fate would be right now?"

 Chapter 503

    ?Chapter 503 To Go Back to How Things WereContent ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    The wound on William''s neck remained untreated. It stained his ck shirt cor a deeper hue. The blood had dried into scabs, and it was stark against his fair skin.

    Emelie pursed her lips.

    She knew well that as the only son of the Middleton family in Capebatt City, William had always been sheltered from harm. He had likely never even scraped his knee since childhood, let alone shed blood.

    Making him bleed, especially in front of the people from Cloudex Corporation and the Middleton family, was sure to displease those around him. This was the case with Lyle, who was close to him.

    No. There were a few times when he had been injured.

    Once, in the wilderness, a viger had hit him on the back with a stick as he was holding her. Another time, during a vige inspection, Reggie''s men had stabbed him in the abdomen, but fortunately, Emelie had managed to shake off one of those men in time and save him from a second stab.

    It was a coincidence. She had been involved in both situations rted to his injuries.

    Emelie said nothing, and William took the opportunity to pull her into his arms, making her rest her chin on his shoulder.

    Lowering his voice as though he was coaxing her, he said, "Angel, let''s forget about all this. Let''s live our lives as we did before."

    After a few seconds, Emelie replied, "Okay."

    William tilted his head slightly while examining her expression. Had she really agreed?

    Emelie said, "I''ll be at the hospital with my mother tonight. You should head home by yourself." William gently rubbed her back. "Aren''t you tired after such a long flight? Come home with me today. I''ll apany you to see your mother another day. Don''t worry. The doctors will take good care of her."

    Emelie pushed away from his embrace. "I''m not tired. I''m staying at the hospital with my mother today." This time, William remained silent.

    Emelie''s eyes showed a faint scorn. "Do you not allow it?" She then smiled and continued, "Didn''t you say that you wanted us to live as we did before?

    "You would never say no when I wanted to stay by my mother''s side back then. You would even send me lounge chairs, flowers, and three meals a day. You never restricted my movements. So, why can''t you allow it now?"

    She leaned against the car door. The mockery in her tone deepened as she went on, "You said that you want us to go back to how things were before, but you''re also the one who won''t allow it."

    "If I let you stay at the hospital with your mother, I''m afraid that you''ll disappear from Capebatt City with her by tomorrow. You have Wesley now, and you don''t need my medical team that much anymore. Do you think I don''t know what you''re thinking?" William replied calmly.

    Emelie gave an ironic smile. "Yes, we both understand each other''s intentions perfectly well. So, why did you say that you want us to go back to how things were? Mr. Middleton, that''s quiteughable."

    Like a sheet of paper that had been stained with ink and crumpled into a ball, their rtionship could never regain its original smooth, clean state.

    There were no time machines or shortcuts to undo any regrettable decisions made in this world. Everyone

    had to face the consequences and bear the costs of their actions.

    "When I use threats, I''m not testing my worth in your eyes. Instead, I''m testing the importance of that ount book in your mind." Emelie''s words seemed to pierce his heart.

    "My father''s gone, and my mother isn''t waking up. I''m your only lead now. Naturally, you need me alive. Otherwise, how would you locate the ount book?"

    William felt a surge of frustration in his chest. He suppressed the urge to cough and pursed his lips tightly. However, holding his breath only made his ribs ache.

    William got into the car and loudly mmed the door shut. His demeanor was as chilling as the snow- capped peaks of the far north as he said, "We''re going back to Eastbay."

 Chapter 504

    ?Chapter 504 His Hatred

    Abel and Ashton had been sitting in the front seats of the car the whole time. However, they had developed the ability to lower their presence almost to the point of non-existence when William didn''t need them.

    Upon William''smand, Abel immediately started the vehicle.

    William said coldly, "Tell Fabian to bring some people with him to Eastbay. Before we get home, all knives, porcin, sharp objects, and anything that can be used to harm oneself or others in the house must be reced or disposed of to avoid harming Mrs. Middleton."

    Ashton replied in a low tone, "Got it."

    Emilie knew that William was being protective of her. But, what else could she do? She could only go with the flow.

    Their car drove straight toward Eastbay while Charles'' car remained parked by the roadside.

    Charles asked, "Did you see anything when you followed them to the hospital?"

    Beathan didn''t say a word, which meant that the answer was a no.

    Charles was sleepy. He yawnedzily and asked, "You saw them kissing in the car just now. They seem to be getting along well. They should be going home together now. If you don''t believe it, then should we continue to follow them?"

    Beathan fiddled with the rosary bracelet in his hand as he said, "It''s fine."Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Charles shrugged. "Although Xander Pierce is Ms. Hoven''s biological father, she doesn''t even know him. They are practically strangers. How should I put it? If I were Ms. Hoven, I wouldn''t have any emotional attachment to Xander either.

    "Meanwhile, William is the man she''s loved for so many years. I think the possibility of her siding with William is higher."

    As Beathan pondered, Charles continued, "If she chooses Xander, she''ll be walking on a thorny path where she could lose her life if she''s not careful. But if she chooses William, she''ll be thedy of the Middleton family and the wife of the CEO of Cloudex Corporation. Even a fool would know which one to choose."

    Beathan raised his head. "Do you really like her that much? You''ve been speaking up for her this whole time. Weren''t you actively searching for the ount book before?"

    "That''s another matter." Charles sat back casually. "Finding the ount book is a must. Ms. Hoven is someone I once had feelings for. I''m a person who treats women with kindness. I just think that there''s no need to go to extremes."

    "Treating women kindly doesn''t always yield good results." Beathan wore the rosary bracelet on his wrist. The sparkling bracelet on his hand seemed like a venomous snake ready to bite.

    Charles squinted. "Your mood hasn''t been right since you came out of the hospital. Did you meet someone you know there?"

    The rtionship between the four families was rather odd.

    Beathan had a close rtionship with Charles, who in turn was connected to Bryan, and Bryan was closely linked to William. Their bonds were not like William''s rtionships with Jayden and Elias, which were more personal. Instead, theirs were rooted in shared interests and mutual benefits.

    "I had indeed met someone I know there, and I had even learned something unpleasant." Beathan then signaled for the driver to unlock the car door so that he could get out. "Let''s leave it at that for today." Charles raised an eyebrow. After making a gesture of farewell, he had the driver drive away. Beathan walked alone on the road as he contemted the situation with Emelie and Ashley.

    He thought that Emelie''s presence was unstable and that Ashley''s unborn child was particrly bothersome. He felt more inclined to get rid of Emelie now, especially after he learned about Ashley''s pregnancy.

    Bryan was right. He hated anyone who was rted to someone he didn''t like.

    The more he disliked Elias, the more he found faults with William, and the more he resented Emelie.

    As he twirled the rosary bracelet in his hand, his thoughts were consumed by dark resentment. Suddenly, he noticed a car parked beneath a tree up ahead. The vehicle''s hazard lights shed twice, clearly signaling him to get in and talk.

    Beathan paused, and his mind raced. Who was in that car?

 Chapter 505

    ?Chapter 505 Fallen for You at First Sight

    Just as Beathan walked over, the driver stepped out of the car and opened the rear door courteously. "Mr. Collins, I believe that you haven''t had dinner yet. Mydy has arranged a table of authentic Calmcrest cuisine at Eastview Pavilion and would like to invite you for a meal."

    Beathan asked, "How should I address yourdy?"

    The driver replied, "Mydy''s maiden name is Middleton."

    Oh? Mrs. Middleton? That was interesting.

    Beathan bent down and got into the car.

    William took Emelie to Eastbay.

    Upon entering, the entire house looked oddly safe. There was not a single piece of porcin in the house. Even the flower vases were made of stic.

    Emelie smirked. "Are you nning to confine me here and not let me out?"

    William removed his coat, and a maid quietly took it from him. He said, "Mrs. Middleton, where did thate from? How could I confine you? It''s just that you need to rest at home after being too exhaustedtely,"Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    At this point, what else could Emelie do? She could only nod. "Fine. I''ll get some rest."

    She went upstairs to the guest bedroom and mmed the door shut with a bang.

    The entire house trembled, but William didn''t even bat an eye. Unbuttoning his shirt sleeves, he calmly said, "She''s still so petite, but her temper has grown."

    Emelie curled up on the bed, expecting to have trouble falling asleep. However, she had been unusually sleepy these past few days. By the time it was past one in the morning, drowsiness overwhelmed her.

    Just as she was about to drift off, she felt someone wrap their arms around her waist from behind. The person carried a familiar, revitalizing scent that instantly banished her fatigue.

    She bent her elbow and jabbed it backward sharply as she said, "Let go!"

    William had anticipated her actions and caught her firmly. "Mrs. Middleton, you need to rest, and so do L." His voice lowered as he continued, "Who taught you to hit me like that? This is where my kidney is. What if you damage it and ruin the rest of your life?"

    What on earth was he talking about?

    Emelie struggled to break free from his grip. "Go back to your bedroom!"

    Instead, William tightened his arms around her and pressed his chest against her back. Their body heat mingled under the nket. He said in azy tone, "This whole house is mine, and I''ll sleep wherever I want."

    Emelie was utterly frustrated. She stopped trying to pry his hands away and instead tried to wriggle out from under his steel-like grip.

    However, William rolled over andy on top of her. "You''re in my house. Wherever I decide for you to sleep is where you''ll sleep."

    Emelie couldn''t push him away, and she also couldn''t win against him in an argument. As she was pressed tightly against him in the dead of night, her chest rose and fell dramatically. She red at him in the darkness.

    William lowered his head. "What did Wesley say about me? Did he mention me as someone who was maniptive, heartless, and scheming, or someone with wild ambition?"

    Emelie snapped, "Did any of those usations actually nder you?"

    "All of them are wrong," William said with mixed emotions. "I''ve admired you, fallen for you at first sight, fallen for you for real, and then felt deeply for you."

    Emelie scoffed.

    "Don''t you believe me?" William turned over and held her tightly again. He sighed into her hair as though hugging her was the only way to settle his heart.

    "If you don''t believe me, that''s fine. In any case, you''re my wife now. Close your eyes and sleep. If I don''t get enough rest, I won''t be able to take you to the hospital to see your mother tomorrow."

    At this, Emelie stopped struggling. She barely moved, and she forced herself to close her eyes. She spent the night in a half-sleep and didn''t actually fall asleep until dawn.

    However, when she heard the sounds of movementing from downstairs, she jolted out of her sleep and immediately got up and went downstairs.

    William was sitting at the breakfast table. The first thing she asked was, "When can I go to the hospital to see my mom?"

    William didn''t look at her. "Her condition is stable, just like yesterday. It doesn''t matter if you do or don''t see her today, she''ll still stay the same. There''s no need for you to go."

    Was he implying that he didn''t intend to let her go to the hospital?

    Emelie was furious. She grabbed a nearby water ss and threw it at him. "You lied to me!"

    William easily dodged it. He looked up at her coldly. "I didn''t sleep wellst night. You were squirming in my arms like a caterpir all night. Didn''t you feel the changes in my body when you rubbed against me?"

 Chapter 506

    ?Chapter 506 Her Tantrum is Quite New

    Emelie froze for a moment.

    When she realized what he had said, she became furious and grabbed everything within reach to hurl it at William.

    William didn''t dodge. A tissue box hit his shoulder and then fell to the ground. He bent down and picked it up before pulling out a tissue to wipe his mouth.

    William then walked over to her as the maid handed him his coat.

    He ruffled Emelie''s hair, and she dodged his hand. Unbothered, he put on his coat and said, "Angel, wait for me at home."

    Emelie red at him coldly.

    William turned and left, locking the door behind him. As she heard the click of the lock, Emelie closed her eyes and smashed the remaining items in the room.

    She usually wouldn''t act this way. However, she felt a surge of anger in her chest. If she didn''t vent her feelings, she might suffocate.

    The maids moved to clean the ce up, but she ordered, "Don''t clean this up!"

    The maids exchanged uneasy nces. As Emelie headed upstairs, she continued to throw things. The once pristine Eastbay, the top luxury residence in Capebatt City, turned into a mess early that morning.

    William watched the scene through the security cameras, and he found her tantrum quite new. Emelie was usually a calm person.

    He smirked as he headed downstairs to his car. He instructed Ashton, "The maids'' cooking is mediocre. Arrange for Westward Club to deliver meals here on time from now on, and hire a few more chefs for the house."

    Ashton understood immediately. "Got it."

    When they arrived at Cloudex Corporation, Lyle had just arrived as well.

    Lyle was riding a heavy motorcycle. This particr model was one of only a few worldwide, with a price equivalent to a house in Capebatt City.

    The sleek ck and gold bike was like a wild, untamed leopard. Even parked next to William''s Cullinan, it was not overshadowed.

    Lyle removed his helmet and shook his hair. His light brown locks gleamed like gold in the sunlight. "Will, " he called out.

    William got out of the car and nced at him. Dressed in leather, Lyle''s outfit entuated his tall, lean frame. His wild demeanor suited the motorcycle perfectly.

    William nodded before heading inside. Lyle casually tossed his keys to the valet and said, "Thanks."

    However, the valet couldn''t start the bike and struggled to move it. Eventually, it took several people to push it to the parking lot, leaving them nearly in tears.

    Lyle followed William into the elevator. He removed his gloves as he said, "Wesley hasn''t made any moves. He''s just gone back to his ship, which is still docked at Lionia Port and hasn''t set sail yet." William responded with a calm hum.

    When they reached the office floor, the two walked into William''s office. Lyle asked in his casual Eprandian ent, "What about Ms. Hoven? How is she?"

    As the ss door closed behind them, William suddenly turned and grabbed Lyle by the cor before mming him against the wall.

    Lyle was caught off guard. "Will!"

    Even in a suit, William''s imposing presence overwhelmed Lyle, who was in full gear. Staring coldly into Lyle''s eyes, he questioned, "Did you know that she broke a bowl and hid the shards?"

    Lyle was stunned. He quickly exined, "I immediately had someone clean up after that. Did she hide a shard? I had no idea. What did she do with it?"

    He then noticed the bandage on William''s hand. "Will, did she hurt you? How bad is it? How could she dare to harm you?"

    After a few seconds, William released him.

    Lyle was the least likely person to betray him.

    Years ago, when Lyle was beaten to the brink of death, it was William who had saved him and dealt with those who were responsible. Lyle had risen to his current position as Mr. Inning all because of William, who had always been his benefactor and the person he listened to the most.

    William patted Lyle''s cor. "It''s just a small wound. But I''m surprised you missed such arge shard."

    Lyle frowned. "I didn''t watch her closely enough. It''s my mistake."

    William walked back to his desk. "I''ll give you a chance to make up for it."

    Lyle responded, "Just tell me what to do, Will."

    "Take some men to the Hoven residence in Alderbrook and search the ce thoroughly. But I doubt the ount book is there. Check Eliana Hoven''s house and the apartment she used to share with someone as well." William sat back in his chair and crossed his legs.

    Lyle replied, "Alright."Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    William propped his head on his hand while pondering. Then, he said, "The Hovens have three daughters. There''s another one, Etta, who eloped three years ago. Find out where she is now."

    "Got it. I''ll handle it right away."

 Chapter 507

    ?Chapter 507 You Should Change Your Bargaining Chip

    Lyle wasted no time and headed out immediately. As he reached the lobby, he called for the valet to bring his motorcycle over.

    While waiting, he nced back at the Cloudex Corporation sign. He remembered the day Emelie had broken the bowl and how he had noticed that a piece was missing. However...Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    He pressed his tongue against the roof of his mouth. His sharp brows and narrow eyes were striking.

    The valets struggled to push his heavy motorcycle over. Seeing them struggle, Lyle clicked his tongue and strode over.

    Once he donned his helmet, he swung his long leg over the bike before revving up the engine and speeding off.

    As March began, spring arrived. William walked into Eastbay under thest rays of the setting sun. Meanwhile, Emelie was having dinner at the table. There were four dishes there, and she had almost finished her meal.

    William observed her. "You have a good appetite. I thought you might go on a hunger strike."

    Emelie replied coldly, "Mr. Middleton, I did consider going on a hunger strike to force you to let me see my mother. But I realized that I shouldn''t overestimate my importance to you. If you ignored my threat, I''d just be torturing myself for nothing, wouldn''t I?"

    A maid brought a hot towel for him to wipe his hands. Meanwhile, William''s tone was cold as he said, "It''s good that you know your ce."

    Emelie put down her fork. She looked him in the eye and said calmly, "William, we need to talk."

    William nced at the mess on the floor and then at the maids. They immediately started cleaning up. He then stepped over the debris and walked into the living room. "Let''s talk here."

    Emelie pressed her lips together as she stood up from the dining chair and walked to the living room. She got straight to the point and said, "I know you haven''t found the ount book yet. I can help you find it." William casually moved a shoe off the couch and sat down. "Can you find it?"

    "I''m Ronan''s daughter, and I''ve lived with him for over 20 years. I know his habits better than any outsider. My chances of finding it are higher."

    William tilted his head slightly and looked at her.

    Emelie met his gaze. "I also promise that I won''t dig into Xander Pierce and Xander Group''s past cases. Once I hand over the ount book, I''ll have no evidence. No one will investigate the four major groups based on my words alone.

    "Fighting you is like hitting a stone with an egg. I just want my mother. Let me take her away, and we''re even."

    Future matters would be dealt withter. For now, Emelie''s priority was getting Greta back from him. William''s expression remained unchanged. "She''s not your biological mother. When Edward used you to pay off his debt, she didn''t object. She didn''t contact you for three years. Why do you care so much about her?"

    His eyes were dark. "Do you remember when you said that I was your only family?"

    Emelie was silent for a moment. Then, she said, "Didn''t your mother leave you when you were very young? Why do you care so much about her? You''ve also never forgiven your father for betraying her."

    This hit William''s sore spot, and his face quickly became cold.

    "Henry may be a scoundrel, but without his foundation, you wouldn''t be this powerful today. Mr. Middleton, you don''t understand gratitude, but I do. My parents raised me, so I must repay them."

    William''s lips curled up into a sneer. "Ms. Hoven, I forgot how good your debating skills are."

    Emelie stayed on topic. "So, do you agree to my deal?"

    William twisted the ring on his finger and said in a cold, maic voice, "Step closer, and I''ll tell you."

    Emelie hesitated before taking a small step forward. William suddenly grabbed her wrist and yanked her toward him.

    Emelie had been wary, but she had still underestimated his strength. The next thing she knew, she was spun around and pulled onto the couch.

    With one hand, he pinned both of her wrists down and then leaned over her.

    Emelie struggled and eximed, "William!"

    The maids understood the situation and discreetly left the room. Now, there were just the two of them in the messy living room.

    William looked down at her. The way he looked at her was cold yet ambiguous.

    "I''ve told you that my n is to marry you and have children with you. Your proposed deal doesn''t interest me. Ms. Hoven, if you want to save your mother, you''d bettere up with a better bargaining chip. Got it?"

 Chapter 508

    ?Chapter 508 Are You Pregnant?

    They were both adults. Emelie knew exactly what kind of bargaining chip he wanted in exchange. Especially now that they were pressed so closely together, she could feel the changes in his body.

    Given how far things had escted between them, it was clear that William didn''t care if she knew the whole truth and saw his true nature. To him, it made no difference whether she knew or not.

    She was still in his grasp, and nothing could stop him from doing as he pleased. His arrogance and disregard for others were infuriating.

    Emelie was on the verge of exploding. "Let go of me!"

    William held her tightly. He then gripped her chin and kissed her. Without hesitation, Emelie opened her mouth and bit down on his tongue as if she intended to bite it off.

    William quickly moved away. When he saw the anger and hatred in her bloodshot eyes, his brows twitched, and he covered her eyes with his hand. "Why are you so difficult to appease?"

    The way he spoke made it seem as though she was the one being unreasonable.

    Emelie was so enraged that sheughed. "Your father killed my biological father, and you killed my adoptive father. Yet, you still want me to have your child? What gives you the right to act this way? William, I just want to know. What gives you the right?"

    William said in a deep voice, "I didn''t force your father to do anything. Hemitted suicide, and that wasn''t my doing."

    "Do you think I''d believe that?" Emelie shouted. Perhaps because she had just eaten, her intense emotions,bined with all her struggling, put some pressure on her stomach, causing her to retch suddenly. "Ugh..."

    She pushed William away and leaned over the edge of the couch.

    William''s expression darkened. "What''s wrong? Do I make you that sick now?"

    Emelie clung to the edge of the couch. "Yes! You disgust me! William, the biggest regret of my life is meeting you on that rainy night four years ago. I''d rather have been taken away by those people to pay off the debts than to have ever known you!"

    William''s expression became glum.

    Emelie''s stomach churned again, and she couldn''t hold it back. She retched a few more times, but she didn''t vomit.

    William''s eyes narrowed. "Are you pregnant?"

    Emelie froze for a second, then immediately said, "No!"

    William''s gaze fell on her abdomen. Emelie felt goosebumps on her back.

    "William, are you crazy? Vomiting doesn''t equal a pregnancy! Can''t I just be nauseated by you?"

    William said coldly, "Let me tell you something. Four years ago, you were destined to meet me and get into my car."

    Emelie''s face turned pale as she stared at him. She did not understand what he meant.

    William poured her a ss of warm water and ced it on the coffee table. His tone was indiscernible. It was neither joyful nor angry.

    "I told you. I had a crush on you for many years and watched your every move. I knew when your family was in debt. I specifically went to find you that night."

    Emelie''s eyshes fluttered, and her face turned pale.

    William left no room for doubt. He made it clear that there were no "what ifs" between them.

    On that rainy night four years ago, her fate had been sealed. She had been destined to get into his car, be his woman, and be entangled with him for years toe.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    "You are destined to be mine."

    How could he let go of the person that he had longed for for so many years? How could she leave him now?

    In the end, they didn''t continue their encounter that night. However, William still slept beside her. Emelie knew that she couldn''t resist him. Still, she didn''t want to be held by him.

    When she struggled, William threatened, "If you move again, we''ll finish what we started on the couch."

    Only then did Emelie shut her eyes tightly. Perhaps because she hadn''t slept well the previous night, Emelie eventually fell asleep out of sheer exhaustion.

    However, the following day, she was woken up by William before she was fully awake. Just as she was about to get angry, he gently asked, "Aren''t you tired of staying at home? Get up. I''m taking you out today.

    Emelie opened her eyes. "Where to?"

    William released her and went to the full-length mirror to put on his tie. "The hospital."

    Emelie sat up immediately. "Is it to see my mother?"

    William didn''t answer her question. He looked at her through the mirror and said, "Ms. Hoven, you should know my work hours, right?"

    Did he mean that if she took too long, he wouldn''t take her to the hospital?

    Emelie quickly checked the time. It was already 8:15 am.

    Without a second thought, she threw off the covers and got out of bed before rushing to the bathroom to wash up.

    William was unhurried. He fastened his tie pin and picked up his cufflinks.

    Once Emelie was ready, he took her out. Oddly, he didn''t make her eat breakfast or even drink a ss of water. Emelie was preupied with her thoughts of Greta and didn''t notice this.

 Chapter 509

    ?Chapter 509 You Must Be Pregnant

    It wasn''t until they arrived at the hospital and William led her straight to the doctor''s office that Emelie realized that something was wrong. "Aren''t we going to the ICU to see my mom? Why are we here?"

    William stood to the side and said, "Sit down."

    Emelie was puzzled. Just as she sat down, a nurse approached with a tray and prepared to roll up her sleeve.

    Emelie noticed that the tray held a tourniquet, some disinfectant, a needle, and a few vacuum blood collection tubes.

    William said softly, "Give her a blood test."

    Emelie immediately understood what he intended to do. She looked at him sharply. "Do you still suspect that I''m pregnant?"

    In fact, William had wanted Emelie to be pregnant for a long time. They had never used protection during their encounters. If she were pregnant, it wouldn''t be surprising.

    "Let''s check. We need to be sure."

    Emelie didn''t want to take the test.

    She hadn''t considered the possibility of her being pregnant seriously and felt that it was unlikely real. However, her recent sleepiness, increased appetite, and frequent nausea suggested otherwise.

    Her hand unconsciously moved to her abdomen, and her heart raced. She feared the suspicion and feared even more that William would find out if she truly were pregnant.

    With her mother already being a vulnerable point, if she were genuinely pregnant, it would give William another leverage and another threat over her.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    When Emelie looked up at William, she saw him watching her intently. His dark, beautiful eyes held a deep meaning, as if he already had ns for this potential child.

    She was already at the hospital. So, escaping now was impossible, and the blood test was unavoidable. Emelie bit her lip and extended her arm.

    The nurse tied a tourniquet around her upper arm and located a vein. As the sharp needle pierced her skin, Emelie''s vision briefly darkened. William covered her eyes with his hand.

    Emelie wasn''t afraid of needles or drawing blood, but William''s gesture stirred something within her. She quickly sneered. "Mr. Middleton, you''re wasting your concern. I''m not as weak as Ms. Bowen."

    William asked, "Who is Ms. Bowen?"

    Emelie fell silent. Continuing the conversation would make it seem as though they were flirting. She turned her head away to avoid his hand.

    William said softly, "That''s why I said you''re hard to please."

    The nurse drew two tubes of blood, then removed the needle and pressed a cotton ball to the puncture site. "Keep this in ce for a minute or two until the blood clots."

    Emelie pressed down on the cotton ball and immediately asked, "Since the blood has been drawn, can I see my mother now?"

    This time, William agreed. He took her to the ICU but allowed her only half an hour before he grabbed her hand to leave.

    Emelie tried to pull her hand away, but he wouldn''t let go. Even after getting into the car, he still held her hand tightly. Emelie frowned. "Let go!"

    William suddenly asked, "If we do have a child, would you be happy?"

    Emelie asked him back, "Would you be happy?"

    "Of course I''ll be happy. Haven''t I always said that I wanted a child with you?" William''s lips curved up into a smile, and it softened his usually cold demeanor. "Can''t you see that I''m delighted?"

    Emelie turned her head away and said calmly, "You might be celebrating too soon. After my miscarriage, the doctor said that my uterine lining is thin, which will make it hard for me to conceive,"

    William''s expression turned stern. "Why didn''t you tell me this before?"

    Emelie recalled another matter. "When I had severe menstrual cramps and you took me to the hospital, we talked about children. Back then, you said that you wouldn''t want the child even if I got pregnant."

    William said in a low voice, "That was said in anger. Besides, you were the one who first said that you didn''t want a child. I was just being smart and agreeing with you."

    Emelie let out a mockingugh. "Oh, really?"

    William''s hand wasrge enough to wrap around hers. His thumb brushed her ring, and he said, "I have a feeling that you''re definitely pregnant."

    Emelie took a sharp breath and remained silent for the rest of the ride. Her thoughts were chaotic. She couldn''t be pregnant now. Not at this time.

    Finally, the car stopped in front of Cloudex Corporation. Emelie frowned when she saw the ce. "Why did you bring me to the office?"

    "You''re staying with me at the office today. This is your old workce. It''s been a while since you''ve visited. You can take a nostalgic tour."

    William pulled her out of the car, but Emelie resisted. He added, "The test results will be outter. Don''t you want to know the answer immediately?"

    Emelie pressed her lips tightly and got out of the car. "I''ll walk by myself. You don''t want people talking about us, do you?"

    "We are legally married. Let them talk if they want." William led her into Cloudex Corporation.

    Initially, Emelie resisted, but then she realized that if William was willing to be the subject of gossip, why should she care? She had no ns to return to Cloudex Corporation and wouldn''t stay long enough to hear the rumors.

    Thus, she let him lead her inside.

    As expected, they received many curious nces all the way from the entrance to the CEO''s office.

 Chapter 510

    ?Chapter 510 ying the Role of a Couple Deeply in Love

    After all, Emelie, who was the former chief secretary of Cloudex Corporation, was known by everyone in thepany.

    No one expected that after a year, she would return while holding William''s hand.

    Their open disy of holding hands naturally sparked curiosity about their rtionship.

    Thus, within half an hour of Emelie entering Cloudex Corporation, almost everyone in thepany knew about this news. This matter even became the hottest topic of conversation among the employees for the next three days.

    Along with it, William and Olivia''s old affair was also brought up again.

    Gradually, everyone came up with a story. They believed that Emelie had resigned back then because William had been bewitched and seduced by Olivia, the vixen.

    They thought that William had eventuallye to his senses and won back his old love. The evidence was that William had frequently traveled to Westonst year, and Emelie had been at Weston''s Swanson Corporation at that time.

    This version of the story was confirmed when Ashton inadvertently revealed that William and Emelie were already married, making it the epted truth and a popr topic of gossip.

    Of course, all that happenedter.

    At this moment, Emelie didn''t pay attention to the rumors. She entered the CEO''s office and, upon seeing the familiar environment, couldn''t help but recall some memories. She forcefully cleared these memories.

    Following behind William, she asked, "The other day, you caught someone close to Wesley. What did you do with him?"

    William unbuttoned his suit jacket as he asked, "The one named Marcel?"

    "Yes."

    "He''s with Lyle. He''s stubborn, and he refuses to disclose where you went that day. We didn''t ask him anything further after that. If it weren''t for you mentioning him, I would have forgotten about him." William took off his suit jacket and hung it on the rack.

    Emelie said, "Let him go. I''m already in your hands, and he''s of no use to you. Besides letting him go, you have no other way to deal with him. In a society governed byw, would you really dare to kill someone?"

    William didn''t answer her. He sat in his office chair while looking at Emelie, who was standing before him. He, too, felt a sense of familiarity from the environment.

    He smiled and said, "Emelie, make me a cup of coffee."

    Emelie mockingly replied, "Didn''t you say that I am Mrs. Middleton?"

    William corrected himself and said, "Well then, Mrs. Middleton, could you please make me a cup of coffee?

    Emelie refused to serve him. She turned her head to look elsewhere.

    He wasn''t wrong in saying that her temper had grown.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    William walked toward the coffee machine and asked, "What would you like to drink? But since you might be pregnant, you can''t have coffee. How about some honey water?"

    "I don''t want to drink anything." She shouldn''t have agreed toe to thepany with him.

    Staying in this overly familiar office made her feel very ufortable. She frowned and said, "I don''t want to stay here. I want to go back to Eastbay."

    William scooped a spoonful of honey and dissolved it in warm water. He said slowly, "We''re newlyweds who are deeply in love, so we''re naturally inseparable. Staying together at every moment shows how much we cherish each other. You will stay at thepany today. If you get tired, you can sleep in the break

    room."

    Emelie didn''t know that he liked acting. He even insisted that she yed the role of a couple that were deeply in love together with him.

    She stared at his profile for a moment, then turned and went into the break room in his office. After that, William entered the room several times. He brought her a ss of honey water and some snacks. He was afraid that she might get hungry, as if the unborn child mattered greatly to him.

    Just when he went into the room the third time to bring her a small cake, his phone rang. He nced at Emelie, who had her head buried under the covers, before picking up the call while walking out.

    "Mr. Davis, what''s the matter?"

    Mr. Davis? Was it Charles Davis?

    Emelie opened her eyes.

    Charles asked in puzzlement, "Mr. Middleton, why are you speaking so softly?"

    William replied, "Emelie is sleeping in my office, and I don''t want to wake her."

    Emelie couldn''t hear the rest of the conversation as the door closed behind her.

    Shey on her back while staring at the ceiling. After a few seconds, she took out a cotton swab from her pocket.

    It was the one that the nurse had given her to stop the bleeding.

    When the nurse had handed it to her, she had given Emelie a meaningful look, as if hinting at something.

    Thus, Emelie had hidden the swab when William wasn''t paying attention.

    She held the swab up and inspected it closely, then noticed something.

    The stick wasn''t stic but a rolled-up piece of paper!

    Emelie''s heart skipped a beat as she quickly sat up and unrolled the paper.

    "Blood samples will be switched. Don''t worry. Everything else will be prepared. Find a way to get the ICU room code."

    There was no signature, but Emelie knew that it was a note from Wesley.

    He had already ced his people in the hospital, so she didn''t need to worry about the test results. Regardless of whether she was pregnant or not, the results that William would receive would definitely state that she wasn''t pregnant.

    Emelie let out a sigh of relief but soon clenched her fists again.

    The ICU room code?

    William was probably afraid that she and Wesley would take Greta away, so he had used a code-lock. Without the code, forcibly breaking into the room would rm everyone, thus making it impossible to

    escape with Greta.

    Then again, how could she get William to reveal such information?

 Chapter 511

    ?Chapter 511 The Switch

    The most famous entertainment club in Capebatt City was Westward Club.

    In one of its private rooms, the dim lights and ambiguous atmosphere created a seductive mood. A sensually-dressed woman danced behind a screen, raising the heat of the night with every move.

    Unfortunately, Charles had no interest in any of this.

    He loungedzily on the couch while a beautiful young woman knelt by his feet, asionally pouring him a drink or feeding him some fruit. They appeared intimate, but nothing more was happening between them.

    After ending a phone call and tossing his phone aside, the woman immediately fed him a grape and called out sweetly, "Mr. Davis."

    "Good girl," Charles said with a smirk and patted her head as if she were a pet. Just then, Beathan walked in and asked, "Who did you call?"

    "Mr. Middleton," Charles replied. He found the grape to be quite sweet. "Our informant at the hospital said that William has taken Ms. Hoven there for a blood test. It seems that she might be pregnant."

    Beathan''s expression darkened at the mention of that name. As he sat down on the couch, another woman tried to approach and serve him, but he pushed her away.

    Charles raised his head to look. "Why are you more upset about her being pregnant than I am?"

    Beathan quietly took a sip of his drink. "Some pregnancies are indeed nothing to be happy about. It would be better if it could be terminated."

    Charles chuckled. He then gripped the woman''s chin and said, "Quick, darling, give Mr. Collins a tip on how to get rid of a pregnancy without breaking thew."

    The woman giggled and said, "Use musk."

    Beathan looked over.

    Charles raised an eyebrow. "What''s that?"

    "It''s from the drama "The Queen''s Ascension,'' Mr. Davis. Haven''t you watched it? The concubines would use musk to terminate the other women''s pregnancies if they didn''t like her."

    The woman moved to sit beside Charles. She wrapped her arm around his and pressed her chest against him, trying to entice him to stay the night.

    "How can you believe things from TV dramas?" Charlesughed. He casually pulled out a wad of hundred- dor bills and stuffed it into the woman''s shirt. "Alright, stop rubbing against me. I''m not in the mood. Go and check if our food is ready."

    The woman understood the cue. She knew that they were about to discuss some serious matters and that it was not appropriate for her and the others to be present. Thus, she called the other women in the room to leave together.

    Charles tossed a grape into his mouth before saying, "After leaving the hospital, William and Ms. Hoven went hand in hand to Cloudex Corporation. The whole circle will know who Mrs. Middleton is in a couple of days. If William didn''t intend for Ms. Hoven to be known as Mrs. Middleton for life, he wouldn''t be doing this. They''re in it together now."

    Beathan''s tone was ambiguous as he asked, "Don''t you suspect that this is all an act by William?"

    Charles grabbed an apple from the fruit basket and threw it at him. "You''ve always been suspicious of everyone, and studyingw has made you even more so. Why don''t you trust people?"

    Beathan didn''t respond to the question.

    Later, when the waiter brought the food, they dropped the subject. After finishing their meal, Beathan went to the restroom.

    As he walked by the open door of a private room, he overheard a conversation. "Mr. Undvike, are you really that busytely? Every time we invite you out, you say that you''re tied up."

    Elias sounded tired as he replied, "I''m busy, of course. I''ve been running around non-stop."

    Beathan paused, and a flicker of interest shed in his eyes.

    Another person, who was clearly drunk, said, "s, it''s a different kind of busy. Mr. Undvike has been busy with baby-makingtely."

    Laughter erupted in the room. "Seriously? Mr. Undvike, didn''t you dislike your wife? You said that she was old before you got married. Have you gotten tired of her already?"

    "The tables have turned. Mr. Undvike is the one clinging to her now," the drunk person answered enthusiastically. "Earlier this year, Mr. Undvike sent his secretary to my family''s pharmacy to rece her birth control pills with fertility drugs. Ha! He''s tricking his wife into having a baby!"

    "Whoa! Can you even do that?"

    Elias swirled his drink with a neutral expression. "What''s wrong? Can''t we hold this gathering without talking about me?"Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    The room fell silent as everyone realized that he was displeased. They quickly covered the drunk man''s mouth.

    "Haha. Let''s talk about something else. Did you hear about Thomas getting into a fight over an influencer and ending up in jail the other day?"

 Chapter 512

    ?Chapter 512 Pregnant

    Beathan returned to the private room with a grim expression.

    Charles pointed to a dish and said, "They just brought in this dish and said it''s for dessert. It''s pretty good. Give it a try,"

    Beathan picked up his coat from the couch with an expressionless face. "Let me know if Emelie is pregnant. I have something to attend to. I''ll be leaving now."

    Charles waved his hand and picked up his phone. As he casually swiped through it, he received a call." Speak."

    The person on the other end said, "Mr. Davis, there was a significant change in the patient''s data in the ICU just now."

    Charles squinted his eyes. "Has she woken up?"

    "She hasn''t woken up yet. I happened to pass by the ICU and saw the fluctuation, but the attending physician hadn''t mentioned anything. Based on my experience, her consciousness might be awakening." While Charles was protective of Emelie, he needed to get the ount book from Greta. "Keep a close watch on her. Inform me immediately if there''s any changes."

    "Yes, sir!"

    The sun was setting, and it was around seven o''clock.

    It was already past Cloudex Corporation''s closing hours. Only a few windows were still lit in the entire building, with most of it blending into the night.

    Emelie had really fallen asleep. When she woke up, the whole room was dark. An indescribable sense of destion crept into her heart.

    She exhaled and got out of bed before going to the bathroom to wash her face. Then, she left the room.

    Ashton had just entered the office and was reporting to William, "Mr. Middleton, the hospital has sent over the report."

    William took the report and directly looked at the final result. However, his expression remained indifferent, making it impossible to guess what the final result was.

    Emelie poured herself a ss of warm water and nced at him. William asked, "Are you curious?"

    Emelie held the ss of water and said, "I''m not curious. I know my own body. I''m sure that I''m not pregnant, and the test results will confirm that."

    William rested his elbow on the desk with his hand supporting his chin while holding the paper with his fingers. This posture made him look frivolous and nonchnt. He gave her a meaningful smile.

    "If you''re not curious, then why are you talking so much? Ms. Hoven, have you ever heard the saying that the guilty will talk more?"

    Emelie chose a third option between retorting and arguing. She replied, "Mr. Middleton, since you think that I''m curious about this, let''s just say that I am. Who can control your thoughts?

    "You are so self-centered, always using your logic to understand others. Well, I''ve said enough now. Mr. Middleton, look at how guilty I must be."

    She was sharp-tongued.

    William was disturbed by her words, and he lost interest in speaking with her further. He handed her the report, and Emelie took it to read.

    Soon, a slight smile appeared on her lips. "I knew that I wasn''t pregnant."

    The test results showed that she wasn''t pregnant. Of course she wasn''t. Wesley had promised to swap the samples. Whether she was truly pregnant or not, the conclusion presented to William would always be the same.

    William''s expression grew colder upon seeing her happiness when she confirmed that she wasn''t pregnant. "Ashton."

    "Yes, Mr. Middleton?"

    "Hire some nannies experienced in caring for pregnant women to go to Eastbay, and instruct the chef to prepare some daily menus. Make sure that Mrs. Middleton gets three meals a day. Tell them to make sure that the meals are healthy, nutritious and beneficial for pregnant women."

    Emelie immediately looked up. "The test results say that I''m not pregnant. What are you doing?"

    William replied, "If you''re not pregnant this time, then you will be next time. You will get pregnant sooner orter. We must be prepared."

    Who said anything about next time?

    Emelie pressed her lips together. She crumpled the report into a ball and threw it into the trash before leaving the office.

    William picked up the report from the trash and unfolded it before smoothing it out. There was a hint of faint disappointment in his eyes. "Spread the news that Emelie is pregnant."

    Ashton said softly, "I understand."

    William folded the report into a small square and put it in his pocket.

    The two returned to Eastbay and had dinner together. Despite theck of conversation, their interaction was considered harmonious.

    After dinner, Emelie sat on the couch to watch TV, while William went upstairs. When he came down again, he had changed into a different set of clothes.

    He wore a thin gray shirt with a green knitted jacket. The low-saturation colors made him look indifferent and noble.

    As he walked down the stairs, he slipped a ring onto his long fingers. He looked as if he was an artist or a pianist at first nce.

    Emelie took one look at him and then expressionlessly turned her gaze away.

    William changed his shoes at the door. "I''m going back to Middleton Residence. You should go to bed early tonight."? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

 Chapter 513

    ?Chapter 513 ThreatContent ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    Emelie kept her gaze fixed on the television, ignoring William as he left the room.

    Once William was outside, his expression turned glum.

    He asked Ashton in a low, stern voice, "Has someone informed my father about me taking Emelie to thepany today?"

    Otherwise, Henry wouldn''t be so eager to see him.

    Ashton replied softly, "It should be Vanessa."

    The Middleton Residence was shrouded in darkness that night. It was only when William''s car entered the residence that it cast a faint light in the gloom.

    The servant hurried to open the car door.

    William got out and asked, "Why are the lights off?"

    The servant replied, "It was Mrs. Middleton''s request. Mr. Middleton Senior has been having trouble sleeping at night. It might be due to the brightness, so she ordered the lights turned off."

    Henry was no longer like before where he would either berate or m the table every time he met William.

    Ever since he had learned that Emelie was from the Pierce family, his condition had deteriorated from having an elevated blood pressure and nightmares to beingpletely bedridden in just half a month. He was barely able to speak coherently.

    William approached Henry''s bedside and said, "Dad."

    Henry mumbled, "The ount book... The ount book..."

    William said, "Mrs. Hoven is no longer conscious. No one knows the whereabouts of the ount book. Simrly, no one can retrieve the ount book or revisit the old cases from that period."

    Henry shook his head stiffly. "Emelie..."

    "Emelie has never seen the ount book, nor would she delve into the old records. She is my wife now, and she is carrying my child. She is on my side," William said.

    Henry continued to shake his head. "I don''t believe it..."

    William said calmly, "Haven''t you known how much she adores me? If not, why did you push so hard for us to be together?"

    "I don''t believe it..." Henry repeated his disbelief.

    He didn''t believe that the ount book wouldn''t resurface or that Emelie would suppress the deep-seated grudge of her family''s ruin. He only trusted in the destruction of the ount book and the elimination of future threats.

    Henry struggled to grasp William''s hand, insisting that he handle the matter thoroughly.

    William gently ced his father''s hand back under the nket. "It''s already the end of March. It''ll be inconvenient to hold the wedding in April since it''s the rainy season in Capebatt City, so we n to hold it in May. Your priority now is to recover so you can officiate the ceremony,"

    Henry''s eyes widened. "She... She''s from the Pierce family..."

    William replied, "She is a Hoven, not a Pierce."

    Henry opened his mouth, but his exhaustion made it difficult for him to produce any sound. He leaned back wearily against the headboard.

    Despite hisck of emotional attachment to Henry, William frowned at the sight of his father''s deteriorating state.

    He finally said, "As long as I''m here, Cloudex Corporation will remain intact. I assure you, while you''re alive, you will see Xander defeated."

    Perhaps it was these words that finally gave Henry some semnce of relief. He closed his eyes while breathing heavily.

    William adjusted his father''s nket and left the room.

    In the hallway, he encountered Vanessa, who was carrying a tea tray.

    She said to William with concern, "Will, I''m sorry for all the trouble. You''re so busy with work and yet you

    still have toe home frequently. Unfortunately, this is your father''s condition.

    "We''ve consulted with several psychologists with no effect. The doctors say he has been worrying too much. We''ve even contacted Dr. Stephen from abroad for a consultation."

    William said coldly, "The less you mention outside matters to him, the better he will be."

    Vanessa quickly said, "It''s not me who said it. You''ve misunderstood, Will. Your father is still the chairman of Cloudex Corporation, and he has people in thepany. They were the ones who told him."

    "I know better than you who my father has in thepany and whether they would tell him about these matters," William said.

    Vanessa tried to defend herself. "I..."

    William suddenly called her by her full name. "Vanessa Rowe."

    Vanessa froze. She clutched the tray tightly and remained silent.

    William looked at her coldly. "If you keep ying these games behind my back, your daughter Xenia might never see your granddaughter Lena''s first birthday."

    Whether it was to take Xenia''s life or Lena''s life, his threat has clearly struck Vanessa with fear. William''s seemingly aloof but ruthless demeanor made it clear that he wasn''t making empty threats.

    Vanessa''s face went pale, and her expression froze for a while.

    William didn''t want to waste anymore time. He brushed past her and headed downstairs.

    Just then, Vanessa softly said, "Sometimes, I feel exhausted. No matter what I do, it never seems to be enough for you. After all these years, I still don''t know how to be a good stepmother."

    She looked up, and her usually gentle demeanor turned sharp for the first time.

    She said, "If I''m destined to be a bad stepmother, then I can only strive to be a good mother. If you dare to harm even a single strand of my daughter or granddaughter''s hair, Will, you might have to find yourself a new wife."

    The moment she finished her sentence, William suddenly turned and grasped her by the throat.

 Chapter 514

    ?Chapter 514 Uncertainty

    A loud sound erupted as the tea tray hit the floor. The teacups shattered and it startled the servants both upstairs and downstairs.

    They looked on in shock as William grabbed Vanessa by the neck and pressed her against the wall. Their expressions were fully rmed.

    The servants rushed forward. "Sir! Sir! Please release Mrs. Middleton! You can''t treat Mrs. Middleton this way!"

    They were clueless about the recent conflict between the stepmother and stepson. All they saw was the fury etched on William''s face.

    William said slowly, "Try me."

    Vanessa struggled to breathe but managed to force a smile. "I''ve heard a saying that women are weak, but mothers are strong. There''s truth to that. If anyone harms my daughter, I''ll have to retaliate in kind. I... I''m just returning the favor!"

    For years, she had tried to y the role of a benevolent mother, but with Henry on the brink of death, she finally revealed her true nature.

    William met her gaze with a cold indifference. For the first time, he saw how scheming and cunning Vanessa truly was.

    In Eastbay, Emelie''s mind wandered far from the television after William left.

    She curled up on the sofa with one hand resting on her knee and the other unconsciously caressing her stomach.

    The test results had imed she wasn''t pregnant, but that was due to Wesley swapping the samples. It was no surprise to receive such a result. Yet, she remained uncertain whether she was actually pregnant.

    It seemed like she might actually be pregnant with symptoms like drowsiness, an increased appetite, and frequent nausea.

    Moreover, she and William had not used any protection during their recent encounters. Though she had taken birth control pills.

    Ashley had given them to her, and they had even joked about them sharing the pills.

    Thest time she didn''t take the pills was after Ronan had pped her, and she and William came back to Eastbay that night. They didn''t use protection then.

    Though Ashley had provided her with more pills afterward, she had decided not to take them, given William''sments about wanting a child.

    As Emelie was thinking about it, she went to retrieve her bag. Sure enough, she found the two unused birth control pills inside.

    She held them in her hand, the sharp edges of the aluminum blister pack pressed against her palm and she felt a slight pain.

    Emelie''s thoughts were a jumble. How could she confirm her pregnancy?

    Hospital tests and pregnancy tests were out. She couldn''t go to a hospital without William finding out, and she couldn''t leave the house alone to buy a pregnancy test.

    Her periods had been irregr since her miscarriage. ording tost month''s dates, her period was already over a weekte. Then again, she had experienced dys before.

    If only she could meet Ashley. She wished she could consult Ashley about pregnancy symptoms andpare them with her own.

    If that wasn''t feasible, she would have to wait another two months to see if her period came.

    Emelie turned off the TV and went to the guest room to wash up and get into bed. Despite her uncertainty about the pregnancy, she was cautious and moved slowly.

    As time passed, the door creaked open. Emelie knew it was William.

    Since she couldn''t drive him away and their struggles usually ended with him finding some way to control her, she decided to pretend to sleep and let him be.

    William, having finished his shower, gently opened the bed covers.

    Despite his high standards for everything and the master bedroom being ten times better in terms of

    space and bedding than the guest room, he still insisted on sharing it with her.

    As William''s arm wrapped around Emelie''s waist, her body instinctively tensed up.

    The room was dark, and she thought William wouldn''t notice her wakefulness, but his voice came softly from behind her.

    "I told you to go to sleep first," he said.

    Since he knew she wasn''t asleep, Emelie stopped trying to endure his presence and tried to pry his hand away. As expected, she couldn''t.

    William''s warm hand rested on her abdomen and it caused her to shiver. A wave of goosebumps spread across her body.

    Unsure whether it was guilt or difort, she struggled more forcefully.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    William''s deep, unreadable voice then whispered close to her ear. "I looked into how you miscarriedst time."

    Emelie''s breath caught, and a vision of blood shed before her eyes.

    William felt her body tremble slightly, as if she was recalling a nightmare. He pulled her closer and pressed against her body.

    "Were you very afraid that day?" he asked.

 Chapter 515

    ?Chapter 515 Ransom

    Emelie was reluctant to recall the events of that day. In fact, she had trouble remembering much about it.

    Some people would unconsciously choose to forget and avoid painful and frightening events as a form of self-protection. After all, emotional pain could be just as severe as physical suffering.

    What Emelie did remember was that it was summer. She had been swamped with tasks, working overtime for nearly half a month, and even having to sleep at the office for a few nights.

    There was one particr morning where she had met clients, signed contracts, attended meetings with the marketing department to discuss ns, and organized William''s schedule for the next week based on priorities and connections.

    When she went to his office for final confirmation, she couldn''t find him.

    Ashton happened to pass by, and she asked, "Ashton, where is Mr. Middleton?"

    "Did you forget, Emelie? Today is Capebatt University''s new student wee event. Mr. Middleton was invited and has taken Fabian with him," she replied.

    Oh, right. She remembered now.

    Emelie tapped her forehead with the documents. "I''ve been feeling dizzytely like I might vomit. Everything seems so confusing."

    Ashton smiled. "It''s that time of year again for semi-annual calctions. I''m feeling dizzy too. It''ll be better once we get through this."

    Emelie looked at the documents and made up her mind. "I''ll go to Capebatt University to pick up Mr. Middleton. I''ll have him confirm the schedule on the way back, or I won''t be able to move forward with the next step."

    Ashton gave her a fist bump for encouragement before going on with her tasks.

    Emelie packed up her documents and headed downstairs.

    It was noon, and there were no taxis avable on the road. Therefore, she had to book a car.

    She looked down at her phone. The sun was too bright. She had to use her hand to shield the screen so that she could read the text.

    At that moment, a van suddenly came screeching to a halt in front of her. She instinctively took a step back in puzzlement.

    The next thing she knew, the van door swung open, and four hands reached out to grab her and pull her inside.

    Her phone fell to the ground with a thud. Emelie''s mind was still reeling as her body struggled. Her legs were bracing against the van door to resist being dragged inside.

    She screamed. "What do you want! What do you want! Let me go... Help! Help! Help... Mmm!"

    A man in the van covered her mouth and forcefully dragged her inside. The van door mmed shut, and the vehicle sped away.

    All of this happened in about two minutes. Not only was no one around to witness it, but Emelie''s mind was nk after being abducted.

    In the blink of an eye, her mind raced with keywords like abduction, mountains, beatings, rape, and breeding machines, all phrases she heard from news reports. Her face turned as pale as a ghost.

    No, it couldn''t be. No way.

    She shouted through the window without hesitation. "Help! Help!"

    The man covered her mouth angrily and cursed. "Be quiet! Or I''ll strangle you right now!"Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    At that moment, Emelie''s fear peaked. She had never felt such despair.

    They taped her mouth shut and bound her hands and feet so she couldn''t call for help or struggle.

    The van sped to a deste, abandoned construction site surrounded by nothing but emptiness. They dragged her inside and threw her into a corner.

    Emelie fell to the ground. She felt pain everywhere on her body. She lifted her head with difficulty and saw four men she didn''t recognize, all of whom looked anything but kind.

    One of the men suddenly approached her.

    Emelie was terrified and tried to back into the corner. "Mmm! Mmm!"

    The man ripped the tape off her mouth.

    Emelie ignored the pain on her lips and quickly said, "Who are you? What do you want? I warn you! There''s a strict rule in our country to solve all murder cases! If you kill me, even if you escape abroad, the police will spare no effort to catch you! I advise you to think carefully!"

    Another man replied, "Don''t worry, we won''t kill you."

    Although Emelie''s entire body trembled with fear, the fact that they allowed her to speak calmed her down a bit.

    Her mind raced as her survival instincts kicked in. "So you''re asking for money? Is this a kidnapping and ransom situation? I... I can give you a number! Contact that person, and he will ransom me!"

    "He will definitely ransom me!" she repeated.

 Chapter 516

    ?Chapter 516 Selling Her

    The person Emelie mentioned was William.

    Even though William had been distant for unknown reasons for almost six months, Emelie still believed he wouldn''t abandon her. He was the first person she thought of as her lifeline when she was in desperate situations.

    Emelie tried to swallow saliva with her dry, sore throat and repeated several times, "He will definitely give you the money."

    One of the four men, who had a rat-like face, rolled his eyes and said, "How much can he give?"

    Emelie forced herself to calm down from her frantic panic. "Whatever amount you want, he can give it!"

    The man in the middle, who was obviously the leader, was tall and burly with a sinister expression. He shouted, "Frankie!"

    Frankie, who was itching to move, said, "Tony, we can get more money out of this!"

    "You believe what she says? If the police are alerted, we will be in big trouble! Once the buyer arrives and we sell this batch, we will leave Coastalburg immediately!"

    Buyer? What buyer? Were they really going to sell her? Were they going to sell her into the mountains to be a breeding tool for men who couldn''t find wives?

    Emelie was drenched in cold sweat. She thought that she had guessed right, and they captured her for that purpose.

    She noticed that Tony''s scolding subdued the others, so she quickly said, "I have 300 thousand dors in my bank ount! I can give you the ount number and password, and you can transfer the money directly to your ount through online banking without having to go to the bank. Consider it a meal on me!"

    Frankie immediately said, "That''s great! Tony, that''s great! We won''t have to go to the bank and get caught by the police! Quick, tell us the password!"

    Just as Emelie was about to speak, Tony pped across her face hard.

    Emelie fell to the ground. Her ears were ringing.

    She wasn''t given any time to recover as Tony pulled her up by her hair. She felt like her scalp was about to be ripped off.

    "Bitch! You are in our hands, and you''re still ying tricks with us!" he said.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    She tried to exin herself. "I didn''t..."

    However, Tony cut her off. "Didn''t? Transferring money to our ount will leave our ount information! You want the police to catch us!"

    Emelie went silent. She indeed had that in mind.

    If she were sold and went missing, William would definitely investigate this matter. He would be able to trace these people from her transaction history, and then she might be saved. Unfortunately, she underestimated their intelligence.

    The others finally understood what she was trying to do and were furious. Frankie kicked her in the chest.

    Emelie couldn''t defend herself. She could only curl up as much as possible to protect her internal organs from serious injury.

    They wanted to continue beating her, but Tony said, "Enough. If we damage her, she won''t sell for a good price. We finally got such a pretty one."

    He lifted Emelie''s chin with his toe. "Are you still a virgin?"

    Emelie couldn''t speak due to the kick.

    Frankie spat. "Of course she isn''t! Just look at her!"

    "We''ll take her to our men to get her hymen repaired, then sell her as a virgin. We can make good money. Let''s eat first. The car should arrive at three," Tony said.

    They taped her mouth shut again and warned her to behave.

    Emelie had no choice but toply.

    Her entire body ached terribly.Shey motionless on the ground, still unable toprehend what had just happened fully. It was all too sudden.

    It wasn''t during the middle of the night, nor was it in an isted alley, but in broad daylight right in front of Cloudex Corporation. One moment, she was thinking about work, and the next, she was kidnapped.

    This was Capebatt City, a top-tier metropolis in the country, not some dangerous country. How could something like this happen here?

    From their conversation, she gathered that a car woulde to take her away and sell her in the dead of night. They would then take her sale money and leave Coastalburg tomit crimes elsewhere.

    No. No way. She can''t just wait passively. She can''t just do that. She had to save herself.

    Emelie sat up with struggle.

    She tried to stay clear-headed and calm, but she couldn''t do it. As soon as she got up, she cked out and fell to the ground again.

    She didn''t know how long she was unconscious. Perhaps only a few minutes had passed before someone pped her face to wake her up. "Wake up! Hey! Wake up!"

    Emelie struggled to open her eyes and saw it was Frankie. She didn''t know what he wanted to do and backed away with a pale face.

    "Mm! Mmm!" She tried speaking.

    What was he going to do?

 Chapter 517

    ?Chapter 517 Hung Up

    Frankie nced over his shoulder.

    After he confirmed that Tony wasn''t there, he licked his lips and asked, "Let me ask you something. Do you really have 300,000 dors?"

    Emelie was rendered speechless.

    She turned her head to look out the window.

    It was dark outside. There were no lights in the abandoned construction site with only the bright moon shining through the window.

    Did he snuck over to ask her that while the others were away?

    Emelie slowed her breathing.

    She calmly nodded. "Mmm."

    Frankie tore off the tape from her mouth and took out his phone. "Quick, tell me the ount number and password!"

    Tony had said that leaving the ount information would allow the police to trace them, but Frankie didn''t seem to care. He was desperate for money.

    Emelie immediately realized that he might be her way to save herself. She bit her lip and told him everything in detail.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Frankie operated his phone and smoothly transferred the money from her ount to his.

    His eyes widened in excitement. "Damn! There''s really money! Shit! I was only going to get 80 thousand dors from this job! Now I have 300 thousand dors!"

    Emelie said in a low voice, "Of course there''s money. I wouldn''t dare lie to you... Only 80 thousand dors? How much does Tony get?"

    Frankie pocketed his phone. "It''s none of your business! Stay put! If you dare tell Tony anything, I''ll kill you!"

    He picked up the tape to try and reseal her mouth but Emelie quickly turned her head to avoid it.

    She said hurriedly, "You want money while I want to live. If you think it''s not enough, you can contact my boyfriend. He will definitely pay the ransom. Once you get the money, you can let me go! I won''t call the police!"

    Frankie hesitated slightly.

    Emelie pressed her back against the cold wall. "Human trafficking is a serious crime. If you get caught, you''ll be in jail for at least ten years. And you only get 80 thousand dors.

    "Tony definitely gets much more than you. How is this fair? You do the same work and take the same risk, but you get less money. Don''t you think that''s unfair?

    "Everyone is out for themselves. He''s the one exploiting you first. My boyfriend is about to buy a house. He has one million dors in cash, and I can give it all to you. Consider it my ransom."

    Did she say one million dors?

    Frankie''s voice immediately rose. "One million dors!"

    Emelie bit her lip. "Yes, one million dors."

    Frankie was greedy and not very bright. He couldn''t resist such temptation. "What''s your boyfriend''s number? I''ll call him right now! If he really has one million dors for me, I''ll let you go!"

    Emelie knew William''s phone number by heart, and Frankie dialed it in front of her. Emelie could feel her heart leaping into her throat at that moment.

    William, William, please answer the phone. Please answer the phone.

    Beep...

    After a short ringing, the call was abruptly hung up.

    Frankie stared at his phone while Emelie froze for a second. Then, she felt a wave of hopelessness rise from her feet to her scalp.

    She immediately said, "Call again! It''s nighttime. He might be sleeping and didn''t hear it. Call again!"

    Frankie called again, but the second attempt didn''t go through either.

    Emelie''s eyes flickered. "I... I have another number you can call!"

    Whether it was Mona, Ashton, or even Fabian, they would definitely answer.

    Frankie felt he was being tricked, and pped her across the face again. "You dare to lie to me!"

    Emelie''s head hit the wall.

    She looked down. The constant overtime had already made her body ufortable. She had been kidnapped here, beaten several times, and hadn''t eaten all day. She was at her limit.

    She didn''t realize that Frankie''s gaze toward her had unconsciously changed.

    He licked his lips. "We have to fix your hymen before selling you for a good price anyway."

    A bad premonition surged through Emelie. The next thing she knew, Frankie pounced on her. "Let me have some fun first!" he said.

 Chapter 518

    ?Chapter 518 Tired of Her

    The worst thing that she feared had happened.

    Emelie desperately tried to back away. Her voice was trembling with tears as she shouted. "Get away! Get away! Get away!"

    Frankie''s stench was more nauseating than rotten food. Emelie turned her head to avoid his mouth and screamed at the top of her lungs.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    "Help! Help!" she screamed.

    "Haha! Scream all you want! No one wille to save you!" Frankie became even more excited by her resistance.

    He tore off her clothes, and her fair skin made the man''s beastly nature re up.

    Emelie struggled. However, her hands were tied behind her back, and ropes tightly bound her legs. Her futile resistance made her look like a caterpir wriggling on the ground.

    Despair seeped into her body through every pore. This was the darkest moment she had experienced since that rainy night three years ago.

    Before, William hade to her rescue. This time, there was no one. No one...

    William... Tears flooded Emelie''s eyes as she thought of his name.

    Recently, she had been pondering a problem. She couldn''t understand why William had suddenly be so distant toward her.

    Why didn''t he take her along when he went out? Why did he rarely look at her? Why did he be less and less affectionate toward her?

    She had nned to wait until she was less busy to find an opportunity to ask him face-to-face if he was tired of her and if he wanted to break up.

    No, they weren''t even in a rtionship, so how could they break up? She was just his tool. He might have simply grown tired of using her.

    Still, she wanted to ask, to hear the answer from his own mouth. They had been together for three years. Almost no one knew about their rtionship, and there was nothing left behind.

    While their rtionship had started vaguely, it couldn''t end vaguely as well.

    However, it seemed that she might never get the chance to ask him. They might never see each other again.

    No. No way. Emelie had never sat around waiting to die in her twenty-five years of life.

    Frankie untied the ropes around her legs for easier movement.

    Emelie was already exhausted, but at that moment, she somehow found strength again. As he was about to force her legs apart, she kicked him fiercely in the groin.

    Frankie screamed in agony. "Ah!"

    Emelie''s hands were still tied behind her back. Fortunately, she was pretty flexible and immediately sat up. She managed to move her hands from behind her back to the front.

    Frankie cursed and lunged at her. His ferocious stance clearly indicated he intended to kill her.

    In her panic, Emelie spotted a stick in the corner of the room. She ran over, grabbed it with both hands and swung it at the back of his head!

    Thud!

    Emelie used all her strength, and Frankie staggered.

    It was too dark. Emelie couldn''t see how badly he was hurt. She only saw him sway a couple of times before he copsed to the ground.

    At the same time, she heard Tony''s voice from outside. "Where did Frankie go? Didn''t he have diarrhea?"

    "He should be looking for that woman named Hoven. I heard her screaming for help. You know what Frankie is like. He''s greedy and lustful," one of the men replied.

    "He''s asking for trouble! I''ve already told him they specifically requested that woman..." Tony said.

    How did they know herst name was Hoven? She hadn''t introduced herself. Who were "they"? Emelie''s mind was exceptionally active in her panic and confusion.

    She ran to the window and looked down. It was the second floor. Luckily, the building wasn''t high, and there was a small pile of sand at the base of the wall.

    She immediately used her teeth to bite at the knot on her hands. The problem was that it was a dead knot. She bit until her teeth ached, but she still couldn''t loosen it.

    "Why is it so quiet?" Tony suddenly asked.

    The othersughed. "Maybe they''re having fun!"

    After a few seconds, Tony sensed something was wrong. "Go in and check!"

    Footsteps approached, but Emelie still couldn''t untie the ropes. She was anxious and cold sweat was dripping from her forehead. Her heart felt like it was about to leap out of her chest.

    Hurry! Hurry! Hurry up!

    Finally, at thest second, the rope came loose. At that very moment, the traffickers kicked open the iron door.

 Chapter 519

    Chapter 519 A Miscarriage

    A shlight was shone into the room. Tony noticed Franke on <b>the </b><b>ground </b>and Emelie freed from her bonds.

    He shouted, ¡°What are you doing!¡±

    Then he yelled again. ¡°Grabber!¡±

    Emelie quickly <b>dodged </b>an assant. She grabbed a handful of sand from the ground and threw it into Tony¡¯s eyes before burning and running toward the window.

    ¡°What are you standing around for? Garch her!¡± Tony yelled.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    At Tony¡¯smand, the three men who <b>had </b>been stunned into inaction lunged at her simultaneously.

    Emelle stepped onto the window sill. Just before their hands could grab her, she jumped

    She had <b>nned </b>to use the <b>sand </b>pile by the wall to cushion her fall. However, in her <b>panic</b>, she misjudged the <b>angle </b><b>and </b><b>ended </b><b>up </b>rolling down the slope and hitting the ground hard.

    At that moment, she felt a <b>pain </b>in all of her 206 bones and was unable to tell which part hurt the most.

    Knowing they would soon be after her, Emelie gritted her teeth <b>and </b>forced herself up, then ran for her life.

    The night was dark, but the darkness was her best cover. Emelied in the shadows. She ignored the pain and kept running forward.

    She didn¡¯t dare look back, fearing her pursuers were close. Her desperate <b>sprint </b>left her gasping for air, her brain starved of oxygen, and her throat tasted of rust.

    She swallowed hard and suddenly saw a house with Eghts on ahead.

    <b>Was </b>it <b>a </b>residence? melle ran over immediately

    The door was closed. She nced back and saw the traffickers <b>hadn¡¯t </b><b>caught </b>up yet and banged on the door. ¡°Help! Help!¡±

    A woman¡¯s voice quickly came from inside. ¡°Who is

    Emelie could barely speak. ¡°Help help.

    The door opened slightly and the middle¨Caged woman inside was startled by the sight of Emelie¡¯s pale<b>, </b>disheveled appearance. ¡°What happened..¡±

    ¡°I was kidnapped<b>,</b>¡± Emelie said.

    Emelia¡¯s hands instinctively coveted her stomach. She realized that all the blood in her body seemed to be rushing <b>downward</b>. She was trembling with pain.

    ¡°Please please call the police and an ambnce. My stomach hurts.¡± she said.

    The woman saw the blood pooling beneath her. She was terribed and immediately called for an ambnce.

    The ambnce arrived quickly. The medical staff ced Emelie on a stretcher and loaded her into the vehicle

    While she was still conscious, the nurse asked for her name and her family¡¯s contact number,

    Emelie carried her wallet with her and the traffickers hadn¡¯t searched her or taken it. She pulled out <b>her </b>ID card and bank card before handing them <b>to </b>the nurse.

    ¡°My name is Emelie Hoven, and the password is my birthdate Just register and <b>deduct </b>the fees,¡± Emelie sad.

    ¡°What about your family? How did this happen to you? Why are your clothes to? Do you want us <b>to </b>call the police for you?

    Emelleid on the stretcher, her mind reyed the harrowing events of the night and the life¨Cthreatening despair, ending with the two unanswered phone calls.

    Tears overflowed from her eyes uncontrobly. ¡°I have no family.¡±

    Having said that she lost consciousness.

    When she awoke again, she was in the hospital¡¯s operating room.

    The white celling, the pungent smell of disinfectant, and doctors in blue surgical gums. It seemed they were <b>preparing </b>for surgery.

    Emelie couldn¡¯t feel at all. <b>She </b>murmured and asked, ¡°What¡¯s happening to me

    A doctor bent down and said, ¡°You were brought in by ambnce. You¡¯ve had a miscarriage. We need to perform a procedure to clean everything out, or it will be bad for your heath. Don¡¯t worry. <b>It¡¯s </b><b>a </b>minor surgery. It will be over soon.¡±

    What did he just say?

    Emelie understood each word he said but couldn¡¯t grasp their meaning when put together.

    What miscarriage? What did he mean by <b>that</b><b>?</b>

    Was.. was she pregnant? Was she carrying William¡¯s child, but now it was gone? He <b>said </b>it was gone, right?

    Emelie felt a lump her throat and tried to get up, but the anesthetic was taking effect, and she couldn¡¯t move. ¡°It will be over soon. Just close your eyes <b>and </b>sleep,¡± the doctor said.

    <b>No</b><b>, </b>no, this was her child. She had just learned about the child. Howemuld it be taken away just like that?

    She wanted this child. She wanted it. She could raise it <b>and </b>take care of it herself.

    Tears blurred Emelie¡¯s vision. It wasn¡¯t like she and Wim had nothing over the past three years. They had chilld.

 Chapter 520

    Chapter 520 He Feels Quilty

    Just as she couldn¡¯t change William¡¯s fading feelings, she couldn¡¯t hold onto this child either.

    The doctor¡¯s hand rested gently over her eyes, and tears streamed down her cheeks <b>as </b><b>she </b>closed them. Then, the world dissolved into darkness.

    After the dtation and curettage of uterus procedure was over, the nurse wheeled Emelie back to the ward. She was already awake, but she still hadn¡¯t recovered from the shock of her unexpected pregnancy and its even more unexpected end.

    The nurse began the admission process. ¡°Room 1703, Emelie Hoven. Is your family here? Emelie? Where¡¯s your family?¡±

    Emelie¡¯s lips trembled, but no sound emerged.

    Another nurse empathized with her and said, ¡°I take care of it. When she was in the ambnce, she had already given me her ID and bank card. She asked me to register for her and use the card to cover the fees. She doesn¡¯t.¡±

    Emelie <b>finally </b>broke her silence. ¡°I don¡¯t have any family.¡±

    She swallowed the lump in her throat. It was <b>a </b>crushing blow for her to lose her child to an unforeseen tragedy.

    shecurled up. In the end, she couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore and cried sorrowfully.

    The hospital staff, upon admitting Emelie, had also reported the incident to the police. After Emelie was given time to calm down, they entered the ward to take her statement.

    Emelie recounted what happened in detail. The police were on high alert immediately. ¡°Did this ¡®Boss¡± have <b>a </b>tattoo of <b>a </b><b>tiger </b>on his neck?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he did,¡± Emelle confirmed.

    The police <b>exined</b>, ¡°This gang is operating across several towns, <b>trafficking </b>women and children. We¡¯ve been tracking them for a while. Don¡¯t worry. <b>We¡¯ll </b>catch them and do justice to you and the other victims!¡±

    Emelle stayed in the hospital for three days.

    On the third day, the officer in <b>charge </b>called and told her they had caught the traffickers. The investigation process would follow, and once a solid case was built, they would <b>be </b>brought to cour?

    After a few weeks, the police called Emelle again to <b>inform </b>her that the public <b>prosecution </b>was underway. By then, Emelie was trying to leave Cloudex Corporation but was being held back by William. So, she didn¡¯t have the energy to care about the case.

    The perpetrators had already been caught anyway. <b>The </b>sentence<b>, </b>whatever it may be, was out of her hands. Counting down the days, she knew the verdict should be out any day

    ¦°¦¯

    Emelie took a deep breath as she woke up, the events from <b>a </b><b>year </b>ago ying out in her <b>mind </b>like a distant dream.

    Right now, she wasn¡¯t in the abandoned factory nor lying on the hospital bed. She was in <b>a </b>guest room in Eastbay.

    She sat up. William got up as well, and he stared at her intently in the dark.

    Emelle asked, ¡°May I borrow <b>your </b></divputer? I want to check the court¡¯s website and see the final verdict on that <b>case</b><b>,</b>¡±

    ¡°<b>The </b>mastermind, Landon Cruz, was sentenced to death in the first trial. The others received prison terms ranging from three to ten years. Landon appealed, and the second trial is ongoing,¡± <b>William </b><b>said </b>in a low voice. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll make sure they get what they deserve, no matter if it¡¯s death or rotting in jail¡±

    Emele remained silent.

    William held her hand, wanting to pull her into his embrace, but Emelie resisted. He didn¡¯t insist and just caressed her wrist with his thumb.

    william had only learned the truth after getting Lyle to investigate it. It turned out that she wasn¡¯t hing when she told him that she was kidnapped and would be killed because he didn¡¯t answer her calls.

    Emelie could tell that he was guilty by his actions, and she smiled bitterly. What exactly was he guilty of? Not picking up both of her calls back <b>t </b>Initially? Or perhaps it was something else?Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    then? Or doubting her miscarriage

    ¡°Remember telling me you met Daphine at Capebatt University freshmen party? The irony of it all! There I was, lodnapped i

    d and sufferin Daphne under your wing showering her with attention wherever you went.

    | suffering a miscarriage, while you were busy taking

    ¡°And that drinking party? You specifically called me to drink in her stead. And all this, just three days after I lost our baby.¡± William had exined himself to Emelie before, saying that he never had any feelings for Daphne. But hearing Emelie bring this matter up again, a lump formed in his throat, and he felt a pang in his heart

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he mumbled.

    ¡°Do you have <b>any </b>idea how much it took for me to forgive you, and to even give us another chance?¡± she said through gritted <b>teeth </b>and snatched her hand away from him. ¡°And how did you treat me<b>?</b>¡±

    Logically, she knew neither the kidnapping <b>nor </b>the miscarriage were caused by him directly. But she was hurt physically and emotionally at the time. So, seeing him find someone new and even using Daphine to humiliate her time and time again hurt her extremely badly.

    She had mastered all her courage to try to be together with him and spared no effort to rebuild that trust, but what did he do? Hesh

    He shattered it all to pieces.

    ¡°WILLun, do you rem know how much I hate you right now?¡± Emelle said

 Chapter 521

    Chapter 521 Trust Me One More Time

    They couldn¡¯t see each other in the dark room.

    william, despite Emelie¡¯s resistance, held her close, his face buried in her neck.

    ¡°Let¡¯s build a good life together. Angel, from today onward, let¡¯s be happy. I promise I won¡¯t harm your mother. Both of you will be safe. Trust me, just one more time,¡± he said.

    Emelle didn¡¯t remove her hand that was pressed firmly against his chest. She didn¡¯t want their bodies to touch, nor did she want their hearts to align.

    She had made it clear a long time ago. This time, there would be no turning the page.

    ¡°No,¡± she said, her voice resolute.

    The next morning, Ashley had just arrived at herw firm when her phone buzzed.

    It was <b>Mona</b>. ¡°Ashley, did you say that you saw Emelie at the hospital yesterday?¡±!

    ¡°Yes, she was with Mr. Middleton,¡± Ashley <b>said </b>as she made her way to her office.

    Mona¡¯s voice dropped to a whisper, <b>as </b>if she was <b>sharing </b>a secret. ¡°Listen, I did overtime at the office yesterday. It was toote, so I didn¡¯t go home. When I finally did this morning, I found my ce had been broken into<b>!!</b>¡±

    Ashley¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°What?¡±

    e just here to collect evidence<b>. </b>But whoever it was, they

    Mona felt lingering fear as she recounted the events. ¡°Someone ransacked my apartment. I called the police, and they were j were smart. They had cut the wires to the surveince cameras.¡±

    ¡°Did anything get stolen?¡± Ashley asked

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. My gut tells me they were after something specific. They left my gold ne which was in the cab untouched. They would have seen it right away. I suspect that this break¨Cin is connected to Eme Mona said.

    It was just a hunch, but with Emelie unreachable, Ashley <b>was </b>the only one Mona <b>could </b>turn to. ¡°Maybe William¡¯s keeping her prisoner? That would exin why she¡¯s not answering her phone. The person who trashed my ce could be working for him.¡±

    Ashley put her hag down, took her water cup, and walked to the water dispenser. Her expression turned grim <b>as </b>she said, ¡°It¡¯s possible. It was obvious Emelie wanted to tell me something that day, but William wouldn¡¯t let her speak¡±

    Mona dered in anger, ¡°I¡¯m calling the police right now! This is false imprisonment!¡±

    Ashley was more rational. ¡°Calling the police might not help. After all, it¡¯s William we¡¯re talking about ¡±

    ¡°Even if that¡¯s the case, I have to try. If we don¡¯t <b>do </b>something, Emellie¡¯s on her own!¡± <b>Mona </b><b>said</b>.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Ashley thought about this for <b>a </b>moment <b>before </b>turning and leaning against the cab. ¡°Since you were workingte yesterday, take the day oft. Come to thew firm, and <b>we¡¯ll </b>file a report together.¡±

    <b>As </b>awyer, she had connections in the police. Ashleynew what to say to get the authorities to take action against the only heir of the most powerful family in Capebatt City.

    Mona agreed without hesitation.

    She halled <b>a </b>cab to Starlight Law Firm. When she arrived, Ashley was just hanging up the phone. ¡°The police agreed to send officers to check out Eastbay,¡± Ashley <b>said</b>.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go together!¡± Mona said.

    Ashley was thinking of the same thing. ¡°Yeah.¡±

    They went downstairs together in conversation. As they exited thew firm, a shout pierced the

    ¡°Ashley!¡±

    Ashley looked up to see Beathan d in a sharp suit. She didn¡¯t want to talk to him, so she just unlocked the car door and gestured for Mona to get in.

    Beathan reached out and blocked the car door. ¡°Ashley, I need to talk to you¡±

    Ashley raised the phone in her hand. ¡°I¡¯ve called the police twice today. Are you looking to make it three times, Mr. Collins?¡±

    Beathan stared at her, his grip on the car door not loosening

    He was undeniably handsome, possessing a certain mature charm. After working in the legal circle for many years, apart from gaining farme, his presence had also developed.

    But things had changed. Ashley no longer loved him, and on top

    op of that, he had cheated on her. Now, when she looked at him, all she saw was a darkness that sent shivers down her spine.

    She warned again, ¡°Let go.¡±

    beathan sald word by word, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know what Elias did to you<b>?</b>¡±

 Chapter 522

    Chapter <b>522 </b>Trespass

    Ashley frowned and demanded, ¡°What?¡±

    Beathan lunged forward, <b>grabbed </b>Ashley¡¯s wrist, <b>and </b>yanked her out of the car. This startled Mona, who shouted, ¡°Ashley¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright I¡¯ll just be a moment.¡± Ashley turned around and reassured Mona before Beathan pulled her away.

    He pinned her against a nearby utility pole. ¡°Tell me, Ashley. Did you ever n on having a child? Getting pregnant was an ident, wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    Ashley felt uneasy at how close Beathan was to her, and his usatory tone made her deeply ufortable. Just as she wanted to respond, Beathan let out a sneer.

    ¡°You probably have no idea that Elias switched out your birth control pills. Those weren¡¯t contraceptives you were taking, but fertility pills. He purposely got you pregnant!¡± Beathan said.

    Ashley was dumbfounded.

    For a moment, she couldn¡¯t think straight,

    It was impossible. Es, wild as he could be, surely wouldn¡¯t stoop to such a despicable act.

    Ashley retorted<b>, </b>¡°Beathan, stop it! I know Elias better than you ever will. Don¡¯t be so shameless!¡±

    Beathan smirked. ¡°Don¡¯t believe me? Look into it. I heard him say so myself.¡±

    with that, he released his <b>hold </b>on Ashley. Then, he climbed into his car and drove away.

    Ashley remained rooted for <b>a </b>long while. Seeing this, <b>Mona </b>rushed out of the <b>car</b>.

    ¡°Ashley? Ashley, what happened? Who was that? What did he say Mona said.

    Ashley clutched her bag tightly and said after a pause. ¡°It¡¯s nothing important. Let¡¯s go check on Emelie first¡±

    She needed to find Emelie first After that, she would investigate this matter. If Es had really done so¡­

    She held her belly with one hand and clutched her shirt with the other, wrapping her arms around herself.

    Together, they climbed back into <b>the </b>car and drove off, unaware that their entire exchange had been witnessed by <b>a </b>woman in a sports car across the street. She wasted no time and dialed Elias¡± number right away

    ¡°Elias, 1 was just at your wife¡¯sw firm, and I saw her hugging a man! The whole thing seemed really fishy. Yeah, right at the entrance. I even took a picture and sent it to your phone. You better check it out Thope she¡¯s not cheating on you,¡± the women sad.

    An hourter, the doorbell of Eastbay rang

    A maid went to open the door, not expecting to see two police officers outside. She was taken aback <b>and </b>stammered, ¡°How can I help you?¡±

    ¡°Good day, ma¡¯am<b>. </b>We¡¯re officers from Galmouth Road Police Station and these are our badges. We received a report of possible false imprisonment at this residence. May we speak with you for a moment? Are you the housekeeper, and is your employer home?¡± one of the officers <b>sald</b>.

    The maid was visibly flustered. ¡°False imprisonment?N¨CNo, there¡¯s nothing like that going on here. Our employer is Mr. Middleton of Cloudex Corporation. We would never do anything like that!

    Mona, ever the impatient one, immediately shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t lie to us! It¡¯s Willem! Eme! Eme, are you there?¡±

    Emelle, who was eating breakdast in the dining room, was surprised to bear Mona. She hadn¡¯t expected Mona toe looking for her.

    Instinctively, she rose from her chair, but William pressed down on her <b>hand</b>.

    Even though the police were here, William remained calm. ¡°Finish your breakfast while it¡¯s still warm. You¡¯re going to get <b>a </b>stomachache otherwise.¡±

    It was clear he was <b>trying </b><b>to </b>prevent Emele from responding to Mona who was outside. Emelie guessed that Mona must havee with Ashley. With her here, the police wouldn¡¯t be easily dismissed. This was her chance,

    Emelie was always able to quickly analyze the situation ande up with a n. Her cunningness had saved her from a trafficking attempt before, and she would do the same thisAll content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.

    time<b>.</b>

    Calmly<b>, </b>she sat back down.

    Mona attempted to barge through the door, but she was stopped by the maids at the entrance. ¡°Miss, you can¡¯t trespass!¡±

    Ashley <b>said </b>solemnly, ¡°Emelie is our friend! William is holding her captive, refusing to let her kave or even contact us. This constitutes false imprisonment!¡±

    The police officers¡® expressions hardened, and they stepped forward. ¡°Please cooperate. We <b>have </b>to enter the house and investigate.¡±

    The maid realized that she wouldn¡¯t be able to stop them much longer, so she said, ¡°Wait! Mr. Middleton is at home. Ineed to inform him of the situation first. If he gets angry, you won¡¯t be able to handle the consequences!¡±

    The offers exchanged a nce.

    The Middletons were a powerful family. They didn¡¯t want to ruffle any feathers unnecessarily, so they could only agree,

    The maid sounded back inside, her voiceced with panic. ¡°Mr. Middleton! There are police officers at the <b>door </b>demanding to see Mrs. Mikleton! What should we do?!

 Chapter 523

    Chapter 523 The Couple Put on a Show

    Will looked up and asked, ¡°What are you so scared of?

    The maid stammered, ¡°I¨CI¡¯m afraid they¡¯ll see Mrs. Middleton¡®

    ¡°Where should she be, <b>it </b>not here?¡± Wim sald

    <b>The </b>maid bowed her head and mumbled, ¡°Y¨CYes, sir.¡±

    Enelle couldn¡¯t help but scoff. ¡°Not everyone dosegards the low or has such strong mental fortitude like you Us ordinary folk tend to have a healthy respect for the police and the

    ¡°What does the police and thew have <b>to </b><b>do </b>with i

    Pisn¡¯t it only matinal <b>for </b><b>a </b>wife to reside with her husband?¡± He pulled her to sit back down

    He continued, ¡°Ms.Thornton must have been the one who contacted the police. They¡¯ve misunderstood the situation, likely due to your reaction at the hospital the other day A simple exnation will clear things up, I¡¯m sure¡±

    Misunderstood?

    Imele scoffed again. ¡°I won¡¯t participate in your little <b>charade</b>.¡±

    william ced a soft¨Cboiled egg on her te. ¡°But if you don¡¯t resolve this misunderstanding and the police take Mr. Middleton away, no one will be able to care for your mother.¡± just kest night, he was holding her close, whispering promises of a happy future together. But the next morning, he had forgotten everything he said and was threatening her with hermocher again.

    haded from past experience <b>and </b>decided against a direct confrontation. She picked up her cutlery and ced a piece of fruit on his te. She knew how to feign

    allection loo

    at ount book them?¡± she threatened, giving him a taste of his

    ¡°It anything happens to my mother, Mr. Middleton won¡¯t have as Middleton anymore. How could he find that

    Wim looked at her expressionless, but there was a flicker of displeasure <b>in </b>his eyes. Emelie felt a bit of satisfaction She smiled at him, but her <b>smile </b>didn¡¯t reach her eyes.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    Wam picked up the hut she had offered and began to eat slowly, seemingly unfazed by themation outside.

    Mona¡¯s voice cut through the house, mele, are you there? We¡¯re here! Don¡¯t be afraid<b>, </b>we¡¯ll get you out of there!¡±

    Themad worriedly, ¡°Mr. Middleton, the police seem determined to enter the house

    Emele finished her juice calmly.

    william, on the other hand, wasn¡¯t thrilled about involving the police. While he was confident he could handle the situation himself, Ashley¡¯s presence added a lover ofplication. Her reputation, connections, and capabilities were formble.

    Hehamed to Emelle. Is there anything that you want, Mrs. Middleton?¡±

    Embertorted sarcastically, ¡°I thought you were feeless, Mr. Middleton.

    Wilham smiled instead. ¡°So, in your eyes, I¡¯m invincible. But haven¡¯t you noticed, Mrs. Middleton? I¡¯m giving you a chance to make demands.¡±

    Witam ced some <b>food </b>on Emelle¡¯s te and said in a gentle tone, ¡°After all, Mr. Middleton has pride. He wants to treat Mrs. Middleton well but expressing that directly <b>is </b>embarrassing So, he has to resort to creating excuses.¡±

    Emelie <b>remained </b>silent, utterly disgusted by his maniptive words.

    She cut to the chase and said, ¡°Let me into the 10. I want to help my mother bathe and change her clothes.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s William asked ¡°The nurses take care of those <b>tasks </b><b>daly</b>¡±

    Emelie countered, ¡°There¡¯s <b>a </b>difference between a nurse doing it <b>and </b><b>a </b><b>daughter </b><b>doing </b>it.¡±

    William pondered her words, while Emelie gripped her cutlery tightly. She was afraid he wouldn¡¯t agree, but she didn¡¯t dare to push him. She also didn¡¯t want to expose her true

    Intentions

    Meanwhile, the police officers were glowing impatient

    ¡°Have you spoken to him yet?ome of them boomed. ¡°We¡¯re counting to three. If there¡¯s no answer<b>, </b>we¡¯reing in! One, two!

    The mald eximed, ¡°<b>Mr. </b>Middleton.¡±

    Wim finallyconceded ¡°Theycane in.

    Right after the police officer counted ¡°three,¡± Manaharged in. The maids weren¡¯t able to stop her.

    Mona <b>said</b>. ¡°Hey! You can¡¯t just¡ª¡±

    Emelie gat up from her seat. ¡°Mona, Ashley, <b>I¡¯m </b><b>here</b>!¡±

    Mona ran toward her, engulfing her in a tight hug Eme! Thank goodness we found you! Are you alright<b>? </b>You¡¯re not hurt, right?

    Emelle patted her back rewiringly and murmured, ¡°Tmoky¡±

    She then turned to Ashley and nodded at her. ¡°Hi, Ashley.¡±

    Ashley promised, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Enelle. We¡¯re getting you out of here.¡±

    Seeing William across the room, Mona instinctively stepped in front of Erle <b>¡°</b><b>Did </b>he lock you up?¡±

    tunele¡¯s heart swelled with a surge of gratitude. She wasn¡¯t alene, she had friends who would fight for <b>her</b>, even against someone <b>as </b>powerful as William

    Most people, in hearing Win¡¯s <b>name</b>, would run in the opposite demtion, not to mention bringing the police to his ce.

    The poller alle addressed Williamsterly. ¡°Mr.Middleton what is the nature of your rtionship with Ms. Emelie? Why is she in your residence?¡±

    ¡°officer, what seems to be the problem? <b>She¡¯s </b>my wile, so where else would she be but at home?¡± william continued eating his breaktast at the dining table, untared by the

 Chapter 524

    Chapter <b>524 </b>Afraid of <b>You</b>

    Mona immediately rebuked, ¡°That¡¯s alle! <b>You </b>and Eme haven¡¯t even <b>gone </b>through with the marriage registration. You¡¯re no husband and wife!¡±

    william put down his cutlery and reached for a warm towel to wipe his hands. His fingers glistened slightly in the morning light as he dried them

    ¡°They say true friends are always critical of their friends¡± partners. Seems like that saying is true. But Mrs. Middleton, shouldn¡¯t you be defending me in front of your friends?¡± William said.

    The police officer, sensing a strange undercurrent to the situation, turned to Emelie. ¡°Ms. Hoven, your friend ims you were being held here against your <b>will</b>. <b>Is </b>that correct?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Emelie replied simply.

    Saying yes wouldn¡¯t solve anything. Even if the police managed to take her away today, her mother would still be stock there. What would be the point of her going back to William then?

    <b>Mona</b>, however<b>, </b>thought Emelie was intimidated by William. ¡°Eme, we¡¯re here, and the police are here too. You don¡¯t have to <b>be </b>scared. Just tell the truth!¡±

    Mona then questioned William, ¡°If you weren¡¯t <b>holding </b>Emelie captive, then why wouldn¡¯t you let her go out or contact us?¡±

    William answered, ¡°She¡¯s pregnant. I¡¯m afraid that the baby might be identally hurt if she goes out, so she stays home unless necessary.¡±

    Mona¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.

    Pregnant? She whipped around to look at Emelle, silently questioning Emelle if it was true

    Emelie was also stunned. She didn¡¯t know that William had spread the news about her pregnancy. For a fleeting moment, she wondered if he somehow knew something

    she calmed down within a few seconds. Then, she <b>said</b>, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m worried <b>that </b>the baby might be identally hurt if I go out.¡±

    Then, she changed the subject abruptly. ¡°But both of you can always visit me at my ce. Stay for lunch; <b>we </b>have a new chef at home. We can catch up while we eat.¡±

    Just the night before, she had wished <b>she </b>could see Ashley. Today was the perfect opportuni

    Emelie smiled. ¡°Mr. Middleton, do you have any objections?¡±

    With the police as witnesses, William couldn¡¯t refuse if he wasn¡¯t truly holding her hostage. ¡°Of course notMaterial ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Sering that both parties seemed to be in agreement, the officer said, ¡°Since this is a misunderstanding, would you please sign this form acknowledging our visit? We¡¯ll be on our

    way after that.¡±

    Emelie nodded in gratitude. ¡°Thank you, office¡±

    Then, Ashley followed the police officer outside to sign the document.

    Emelie reached out and patted Mona¡¯s handfortingly

    However, William had appeared beside her and said gently, ¡°Mrs. Middleton, how <b>could </b>you take advantage of me and add in another term like this? Our agreement didn¡¯t include hosting friends for lunch.¡°¡±

    Emelie offered him a <b>half</b>¨Csmile. ¡°If you can break your promises so easily, then why shouldn¡¯t add terms? If you try to chase Ashley and Mona away again, they¡¯ll just call the police again.¡±

    William¡¯s gaze dropped. ¡°Do you honestly think I¡¯m afraid of the police?¡±

    Emelle stared at him. ¡°So, you¡¯re not even afraid of them now?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s you I¡¯m afraid of,<b>¡± </b>he muttered.

    Emelie couldn¡¯t help but turn to look at him, whose eyes were unreadable.

    Before Emelie could delve any deeper into his words, he walked to the living room and said in a distant tone, ¡°<b>I </b>don¡¯t like outsiders in my house. If you want to chat or eat, <b>outside</b><b>¡±</b>

    was to escape the suffocating

    He said he didn¡¯t like outsiders<b>, </b>yet his home was filled with <b>maids </b>and chefs. Yet, Emelie held her tongue. Her only desire at that moment was Mmosphere.

    She grabbed her bag and said, ¡°Ashley<b>, </b>Mona, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Take it

    However, when they reached the ground floor, they saw Ashton at the door. ¡°Mrs. Middleton, Mr. Middleton told me to apany you. As you are pregnant, you need someone to take care of you.¡®

    H

    Emelie knew it William wasn¡¯t going <b>to </b>allow her a moment of freedom. With Ashton monitoring her, how could she possibly ask Ashley about pregnancy symptoms?

 Chapter 525

    Chapter 525 Birth Control or Fertility Pills

    They went to a <b>cafe</b>.

    Right after they sat down, Mona asked eagerly, ¡°Eme, are you really pregnant?¡±

    Emelie didn¡¯t know how to answer her. After all, Ashton was behind EmelleMaterial ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Ashley was perceptive and picked up on Emelie¡¯s hesitation. She summoned a waiter with a wave of her hand.

    ¡°Excuse me, could we have a cappino served to that table, please? Ms. <b>Jones</b>, would you mind sitting there? Coffee is on me,¡± she said.

    Ashton wasn¡¯t slow on the uptake. She <b>cast </b>a nce at the table Ashley indicated.

    It wasn¡¯t far away, close enough for her to hear their conversation <b>and </b>see what they were <b>doing </b>She sensibly went over there.

    Feeling a sliver of relief with the distance, Emelie wasted no time invoicing her primary concem. ¡°Ashley, what were your symptoms when you were

    ere pregnant?

    ¡°<b>Why </b>do you ask<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>Ashley then pondered <b>for </b><b>a </b>moment. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t stand <b>sour </b>foods usually, but when I was pregnant, I loved them. I carried sour plum candies with me everywhere I <b>went</b>.

    ¡°A change in taste was definitely one symptom. 1 also got tired easily. The smell of raw chicken, duck, or fish would make me nauseous. But the most telling sign is this undeniable feeling of something growing <b>inside </b>you.¡±

    Emelie listened intently, mentallyparing Ashley¡¯s experiences to her own. There were some simrities, but she knew pregnancy symptoms were different for each person

    However, she had more than half of the symptoms that Ashley mentioned. Could she truly be pregnant?

    Ashley noticed the uneasy <b>look </b>on Emelie¡¯s face and asked in puzzlement, ¡°If you¡¯re unsure, 1 can always buy some pregnancy tests for you¡±

    Emelie gave Ashton a furtive nce, then shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I recently had a checkup, and I¡¯m not pregnant, William¡¯s just been spreading rumors, wanted to know how to y the part.¡±

    ¡°But why would the lie about something like that?¡± Mona was confused as well. ¡°<b>And </b>are you really not being held captive?¡±

    It was hard to exin theplexities of the situation, so Emelle could only say, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he won¡¯t hurt me,¡±

    Mona wasn¡¯t convinced. She pouted and muttered, ¡°A leopard never changes its spots. He¡¯s toying with you again!¡±

    Emelie offered a weak smile. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right.¡±

    and 1

    Choosing to meet at a cafe was not smart, Ashley couldn¡¯t drink coffee because she was pregnant. Emelie, who was unsure of her own condition, didn¡¯t dare to either. Only the <b>ever </b>-optimistic <b>Mona </b>seemed to enjoy her beverage, happily slurping down more than half the cup

    Ashley, warming her hands on the mug, also wanted to ask Emelie something. ¡°Emelie, do you remember that New Year¡¯s Eve dinner we had together?¡±

    Emelie nodded. ¡°Yes, of course.¡±

    ¡°I remember giving you thest two birth control pills I had in my bag,¡± Ashley said.

    ¡°Yes. What about it?¡± Emelie recalled finding those very pills in her bag the night before. She wondered she would <b>have </b>gotten pregnant if she had taken those pills.

    ¡°<b>Did </b>you take them?¡± Ashley asked.

    ¡°No. They¡¯re still in my bag.¡± Emelie said.

    Ashley didn¡¯t think that Emelie still had it. ¡°Give them to me.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Emelie reached into her bag and retrieved the pills before giving them to her.

    Ashley said solemnly, ¡°Someone told me that the birth control pills I¡¯ve been taking might actually be fertility drugs. They were switched out by Elias. I¡¯m going to have them tested to see if it¡¯s <b>true</b><b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    After Emelie got back together with Wim, she would take <b>the </b>birth control pills Ashley gave her every time she slept with him. If those pills were actually fertility drugs, then she might really be pregnant

 Chapter 526

    Chapter 526 A Test

    The doorbell rang at Eastbay for the second time today. Then, Lyle sauntered in holding a stack of papers.

    ¡°Willl¡± he greeted

    William walked down from the second floor. He wasn¡¯t going to the office today

    He was wearing a ck long¨Csleeved crew neck <b>and </b>cks, which made him seem even taller.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Lyle tossed the documents onto the coffee table before plopping down onto the couch.

    He asked habitually, ¡°is Ms. Hoven here?¡±

    Her friends came to visit. It¡¯s good for her to get some fresh air. Otherwise, it would really look like I was falsely imprisoning her,¡± William said indifferently.

    He settled onto another couch, picked up the documents, and started reading.

    Lyle spread his legs open and rested his elbows on his knees,

    He gestured toward the papers with his head. ¡°<b>Will</b>, wasn¡¯t this settled already<b>? </b>Why do you still need me to dig up information on Landon and his crew?¡±

    William continued scanning the pages, each containing details about Emelie¡¯s kidnappers. ¡°After hearing Emelie describe the situationst night, something feels off.¡± Previously, William was unaware of these details. With the culprits already apprehended, he hadn¡¯t pressed the issue further. Now, looking at the information in the file, he couldn¡¯t unearth anything new.

    ¡°Which one goes by ¡®Frankie¡®? William asked.

    ¡°His real name is Frank Martin,<b>¡± </b>Lyle exined. ¡°Lucky for him, he managed to slip away during the police raid. Landon has no idea where he went. He¡¯s a wanted criminal now.¡± ¡°Find him.¡± William put down the documents and looked up at Lyle. ¡°Visit Landon in prison. Tell him that if hees clean about who put him up to this, even if he receives the death penalty, <b>I¡¯ll </b>ensure his family is looked after for life.¡±

    Lyle acknowledged his orders and snagged a piece of candy from the table. He popped it in his mouth but immediately frowned. ¡°Ugh, sour candy! Not a fan. I¡¯m leaving now,¡±

    After parting ways with Ashley and Mona, Emelie was sent back to Eastbay

    Ashton escorted Emelie to the door but didn¡¯t follow her inside. In fact, they weren¡¯t concemed that she would escape. After all, with her mother held hostage, she wouldn¡¯t leave. Emelie stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for her floor. As the numbers ticked upward, her mind churned. She was still thinking about Ashley¡¯s earlier revtion. If the pills she had been taking were indeed fertility drugs swapped by Elias, there was <b>a </b>high possibility that she was pregnant now.

    She calcted the days and realized it had been three or four months since she got back together with William. If she was indeed pregnant, it would have shown visibly. William, who held her every night to sleep, would surely notice the change as well.

    Therefore, her top priority was to get her mother and leave William as soon as possible.

    The elevator reached her floor. Emelle exited without looking up and collided with Lyle, who was engrossed in his phone.

    Emelie¡¯s forehead connected with his solid chest with a thud<b>. </b>She stumbled back<b>, </b>startled.

    Lyle, recognizing her, instinctively reached out to steady her.

    Emelie was afraid of falling as well, so she grasped his hand instinctively. They ended up in an awkward embrace, their arms tangled like a twisted cope

    Her gaze flickered upward, and their eyes met.

    After a brief pause, Lyle hastily released her hand and cleared his throat awkwardly. ¡°It¡¯s you, Ms. Hoven.¡±

    to his chest beneath <b>his </b>shirt. This was just a minor ident, but Emelie unexpectedly noticed a fint blush creeping up Lyle¡¯s neck, which was spreading like wildfire down He scratched his neck and hair self¨Cconsciously, his tone shifting to a yful one. ¡°Theard from Will that you went out to have some fun. Back so soon?¡± Emelie was reminded of the shard of porcin. It was a big ploce<b>, </b>so there was no way Lyle hadn¡¯t seen her stash <b>it </b>away. Yet, he had lied to protect her. She sifted through her memories and realized Lyle seemed to like to be around her. She wasn¡¯t close to the others in the music group, and Es and Jayden offered curt nods <b>at </b>best. Meanwhile, Lyle went out of his way to interact with her and always addressed her as ¡°Ms. Hoven.¡±

    This could be due to his naturally outgoing personality, but maybe there was more to it¡­

    Emelie needed to test this bunch.

    Lyle stepped to the side. ¡°Aren¡¯t youing out?¡±

    Emelie grabbed his shirt all of a <b>sudden </b>and yanked him into the elevator.

 Chapter 527

    Chapter 527 The Right Bet

    Lyle waspletely caught off guard by Emelle¡¯s yank, so he was pulled into the elevator easily. Emelie quickly pressed the close door button, and the doors slid shut with a ¡®swish

    Lyle was still in a daze.

    Emelie wanted to test him, so she didn¡¯t give him any time to think and closed the distance between them abruptly. Because of inertia, her hair fluttered in the air for a split second, as if it was dancing

    Lyle felt panicked, which he rarely felt. He stumbled backward until his back was against the cool metal wall. His gaze fell on Emelie, who looked up at the same time.

    She was beautiful. She had soft brows and thin lips, and her skin glowed even without makeup. Perhaps her features weren¡¯t perfect on their own, but together, they formeda captivating harmony.

    Her eyes, in particr, were mesmerizing. They were <b>as </b>cold <b>as </b>a mountain stream, yet one would be reluctant to look away.

    The April air in Capebatt City was warming. Emelie was wearing a white knit top that revealed her slender neck. Her skin was fair, the delicate veins visible beneath its surface.

    Lyle¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed uncontrobly, his lips pressed into a thin line. He forced a roguish smile onto his face. ¡°What exactly is the meaning of this, Ms. Howen?¡±

    Neither of them were nave. His reaction spoke volumes, confirming Emcle¡¯s suspicions.

    She cut straight to the chase. ¡°I need to <b>save </b>my mother.¡±

    <b>Being </b>pinned against the wall by a woman was a novel experience for Lyle, and a hint of amusement flickered across his face. ¡°Save your mother? Didn¡¯t Will already hire doctors to treat her?!

    ¡°No, I want to leave with her. I want to leave William,¡± she said <b>in </b><b>a </b>low voice. ¡°Lyle Inning, help me.¡±

    She called him his full name. She rarely did so.

    She was getting more and more desperate to leave. She <b>had </b>Wesley on the outside, but she needed someone on the inside. Lyle, who will trusted, seemed like the perfect candidate.

    Emelle looked at him intentlyAll content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.

    Lyle pressed his tongue against his cheek.

    After a few seconds, he finally said, ¡°You¡¯re asking me to betray Will and help you escape? Isn¡¯t that a bit presumptuous? We¡¯re not exactly close, are we?*

    Emelie¡¯s eyes glimmered like the autumnke under the sun. ¡°I know will saved your life and you¡¯re loyal to him.¡±

    ¡°Yet you still dare to request this <b>of </b>me. Can <b>you </b>offer me something <b>I </b>can¡¯t refuse in return?¡± Lyle asked.

    ¡°I have 3 million in my ount. It¡¯spensation from the Allen family before the New <b>Year</b>. But money isn¡¯t what you need, and it can¡¯t buy your loyalty. So, what else can offer you?¡± She paused. ¡°Do you like me?

    <b>Lyle¡¯s </b>breath hitched in his throat. He lowered his gaze, meeting her eyes directly. Her question was frank, devoid of shame or evasion

    He licked his Eps. Never one to mince words, he didn¡¯t see anything wrong in admitting it Emelie already figured it out anyway.

    He rxed his body and leaned against the wall of the elevator. His eyes glinted provocatively as he said, ¡°Ms. Hoven, you¡¯re undeniably beautiful. It Will and Wesley can like you, why can¡¯t I?

    ¡°It¡¯s okay if you like me,¡± Emelie admitted. ¡°I¡¯ve used my life to threaten Will before, and now, I also need to take advantage of your feelings for me¡±

    Her voice <b>dropped </b>a notch ¡°You don¡¯t have to help me, Lyle. I¡¯ll find another way. But I will get myself and my mother out of here. I can¡¯t live under Will¡¯s threats forever.. Otherwise, one day, I may very well perish alongside him.¡±

    Lyle knew that she <b>was </b>also using her life to threaten him, although her threat was welled.

    The taste of the sour candy he had eaten earlier lingered on his tongue. The sourness spread from his mouth to his stomach, <b>and </b>it left a bad aftertaste. Indeed, he couldn¡¯t bear to

    see her die.

    Emelie reached out to press the button to reopen the elevator doors.

    In fact, Lyle had thought that she would propose something along the lines of, ¡°If you help me<b>, </b>I¡¯ll be yours. But this, this was much more Emelle. She wasn¡¯t a saint, but she wouldn¡¯t cheapen herself like that.

    Emelie looked down momentanly before her gaze flickered upward to meet his.

    Even though he was holding her, it was separated by ayer of fabric. He didn¡¯t dare to touch her skin. He was afraid of overstepping his boundary, and that he wasn¡¯t worthy of her.

    But for this unrequited love, he was willing to be the very person he once loathed¨Ca traitor. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to refute it if anyone calls me ungrateful or a traitor from now on

 Chapter 528

    Chapter 528 Six Feet Under

    Initially, Emelie thought that William would drag his feet forever in bringing her to the hospital to help Greta bathe and change her clothes. She was even prepared to make a fuss

    about it

    But to her astonishment, the very next morning, William brought it up himself. He said he would take her to the hospital that evening after work.

    Emelie¡¯s <b>carefully </b>crafted speech died in her throat, reced by a mumbled, ¡°Alright.¡±

    william, of course, could read her like an open book. He scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m not as untrustworthy as you think I am.

    Emelie retorted, ¡°¡°Truly noble people don¡¯t need to constantly remind everyone of their nobility. It¡¯s those whock it who feel the need to keep saying it.¡±

    William lifted his head to nce at her.

    Seeing her indifferent <b>expression</b>, he said slowly, ¡°In the past, you would only argue with me when you weren¡¯t feeling well. Now, you take issue with everything I say. Angel, <b>your </b>temper seems to be getting worse.¡±

    All of a sudden, Emelie remembered Ashley mentioning that there were drastic changes in her habits ever since she got pregnant. Was her worsening temper a drastic change too?

    Her eyshes fluttered, and she lowered her head to take <b>a </b><b>sip </b>of oatmeal ¡°You¡¯re keeping me captive here, and you still expect me to be nice to you? Don¡¯t get greedy, Mr. Middleton.¡±

    William pushed a bowl of blueberries and green grapes in her direction. ¡°Now that you¡¯re pregnant, eat more fruit.¡±

    Emelie had been wanting to ask him this question since yesterday. ¡°Why did you tell everyone that I was pregnant?

    ¡°To make us appear like a loving couple,¡± he replied simply.

    Emelie scotted. ¡°Appear¡± was the perfect word because it was all an act

    After breakfast, William rose from the table. A servant hurried over with his <b>suit </b>jacket.

    As he slipped iron, he said<b>, </b>¡°I¡¯ve picked out a few wedding dresses. They¡¯ll be delivered here in a few days. Take <b>a </b>look and see if you like any. We¡¯re on a tight schedule, so custom- made is out of the question, but these are all brand new. If you <b>don¡¯t </b>like any of them, we can look at others.¡±

    What? Wedding dresses?

    Emelie was so angry that sheughed humorlessly. ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯m marrying you!¡±

    William ignored her outburst. He took a few steps toward the door, but then turned back. ¡°Mr. Middleton is off to work. Isn¡¯t Mrs. Middleton going to see him off?¡±

    Emelie held back her anger, but to no avail <b>She </b>cursed, ¡°I¡¯ll see you off when you¡¯re six feet under! Bastard!¡±

    Oursing him provided a fleeting sense of satisfaction, but as the clock struck half past seven in the evening, a different worry crept in. It was well past the time to get off work, but William still wasn¡¯t back yet.

    She was afraid that he was still angry at what she said in the morning, so he didn¡¯t want toe back and being her to see Greta.

    Fortunately, ten minutester, two beams of light illuminated the house through the windows. Emelie bolted toward the window and looked down

    The silver and ck Cullinan was parked under the streemp, looking luxurious and expensive. He was back.

    Emelie hurried downstairs as the car pulled up to the porch. She ng open the car door and hopped inside.

    William, leaning against the door with his head resting on his hand, tumed to face her. ¡°You only seem to run to me when it¡¯s convenient¡±

    Emelie retorted swiftly, ¡°I used to run to you all the time, but you never appreciated it.¡±

    William put down his hand. ¡°Enough.¡±

    Just like how Emelle used to call him ¡°Liam¡°, those were a thing of the <b>past</b><b>.</b>

    They arrived at the ICU. The previous two times Emelie came here<b>, </b>she could only see Greta through the ss window.

    This time, she could go into the ward. However, as expected, there was a keypad lock on the door,

    William stepped in front of her, blocking her view as he punched in a six¨Cdigit code. The door came buzzing open.

    Emelie didn¡¯t do something as futile as asking him why there <b>was </b>a lock. She was just eager to go inside. She had already put on a sterile surgical gown, hat, and mask. Emelle approached the bed.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Gretaid there quietly, connected to a web at medical equipment. Despite that, her face held a surprising Cush of color.

    Emelie held her hand. She <b>could </b>feel the warmth emanating from her mother¡¯s skin through her gloves. Greta looked more like she was peacefully asleep than anything else.

 Chapter 529

    Chapter 529 The Day We Met

    Anurse brought over a wet towel to wipe down Greta, but <b>Emclle </b>politely declined, ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    The nurse looked at William to ask for permission. After he nodded, she left the room.

    As Erelle unfastened her mother¡¯s gown, she said tly, ¡°Mr. Middleton, would you mind turning away for a moment?¡±

    William paused for a moment before leaving the room. The moment he stepped out, he received a call from Lyle.

    ¡°Lyle,¡± William answered.

    will, I went to prison to see Landon and asked him some questions,¡± Lyle reported.

    William turned back to look at Emelie, who was still focused on wiping her mother, before walking toward the window in the hallway. ¡°What did he say?¡±

    The moment William¡¯s back was turned, Emelie sprang into action. She darted toward the door and started punching in differentbinations on the keypad.

    <b>She </b>tried her birthday, William¡¯s birthday, the day Cloudex was founded, and any other days that might be important to William, but nothing worked.

    She had no idea how long Lyle could keep William upied, but she continued trying. Fortunately, the door didn¡¯t emit an rm after <b>a </b>few <b>failed </b>tries.

    By now, Emelie had tried ten differentbinations, but they were all wrong. Her anxiety grew.

    She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to recall the <b>subtle </b>movements of William¡¯s hand as he entered the code earlier.

    It seemed be¡­ <b>20</b><b>, </b><b>19</b>, and 18. She pressed on these numbers, but the lock remained stubbornly shut.

    She was positive about the first two numbers, ¡°20¡°. But what did it <b>mean</b>? Whas it the year 2010? What significant event happened in 2020 for William?

    Her finger hovered over the keypad for a long time. Four years ago, in 2020 ¡°19¡± must be wrong. Could it be ¡°os¡°?

    20, 08, 18. It was that rainy day four years ago, where they ¡°first¡± met

    Emelie entered the code with trembling fingers. A satisfying beep echoed as the <b>door </b>unlocked. She had cracked the code.

    She finally let out her breath that she had been holding. The real reason she came to visit Greta was to find out the password.

    As the <b>door </b>clicked open, she faintly heard William¡¯s voice on the phone in the corridor.¡± agree to his conditions. Ask him to spill everything he knows.¡±

    Emelie closed the door and hurried back to her mother¡¯s side. A short whileter, William re¨Centered the room while hanging up. He found Emelie tucking Greta back into bed.

    William had grown up without a mother and was filled with nothing but resentment for his father, so he couldn¡¯tprehend the depth of Emelle¡¯s love for her <b>adoptive </b>mother. However, having Greta as leverage ensured Emelie¡¯spliance, which sulted him just fine.

    William punched in the code and opened the door. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Emelle kept her emotions hidden beneath a lowered gaze, stealing onest look at her mother before she left.

    ¡°Just a few more days, <b>Mom</b>. I¡¯ll get you out of <b>here</b>,¡± she thought

    William held her hand as they left. She was lost in thought, so she didn¡¯t see where she was going

    Emelie raised her head instinctively to look, only to realize that one of the nurses was the same nurse who had drawn her blood to do the pregnancy testst time; the one who had slipped her a nole.

    Emelie immediately knew thatAll content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.

    nurse was on her side

    Emelie¡¯s eyes glinted and she held her breath. As they passed the group, the nurses identally bumped into her, sending her stumbling, William caught her before she could fall

    The flustered nurse apologized profusely. ¡°I am so sorry! We were just

    Emelie seized the opportunity. She pretended to be in a bad mood, and that the nurses had messed with her at the wrong time.

    ¡°Is this how nurses behave in a hospital? Have you no professionalism?¡± Emelie said

    The nurse looked down. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. We¡¯re off duty, so we were rxing.¡±

    ¡°Of course, you can act however you like when you¡¯re not wearing a uniform, but since you are, you represent this profession. So, a certain decorum is expected. More importantly, noise isn¡¯t conducive to the patients¡® recovery! Emelie scolded the nurse.

    The nurse continued to shower apologies on Emelle. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry¡­

    ¡°Did she hurt <b>you</b>?¡± William looked down and asked.

    Emelie yanked her hand free.

    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t insisted on holding on so tightly, I wouldn¡¯t have been bumped into her in the first ce!¡± she said, subtly shining the me to William as well

    William gave a good¨Cnatured chuckle. ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll take full responsibility and make it up to you when we get back.¡±

    Suddenly, William¡¯s phone rang again. He took it out and nced at it, his attention no longer on Emple.

    In that brief moment, Emelie quickly typed the password <b>¡°</b><b>20</b>, 0, 18¡± using her phone with her hand lowered

 Chapter 530

    Chapter 530 Drive Me Insane

    William saw that it was Lyle again.

    He picked <b>up </b>and said, ¡°Lyle, what¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°Huh? will? Did I call you? I put my phone into my pocket. Must have pressed on the redial button identally,¡± <b>Lyle </b>said.

    ¡°okay,¡± William replied curtly, ending the call.

    The entire thing had <b>only </b>taken three seconds. When he looked back at Emelle once more, he saw the nurse looking guilty

    Meanwhile, the nurse continued to act like she was helpless when bullied by someone who had power. ¡°We¡¯ll definitely be more careful next time and won¡¯t cause cuckus in public. What can we do to make it up to you, miss?¡±

    William squeezed Emelie¡¯s hand, indicating for her to let it go.

    Emelie, having vented her anger, turned away.

    Her voice was cold as she said, ¡°just be more mindful in the future. Imagine if you bumped into an elderly <b>person </b>or <b>a </b>pregnant woman, what then? You may gu

    any more

    The flustered nurses scurried away, muttering amongst themselves. ¡°Seriously? What bad luck, renning into a ¡°princess. She was so dramatic. Must be having a bad day or something.¡±

    Emelie overheard their conversation. ¡°Hey, you..

    William, initially amused by the scene, stopped her from going forward.

    <b>¡°</b>People are starting to <b>stare</b>, Mrs. Middleton. If you keep yelling, someone might filmit and post it online with a title like ¡°Woman Yells at <b>Nurses </b>in Hospital¡°. Do you really want that kind of fame<b>?</b>¡±

    Emelle scoffed.

    William nced down at her wedding ring. ¡°I thought you would only yell at me, Mrs. Middleton. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen you snap at someone else.¡±

    Emelie¡¯s eyelids fluttered nervously<b>. </b><b>She </b>realized she had overyed her role, so much so that it was a stark contrast to her usual behavior.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    His words hinted that he was suspicious. Her sudden outburst seemed out of character.

    She turned to face him, feigning surprise as if she had just realized she wasn¡¯t herself after hearing hisment.

    ¡°ts that sc?¡± she asked

    Then<b>, </b>she looked down, her eyshes casting long shadows on her cheek. It created an illusion of mncholy and <b>despair</b>.

    Ever since William brought her back to Capebatt City from Do, her <b>mood </b>had taken a nosedive,

    Like a wounded and wary wolf stripped of its protection, she bared her teeth at <b>anyone </b>who dared approach her, especially at him. After all, he was the one who had removed her ws <b>and </b>fangs, and she took every opportunity to bite back

    Now, she looked helpless and tragile. She seemed even more pitiful under the harsh Eights in the hospital.

    Pitiful. It was a word rarely used to <b>describe </b>her.

    William¡¯s <b>voice </b>softened. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Emelie forced a smile. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m bing less and less like the ¡®Ms. Haven¡® you knew? I think so too. Maybe being locked up for so long makes you <b>go </b>crazy for no reason.

    She chucked bitterly. ¡°Do you think one day you¡¯ll truly drive me insane?¡±

    William tightened his grip on her hand. ¡°No. Once you stop being angry, you¡¯ll be fine¡±

    Emelie offered no reply, feigning mncholy as she bared her head away.

    But the next second, she saw Lyle out of the corner of her eye. He was leaning against a pir, his mask pulled down to his chin.

    She was stunned and quickly <b>looked </b>away, worried William would notice him. Her pace quickened as she led William out of the hospital.

    Lyle¡¯s timing with the phone calls to distract William had been perfect. It turned out he was also in the hospital. As he watched the two walk away, his mind raced.

    By pretending not to have seen Emelie hiding the broken ceramic shard, he was covering up for her, but he was clearly betraying William¡¯s trust with his current actions.

    Had he been too easily swayed? How could <b>he </b>simply follow her orders like a loyal dog, responding to a mere wave of her hand?

    But he came to an answer quickly.

    He <b>had </b>dreamed of being with Emelie for <b>a </b>long time, although he knew that it wasn¡¯t possible. How could he have cetused her request, especially with how she looked when she asked?

    Moreover, she only wanted to leave Wim and <b>escape </b>Capebatt City with Greta. <b>She </b>wasn¡¯t asking <b>him </b>to her william, so why couldn¡¯t he help her?

    At worst, after Emelie left, he would confess everything to William. It would be a way of returning his life to William, a life William had saved once before.

    His eyes went downcast, and he pulled his ck mask back up. He then slipped out of the hospital through a different exit.

    Meanwhide, Wham and famelie had just walked out of the hospital

    Awakening out from behind them T sudden. ¡°Mr.Middleton<b>, </b>Ms. Haven. What a coincidence!¡±

 Chapter 531

    Chapter 531 Genuinely Disgusted

    Both Elle and William hurned around in unison.

    Charles, d in a sult, approached them. ¡°just came to visit a <b>friend </b>at the hospital. What are the odds of running into you two?¡±

    Whether this truly was <b>a </b>coincidence or Charles was keeping tabs on them, william couldn¡¯t be bothered to investigate, ¡°Mr. Davis, you haven¡¯t left Capehabt City yet? Don¡¯t you have apany to run?¡±

    Charles smiled. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m returning to Calmerest tomorrow. That¡¯s why I said it was a <b>coincidence </b>that <b>I </b><b>bumped </b><b>into </b>both of you right before I left How about we have dinner together?

    Have you two eaten yet?

    Ever since Emelle knew that Charles <b>yed </b>a role in her father¡¯s death, she couldn¡¯t look at him <b>with </b>the same warmth she once had back in Weston. Her gaze was cold.

    ckin We

    Charles naturally picked up on the <b>hostly </b>in her eyes,

    He let out achuckle. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that, Ms. Hoven? Is it because of Edward¡¯s sukide?¡±

    He nced at their hands which were sped together. ¡°You forgave Mr. Middleton, so why can¡¯t you forgive me as well? I didn¡¯t mean to, you know¡±

    was Charles implying that<b>, </b>since Emelie could still forgive William even though what he did was far worse, she couldn¡¯t also forgive him too?

    She was brought back to the time when she had just arrived at Hillcrest Tower and saw her father¡¯s blood on the ground

    Her face turned pale<b>, </b><b>and </b>she yanked her hand back from William¡¯s grasp as it struck by a bolt of lightning. She was trembling slightly.

    When William reached out to take her hand again, she pursed her lips tightly together and shot daggers at him

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch me¡± thespat.

    William¡¯s hand froze in mid-air

    Charles rinsed an eyebrow. ¡°What¡¯s this? is Ms. Hoven upset with Mr. Middleton too? That¡¯s <b>a </b>shame. He seems like such a good man, even bringing you to visit Mrs. Hoven.¡±

    William¡¯s gaze flickered toward Emelje, his expression was unreadable.

    <b>He </b>said to Charles, ¡°She¡¯s not in a good mood after seeing Mrs. Hoven in her current state in the ICU. <b>Don¡¯t </b><b>take </b>it personally, Mr. <b>Davis</b><b>.</b>¡±

    <b>Charles </b>pretended to be enlightened. <b>¡°</b>Considering that Ms. Hoven is pregnant, it¡¯s only natural for her to be more emotional than usual. That¡¯s the more reason to have a good <b>meal</b>, it¡¯ll lift her spirits. Shall we have dinner at the Westward Club, Mr. Middleton?

    <b>William </b>didn¡¯t object

    ¡°Very well,¡± he agreed.

    ¡°Great. See you at the Westward Club, Charles said before taking his car and leaving

    William nced at the side of the road, where <b>a </b>ck <b>car </b>was parked and had been tailing them discreetly. It left immediately.

    A hint of anger appeared in William¡¯s eyes, but he suppressed his emotions as he turned back to Ernelle.

    He gently coaxed her. ¡°Angel¡±

    Emelie looked away. The hatred that <b>had </b>been stirred within her burned fiercelyand couldn¡¯t be doused.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    It was all William, Charles, and the four families¡® doing. They worked together to cause the deaths of both her fathers. Two fathers<b>, </b>gone just like that.

    A cool night breeze ruffled Emelie¡¯s hair as they stood on the sidewalk, her expression was cold

    After a long while, Emelie seemed to have calmed down a little. That was when William finally spoke. ¡°I¡¯m going to say it one more time. I didn¡¯t force Edward. His suicide wasn¡¯t part of the n.¡±

    Emelie scoffed. She didn¡¯t even want <b>to </b>argue <b>with </b><b>him</b><b>. </b><b>She </b>simply opened the car door and got out of the car.

    He got our of the car, leaned on the car door, and bent down, ¡°I know you hate Charles, but you have toe to dinner with me. The show we are going to put on tonight is crucial As the pregnant Mrs. Middleton, do you know what you should <b>do </bter?

    Emelie nced at him coldly. ¡°Why should I cooperate with you?¡±

    William saw a chance to negotiate. ¡°I can promise you one more thing¡±

    ¡°Two things,¡± Emelie countered.

    ¡°One¡± William said.

    ¡°Three things.¡± Emelie didn¡¯t back down.

    Willian was both exasperated and amused. ¡°Are you trying to hike the price up again?

    Emelie replied, ¡°Yes. If you keep negotiating with me, it¡¯ll be four things next¡±

    William got in the cat as well. ¡°Just two things. Don¡¯t push your luck, Mrs. Middleton

    Besides, she had given the password to the ICU to Wesley<b>, </b>so Greta¡¯s rescue was imminent. By then, she would use these promises and ask <b>William </b>to let her stroll around outside. Dore she was out of Eastbay, escape would be easy

    They went into a private room at the Westward Club

    Chades had ordered dishes that had a strong smell, like fish and prawn. He seemed to be testing il Emelie was pregnant or not

    The mometa the dishes were ced on the table, finelie felt n museated due to the smell. <b>She </b><b>wasn¡¯t </b>acting, she was genumely disgusted.

 Chapter 532

    Chapter <b>512 </b>Her ColmeContent ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    Fruelle couldn¡¯t help but gag as the fishy smell Ingered around her nose, and she quickly pushed the te of sashimi away from her.

    william thought that Emilie was acting. Nevertheless, it made sense since pregnant women are often more sensitive

    William wrapped his arms around Emeli and poured her some water.

    ¡°Take these away!¡± he instructed the waiter.

    Charles observed Emelle¡¯s reaction and found it pretty genuine.

    ¡°Quick! Get them out of here!¡± Charles added

    The water quickly took the dish away. However, Emelie could still smell the lingering fishodor. She stood up, unable to bear it any longer.

    ¡°I need to go to the restroom,¡± Emelle <b>said</b>.

    William furrowed <b>his </b>brows. ¡°Ashton, go with Mrs Middleton.¡±

    ¡°Yes<b>, </b>sir.¡± Ashton quickly caught up with Emelle.

    Since Emelle had been putting on an act, she dropped it as soon as she left the suite.

    She pursed her lips, suppressing her nausea to hide it from Ashton. She rushed into the washroom and shut the door behind her.

    She covered her mouth and silently retched several times until she <b>managed </b>to quell the nausea.

    Her reaction  intense.

    Emelie ced ber hand on her belly. There was no doubt she was really <b>pregnant</b>.

    Back in <b>the </b><b>suite</b>, only the two men and a somewhat empty table remained.

    Charles called out to <b>a </b>waiter with a smile, ¡°Hey, how about a bottle of wine? This isn¡¯t very amodating, isn¡¯t it? Mr. Middleton isn¡¯t supposed to drink air, is he?

    William took a bot towel <b>and </b>wiped his hands, his expression inscrutable.

    Soon, a walter hurried in with a wine. Charles had ordered a Barolo Wine that didn¡¯t need decanting. As soon the cork was removed, a rich aroma filled the room.

    The waiter first poured <b>a </b>ss for William.

    Charles took a deep sniff and praised, ¡°An excellent wine Indeed! Even if you want the stars in the sky, the Westward Club can get them for you. This wine was from the pos. Even at the auction..¡±

    Before Charles could finish his words, <b>a </b>ssh of wine hit him squarely in the face.

    william put down the towel and picked up the ss of wine. Instead of tasting it, he threw it directly in <b>Charles</b>¡® face.

    Charles grunted, shut his eyes, and quickly med away. However, he still got drenched in the Barolo Wine

    The wine was half a ss full, just the right amount. The crimson¨Cred fluid flowed from Charles¡® forehead down to his nose bridge, leaving him disheveled. Initially, the waiter wanted to pour Charles some wine as well However, he troue in ce at William¡¯s sudden action, unsure whether to still serve the wine.

    After a whole minute of silence, Charles opened his eyes. His eyshes dripped with wine, and even <b>his </b>shirt was stained.

    The Davis Camily was one of the Great Four in the business world. Despite it being Wim, he had taken it a step too far.

    Charles licked his lips and chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s indeed a good wine. So rich, strong, and vorful¡±

    He picked up a towel to wipe his face, a smile still ying on his hips. ¡°But Mr. Middleton, don¡¯t you think the way you offered the drink was a bit crude

    As a CD of his stature, Charles didn¡¯t need to yell to express his anger. His simple question was enough. Even the waiter at the side didn¡¯t dare to take a breath.

    Wim leaned back at the chair and looked at Charles with an ice cold gaze. ¡°Mr. Davis, aren¡¯t you just testing if Emelie was pregnant? You can test it all <b>you </b>want. But you made my wife ufortable, so I¡¯m returning the favor,¡±

    No wonder there are so many misunderstandings in this world. We just had the wrong <b>order </b>served to us. Don¡¯t overthink it, Mr. Middleton,¡± Charles said as he gestured for the waiter to go away.

    The water quickly set down the wine bottle and left, feeling relieved.

    ¡°I forgot that pregnant women are sensitive to the smell of fish. I only ordered it because I found it tasty thest <b>time </b>I was bere. There are no other intentions here,¡± Charles

    William¡¯s gaze was dark and brooding. ¡°Whether

    er you had the intention or not, you made my wife uneasy. If I can¡¯t even protect in pregnant wife, then how could I be the CEO of Cloudex Corporation<b>?</b>¡±

    William¡¯s words were indeed thought¨Cprovoking. Was he worried about Emelie<b>? </b>Or was he more worried about his own pride?

    Charles stared at William <b>and </b>smiled as he wiped the wine off his chin. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s my fault. I¡¯ll have your ss of wine, Mr. Middleton.¡±

    Charles took the bottle and poured himself a full <b>ss </b>of we

    Charles added, ¡°But it¡¯s good news that Ms. Hoven is actually pregnant this time around. It seems <b>like </b>she didn¡¯t hold a grudge over the Pierce family meadent with you, Mr Middleton Otherwise, Mr. Collins might¡¯ve acted out of spite.¡±

    ¡°What else can he do? He¡¯s a lowyer Would <b>he </b>dare to go against thew?

    Tham <b>said</b><b>:</b>

    ¡°Let the give you ahead up, Mr Middleton ¡°Charles picked up his ss of wine Looking through the <b>ss</b>, his view was tinted ind ¡°Mr.Calliss has eadem eut Ms. Blown¡¯s crimes. He can have her takes care of through lead means,¡± Charles said nonchntly.

 Chapter 533

    Chapter <b>533 </b>Under His Nose

    William looked at Charles.

    ¡°If Ms. Hoven ends up in prison, she won¡¯t be able to have any chances. Even making it out alive will be a matter of luck,¡± Charles seld with a smile.

    That way, Charles would <b>stay </b>clear of any <b>trouble</b>.

    William¡¯s paze was <b>as </b><b>cold </b>as ice and as unyielding as a winter frost.

    ¡°The evidence of Emelie¡¯s crime?¡± he asked.

    Charles replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know the detalls, <b>but </b>it sounded pretty real when he mentioned it. You might want to ask Ms. Howen if she¡¯s done anything shady in the <b>past </b>she might¡¯ve left traces that could give someone leverige!!

    William¡¯s demeanor subtly shifted to a darker tone.

    As Emelle returned to the suite, the waiter hadid out a table of delicious food. They stayed and dinedte into the night.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    while they left the Westward Club, Charles discreetly approached Emelie from behind. He then slipped a stiff, card¨Clike object into her hand

    Emelle <b>instinctively </b>looked down. However, the lights in the Westward club¡¯s hallway were dim with warm lights. It made it hard for Emelie to see what it was.

    She frowned and looked up at Charles.

    with his hands in his pockets, Charles grinned and said, ¡°Consider this an apology gift<b>. </b>I didn¡¯t mean it earlier.¡±

    William suddenly turned around to where they were.

    In a sleight of hand move, Charles suddenly held a diamond bracelet in his hand. ¡°Twanted to give this bracelet to Ms. Hoven as an apology, <b>but </b>she declined it. Please ept it on her behalf, Mr. Middleton. Think of it as a token of my goodwill¡±

    William nced at it <b>and </b>added, ¡°Emelie doesn¡¯t need this type of stuff. You should keep it for your girlfriend, Mr. Davis, ¡±

    ¡°The girl wanted is now married with a child. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not getting over this heartbreak anytime soon. Since Ms. Hoven doesn¡¯t want it, I¡¯ll just throw it away,¡± Charles said. He was as <b>indifferent </b>as ever. Without a second thought, he tossed the bracelet into the trash bin without even blinking

    If Charles was lying to William, it meant the card had something Wim shouldn¡¯t see, and she was eager to find out what it was.

    After the pair lett the Westward Club and went back to Eastbay, Charles lingered at the entrance and started chewing some gum since he had quit smoking. Since Emelie reported him for indoor smoking to the police, he stopped using cigarettes

    Charles nonchntly chewed the gum. Suddenly, his phone can, and he picked up the call. It was his contact from the hospital.

    ¡°Mr. <b>Davis </b>The woman in the DC has woken up the person said.

    Charles¡¯s eyes narrowed instanthe

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± heasked

    <b>¡°</b>It¡¯s true! I saw her wake up with my own eyes<b>. </b><b>I¡¯m </b>sure of it! But the ICU door is locked, and it needs a passcode. If we force our way in, it will definitely alert William,¡± the person faid

    So, the real question was did Wim know that drets had woken up?

    His men had been <b>monitoring </b>Greta¡¯s condition. It was impossible for them to be unaware, right? However, Willians had never mentioned a word about it.

    Was hecovering for Greta? Or was he nning to use the ount book to control the Davis, Swanson, and Collins families?

    Charles recalled a few years back when a game called ¡°Among Us¡± was all the rage. Was William shifting from a ¡°crewmate¡± in a dangerous situation to an ¡°imposter¡± <b>who </b>sabotages them?

    charles might be willing to let Emele slide, However, he couldn¡¯t ignore Greta, who possessed the ount book.

    He spat our ther He needed to <b>discuss </b>this with Beathan and take on the best way to clear things up

    Later, Emelle returned to Eastbay. While William went to his study to get something, she quickly slipped into the bathroom.

    She retrieved the stiff card Charles had given her.

    It turned out to be a DVD. However, there were nobels on the DVD Emelie had <b>no </b>idea what was on it

    Emelie frowned and put it away, nning to finda DVD yerter to check it out.

    After she washed her hands, Emelie calmly emerged from the bathroom. In just a few <b>hours</b>, Emelie had figured out the passcode<b>, </b>coordinated with the nurse, and even got an tem from Charles. She did it all under William¡¯s nose,

    In the midst of the hustle, Emelie <b>had </b><b>no </b>time to feel nervous. <b>But </b>as she reflected on the events, her heart started to race like a drum.

    ¡°<b>What </b><b>are </b>you thinking about?¡± William¡¯s voice cut through her thoughts.

    Emelie¡¯s breath stilled for an <b>instant</b>. She walked past him with a nk expression, litted the covers, and climbed into bed.

    William was unbothered by her coldness.

 Chapter 534

    His par followed her, and he asked again, ¡°Did you ever find out if Frankie was dead or alive after you hit him?¡± Felicine as she was about to be down. ¡°What?¡±

    Chapter <b>534 </b>The Marriage

    william noticed that Emelie was startled by his question, so he <b>said </b><b>softly</b><b>, </b>¡°Just curious, that¡¯s all

    His sudden question surprised Emelle, and she held her breath.

    <b>¡°</b>I didn¡¯t check. It was dark outside, and the house <b>was </b>dim. When Landon and his men realized something was wrong, they were about toe in when Lescaped through the window. I was too upied to confirm it,¡± <b>she </b>said.

    Then, she asked<b>, </b><b>¡°</b>Did Frank die?¡±

    Did that mean she had killed someone?

    william was pondering Charles words. Emelle wouldn¡¯t hurt someone without a reason. She had only attacked someone that year when she was being kidnapped. And since Frank had never been caught, it had led him to a series of thoughts.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing much,¡± William sail

    Ele sped the nket.

    After pondering for a moment, she said firmly, ¡°No, Frank didn¡¯t die. If he¡¯s <b>dead</b>, Landon would¡¯ve already exposed me as a murderer. He would do anything to reduce his sentence. But he <b>didn¡¯t</b>. And there¡¯s no way he¡¯s protecting me, right?!

    William rxed his brows, ¡°Hmm, you¡¯re right. Is there <b>anything </b>else <b>that </b>you¡¯ve done that wasn¡¯t made clear<b>?</b>¡°.

    ¡°No. Why are you asking this?¡± <b>Emelle </b>replied without hesitation, frowning

    Emelie <b>had </b>rified she hadn¡¯t. So, it meant that either Deathan was bluffinger Charles <b>was </b><b>ying </b>a trick on <b>him</b>.

    William stopped thinking about it and walked over to her. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Let¡¯s get some sleep¡±

    The next few days passed pracefully.

    Eventually, the wedding dresses actived.

    Lyle had alsoe to Eastbay to discuss something with Wir However, Wim <b>hadn¡¯t </b>gotten off work yet. He settled himself on the couch in the living room and yed with

    a Rubik¡¯s Cube.

    He nced at the wedding dresses hanging on the racks and then at the team of stylists. Since Emelle refused to try them on, they were unsure what to do.

    Lyle¡¯s fingers nimbly turned each colored block, and a smite yed at his Ops.

    ¡°Ms. Hoven, the dresses are all here, Why not try them on? They look nice,¡± Lyle said.

    ¡°Not interested,¡± Emelie replied.

    She was sitting on another couch with her legs crossed She was engrossed in her book, not bothering to look up.

    ¡°you can take the dresses back. Don¡¯t waste your time here,¡± she <b>said</b>.

    Since William wasn¡¯t home yet, <b>the </b>stylists, who were in a predicament, looked to Lyle for <b>guidance</b>.

    Lalecrossed his legs and said, ¡°Leave the dresses. You <b>guys </b>can <b>go</b>. We¡¯ll reach <b>out </b>to <b>you </b><b>once </b>she¡¯s tried them on.¡±

    Then, the stylists lett.

    Emelie handed her cup to the maid. <b>¡°</b><b>Can </b>you pour me some tea¡± Thanks. ¡±

    The maid replied, ¡°Mrs. Middleton, it¡¯s not wise to drink tea during pregnancy. How about some milk stead?<b>¡±</b>

    Emelie didn¡¯t mind anything <b>¡°</b>Warm it up and add some sugar.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± the mail said.

    Once the maid left, only Emebe and Lyle were left in the living room

    Emelie swiftly lifted her head and nced around. After making sure that they were alone, she asked tyle in a low voice, ¡°What¡¯s going on out there?¡°!

    Lyle set down his Rubik¡¯s Cube and nced towards the kitchen. After he saw that the maid was busy, he kept his words briet.

    ¡°Wesley already has everything in ce. You got that? Lyle spoke in <b>a </b>soft tone that only both of them could hear.

    Emelie froze for a moment, then nodded<b>, </b>looking surprised. ¡°You met Wesley?¡±

    Lyle chuckled lightly. ¡°He¡¯s pretty capable. He found out about our alliance and came to me. He asked me to being the message for you.¡±

    Emelie exhaled in relief. ¡°Hmm. Thank you.¡±

    Since it took some time for the milk to warm up, the maid hadn¡¯t returned yet. They had a few moments to talk, but couldn¡¯t risk saying more.

    Lyle then got up and walked towards a chair in the dining area and sat down

    <b>Just </b>as the maid came back with the warm milk, William walked in. Emelle took the milk and headed <b>upstairs</b>, leaving William to see only her back as she ascended the <b>stairs</b>.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    In her room, Emelie flipped through her calendar.

    A while Later, William entered. He loosened his tie and asked, <b>¡°</b><b>Found </b>any wedding dresses that you like?¡±

    Famelie sat in an armchair beside the floormp that softly lit her tace. Instead of replying bluntly, she stated, ¡°A wedding usually needs both sets of parents. Mr. Middleton, one et your parrels hi alenad for treatment, and the other one killed my father.¡±

    ¡°As for may parents, tear¡¯s deal because of you, and the other is in the IL. How do you expect us to get married? Mr. Middleton, you¡¯re enjoying putting on a show these days. But we can¡¯t seriously hire actors for this, can we? That¡¯ll be the joke of Gapebati City,¡± Emelie mocked deliberately.

 Chapter 535

    Chapter 535 Wedding nning

    Emelle¡¯s question implied that she was willing to marry him, didn¡¯t it?

    William grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into his arms,

    While he was loosening his the earlier, he had unfastened the top two buttons on his shirt, revealing his slender neck and corbones. He looked mature and sexy. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed up and down.

    en¡¯t you flipping through the calendar just now<b>? </b>Any thoughts?¡± <b>he </b>asked.

    ¡°I was flipping through the calendar because I felt like there¡¯s a special daying up soon. Adler <b>talding </b>a nce at it, I realized that it¡¯s almost my birthday. Let me go Emilia frowned and <b>pushed </b>at his chest, but William barely felt anything

    He was slightly startled ¡°Whe

    ¡°Next <b>Monday</b>.¡± When she saw that he had no idea, Emelle gritted her teeth. ¡°How could you say that you¡¯ve liked me for many years when you can¡¯t even remember my birthday?

    <b>William </b><b>was </b>amused<b>, </b>but he felt slightly aggrieved. <b>He </b>bumped her gently with his forehead. He could <b>sense </b>that she was <b>no </b>longer rejecting <b>his </b>advances as much.

    Emelie was bough but <b>had </b><b>a </b>soft heart, and she was both easy <b>and </b>difficdita cate, depending on whether he managed to understand <b>what </b><b>she </b><b>meant</b>.

    He said, ¡°You never used to celebrate your birthday!!

    ¡°You just weren¡¯t <b>paying </b>attention. On myst birthday, I went out with Mona and we had stew. She got me a birthday cake <b>and </b>asked the water to <b>push </b>it out for <b>me</b><b>, </b><b>and </b>the waiters there even sang the birthday song while holdingpasin,¡± she said.

    william locked at her through his half¨Clidded eyes. There was a reproachtul tone in her voice

    <b>They </b><b>had </b>been wether for so many years, but he had never even celebrated her birthday with her. He did feel that that wasn¡¯t right.

    At that moment, Emelie said, ¡°Since you haven¡¯t decided on the wedding date, let¡¯s just do it next Monday.¡±

    It would be on her birthday

    William asked, ¡°Does that mean that you ept the marriage?!

    on this show, and also

    Emelle looked into his eyes. ¡°I want you to <b>promise </b>me one thing, I will make up for my birthday present, wedding present, my payment for helping you put on the tum chances that you promised me

    ¡°You want me to let your mother go? Will asked.

    Eted each word. ¡°I can ept my fate and stay with you to be Mrs. Middleton, but my mother must be safe. Get her <b>out </b>of Capebat city and out of charles sight so that he can <b>no </b>longer monitor her. It doesn¡¯t matter whose she goes, as long as she¡¯ll be okay.¡±

    I  he had expected. The only thing that she couldn¡¯t let go of was Greta

    William rxed. When he hugged her, she felt real and sold in his arms. She <b>belonged </b>to him she was no longer just an ephemeral fantasy in the dreams of his youth

    His Adam¡¯s applebobbed ¡°Okay¡±

    Something shed in Emelie¡¯s eyes.

    She asked in a low voice, ¡°You¡¯ve agreed?

    ¡°Tagree.¡± William <b>took </b>down the red and ck wedding gown. ¡°Try on this <b>wedding </b>gown. There aren¡¯t many days left until next Monday. If the size doesn¡¯t fit, <b>we¡¯ll </b>still <b>have </b>time to change it.¡±

    However, <b>Emelie </b>took the mint¨Cgrown wedding gown instead.

    William looked at her, and she said awkwardly. ¡°It¡¯s not because like your design. I¡¯m just doing it because you agreed to let Mem go.¡±

    william grinned breadly and yed along. ¡°Well, <b>thank </b>you <b>choosing </b>it, Mrs. Middleton. At least the only wedding gown I¡¯llever design in my life won¡¯t end up being unwanted<b>.</b>¡± Embe hurled quietly.

    It was Thursday. There were only three days left until next Monday, which was approaching rapidly.

    However, William had started preparing for the wedding a long time ago. The arrangements <b>were </b>almost done, and by getting some extra workers to put in a little overtime, he managed to get the wedding venue setup

    As Emelie had said, she had epted her fate. Therefore, she did not argue with William anymore. Since they were going to be husband and wife, there <b>was </b>no point in making a

    The two of them would even discuss what flowers they should use to <b>decurate </b>the venue, or what kind of wine they shoulder for their guests.

    As the wedding ceremony was dragging on for too long, they renned it and removed some of the more pointless parts. They were as harmonious as any other husband and witle preparing for their wedding,

    It was <b>as </b>if their intense arguments and deep feuds no longer existed

    The guests included some of William¡¯s business partners. While Emelle was checking the post list and the <b>seating </b>arrangements, she found a problem.

    ¡°How could you put Mr. Brossan from Nimbus Corporation and Mr. Lipton from Trustworth Group next to each other? They went to court over one of their projects, don¡¯t you remember? Cloudex Corporation ended <b>up </b>snatching that project up while they were fighting¡± she said.

    *The seats were <b>arranged </b>by the wedding nner. They just thought that they would have more inmon to talk about since they¡¯re from the same circle. They wouldn¡¯t know these deals. However, I would¡¯ve forgotten <b>about </b>it if you hadn¡¯t mentioned it I didn¡¯t know that we did something so hical,¡± Wim said.

    William emphasized the word ¡°we¡°, which made me real that she had crossed <b>a </b>line. Her eyshes fluttered sheepishly, and she threw the guest list down and got up toMaterial ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    There was a sh of amusement in Wilian¡¯s eyes. <b>He </b>grabbed her wrist and pulled her out hisp. He patched her chin and kissed her on the lips.

    As she did not resist, be deepened the kiss<b>.</b>

 Chapter 537

    Chapter 537 Too Obedient

    <b>Impossible </b>for her

    William¡¯s need for control was always obvious no matter what he did. Even while he was kissing Emelle, he liked having <b>one </b><b>hand </b>holding her neck<b>, </b>making it im to dodge. He would then swiftly and urately catch her lips with his

    When their lips touched, it felt like a roaring fire had ignited all of a sudden. It had been a long time since they had been so intimate, so the kiss was long and passionatepared to the kisses they had<b>, </b><b>a </b>kiss with such pure emotion was even more entrancing. Emelie did not try to dodge Emelie couldn¡¯t help but grip <b>William¡¯s </b>clothes tightly as she closed her eyes slightly and responded to his kiss.

    At that moment, something <b>seemed </b>to grow <b>and </b>illWilliam¡¯s chest

    After awhile, the two of them parted. William looked closely at her, and she really did not seem angry anymore. ¡°Angel, call me Liam again.¡±

    Emelle lowered her eyes. ¡°Do you like the <b>name </b>that much?¡±

    William rubbed the back of her neck and said slowly, ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because it¡¯s something I can¡¯t have. It might be more urate to say that I¡¯ve never had it, so I can¡¯t stop thinking about it.¡±

    Emelie looked into his deep, ck <b>eyes</b>. Her lips moved slightly, and she was about to call out the name when his phone ring.

    Emelle immediately swallowed her weeds. ¡°Your phone.¡±

    William frowned in itation. His anu lightened around her waist, and he said demandingly, ¡°Call me by that name. Once you do, I¡¯ll pick up.¡±

    <b>¡°</b>It¡¯s sote! Aren¡¯t you afraid that it¡¯s urged? Pick it up,e on. Enel was amused. ¡°<b>Once </b>we have the wedding in two days, there¡¯ll be plenty of chances for me to call youContent ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    Witam liked the sound of that. He caressed her cheek, and Emelie pot up to sit on the soda.

    He took out his phone and saw that it was Jaylen calling ¡°What is it?¡±

    Jaydenughed. ¡°Stop keeping your wifepany at home. We¡¯re all at the Westward Club right now, and you¡¯re the only one who¡¯s not here yet.¡±

    ¡°Are you guys hanging out?¡± he asked

    ¡°Yes,¡± Jayden replied.

    William thought for a moment before saying, ¡°Alright, I¡¯lle over right now.¡±

    Then, he hung up.

    Emelie was tidying up the guest list for the wedding reception while she asked, ¡°Are you going <b>out</b>?*

    ¡°I¡¯m going <b>to </b>the Westward Club,¡± William said.

    Emelle asked, ¡°Are you going to take me with you?

    ¡°It¡¯s all¨Cmen tonight. You won¡¯t feelfortable if you go, Wimsaid

    ¡°What I ask Mona or ashley toe and keep mepany?¡± Emelie was nonchnt. ¡°If you¡¯re worried, you can tell the maid to stay glued by my <b>side </b>and keep an eye on me. If <b>you¡¯re </b>still worried, we¡¯ll have to trouble Aston toe over.¡±

    like

    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m worried. It¡¯s just veryte, and it won¡¯t be convenient to ask them toe. I don¡¯t ke having other people stay overnight at home, either.¡± William walked over to her and bent down to kiss the <b>tip </b>of her nose. ¡°You¡¯ll meet them at the wedding ¡±

    Emelie did <b>not </b>insist, and she was not angry at being rejected. She nodded and waved a band to tell him to leave

    The moment William stepped <b>out </b>of Eastbay, the automated front door locked behind <b>him</b>.

    Emelie¡¯s focused expression on the guest list immediately grew impassive. She pulled out a wet tissue and rubbed her lips vigorously, where William¡¯s touch still lingered

    When William got to the Westward Club, the private room inside was filled with the friends beusually hung out with.

    They were supposed to be celebrating his ¡°final night as a single man¡°, but he knew that they <b>had </b><b>only </b>called so that he could foot the bill.

    Of course, William didn¡¯t care about the money. He sat in <b>an </b>armchair with his forehead <b>propped </b>up with one hand. He held a wine ss in his other hand and looked intently ar the liquid inside it. He was thinking about something

    <b>Emelie </b>was being much too obedient.

    Was it because he had mentioned his crush in high school? Was it because he had designed a wedding gown for her? Had that touched her? Had she forgiven him? Has she really? ¡°Mr. Middleton, why haven¡¯t you said anything after getting here? <b>It¡¯s </b>been a while.¡± A woman with ox¨Clike eyes in antra<b>¨C</b>short skirt wiggled over to him. She moved to sit on the armrest of William¡¯s armchair<b>.</b>

    william did not even look at her.

    Jaydenughed beside <b>him </b>and said, ¡°You must be new. If you sit down, you won¡¯t be invited to our next get¨Ctogether.¡±

    The won had been about to sit, but she twisted quickly in mid¨Cair and plopped down in another emply seat.

    She looked slightly awloward, and she couldn¡¯t help stealing a few nces at William. She was new to their circle, and she had never seen anyone like William.

    He was dressed inly in a ck shirt, but the simple outfit looked very expensive. Although everyone in the room was well¨Coff, no one had the same poise that he did.

    It was an impasse elegance that he had been born with. It emanated from his very bones, <b>and </b>it made him feel as out of reach and alot as the clouds in the sky or the snow on the ground

    She suddenly turnedant.

    I notierd her at all. He looked up and said, ¡°Lyle.¡±

 Chapter 538

    Chapter 538 Suddenly Missing You

    <b>Lyle </b>was sitting on another sole, when he heard will call his name, he came over with a bottle of beer. He didn¡¯t look at the woman with fox¨Clike eyes either. He just wreed his bottle and gestured for her to vacate her seat.

    ¡°What¡¯s up, Wil?¡± Lyle asked

    ¡°Make sure you get a <b>couple </b>more people for my wedding with Emelie next week¡± William replied.

    Lyle pared and said casually. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Will? Are the current arrangements insufficient? It¡¯s not like anyone wille and match the bride away, right

    William Just said, ¡°Double the number of people we have¡±

    Lyle clinked his beer bottle against Willem¡¯s <b>ss</b>. ¡°Alright. Don¡¯t worry, Will I¡¯ll take care of Emelie well.

    The woman with x¨Clike eyes finally realized that William was about to get married. She was full of disappoinment

    It <b>was </b>a cestom in Capebatt City for brides to return to their homes the night before the wedding

    However, when it came right down to it, Emelie did not have a true home that belonged to her

    y had

    Eastbay was William¡¯s home, <b>and </b>the apartment she had stayed in with Mona was just rented out. As for Alderbrook, they appropriate <b>to </b>have a wedding so soon after that. There was nowhere that seemed to fit

    d just held Roman¡¯s funeral there, and it didn¡¯t seem

    However, this dilemma did not seem to be a problem at all for William. He just gave Emelie one of the properties he owned since it was nowhers<b>, </b>she would be able to stay there the night before the wedding.

    That weekend, Emebe moved in.

    The house was neither big or small. It was about 2 thousand square feet in stor and was in the heart of Capeball City. It was probably worth at least 50 mil.

    Emelie wandered aimlessly around the ce and suddenly thought about how geners William and his friends were to their mistresses and lovers. It was not unusual for them to give them bags, cars, and houses as gilts.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    She was the only one who had received nothing in the three years that she had been with William

    Of course, she didn¡¯t want anything, either. It was just that she felt it was funny for William to just casually give her a house.

    Her lips curved into <b>a </b><b>smile</b>.

    Although time <b>was </b>right, william had made sure that everything that was needed was taken care of, including the decor in the house. There were roses in her room, and the bedsheets were crimson, which part a festive al

    ing the next

    Mona <b>was </b>her bridesmaid Most <b>bridesmaids </b>would spend the night before the wedding with the bride, but Mona would only be allowed to be with Emelie at the wedding

    Ashton and Fabian were the ones keeping herpany that night. It was clear that, even at this stage, William was still on guard around her. Emelie didn¡¯t care. She wouldply with whatever he had arranged, and make sure that she looked as if she had no other agenda.

    Ashton obediently followed orders and gave the reports to William on what Emelle was doing.

    ¡°Mrs. Middleton just ate dinner. Everything¡¯s normal.¡±

    *Mrs. Middleton is looking through the wedding¡¯s event flow. Everything¡¯s normal.¡±

    ¡°Mes. Middleton is in the bathroom to wash up. Everything¡¯s normal¡±

    Everything was perfectly normal.

    Emelie seemed to be waiting patiently and obediently for the morning <b>to </be, when she would officially be William¡¯s wife. It made Wim feel rather strange, although he could not articte why

    He sat at the desk in <b>his </b>study<b>, </b>and there <b>was </b><b>a </b>dark look in his eyes.

    Someone in his position needed to handle all kinds of work¨Crted tasks everyday. <b>He </b><b>had </b>been nning to work overtime that night andplete the tasks for tomorrow as well That way, he would be able to focus wholeheartedly on the wedding, despite the fact that he had an ulterior mother for the wedding

    However, <b>his </b><b>eyes </b>rested on the documents, and he could <b>not </b>absorb any of it at all He leaned back irritatedly against his chair. He felt as if something unexpected was brewing. After sitting quietly for five minutes, Wiliam suddenly got up. He grabbed his car keys, and left.

    Emelie hadden <b>a </b>shower and washed her hair. She walked out of the bathroom with her wet hair wrapped in a towel huban on her head. It was the first time she had visited the house, and she did not know <b>where </b><b>the </b>hair dryer wow.

    she looked around. Where <b>would </b>a hair dryer be kept in this room?

    She walked over to theastas<b>, </b>crouched on the carpet, and reached out for the drawer under the coffee table to look for pe

    At that <b>moment</b>, there <b>was </b><b>a </b><b>sudden </b>rustling above her head. Emile jumped in fright and tumed around at once, only to see William, who had appeared out of nowhere.

    Emelle was startled, ¡°You-¡±

    William said in a low voice, ¡°Sit down and don¡¯t move. Dry your hair first or you might get a headacheter.¡±

    Emelie did not move again. She just sat on the carpet. The hair dryer purred, and neither of them said anything

    Elle could clearly sense the feeling at William¡¯s fingers <b>threading </b><b>through </b>every strand of her hair.

    As the hot wind blew over her head, it seemed to dry up the scent of her <b>shampoo </b>as well. It was a gente scent that seemed to Enger in the night.

    Imelle looked at the ss on the cab oppose her. She could see a vague reflection of William and how intently he was <b>focusing </b>on her. Despite him being worth billions<b>, </b><b>he</b>

    was patiently attending to her, and he looked so serious that it seemed as if he was doing something important.

    Chapter 538 Suddenly Missing You

    After ten minutes<b>, </b>Emelie¡¯s hair was dry.

    She finally turned and looked up at him, ¡°What brings you here at this hour?¡±

    William put <b>down </b>the hair dryer and ran his fingers through her <b>hair </b>as he looked down at her.

    <b>She </b>was the only thing in his dark eyes at that moment. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but I suddenly missed you very much.¡±

 Chapter 539

    Chapter 539 Nearly Losing Our Their Lives

    ¡°I suddenly miss you,¡± Williamsaid

    That sentence woulde to Emelie in countless dreams. It would tear her heart apart with pain so intense that she would tremble and convulse

    She could never decide whether she hated him more or loved him more. All she knew was that if they had ended things they could¡¯ve avoided this bloody, cruel oue.

    They could have ended things the day she resigned or when she joined Swanson Corporation. Or perhaps when he defended Daphne and escorted her out of Capebatt City. Another opportunity was when they bid farewell after her father¡¯s tragic suicide.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.

    They had so many chances to cut their losses, but they had to drag it out until both of them had nearly lost their lives.

    William <b>didn¡¯t </b>leave even after Emelie had fallen asleep. Instead, he sat by her bed, watching her.

    The night breeze tickled his throat, drawing a cough out of him. He tried to suppress it and quickly got up to close the window before leaving the room.

    Ashton noticed him coughing continuously and quickly brought him a ss of water.

    She approached him and said, ¡°Mr. Middleton, ever since you came back from Lionia, you¡¯ve been coughing constantly. I think you should get it checked out.¡±

    His coughs <b>only </b>happened asionally, and he fet fine otherwise since it wasn¡¯t frequent Hence, William dismissed it with a shake of his head, looking pensive.

    As he took the ss from her, he suddenly asked, ¡°Has Emelie been acting strange?

    Ashton was taken aback. ¡°No.¡±

    Hadn¡¯t she been reporting every detail to him? Nheless, it was a little odd that Emelie agreed to marry him.

    After a moment of thought, Ashton <b>said</b>, ¡°Mr. Middleton, if I may, when we were in Lonia, the reason she agreed toe back to Capebatt City was to ensure her mother¡¯s safety.

    ¡°Her primary concem has always been her mother¡¯s safety So, <b>doesn¡¯t </b>it make sense that she¡¯s trading the wedding for her mother¡¯s safety?¡±

    It made perfect sense. After all, Emmelie had always liked William. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have agreed to get back together or marry him.

    She had only been angry and resentful upon learning the truth about the Pierce family, but her emotions bad cooled over time.

    William had designed her wedding dress and confessed he had a crush on her during his teenage years. For someone as proud as him to go to such lengths, how could she not be

    As long <b>as </b>he ensured Greta¡¯s safe departure from Capebatt City, her biggest concern would be resolved. Hence, she would willingly stay and be the wife of a wealthy man and the subject of everyone¡¯s envy.

    Moreover, Emelie hadn¡¯t demanded her mother be sent away before the wedding. She agreed to have the wedding first, showing her sincerity. It all made sense, <b>so </b>William could rest assured.

    William listened to her detailed analysis, and his furrowed brow gradually rxed. ¡°Alright¡±

    The night soon passed, and Monday arrived.

    The morning fog was <b>thick</b>, clouding the windows

    Just a little past 8.00 am, a top¨Cnotch bar and makeup team arrived to prepare Emelie William had stayed the night and left only half an hour before the team arrived.

    As it was too early, Emelie was so sleepy she couldn¡¯t keep her eyes open, nodding off at the dressing table. The makeup artist teased her, saying most brides would be too excited and nervous to sleep

    Emelie mumbled, ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m not really the bride.¡±

    The makeup artist was caught off guard. ¡°What?¡±

    Emelle opened her eyes and smiled. ¡°<b>I </b><b>said</b>, don¡¯t make my hair tooplicated. I didn¡¯t sleep wellst night, and my head hurts. Tight hairstyles will make it worse.¡±

    The makeup artistplied with her request

    She handed Emelie a mirror. ¡°Mrs. Middleton, is this to your <b>liking</b>?¡±

    Emelle looked up.

    To begin with, her features were <b>already </b>great. With makeup, she was breathtakingly beautiful, almost unrecognizable, even to herself.

    The warm¨Ctoned <b>eyeshadow </b>softened the look of her cool gaze, making her eyes look delicate and soulful. She didn¡¯t likeplicated hairstyles, <b>so </b>her hair was half up, with loose waves cascading down her back and a <b>handmade </b>flower crown on her head.

    Emelie was momentarily dazed, <b>finally </b>understanding why everyone said brides were the most beautiful.

    s, It was a pity

    Ashton, who was keeping an eye on the time<b>, </b>noticed that it was almost <b>time </b>to leave. When she entered the room<b>, </b>she was momentarily stunned.

    ¡°Mrs. Middleton, if you¡¯re ready, we should head to the hotel,¡± Ashton said.

 Chapter 540

    Chapter 540 The Bride Is Here

    Emelie rose to her feet.

    As she passed Ashton, Ashton sincerely said, ¡°Emelie, you look beautiful. I wish you a happy marriage.¡±

    Emelie smiled slightly.

    Downstairs<b>, </b>a convoy of nine luxurious cars was neatly Ened up, waiting for her.

    ording to the customs in Capebatt City, the groom wouldn¡¯t personally go to pick up the bride. Instead, it¡¯s usually done by the groom¡¯s elders, typically his parents, to show respect and eptance of the bride.

    William hadn¡¯t invited his parents to the wedding. Instead, his uncle and aunt, whom he <b>had a </b>good rtionship with, were handling the pickup

    Lyle, who was in charge of the convoy, <b>was </b>also there.

    Lyle was lying against the car door and straightened up when he saw Emelie being helped down the stairs by Ashton.

    <b>William¡¯s </b>uncle and aunt warmly greeted Emelie, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then opened the car door,

    Before getting into the car, Emelie exchanged <b>a </b>nce with Lyle before lowering her gaze. She then bent down and entered the car.

    As Lyle was chewing his gum, he turned around and shouted, ¡°The bride is here. Let¡¯s <b>go</b><b>!</b>

    The wedding was held at a hotel. William, dressed in a ck suit, was surrounded by guests offering their congrattions.

    As he politely exchanged greetings, he frequently nced towards the entrance, so much so that everyone noticed and teased him for being eager to see the bride. He didn¡¯t deny it as he was mentally calcting the time it would take for the convoy to arrive.

    When a guestplimented the decor of the banquet hall, William replied, ¡°She arranged it all!

    Although he didn¡¯t say her name, everyone immediately understood he meant Mrs. Middleton. It sounded more intimate and affectionate than using her name.

    Everyone began praising her taste and her keen eye for aesthetics.

    William looked around the venue too. It was primarily decorated with fresh flowers.

    Emelle had chosen dreamy hydrangeas with elegant clusters of pale green leaves and light green buds, symbolizing perfection <b>and </b>beauty,

    More importantly, the greenplemented Emelie¡¯s wedding dress.

    Charles, Beathan, and Bryan were also invited to the wedding Together, they congratted him.

    Charles said with a smile, ¡°Theard you came from Naraville this morning, Mr. Middleton. You¡¯ve only been apart for a few hours, yet you

    Naraville was the house Willum had given <b>Emelie</b>.

    miss her already?

    William replied calmly, ¡°You seem to know my schedule better than my secretary, Mr. Davis<b>,</b><b>¡±</b>

    H

    ¡°Not at all I just happen to know,¡± Charles said, taking a ss of wine from a passing tray.

    <b>With </b>a hint of sarcasm, he <b>made </b>a toast to him. ¡°Here¡¯s a toast to you, Mr. Middleton. May your wedding with Ms. Hoven proceed without a hitch today¡±

    The water turned the tray towards William. However, he didn¡¯t take a ss, showing no intention of epting Charles¡¯s toast, his expression was cold and aloof,

    The four major business tycoons standing together was quite the spectacle, especially given the strange tension between them.

    Bryan attempted to defuse the tension. ¡°Of course, the wedding will proceed smoothly. Mr. Davis, you owe us three drinkster for your inability to deler well¨Cwishes. By the way, Theard Ms. Hoven is pregnant. That¡¯s wonderful news. With her <b>marriage </b>to Mr. Middleton and a baby on the way, we can all breathe a sigh of relief¡±

    ¡°Actually, <b>it¡¯s </b>a triple reassurance,¡± Bearhan interjected, lifting a ss and gesturing for the waiter to depart.

    He spoke calmly. ¡°The one person who had knowledge of the ount book, Mrs. Hoven, isn¡¯t waking up. Isn¡¯t that right, Mr. Middleton?

    William twisted the wedding ring on his finger and looked at him. ¡°Of course.¡±

    Beathan took a sip of his drink and said softly. ¡°It¡¯s really a pity she can¡¯t see her daughter get married.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    In the ICU, Greta suddenly opened her eyes.

 Chapter 541

    Chapter 541 A Gunshot at the Wedding

    Greta heard the beeping sound of the password being entered at the <b>door</b>.

    She sat <b>up </b>in alert in the hospital bed and watched the door as several men in white hospital gowns entered. They were all unfamiliar faces.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Greta asked.

    The leading man immediately raised a finger to his lips, signaling for silence. ¡°Mrs. Hoven, don¡¯t be afraid. My <b>name </b>is Marcel. We¡¯re friends of Emelie. We¡¯re here to take you away as we¡¯ve discussed with her.¡±

    ¡°Is Eme alright?¡± Greta asked anxiously.

    Marcel replied, ¡°She¡¯s fine. We don¡¯t have much time to talk. You need toe with us now!!

    ¡°Okay, okay, Greta said.

    Marcel helped her put on arge cloak and pulled up the hood to hide her face. Then, they quickly left.

    As William¡¯s en were always guarding Greta, <b>Marcel¡¯s </b>group took advantage of the brief one¨Cminute window during the guards¡® shift change to take action.

    As they moved through the pre¨Cnned route, the guards discovered she was missing. They panicked and immediately organized a search as well as reported the news to William.

    William received the message right away. His hand tightened around his phone.

    <b>But </b>before he could fully process it, a nearby vase suddenly shattered.

    With a loud bang, shards of porcin flew everywhere<b>, </b><b>and </b>William swiftly dodged it

    His bodyguards immediately shouted, ¡°Mr. Middleton, watch out!¡±

    He looked up immediately.

    There was a rifle mounted on the second<b>¨C</b>floor railing

    No, it wasn¡¯t a rifle in Cedonia, no <b>one </b>dared to possess firearms. It <b>was </b>a gun used by shooting clubs, loaded with nks. While this gun wasn¡¯t highly lethal, it <b>wasn¡¯t </b>harmless either.

    The woman wielding the gun sported <b>a </b>short bob and wore a sleek leather jacket Jodie provocatively saluted william from <b>above</b>.

    William narrowed his eyes.

    With a click, Jodie reloaded the gun <b>and </b>fired repeatedly. Wherever the barrel pointed, the vases filled with hydrangeas in the banquet hall exploded one after another.

    Lood, sudden, and continuous shots sent <b>shards </b>flying and injured guests. Screams and cries of pain filled the hall.

    Men and women in their finestattire, thinking a terrorist attack was happening, fled in panic. Pushing, shoving, chaos ensued.

    Guests rushed to the door, only to find it locked from the outside. The panic intensified

    ¡°What do we do?¡± one person said

    ¡°Please don¡¯t kill me!¡± another person pleaded.

    Some bodyguards tried to maintain order while others went after Jodie.

    However, Jodie wasn¡¯t there to stay<b>. </b>After wreaking havoc, she jumped out of a window on the second window.

    Wim stood amid the chaos, his expression was cold as ice

    He watched the ruined wedding and realized they had chosen to strike when many different people were involved. It wasn¡¯t entirely a surprise as it proved that his recent unease wasn¡¯tunfounded.

    Jayden rushed to William ¡°Will, is it Wesley?¡±

    William quickly scanned the room. The Davis, Collins, and Swanson families were gone. No one knew when they left and where they had gone.

    Since Wesley had already taken Greta, his next target would be Emelle.

    Jayden had the same thought. ¡°Ms. Hoven!¡±

    William immediately called Elias.

    <b>Jayden </b>didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Why are you calling Elias? Lyle was the one picking her up.

    Shouldn¡¯t he call Lyle? However, thinking about it, he realized <b>Es </b><b>hadn¡¯t </b>appeared today.

    Witamughed coldly.

    When the call connected, he asked directly, ¡°How¡¯s the wedding car?¡±

    Elias cursed, ¡°Lyle that bastard¡±

 Chapter 542

    Chapter 542 The Three¨CWay Fight to Seize the Wedding Car

    The wedding car being hijacked coincided almost exactly with the chaos that happened at the wedding venue.

    The convoy of wedding cars was neatly arranged with the main wedding car surrounded by two cars in each direction. Everything was proceeding smoothly until<b>, </b><b>at </b><b>a </b>red light, several SUVs appeared out of nowhere, isting the main wedding ca

    The driver of the wedding car, who regrly drove for William, was rather sharp. He realized they were surrounded, so he immediately contacted Lyle over the walkie¨Ctallde.

    ¡°Mr. Inning, something¡¯s wrong!¡±

    Lyle responded, ¡°Turn left in front¡±

    The SUVs were also trying to force the wedding car to barn left, indicating there were likely more reinforcements or arger plot awaiting them if they turned left. Why would Lyle suggest they follow along?

    The driver gripped the steering wheel and protested, ¡°We can¡¯t do that! Turning left takes us farther from the wedding venue, Mr. Inning!¡±

    Lyle¡¯s car, which was on the right, suddenly swerved over. ¡°Turn left.¡±

    The wedding can barely avoided a collision, and in the process, was forced to turn left onto another road.

    Emelie in the backseat clutched onto her bouquet tightly. Meanwhile, William¡¯s uncle <b>and </b>aunt, who were also in the wedding <b>car</b>, were panicking, asking what was happening

    Only Emelie seemed unsurprised.

    <b>That </b>day, Lyle hade to Eastbay to share Wesley¡¯s n. On her birthday on Monday, which also happened to be her wedding day, they would make their move amidst the chaos.

    Emelie fastened her seatbeltContent ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    At that moment, a car from the convoy behind suddenly elerated and rammed into the rear of Lyle¡¯s car, as it trying to teach him a lesson.

    Lyle was jolted forward several meters. Instinctively, he pulled the brakes. He sensed something was wrong <b>and </b>turned back.

    Through the windshield, he saw that the driver was Elias. What was Elias doing in the wedding convoy?

    Immediately, several white sedans zipped onto the road, weaving in and out, trying to block the SUVs and reim the wedding car.

    Lyle quickly realized that was and the white sedans were part of William¡¯s arrangement <b>that </b>had not beenmunicated to him. He had suspected Lyle all along

    Lyle wasn¡¯t in the position to wonder when he had been exposed. He had to seed now, no matter what

    Lyle pursued his lips. He shifted gears, and floored the elerator, chasing after the wedding cat.

    He ordered the other wedding cars over the walkie¨Ctallde, ¡°Block the white sedans!¡±

    Just Ele that, the main road turned into a racing track Wedding cars decked out in white ribbons, the initial wave of SUVs<b>, </b>and the aggressive white sedans were all vying for the

    main wedding car

    Since it was Monday, the traffic was light. However, given that dozens of vehicles were speeding on the same <b>road</b>, they used bothnes of the road for their high¨Cspeed chase. All of them refused to spare each other a chance.

    One white sedan managed to get ahead and abruptly swerved to block the wedding car<b>, </b>attempting to force it to stop.

    Lyle clenched his teeth, gripped the wheel<b>, </b>and rammed into the white <b>sedan </b>without hesitation. That cleared a path for the wedding car, which was still being pushed forward by

    the <b>SUVE</b>

    However, just as quickly, two white sedans boxed in the wedding car, one in front and one behind it

    Immediately, the SUV on the right swerved over, forcing the wedding car driver, who didn¡¯t want to cooperate with Lyle, to steer left to avoid <b>a </b>collision. This maneuver freed the wedding car from the white sedans¡® trap.

    Elias cursed under his breath. If it weren¡¯t for Emelie and William¡¯s uncle and aunt in the car, he would have rammed it to force a <b>stop</b>.

    This road led to the docks, where the Graham family had several yachts. They probably intended to escape by water.

    Elias couldn¡¯t let that happen. He gave an order through his earpiece, saying, ¡°Take out those SUVs first.¡±

    The thunderous roar of motorcycle engines announced the <b>fourth </b>wave of vehicles joining the action on the road.

    Two motorcycles cut through the dense traffic, each carrying two people. Taking advantage of their size, they darted through the cars.

    Each time they reached an SUV, the passenger in the pillion seat would smash an iron rod into the weakest corners of the SUV window. The ss would crack on the first blow and <b>a </b>second blow would shatter itpletely.

    The SUV drivers <b>would </b>be caught off guard and lose control, veering off the road, just like that, they had neutralized several SUVs.

    With no more SUV¡¯s trapping it, the wedding car immediately pulled over.

    William¡¯s uncle and aunt, shaken by the harrowing chase, began to vomit from the shock.

    Lyle quickly caught up and jumped out of his <b>car</b>. He opened the door of the main wedding car and pulled Emelie from the back seat. ¡°Wesley is waiting at the docks. <b>I¡¯ll </b>have someone take you there!¡±

    Emelie grabbed his hand, looked him in the eye, and said, ¡°Thank you!¡±

    Lyde smulled briefly and banded her to one of his men. ¡°Gio, quickly!¡±

 Chapter 543

    andChapter 543 William Pulls the Trigger

    Emelie quickly got into the car, which sped toward the docks,

    Lyke turned around to see a wedding car rapidly approaching. It braked hard in front of him, and Ehas <b>jumped </b>out of it, tearing ofthis seatbelt.

    with an ugly expression, Elias strode toward Lyle. ¡°Two days ago at the Westward Club gathering, William told me to arrange <b>a </b>backup team to secretly watch you and the wedding cars, I thought he was being paranoid because you¡¯re like a brother to us. Bet damn it<b>, </b>you really are a <b>traitor</b>!¡±

    With that, Es kicked Lyle <b>hard </b>in the chest<b>. </b>¡°You ungrateful William got out of the backseat. He wasted no time grabbing Lyle by the cor. ¡°Where¡¯s Emelie?¡±

    Lyle gasped for breath, his voice hoarse. ¡°Will, let her and her mother go¡®

    William punched Lyle in the face with <b>a </b>cold expression. However, it wasn¡¯t because of his betrayal

    ¡°You¡¯ll get her lilled! William said.

    Lyle was stunned, but William didn¡¯t have time to waste on him.

    He got back in the car and ordered the driver, ¡°Chase them!¡±

    The well¨Ctrained driver flooted the gas pedal, and the car sped ott

    In the backseat, William deftly assembled acrossbow. When he was done, he stared at the arrowhead, his gaze colder than the steel arrowhead.

    The car carrying Emelie sped towards the docks <b>but </b>was soon pursued by motorcycles. They had left the asphalt road and were currently on a gravel road near the docks.

    <b>The </b>gravel road was rather slippery. As the motorcycle engines <b>roared </b>loudly <b>like </b><b>brasts</b>, Lyle¡¯s subordinate remained calm and unfazed. However, he lost control of the wheel due to the slippery road.

    As the car was driving at a high speed, losing control of the steering wheel could easily cause a rollover. Just as Emelie sensed danger, the car began to skid on the gravel and Tippedover onto the side of the road.

    The whole car spun and Emelie felt as if she was in a blender. She couldn¡¯t stop her body as her head hit the car rood.

    Luckily, they rolled over on a t road. They would be finished they tumbled down aclit

    The driver, who had also survived, quickly crawled out of the car and rushed to help Emelic.

    After she unbuckled her seatbelt with a bit of trouble, she was pulled out. She clutched onto her stomach to protect the baby. Thankfully, she didn¡¯t feel any pain.

    Emelie looked up and saw that they were close to the docks. She gritted her teeth. She stood up, trying to move, but <b>the </b>motorcyclists blocked her path.

    ¡°Mr. Middleton will be here soon, Mrs. Middleton. It¡¯d be better if you stayed put,¡± <b>one </b>of the men said.

    They were in an open area overgrown with weeds. On Emelie¡¯s side, they only had one person, so they were outnumbered. Just as she was unsure what to do, another car arrived.

    It wasn¡¯t a wedding <b>car</b>, SUV, or a white sedan. In addition, it was approaching them from the opposite direction.

    Emelie didn¡¯t know who it was, but the driver did. ¡°It¡¯s the car that went to the hospital to rescue Mrs. Hoven!¡±

    Was that her mother in that car?

    The car stopped about five yards away from Emelie, and a woman in a ck cloak with a hood covering herce jumped out of the backseat. She rushed toward her and shouted, Emelie!!!

    It was her mother. She had woken up.

    Emelie was overjoyed and ran toward the woman cloaked in ck without hesitation. ¡°Mom!¡±

    At the same time, a Cullinan caught up with them. Although Emelle knew it was William, she held her breath and ran faster because her mother was right there.

    William lowered the back window of the Cullinan, alming acrossbow at Greta, who was also amning toward her.

    Although Greta didn¡¯t see it, Emelie did, <b>and </b>her pupils dted.

    She screamed<b>, </b><b>¡°</b>William! Don¡¯t you dare!¡±

    There was no <b>way </b>she would allow him to do that.

    Fanelle ran desperately, trying to hug her mother and shield her. When she was just a few feet out of her reach, witam pulled the trigger, and the sharp arrow struck Greta square in the back like lightning.

    <b>¡°</b><b>All</b><b>¡± </b>Greta screamed.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 544

    Chapter 544 Mr. Middleton Did <b>It </b>Himself

    Cireta copsed onto the grass. Emelle stumbled and fell as well, rolling several yards down a small slope.

    A gust of wild wind tore through the in. Emelle delt as if the arrow had <b>pierced </b>her heart, leaving a wide gaping <b>hole </b>in her chest for the wind to pass through, chilling her to the

    bone.

    In contrast to the bloody scene before her, her face was pale as paper. Her mind began buzzing with the thought of her mother, and the intense pain made every nerve in her body scream. She had to muster all her strength to crawl hall a yard to her mother¡¯s side and grab her sleeve.

    ¡°Mom¡± she saidN?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    Memories shed before her eyes like a movie.

    She saw a quiet afternoon when she and her mother sorted threads while chatting. She recalled a business trip when her bedridden mother was still thinking about knitting scarves and gloves to keep her warm. There was a time when her mother made her favorite jelly <b>and </b>saved honey just for her.

    <b>One </b><b>night</b>, they talked about how she hoped Emelle would marry well but feared she¡¯d suffer in <b>a </b>wealthy family Greta worried she wouldn¡¯t be able to seek justice for her, leaving her vulnerable to bullying.

    Emelie sobbed uncontrobly, crawling desperately on the ground to <b>hold </b>Greta¡¯s bloody body. ¡°<b>Call </b><b>an </b>ambnce! Get an ambnce here now!¡±

    Just then, Greta, who was sprawled on the ground, suddenly raised her head

    Emelie <b>was </b>too stunned to react. In the next moment, <b>Greta </b>took out <b>a </b>knife hidden under her cloak and lunged at her.

    Everything happened in such a short time,

    confusion.

    Emelie was still reeling from her grief. Hence, the scene unfolding before her eyes fried her brain with shock, disbelief, and

    <b>The </b>knife loomedrger in her vision, shing through her wedding dress and cutting the silk ribbons. Her flowercrown had fallen off, and her hair was flying freely in the wind. Just before the knite cut into her fleshi, William kicked the woman away.

    The woman rolled on the ground, her cloak falling open and hooding off, revealing apletely <b>unfamiliar </b>face

    It wasn¡¯t her mother. It wasn¡¯t Greta

    People¡¯s voices sounded different in the wilderness. In addition, Emelie wasn¡¯t very calm. Hence, she had failed to recognize that the woman¡¯s cry hadn¡¯t sounded like Greta¡¯s <b>at</b>

    However, the car in which the woman arrived in had indeed been sent by Lyle to fetch Greta from the hospital. Since Greta wasn¡¯t in the <b>car</b><b>, </b>then where was she?

    Emelie hadn¡¯t even had time to feel relief that the person shot wasn¡¯ther mother when a greater terror swept over her.

    William pulled her up from the grass. If he had dared to shoot so confidently, beast have known all along that the person was an impostor, meaning he knew where her mother

    She grabbed William¡¯s am ¡°Where¡¯s my mother? Where is she?!

    ¡°Come back with me,¡± Wim said, pulling her along hurriedly.

    For the first time, he looked genuinely anxious<b>, </b><b>as </b>if the world would copse if they werete

    Just then, another convoy appeared. Although they were all SUVs, they wam¡¯tlyle¡¯s

    The leading car rolled down its window, revealing that Vanessa was <b>inside</b>. She was <b>d </b>in a ck velvet chanel zer with a tiny hat perched on the side of her head, looking cather elegant.

    <b>¡°</b><b>I </b>know where your mother is,¡± she said with a small smile. <b>She </b>just died, moments ago.¡±

    ¡°Impossible!¡± Emelie cried out.

    It couldn¡¯t be true. She hadn¡¯t recovered from her heartbreak yet

    Even though it had been a deception, <b>she </b>couldn¡¯t bear to go through the heart wrenching pain of losing her mother again

    Shekingedar Vanessa, but William held her tightly. Hence, she could only scream with all her might. ¡°Where is my mother? What have you done to her?¡±

    ¡°Emelie, stop joking around. Why would harm your mother? just happened to see what happened to her as I passed by. It was <b>a </b>councidence,¡± Vanessa said, tossing something out the car window

    Emelia¡¯s eyes widened in borror when she saw a battery ttering to the ground. It was the battery for Greta¡¯s artificialheart.

    Ever <b>since </b>she got the artificial heart, she always carred a battery with her. Without it<b>, </b><b>her </b>heart would soon stop beating because itcked the power to do so.

    Emelle lunged forward like a mad man, screaming, ¡°Vanessa Rowe!¡±

    Wilham held Emelie with one arm, raising the crossbow with the other to shoot at Vanessa, who immediately rolled up the <b>window</b>.

    The window was bulletproot, and the arrow couldn¡¯t prate it. More people got out of the SUVs, and Charles was among them

    Using the door handles as support, he climbed onto the car roof, staring down at them. ¡°Mrs. Middleton isn¡¯t hing. <b>She¡¯s </b>dead. Mr. Middleton did it himself. Ms. Hoven, did you not listen to the CDI pw youst time

    Charles had secretly given her a during their dinner at the Westward Club, but she hadn¡¯t had the chance to listen to it

    charles decided to let her know

    a few hundred yards would be

    was on that CD ¡°Well,t¡¯s time It¡¯s not toote to listen to it now. My car has a modified sound system with excellent range. Everyone within

 Chapter 545

    Chapter 545 Fire

    The weather was rather poor that day. The air was heavy with smog, and ran by noon, the sex remained shrouded in <b>a </b>gray mist

    Three cruise ships were docked side by side at the pier, their massive, silent presence looming like mobile fortresses under the dark hare

    Wesley didn¡¯t show himself directly<b>, </b>not wanting to rm anyone. He knew he was being watched, <b>and </b>the n relied on the element of surprise. He stood on the deck of one of thecruise ships, looking out into the quiet distance.

    Hebamed to his <b>subordinate </b>and asked, ¡°Any updates from Marcel and Jode?¡±

    <b>¡°</b>There¡¯s still no contact with Marcel, but jodie has seeded,¡± the subordinate replied.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    They were just waiting for Emelle.

    ¡°Start the cruise ships Wesley ordered. As soon as everyone was on board, they could leave.

    The subordinate nodded and went today themand.

    Wesley stood with his hands behind his back, ying with the lighter he had kept for <b>years</b>. His handsome face looked especially striking against the vast expanse of the <b>sea</b>

    As he was lost in thought, aotion erupted inside the ship. He heard the faint cries of someoneshouting ¡°Find There¡¯s a fire¡±

    As on Wesley bamed around, asubordinate ran over to him to report, ¡°<b>Bad </b><b>news</b>, sir! Someone set the shipon fire¡±

    The <b>mes </b>spread rapidly, and in no time, all three cruise ships were aze, numing the sea into a fieryvokane reminiscent of <b>the </b>¡°Burning of the Trojan Fleet¡®

    A short distance from the shore, acar slowly came to a stop.

    With aclick, someone it a lighter. It was rathan lighting adipette and flicking <b>the </b>ash out the window.

    The feat sea didn¡¯t reach the wildemess

    Emelie stared intently at Charles, who sat on top of the SUV. Her Lace was pale from the wind

    Charles snapped his fingers<b>, </b><b>and </b>after a brief ham of electricity, avalce was heard.

    Just had promised, his car¡¯s sound system was impressive mough to host an open¨Cair music festival Everyword could be heard loud and clear. ¡°Where¡¯s Eme? Where¡¯s my me?!

    ¡°Whether she cane to see you depends <b>on </b>whether you cooperate with us, Mrs. Hoven.¡±

    Those were Geeta and William¡¯s voices.

    aring it at Charles.

    Hearing the recording, Emelle started brothing rapidly. She wanted to listen, but William wouldn¡¯t let her. He raised his crossbow, a charles¡¯s men shielded him with their bodies. William¡¯s expression was cold as he readied <b>the </b>bow, and Emelle stepped forward without hesitation, pressing the arrowhead to her chest.

    Willian immediately <b>took </b>his finger off the trigger, terrified of identally shooting her though the heart.

    If he wanted to shoot, he¡¯d have to shoot her first

    Timeble¡¯s eyes were bloodshot She needed to hear this. She had to low what William had done to her mother when she wasn¡¯tand.

    This recording was taken after she had left with Wesley. When Greta woke up under Wim¡¯s watch, he entered her hospital room to force her to reveal the whereabouts of the ount book

    Back then, Charles and Beathan had listened in by bugging the room. Charles had intentionally recorded <b>it </b>and given Emelle a CD, wanting her to hear how Greta was pushed to a heart attack by William

    ¡°Cooperate with you? What do you mean?¡± Greta said.

    me the

    <b>¡°</b>Emelie must have told you that Mr. Hoven jumped to his death because of the ount book. If you don¡¯t want melle to be troubled by the Pierce family incident, give me ount book, and this will end otherwise<b>, </b>your husband died for nothing,¡± Win said

    ¦§

    *You <b>Your </b>name is Greca <b>was </b>shocked.

    ¡°I¡¯m Wim Middleton William Middleton from Cloudex Corporation and the Middleton family.¡± William revealed his identity.

    Greta¡¯s voice in the recording was week and trembing Hearing that, Emile¡¯s face turned as pale as death

    William <b>had </b>clearly cold Grets his name and his background. He was <b>a </b>member of the Middleton Family, who had killed Xander Pierce. He wanted cret to know that <b>her </b>daughter hadnurled the enemy¡¯s son, who was also the man who killed her husband.

    Greta was too <b>ple </b>to handle this. As expected, she had an emotional breakdown in the recording, the cursed at William vehemently, disregarding her heart condition.

    <b>She </b>used him of betraying melle¡¯s love, manipting her feelings, using <b>and </b>hunting her. She called their marriage <b>a </bplete sham.

    Emeletest someone had hit her hard on the back of the head

    The makeup artist had to carefully crafted her look to make her appear wann and happy. However, her true emotions shattered the mask of het makeup. She was in a terrible state Williamcling rightly od Emele¡¯s wrist, dealing a strong premation that he let go, she would disappear forever.

    He ordered his men<b>, </b>¡°Movel¡±

    He needed to get Emelie out of the immediately. The rest could be dealt withter.

    First, they had to leave and find a ce where they could be alone. He could still exin everything to her.

    Ado pedessional fighters ck gear jumped out of the <b>car</b>, armed with baseball bats.

    Charles¡¯s uses weren¡¯t about to take abrating without alight just like that<b>, </b><b>a </b>massive brawl broke out in the deste wildemess.

 Chapter 546

    Chapter 546 Her <b>Fault</b>

    Charles sat on the roof of his car<b>, </b>crossing his legs as he whistled provocatively

    William was consumed by questions

    How did they know Greta wasn¡¯t dead? How did they know something would happen at the wedding? While he had many questions, he didn¡¯t have time to think about them.

    William pulled Eselle behind him <b>and </b>ticed an arrowar charles.

    Charles agilely entered through the car window, William¡¯s true target wasn¡¯t Charles, though. There was a <b>loud </b><b>snap </b>as the arrow pierced the speaker.

    However, the sound didn¡¯t stop. The car¡¯s speaker continued to y the recording of William pressuring Greta

    ¡°Where¡¯s the ount book?¡± williamsaid<b>.</b>

    ¡°Where¡¯s Emelle? Greta asked

    ¡°Where¡¯s the ount book?¡± <b>William </b>ignored Greta and asked again.

    ¡°What have you done to Eme, you heartless beasts? Isn¡¯t it enough you killed Mr. Pierce? Now you¡¯re going after his <b>only </b>remaining daughter too?¡± Greta said. ¡°Where¡¯s the ount book?¡± William said.

    William repeated the question <b>in </b>a calm, emotionless, and monotonous voice, Even Emelie was going through an emotional breakdown from just listening to the recording, let alone Greta who had faced him directly

    Emelie broke tree from William¡¯s <b>grasp</b>, staggering. <b>The </b>world spun around her.

    The beeping <b>sound </b>of Greta¡¯s heart monitor could be heard in the recording. It was beeping faster and faster<b>, </b>indicating increasing denger, until it turned into an <b>rm</b>. There was a heavy thud on the bed, likely Greta copsing.

    Before she lost consciousness, she said, ¡°Emelie <b>knows </b>nothing. She really knows nothing. Don¡¯t hurt her. Come after me. Come after me.¡±

    Then, chaos ensued as everyone trantically tried <b>to </b>rescue her. ¡°This is bad! The patient¡¯s heart has stopped! Get her to the ER! Hurry! Hurry!¡±

    The recording cut off abruptly, and Emelie¡¯s mind went nk

    He looked at the chaotic <b>Light </b>before her.

    People were being kicked and beaten. Some were bleeding while others had fallen to the ground and rolled down the slopes. How ridiculous it was that things had evolved to this stage.

    She started to wonder, who was to me for this mess?

    Was it actually her fault? Yes, it was her fat

    While William was evil, she was foolish. She had misjudged William and invited a wolf into her home, killing both fonan and Greta. She had killed her foster parents who treated her like their own daughter.

    She had been a tool for William for three years, <b>enduring </b>countless injuries that tore her to pieces. However, that could be attributed to her poor luck or fate.

    Wit, after he wooed her back with a spectacr disy, she had let her guard down and epted him again. She was the one to me for harming both herself and the people around her<b>.</b>

    In a daze, she looked down at her wedding dress. The gradient mint green hem was dirty. Although it was dirty, it was still beautiful, like ality of the valley. A lily of the valley about to wither.

    Emelle knew that Greta¡¯s sudden copse was directly tied to Wiliam and his aplices. However<b>, </b>she hadn¡¯t read it was will himself who had driven <b>her </b>to this state He knew how much Greta meant to her<b>, </b><b>how </b>much Emelie had sacrificed for her, yet <b>he </b><b>had </b>mercilessly tortured her mother.

    ¡°If you love <b>someone</b><b>, </b>you¡¯ll love everything about them, even the things thate with them. If you hate someone, you¡¯ll <b>dislike </b>everything about them, too,¡± Emelie thought to hersel

    william didn¡¯t love her, so he was ruthless to her. He didn¡¯t love her but insisted on marrying her. It was ridiculous that he imed to design her wedding dress himself.

    Emelie stumbled backward.

    Wim noticed her nk expression and knew she was in a bad state.

    He tried to grab her. ¡°¡®¡±Emelie!¡±

    With so many people fighting, William couldn¡¯t get close to Emelie, Meanwhile, she didn¡¯t care about the chaos around her. She didn¡¯t dodge or old it, <b>moving </b>among them like a lost sod.

    Someone kicked her in the back, and she fell to the ground. Before she could get up, another person stepped on her hand. Despite that, she gritted her teeth and grabbed the car door handle, pulling herself up,

    Through the ss, she stared at Vaness inside. ¡°Where is my mother? Where did this batterye from?¡±

    Vanessa <b>rolled </b><b>down </b>the window. Looking at Emelie in her beautiful yet disheveled state, she pot on a fake expression of sympathy.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    As always, she spoke softly <b>as </b>if she were still the Middleton family elder who liked Emelle and treated her like a daughter. ¡°Oh, Emelie, I <b>didn¡¯t </b>lie to you. As I said earlier, your trends rescued your mother from the hospital, but William¡¯s men caught up quickly

    *I was passing by the hospital and wanted to help. However, William wouldn¡¯t let your mother, who knew about the ount book, live to see you. The fewer people who know about the ount book, the better.

    ¡°Well, he can¡¯t just kill someone on the street, can he? Luckily, an opportunity quickly arose for <b>him</b>, when your friends were outnumbered<b>, </b>they told your mother to contin running ahead as someone would receive her. They stayed behind to cover to your mother ended up alone

 Chapter 547

    Chapter 547 Stop Listening To Them

    ¡°What happened next?¡± Emelie gripped the car door so tightly that her fingertips turned white.

    Slowly, Vanessa replied, ¡°Then, William <b>arranged </b>for a thief to steal your mother¡¯s battery pack. She copsed soon after her heart ran out of power

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say whether it¡¯s due to the cruelty of the world or William¡¯s deliberate arrangement, but no one came to <b>help </b>her. When I arrived, her body was already

    With a smirk, she said, ¡°Cold.¡±

    Witnessing theke Greta being shot by William felt like the end of the world for Emelie. The feeling she was experiencing after hearing the recording yed by Charles and Vanessa¡¯s vivid description was indescribable.

    Seeing Emelie¡¯s bleak expression, Vanessa knew that the drama bad reached its peak. She smiled faintly, closed the car window, and slowly drove away

    Once the car lelt, Emelie feltpletely empty, both her vision and heart were empty,

    ¡°Emelle! Stop listening to them ande with me.¡± William grabbed Emelie¡¯s wrist, intending to lead her away from the chaotic battlefield

    As Emelie was being dragged by him, she stumbled and looked at his back

    He was still wearing the tailcoat¨Cstyle suit from the wedding, which was short in front and long in the back. His outfit entuated his slim <b>waist </b>and long legs. He walked ahead of <b>her</b><b>, </b>and deftly kicked away anyone blocking their path with sharp, decisive movements.??

    Instead of struggling. Emelie asked soitly, ¡°Is what <b>Vanessa </b>said true, William? is

    William clearly hesitated for a moment.

    With the crossbow in his hand, he shot down one of Charles¡¯s men and said, ¡°Jayden will be here soon. Don¡¯t be afraid.¡±

    Vanessa had framed him, William could easily deny it with a single sentence instead of beating armind the bush, whether it was an act of fabrication, nder, or false usation.

    Emelie suddenly <b>felt </b>a burning sensation in her eyes. Instantly, she violently shook off William¡¯s hand<b>, </b>causing him to <b>turn </b>around.

    Emelie say that something was amiss in his gaze. Against the backdrop of the gloomy weather, William¡¯s eyes were even darker than usual.

    ¡°Emelie, I told you not to always listen <b>to </b>others. You need to listen to me,¡± William said.

    But what did he have to say?

    She held something in her hand. When he reached out to grab her again, she struck out at him with great force.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Emelie <b>said</b>.

    William felt a sharp pain in his wrist. He instinctively covered that spot as blood poured out from between his fingers.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie had a knife in her hand. William¡¯s eyes narrowed at the sight of the folded small knife in her hand.

    He stared at her intensely but didn¡¯t ask her why she wanted to hurt him. The situation between them was so chaotic, like intertwined vines, it was difficult to determine where it

    all started.

    He asked, ¡°Where did you get the knife?¡±

    He stared at her intensely. There was no way she could¡¯ve obtained such an intricately crafted knife.

    She was holding the knife tightly.

    In Lionis, when she was about to leave with William, Wesley stuffed it into her palm when he held her hands.

    <b>She </b><b>raised </b>the thin, small, yet <b>sharp </b>knife and pointed it at William. There was only one answer she wanted.

    ¡°ts everything she said true, Wilhem? Is it true?¡± Emelie asked.

    Emelie hadn¡¯t noticed that tears were streaming down her face

    William could see that she was on the verge of a breakdown, but the situation was tooplicated. Various changes kept happening one after another, and he was almost losing

    control

    He furrowed his eyebrows and said, ¡°Come with me first, Emelie. I¡¯ll exin it properly when we get back¡±

    He would exin it to her when they got back? Where could they return to?

    ¡°Answer mel¡± Emelle cried out with all her might. ¡°Is my mother already <b>dead</b><b>?</b>¡±

    Wim remained silent, his jaw tightening visibly.

    Emelie understood the gap between them very clearly. He was always towering over her like a tall mountain. Even if she pointed a knife at him, she couldn¡¯t threaten him. Hence, she turned the de against her own neck. ¡°Is she dead?¡±

    She was not afraid of hurting herself. The sharp de cut through her flesh <b>like </b>butter<b>, </b>and blood immediately seeped out, staining her <b>fair </b>and slender neck red.

 Chapter 548

    Chapter 548 Suicide

    Emelle pressed the knife even deeper, and more blood flowed out

    charles had gotten out of the car, his face devoid of its usual carefree smile. He watched Emelie intently, his expression unreadable.

    During the time William had kept her <b>under </b>house arrest, Emelie had threatened him verbally with her own life countless times, but she meant it this time

    Vanessa¡¯s words caused her to react emotionally as if death meant nothing to her anymore. She had no one left in this world that she cared about, and she truly <b>wasn¡¯t </b>afraid to

    <b>die</b>

    William¡¯s dark eyes flikkered as he stared at the blood on her neck. In less than three seconds, he relented, ¡°Yes, it was the best way to handle it.¡±

    Her mother really was dead, and it was him who had killed her.

    Emelie let go of the breath she <b>was </b>holding.

    She looked at William. They had spent day and night together for three years, and had gone through another year entangled in a love hate rtionship. <b>Was </b>this how things would end between them?

    She watched the two groups fighting and wondered why they were fighting Was it for her? Was it to seize her?

    Sheughed<b>.</b>

    Charles approached her, saying, ¡°Put the knife down, Ms. Hoven. Mr. Middleton is right, this <b>truly </b>is the best way to handle it. Once Mrs. Hoven is gone, everything will be over. We can all live our lives in peace, and you can continue to be Mrs. Middleton. It¡¯s <b>a </b>win¨Cwin.¡±

    So, that was the reason.

    Emelie finally understood why William had acted so affectionate towards her during this time. He wanted to keep her by his side by killing her mother.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    Was she supposed to be moved by his deep love and care? Was she supposed to be grateful?

    He wanted her to be Mrs. Middleton, yet his distrust was so heavy. Her status <b>as </b><b>a </b>member of the Pierce family would always provoke his caution. Hence, he could never truly set her free, and she would always live under his surveince.

    In the end, besides just being alive, what did she have left! She had neither family, freedom, nor dignity

    She looked at William andughed again.

    Everyone present was either William¡¯s or Charles¡¯s men. Regardless of who won, whoever got her would be imprisoning her.

    After merkulously nning for so long, she still couldn¡¯t escape. She didn¡¯t want to escape anymore. Since her mother was dead, what was the point of continuing to survive? It was meaningless

    Hence, she shut her <b>eyes </b><b>and </b>pressed the knife against her neck hard.

    Charles eximed, frightened, ¡°Ms. Hoven!¡±

    She acted decisively without hesitation. The sharp de was about to sever her windpipe and end her life.

    However, William rushed forward in a <b>split </b>second and grabbed the de bare¨Chanded. As the knife was extremely sharp, it instantly cut into his Desh and skin.

    He held onto it tightly, and blood gushed down his wrist into <b>the </b>sleeve of his shirt. Emelie opened her eyes in a daze at the strong metallic smell of blood.

    William¡¯s ugly expression turned even paler. ¡°What are you trying to <b>do</b>?<b>¡±</b>

    <b>Was </b>she trying tomit suicide?

    Tears streamed down Emelie¡¯s cheeks. She wasn¡¯t and had never been such a person. She rarely cried<b>, </b>let alone contemted taking her own life. However, because of William¡­ ¡°I really don¡¯t want to see you anymore,¡± Emelie said

    She couldn¡¯t shake him off. No matter where she fled to, she couldn¡¯t escape him.

    She had changed jobs and even moved to a different city, but she still couldn¡¯t escape <b>him</b>. From the moment she resigned, he <b>had </b>started to manipte her relentlessly.

    She used to have the spirit to fight back because she had imagined and looked forward to her future, and she had her mother to worry about.

    However, she had nothing left.

    <b>There </b>had never been any sweet memories between them worth remembering. Even the fireworks had been faked, just another tool he used to deceive her. What did they mean to her now?

    She <b>would </b>rather die then spend several decades with him,

    Using her own death as het escape, she wouldn¡¯t need to live the pain of knowing she killed her foster parents. She wouldn¡¯t need to suffer wondering why William treated het

    like this.

    Why was everything between them alle? What did those three years mean exactly? What meaning did the past <b>year </b><b>hold</b>?

    The love letters from their youth, the wedding ring she couldn¡¯t take off, the whispers of ¡°angel¡± every night. What did they all mean now?

 Chapter 549

    Chapter 549 She¡¯s Dead

    William stared at Emelie¡¯s ashen face<b>, </b>his face mirroring the same <b>pallor </b>¡°You would rather die than see me <b>again</b>?¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better for you if 1 died? You won¡¯t ever have to worry again that i might appear with the ount book to expose all of you,¡± Emelie said.

    William stared into her hollow eyes. They were <b>once </b>so beautiful, now they were currently devoid of luster. A string in his heart suddenly snapped when he realized that there was no way he <b>could </b>get her to stay this time.

    He tightened his grip on the knife again, yet he asked one more time. ¡°There¡¯s absolutely no chance you¡¯ll stay, right?¡±

    ¡°Can you bring my mother back to Ede?¡± she asked.

    He couldn¡¯t, and neither could she. They couldn¡¯t be together anymore.

    After a moment of silence, William tumed his head away, hisplexion turning increasingly pale.

    He looked at Charles and then nced at Beattan who was hiding among the bushes in his car the entire time. Finally, he turned back to Emelie.

    His face grew a shade paler. Emelie looked so disheveled, and William was about the <b>same</b>, equally as bloodstained <b>as </b><b>she </b>was.

    He <b>said</b><b>, </b>very slowly, ¡°Ms. Hoven, do you know that shing your throat is one of the <b>most </b>painful ways to die? Your life doesn¡¯t end with just one swift stroke. It cuts open your windpipe, causing you to suffocate. Since I killed your mother, don¡¯t you want to take my life for revenge before you die?

    Emelie looked at his impassive face.

    She thought of how this was the same person who forced Roman to his death, drove Greta insane, and ultimately killed her. She had lost her family twice at his hands. A momentary surge of profound hatred stirred within the dead calmness of her heart William released her knife<b>, </b><b>and </b>Emelie tightened her grip on it. He pointed to his heart, indicating for her to stab him there. Emelie¡¯s eyes turned bloodshot, and in the next moment, she thrust the knife towards him. ¡°Then let¡¯s die together!¡±

    However, before she could reach him, a sharp and unstoppable force pierced through the air toward her. Before she could react, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her chest, causing her to freeze in ce.

    Several seconds passed before she slowly lowered her head to look.

    Time seemed to stop at that moment. The raging wind and everything in the wilderness seemed to stand still as

    as her world fell into silence,

    Charles hurried forward to check, his hands clenched at his sides. Meanwhile, Beathan squinted at the sight. Vanessa hadn¡¯t left yet, and Jayden and Es had arrived after meeting on the road.

    All of them witnessed the scene of William shooting Emelie in the chest with his crossbow. It was right at her heart, killing her.

    Wim said with a hoarse voice, ¡°I wanted to protect you, but you didn¡¯t appreciate my intentions. You¡¯ve disappointed me and wasted all my ns for you.¡±

    Even now, he was iming that she had disappointed him,

    Emelle¡¯s body hurt so much that she couldn¡¯t feel the pain in her heart. She looked at the arrow lodged in her chest, realizing that she had ended up dying at William¡¯s hands after

    She felt her life slipping away. She fell onto the grass<b>, </b>staggering, her legs unable to support her body.

    April <b>was </b>springtime in Capebatt City. The grass had grown tall, and the flowers were in full bloom.

    She looked at an unfamiliar flower, feeling a bit lost. Then, she faintly recalled that it was both her birthday and her wedding day,

    Jayden and Elias ran over to him together, ¡°Will! How could you-

    ¡°She didn¡¯t want to live anymore, so I granted her wish,¡± he said,

    Witam pulled out a handkerchief from his coat pocket, tying it tightly around his bleeding hand. He clenched theer of the handkerchief with his teeth and tied a tight knot. He croaked with a trembling voice, ¡°Es, have someone throw her into the sea¡±

    ¡°Throw her into the sea? Elias was surprised.

    ¡°How else are we supposed to get rid of her body and the evidence? Hurry up, the police will be here soon,¡±

    With a ssh, the sea became her coffin, burying the motionless Emelie in its greatest depths.

    ¡°William said.

    Chapter 550 Asif He Was About to CryAll content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.

    No one had expected that the wilding of the Middleton family¡¯s only son would end in such a surprising way After all, their family was the greatest in Capebutt Ci

    Wymtened and left, brushing past Jayden Jayden med away and sighed, unsure of what to say

    He passed by Charles nest, who neered at him, saying, ¡°You suce are ruthless, Mr. Middleton

    He got into car and drove t

    Vancar quickly caught up. When they were side by side, she rolled down her window and gently said, ¡°My condolences, Wiliam.¡±

    With astole expression, William dreve away.

    On the other hand, Vanessa pulled <b>over</b><b>, </b>walking for Beathan¡¯s car to catch up. Only then did they line together. Obviously, they needed to find a ce to discuss this matter. They hadn¡¯t expected William is kill Emelle.

    driving for <b>a </b>distance, the driver finally asked, ¡°Mr. Middleton, are we heating back to Eastbaye

    ¡°Go to the wedding venue,¡± William replied.

    When wim went to <b>chase </b>after the wedding car be left the verse under Ashion and Fabian¡¯s care. They had already sent the injured guests to a private hospital for treatment. <b>Since </b>they all only experienced minor injuries, they <b>would </b>be <b>discharged </b>after <b>their </b>wounds <b>were </b>bandaged.

    However, these guests were all influentialfigers. Since such an unexpected incident had urred at the Midleton family¡¯s wedding reception, they had to do a lot of work to handle the abermath properly.

    The scope hadn¡¯t been cleaned up yet. Tables and chairs were overturned, and food was scattered on the ground. Most of the vases were broken, and even the hydrangeas had been trampledon.

    William slowly bent down, intending to pick up a flower, However, as soon as he touched it, the flower crumbled into pieces, scattering the <b>stars </b><b>in </b>the sky

    Personally chosen by Emelie, Hydrangeas symbolize perfection and beauty.

    ¡°Are we using mses for the wedding? Imelle asked.

    ¡°<b>Yes</b><b>, </b><b>don¡¯t </b><b>you </b>like <b>them</b><b>?</b>¡± William replet.

    ¡°<b>They¡¯re </b><b>a </b>bitmon,¡± Emelie said.

    Wim asked<b>, </b><b>¡°</b>What <b>kind </b>of flowers would you be?¡±!

    ¡°Since we¡¯ve scrapped the bouquet tous sent, why not change the flowers <b>to </b>hydrangeas? After the wedding, ghe <b>a </b>dower to eachdy who attended. After all, hydrangeas <b>symbole </b>perfection and beauty. Every won would probably apprecies this blessing.¡± Entert.

    ¡°Alright, I go with your suggestion,¡± Wim said.

    When they discussed the flowers in detail, she seemed so thoughtful as it the genuinely wanted to marry him.

    No one could tell if William was wearing a blek or indentexpression. He stared at the chans before him and remained motionless for a long time

    Ashton noticed that his handkerchief was stained red with blond.

    She stepped forward and said, ¡°Mr. Middleton, pour injury looks serious too. Let¡¯s <b>go </b>to the hospital and get it bondaged.¡±

    William¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, but his waler sounded house. ¡°Has the site been cleaned up?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been cloaned up. ww¡¯ve also informed everyone. It probably wouldn¡¯t be passed butter. After all, Ashton used for a moment before continuing<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    ¡°there¡¯s no one left

    Ms. Howen¡¯s house.¡±

    No <b>one </b>would seek justice for her <b>death</b>.

    Wiliam¡¯s face was so pale it looked seal. ¡°What about her hee friends?

    Ashton replied, ¡°old them that <b>Ms. </b>Hoven <b>has </b>let Capebatt Cky and stently outstation. Mr. Hardy¡¯s parents are stilling in her hometown, <b>so </b>we take care of her ordingly believe even if they suspect something, they won¡¯t dare to do anything. It¡¯s just that Ms. Thomson might¡ª¡±

    ¡°Leave Ashley to Elias,¡± William replied nonchntly.

    Ashton bowed her head ¡°Alright, as long <b>as </b>we pacify them, no one would findout¡±

    William took one <bst </b>look at the wedding venue. ¡°Clean up this ce <b>too</b><b>, </b><b>and </b>cell the PR team to take care of the guests.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Ashton said.

    William lowered his pare and slowly walked out of the wedding venue. Although he was facing the light, <b>h¨¤ </b>tihouette was blurry and indistinct.

    Ashton felt rather strautful. She never imagined that Emele would die like that. When they parted warps in the moming, she had praised Emelie for her beauty and wishedber <b>happiness </b>with a smile.

    However, just a few hourster, Emelie had vanished without a trace, with her corpse nowhere to be seen. While life was always unpredictable, her life was practically turned spride dow

    she heard <b>a </b>loud cough from outside, and she hurriedly ran out.

    For some reason, Wilhem was coughing <b>again </b>with one hand pressed on his chest. He seemed to be in pain as he covered his mouth with his other hand. The coughing worsened, and it soon turnedpletely uncontroble

    ¡°Mr.Middleton, are you alright?¡± Ashton asked.

    Williamseemed unable to hold himself up.

    <ol start="4">

    <li>His besad back was hunched, and the wound on his hand reopened, bload tracking down his fingers. It looked as if he had</li>

    </ol>

    Heslowly bent over and squatted on the ground. Ha roughed uphlood, which was a shocking sight.

 Chapter 550

    Chapter 550 Asif He Was About to Cry

    No one had expected that the wilding of the Middleton family¡¯s only son would end in such a surprising way After all, their family was the greatest in Capebutt Ci

    Wymtened and left, brushing past Jayden Jayden med away and sighed, unsure of what to say

    He passed by Charles nest, who neered at him, saying, ¡°You suce are ruthless, Mr. Middleton

    He got into car and drove t

    Vancar quickly caught up. When they were side by side, she rolled down her window and gently said, ¡°My condolences, Wiliam.¡±

    With astole expression, William dreve away.

    On the other hand, Vanessa pulled <b>over</b><b>, </b>walking for Beathan¡¯s car to catch up. Only then did they line together. Obviously, they needed to find a ce to discuss this matter. They hadn¡¯t expected William is kill Emelle.

    driving for <b>a </b>distance, the driver finally asked, ¡°Mr. Middleton, are we heating back to Eastbaye

    ¡°Go to the wedding venue,¡± William replied.

    When wim went to <b>chase </b>after the wedding car be left the verse under Ashion and Fabian¡¯s care. They had already sent the injured guests to a private hospital for treatment. <b>Since </b>they all only experienced minor injuries, they <b>would </b>be <b>discharged </b>after <b>their </b>wounds <b>were </b>bandaged.

    However, these guests were all influentialfigers. Since such an unexpected incident had urred at the Midleton family¡¯s wedding reception, they had to do a lot of work to handle the abermath properly.

    The scope hadn¡¯t been cleaned up yet. Tables and chairs were overturned, and food was scattered on the ground. Most of the vases were broken, and even the hydrangeas had been trampledon.

    William slowly bent down, intending to pick up a flower, However, as soon as he touched it, the flower crumbled into pieces, scattering the <b>stars </b><b>in </b>the sky

    Personally chosen by Emelie, Hydrangeas symbolize perfection and beauty.

    ¡°Are we using mses for the wedding? Imelle asked.

    ¡°<b>Yes</b><b>, </b><b>don¡¯t </b><b>you </b>like <b>them</b><b>?</b>¡± William replet.

    ¡°<b>They¡¯re </b><b>a </b>bitmon,¡± Emelie said.

    Wim asked<b>, </b><b>¡°</b>What <b>kind </b>of flowers would you be?¡±!

    ¡°Since we¡¯ve scrapped the bouquet tous sent, why not change the flowers <b>to </b>hydrangeas? After the wedding, ghe <b>a </b>dower to eachdy who attended. After all, hydrangeas <b>symbole </b>perfection and beauty. Every won would probably apprecies this blessing.¡± Entert.

    ¡°Alright, I go with your suggestion,¡± Wim said.

    When they discussed the flowers in detail, she seemed so thoughtful as it the genuinely wanted to marry him.

    No one could tell if William was wearing a blek or indentexpression. He stared at the chans before him and remained motionless for a long time

    Ashton noticed that his handkerchief was stained red with blond.

    She stepped forward and said, ¡°Mr. Middleton, pour injury looks serious too. Let¡¯s <b>go </b>to the hospital and get it bondaged.¡±

    William¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, but his waler sounded house. ¡°Has the site been cleaned up?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been cloaned up. ww¡¯ve also informed everyone. It probably wouldn¡¯t be passed butter. After all, Ashton used for a moment before continuing<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    ¡°there¡¯s no one leftN?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    Ms. Howen¡¯s house.¡±

    No <b>one </b>would seek justice for her <b>death</b>.

    Wiliam¡¯s face was so pale it looked seal. ¡°What about her hee friends?

    Ashton replied, ¡°old them that <b>Ms. </b>Hoven <b>has </b>let Capebatt Cky and stently outstation. Mr. Hardy¡¯s parents are stilling in her hometown, <b>so </b>we take care of her ordingly believe even if they suspect something, they won¡¯t dare to do anything. It¡¯s just that Ms. Thomson might¡ª¡±

    ¡°Leave Ashley to Elias,¡± William replied nonchntly.

    Ashton bowed her head ¡°Alright, as long <b>as </b>we pacify them, no one would findout¡±

    William took one <bst </b>look at the wedding venue. ¡°Clean up this ce <b>too</b><b>, </b><b>and </b>cell the PR team to take care of the guests.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Ashton said.

    William lowered his pare and slowly walked out of the wedding venue. Although he was facing the light, <b>h¨¤ </b>tihouette was blurry and indistinct.

    Ashton felt rather strautful. She never imagined that Emele would die like that. When they parted warps in the moming, she had praised Emelie for her beauty and wishedber <b>happiness </b>with a smile.

    However, just a few hourster, Emelie had vanished without a trace, with her corpse nowhere to be seen. While life was always unpredictable, her life was practically turned spride dow

    she heard <b>a </b>loud cough from outside, and she hurriedly ran out.

    For some reason, Wilhem was coughing <b>again </b>with one hand pressed on his chest. He seemed to be in pain as he covered his mouth with his other hand. The coughing worsened, and it soon turnedpletely uncontroble

    ¡°Mr.Middleton, are you alright?¡± Ashton asked.

    Williamseemed unable to hold himself up.

    <ol start="4">

    <li>His besad back was hunched, and the wound on his hand reopened, bload tracking down his fingers. It looked as if he had</li>

    </ol>

    Heslowly bent over and squatted on the ground. Ha roughed uphlood, which was a shocking sight.

    Chapter 550 As if He Was About to Cry

    Ashton was concerned. ¡°Mr. Middleton..¡±

    william couldn¡¯t help but think that he <b>and </b>Emelle always missed the mark by just a little<b>.</b>

    They almost got their marriage certificate and almost had their wedding. In the end, all he left her with was <b>a </b>ring on her finger that wouldn¡¯te would never fade.

    e off and <b>a </b>scar on her chest that

    It was hard to tell if his pale face and bloodstained scarlet lips were a physical or emotional <b>reaction</b>. His eyes were slightly <b>red </b><b>as </b>if he was about to cry.

    ¡°Mr. Middleton?¡± Ashton said.

    She helped him up, but as soon as he stood up straight, he suddenly cked out. The next moment, he staggered forward and fell ¡°Mr. Middleton!¡± Ashton cried out.

 Chapter 551

    Chapter 551 Drug IngredientsContent ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Ashley had just gone to the restroom when the chaos transpired at the wedding.

    Everything had changed by the time she came out.

    Ashton and Fabian were busy evacuating the guests and sending the injured to the hospital. Ashley scanned her surroundings and quickly walked over to ask, ¡°What happened? How did this happen?¡±

    Action replied, ¡°We¡¯re not <b>sure </b>pet. Ms. Thornton, I¡¯m afraid that the wedding cannot proceed anymore. If you¡¯re not injured, please leave for now. This is a serious matter<b>, </b><b>and </b>we ask that you don¡¯t <b>disclose </b>anything, Wait for announcements from Cloudex Corporation <b>and </b>the Middleton family¡±

    ¡°The wedding is off? what about Emelie? Where is she?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Middleton will take care of Mrs. Middleton Don¡¯t worry¡±

    Ashley had no choice but to leave. However, she wasn¡¯t naive. Given the level of chaos, something serious had to have happened. But what about Dmcle?

    Just when she decided to contact Mosa to ask about Emelie after she got home, she received a phone call on <b>her </b>way back. She checked her rearview mirror before pulling over

    was a call from her <b>friend</b>. ¡°Ashley, the results for the drug you gave me to test out. Do you want toe over and get them, or should I bring them to you tomorrow when

    Ashley sensed that was something off in her friend¡¯s tone. She looked at the sparse traffic ahead <b>and </b><b>calmed </b>her breathing. She pressed her lips together and said, ¡°I¡¯ll <be </b>over

    now.

    ¡°Alright I¡¯¨¹ be waiting for pu

    Ashley ended the call and took a tum at the next intersection to go to theboratory

    It was just past noon, but the sky was overcast, asstors was boring in the distance.

    Ashley met her friend, who looked very sol. She let out a sigh before asking, ¡°What are the <b>results?</b>¡±

    Her intend handed her the <b>report</b>. ¡°The drug does not contain any contraceptive ingredients.

    Ashley didn¡¯t look at the report and only looked at her friend. ¡°Is it afectility drag?¡±

    ¡°T¡± Her friend added sarcastically, ¡°And it¡¯s of very high quality, better than most on the market. It must be imported.¡±

    Beathan didn¡¯t he to her. Elias had indeed swapped herpills.

    Even though Ashley had been mentally prepared, the confirmation still left her feeling deeply manipted.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is this drug yours?i

    Ashley replied <b>coldly</b>, ¡°No, it¡¯s for <b>a </b>friend

    Her izlend continued, ¡°Then, your friend probably didn¡¯t want to get pregnent<b>, </b><b>right</b>? I¡¯ve heard some gossip about mothers¨Cinw using such tricks to hasten pregnancy¡± Ashley forced a smile. ¡°It¡¯s indeed very insidious.¡±

    Her friendined and said, ¡°sn¡¯t? The <b>girl </b>might get pregnant without realizing it. She¡¯d think that it was a failure in the contraception and then have the child in confusion.¡±

    If it weren¡¯t for Emelie not taking the pill and leaving those two behind <b>as </b>evidence, Ashley might have been unknowingly set up

    <b>Since </b>her friend was <b>about </b>to go for her lunch break, Ashley didn¡¯t take up any more of her time and left with the report. She sat in her car and read every line of the report carefully

    Then, <b>she </b>picked up her phone to call Es. However, before she could dial his number, Els called her. She looked at his name on the scre, and her fingers passed before she tapped to answer the call.

    Es¡® voice was low, and he seemed to be in a bad mood ¡°Honey, where are you<b>?</b>¡±

    <b>¡°</b>Do you need something?¡±

    ¡°Will¡¯s wedding is all Are <b>you </b><b>at </b>home or at the office? I¡¯lle to find <b>you</b>

    Ashley replied calmly, ¡°Let¡¯s talk at home.¡±

    Ehas agreed, ¡°Alright.¡°

    When Ashley arrived home, Bliss was already lying on the couch.

    He had taken off his suit jacket and tossed it aside. He looked exhausted, with his arm draped over his eyes. His rolled¨Cup sleeves revealed the well¨Cdefined muscles on his forearm After changing her shoes, Ashley walked over calmly. The first thing she asked him was, ¡°what happened at <b>William¡¯s </b>wedding?¡±

    ¡°Ms. Howen lett. Elias lowered his arm and looked at Ashley.

    She was still in her white dress from the wedding<b>, </b>and there was a white rose belt around her waist. This made the dress look simple yet elegant

    He smirked and said, ¡°Honey, you look beautiful

    Ashley ignored <b>his </bplimente left? Where did she go

    mood sound at the mention of this. He sat up with his legs apart and poured himself <b>a </b>ss of water.

    He said, ¡°I don¡¯t know. She had never intended to stay with will she was acting all along. Now, she¡¯s lett with her mother as she wished.¡±

    Ashley stared at him and sensed that something was wrong. ¡°I <b>may </b>not know the details between Emelle and wim, but I don¡¯t believe that William would let her go so Where did you take tmelle?¡±

    Elin didn¡¯t answer, and Ashley took out her phone. If you don¡¯t tell me, all the police.¡±

    Es grabbed her phone, When she led to snatch it back, be wrapped his other an mound her waist. As they looked into each other¡¯s mus southing and med

    ergo

 Chapter 552

    Chapter 552 The Best of All Worlds

    ¡°What does Beathan <b>have </b>to do with this?¡±

    Ashley was confused. <b>What </b>did the matters between Emelie and William have to do with Deathan?

    However<b>, </b>Elias thought that she was defending Beathan and that she didn¡¯t want him to trouble Beathan. He tightened his arms around her, and a mocking smile yed on his <b>lips</b><b>.</b>

    ¡°How could it have nothing to do with him? <b>Ash</b>, you were hugging him at thew firm¡¯s entrance. You forbade me froming to the firm and even hired a security guard to stop me, but you¡¯d actually flirt with him at the entrance.

    His grip was too fim. Worried about hurting the baby, Ashley pushed him away. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡±

    s took a step forward, forcing Ashley to step back. She was backed against the wall.

    He took out his phone and lowered his gaze. He swiped a few times to find the photo that someone had sent him.

    ¡°Ash, I know that you¡¯re awyer and that you need <b>evidence </b>for everything. So, I¡¯ve kept the <b>evidence</b>. Look at this.¡±

    Ashley nced coldly at his phone screen. Upon recognizing the situation in the photo, she found itughable. ¡°So, it¡¯s this incident¡±

    ¡°you remember now?¡± Ashley¡¯s back was already pressed against the wall, but Elias pressed himself closer to her, closing the gap between them <b>as </b>he said, ¡°That day, he was pressed close to you just like this.¡±

    Ashley looked at him. ¡°<b>Do </b>you know why <b>he </b>came to the firm that day?¡±

    Elias asked mockingly, ¡°How would I know what you discussed with your ex¨Cboyfriend of seven years?¡±

    Ashley coldly cut him off, ¡°He told me that you¡¯d swapped out my birth control pills.¡±

    Elias¡® expression became nk

    Ashley¡¯s head was against the wall. She gazed at his charming face and <b>said</b>, ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m <b>a </b>Envyer, and I need evidence for everything. I had those pills tested, and the results just came in, clear as day. You can¡¯t denyil.¡±

    Elias pressed his tongue against the roof of his mouth. A few secondster, he <b>said</b><b>, </b>¡°I won¡¯t deny it I did switch the pills. Ash, I¡¯ve told you for a long time that I wanted us to have a baby.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯ve told you for <b>a </b>long time that unless you sign a prenuptial agreement, I won¡¯t have a child with you.¡± Ashley held back her anger. ¡°You don¡¯t want to sign the agreement, yet you want me to have your child. Elias, you can¡¯t have it all.¡±

    Eliasughed, seeming like a bad and rebellious person as he replied, ¡°If I want it, I¡¯ll get it. Not <b>only </b>do I want it all, but I also want the best of all worlds. I want you, I want a child, and I want that inheritance that only brings you trouble. Hence, I won¡¯t sign the agreement not before, not now, and not ever.

    Ashley was usually indifferent to things and not easy angered. However, Elias always managed to make her fume with rage:

    ¡°The best of all worlds is too modest, You want the best of everything. You want all thedies too.

    ¡°Elias, 1

    I¡¯ve seen many cases of men taking advantage of women. They¡¯re usually useless men. Today, I¡¯ve learned that you¡¯re just as low.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°But I¡¯m not stupid. If you think that you can have it all from me, you¡¯re dreaming. You should have received the court notice, right? Prepare for next Thursday<b>. </b>We¡¯re getting dhorced!¡±

    Ashley pushed him aside to leave

    Es grabbed her wrist in time. A thought crossed his mind, and he asked <b>suspiciously</b>, ¡°Are you pregnant? Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t be this angry¡±

    .

    When Ashley had first found out that she was pregnant, she had wanted to tell him. She was happy back then, but now, she wanted a divorce. He no longer had the right to be her child¡¯s father.

    Ashley said, ¡°I hate being manipted, and thate anyone trying to control my life. Elias, I¡¯ve been too lenient with you. You¡¯ve gone too <b>far</b>.¡±

    ¡°</b>You never <b>gave </b>me achance from the beginning¡±

 Chapter 553

    Chapter 553 I¡¯m Still Licking Your Boots

    <b>¡°</b><b>I </b>can¡¯t go to thew firm to see you, and I can¡¯t have a proper marital life with you. <b>You </b>nevere home to our new ce, and you never show up at my family¡¯s gatherings. Those who know me will say that I¡¯m married to you, Ash, but those who don¡¯t might think that <b>I¡¯m </b>married to my b boss.¡±

    He sneered and went on to say, ¡°I can¡¯t even cling to <b>you </b><b>a </b>bit more. You¡¯d just give me the <b>cold </b>shoulder when I do that. What you call ¡°going too far doesn¡¯t even reach the level <b>of </b><b>a </b>normal couple¡¯s daily interactions.

    ¡°You think I¡¯m pushing too much because you¡¯ve never seen yourself as my wife. We¡¯ve been married for <b>a </b>year, but you won¡¯t even call me your husband.¡±

    Ashley was quiet for a few seconds before she coolly replied, ¡°You¡¯re twisting the facts. I don¡¯te home because you¡¯re the one being ambiguous with other women first¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Eliasughed coldly as he walked toward her. ¡°Which woman have I been ambiguous with? What¡¯s her name? I¡¯ll bring her here. I¡¯m not afraid of things I didn¡¯t do. We¡¯ll confront her <b>face </b>to face<b>.</b>¡±

    Ashley <b>remained </b>silent.

    Elias stared at her indifferent expression. ¡°You showed up at a hotel with your ex¨Cboyfriend and then sent me a divorcewsuit notice. I was angry for a few days, but I still went to thew firm to reconcile with you. I¡¯ve even acted like apdog for you. Haven¡¯t I licked your boots enough, Ash?

    Ashley was not san

    was not same young girl. She wouldn¡¯t easily fall for his emotionall maniption. She only asked, ¡°Then, why won¡¯t you sign the prenuptial agreement?¡±

    Flias always got frustrated and amused by her stubbornness. ¡°Do you really need me to sign that damned prenuptial agreement? We¡¯re already married. Why should I sign it? You guard against me so much that it seems <b>as </b>if you <b>have </b>no trust in me as a husband.¡±

    Ashley pulled her hand back. ¡°First, when have <b>you </b>ever listened to me when I told you not toe to thew firm? Second, when have ever been able to refuse when you wanted to be intimate with me?

    ¡°Third, I saw you getting into the same car with an influencer model On New Year¡¯s Day, you went deep¨Csea fishing overnight with a woman. These are the reasons I don¡¯te home.

    ¡°Fourth, your family¡¯s polygamy doesn¡¯tply with the marriagew and is fundamentally challenging the legal boundaries. Do you want me to report your family?¡±

    Elias had many retorts ready for the first few points, but heughed at thest one<b>, </b>which confused Ashley.

    Es was charming when he smiled. He wasn¡¯t exactly young, <b>as </b>he was already in histe 20s. But he was still a few years younger than Ashley.

    Besides, he often <b>teasingly </b>called her Aunt Ash. To Ashley, he was still that boy who had said that he would protect her.

    He chuckled. <b>¡°</b><b>Go </b>ahead. I¡¯ll <b>support </b>you. Take down my dad and those two women, along with their illegitimate children.¡± S

    Ashley <b>said</b>, ¡°You¡¯re sick.¡±

    She shook off his hand and walked to the foyer. Then, she changed her shoes, preparing to leave.

    s, believing that their argument had softened, pursued her with a yful, endearing tone and called her ¡°honey¡± over and over.

    ¡°Don¡¯t leaw tonight. Honey, just stay with me, at least for tonight. Please¡±

    After he said that, Ashley asked, ¡°<b>Why</b>?¡±

    Elias replied with a straight face, ¡°There was a terrorist attack at Will¡¯s wedding today. I got scared, and I¡¯ll definitely have nightmares tonight. If you stay with me, I won¡¯t be

    Ashley took out the medication test report from her bag and threw it at him. ¡°Thaven¡¯t gotten over this yet. Elias, see you in court next Thursday<b>.</b>¡±

    With that, she opened the door and left.

    Elias gritted his teeth. Without even looking at the report, he crumpled it up and tossed it into the trash can. Then, he took out his phone and made a call ¡°The cases that I¡¯ve asked you to sort out¨Cthe ones handled by Ashley that might have ws or problems¨Care they ready? okay, send them to me.¡±

 Chapter 554

    Chapter 554 No Divorce

    After that day, Emelie seemed to have vanished into thin air. Her phone was unreachable, and she didn¡¯t reply to any messages on WhatsApp.

    Ashley had even gone to Eastbay to look for William, but she didn¡¯t see him. Instead, the maids told her that he had been hospitalized due to an illness.

    Ashley reported the situation to the police, but they couldn¡¯t provide her with any answers. So, she had to rely on her friends to help her find Emelie.

    Still, she felt that something was off. If Emelle had left sadely, she would have contacted them. <b>She </b>wouldn¡¯t make them worry.

    In the blink of an eye, it was now Thursday, the day of Ashley and Eas¡± divorce hearing.

    <b>ording </b>to the procedure, <b>there </b>would be a pre¨Ctrial mediation before the hearing. It was usually just a formality. As long as Ashley insisted on not reconciling and said that she wanted a divorce, the mediator wouldn¡¯t object and would proceed with the hearing.

    However,s arrivedte and immediately dismissed the mediator. ¡°I¡¯ll handle my own wide. You may leave.¡±

    The mediator felt awkward <b>but </b>left the room after hesitating for a moment.

    Ashley said calmly, ¡°If you agree to the divorce before the trial, we can part amicably and still be friends. After all, we are somewhat rted. I don¡¯t want to make things too ugly.¡± Elias sat on the simple ck folding chair, as if it were a luxurious leather couch, <b>with </b>azy and yful demeanor, he said, ¡°I¡¯m not getting a divorce. You¡¯re pregnant. Why would 1 get a divorce? Lcan¡¯t let my child be born <b>without </b>a father.

    Ashley paused and raised her head.

    Elias smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t even try to deny it. I¡¯ve already received your ultrasound report¡±

    Ashley asked coldly, ¡°How did you get it?¡±

    ¡°You must be pregnant. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have been so angry. Knowing your character, if you suspected that you were pregnant, you¡¯d go to the hospital to confirm it. ¡°Given your efficiency, you¡¯d choose the hospital closest to your firm, which is Centra Hospital Thappen to have connections there, so I got the report.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    Es¡® boastful tone sounded sing to Ashley. ¡°Having awyer as a wife sharpens your logic. It took me less than half an hour to get your report.¡±

    Ashley retorted icily, ¡°Do you think having this child means you can control me? Well, you¡¯re mistaken. This child was conceived through your scheming, but it <b>would </b>be easy for me to get rid of it¡±

    Elias raised an eyebrow. ¡°But you want the child.¡±

    She was only wearing t shoes now and had given up coffee and tea. Her meals and rest were regr. It was clear she wanted to have this baby.

    Ashley said with an expressionless face, ¡°I can give birth and raise the child on my own. If the child needs a father, I can find another one. You are <b>not </b>irreceable.¡± Elias¡® smile faded.

    After a few seconds, he threw a brown paper bag on the table. ¡°You should take a look at this first¡±

    Ashley nced at it but didn¡¯t take it. ¡°What is it?¡±

    Es gestured for her to look at it herself.

    Only then did Ashley pick it up and open it. She palled out the stack of papers inside and immediately frowned.

    ¡°Thad someone review all the cases you¡¯ve handled in the past ten years. Ash, you¡¯re impressive. You¡¯ve handled over a thousand cases, but there¡¯s only one with a w,¡± Ehas said <b>in </b>a deep voice.

    Ashley stared at him. ¡°So, you n <b>to </b>use this to threaten me? If I don¡¯t agree, you¡¯ll expose this and ruin my career as a <bwyer</b>?¡±

    Elias responded calmly, ¡°If you stop being awyer<b>, </b>you can focus on your pregnancy

    Anger flickered in Ashley¡¯s eyes. Elias put down his leg and continued, ¡°While I do want that, I won¡¯t do it. I know you don¡¯t want to be a full¨Ctime housewife. All I ask is that you agree not to mention divorce.¡±

    Ashley was someone who could weigh the pros and cons and could distinguish between advantages and disadvantages.

    She was already <b>pregnant </b>due to his scheming, and he would never agree to a divorce. She didn¡¯t <b>have </b>time for the cat¨Cand¨Cmouse game of her running and him chasing. Keeping the facade of marriage wasn¡¯t <b>a </b>big deal.

    <b>Ashley </b>stood up. ¡°The reason I won¡¯t file for divorce is because of your threat<b>, </b>but I won¡¯t forget <b>your </b>infidelity, switching my pills and ckmailing me,¡±

    with that, Ashley left the mediation room without giving Es achance to exin. Es expression also darkened.

    He knew Ashley well. She was truly angry at him this time.

    He smirked with disinterest, took out a lighter from his pocket, and set the brown paper bag on <b>fire</b>.

    itis expression remained disinterested as he watched the blue and orange mes burn the evidence to ashes.

 Chapter 555

    Chapter 555 Erecting a Monument

    After has left the courthouse, he received a call from Jayden

    ¡°I heard that you and Ms. Thornton are getting a divorce today,¡± Jayden said, like a concerned older brother, probing into all the personal details.

    Elias repliedzily, ¡°We¡¯re not getting divorced. We¡¯re having a child now, so why bother? We¡¯ll just make do with each other for the rest of our lives.¡±

    Jayden <b>asked</b>, ¡°Is Ms. Thornton making do with you, or are you making do with her?¡±

    Eliasughed. ¡°Of course, she¡¯s making do with me. I¡¯m crazy about her.¡±

    Jayden didn¡¯t joke further. ¡°I¡¯m heading to the hospital to see <b>Will</b>¡±

    Elias thought for a moment and <b>said</b>, <b>¡°</b>I¡¯ll go too.¡±

    William had been in the hospital for almost a week since he copsed that day.

    Although the wounds on his hand and wrist wounds were deep, they were treated with stitches and antibiotics. Thus, they were <b>manageable</b>.

    The main concern was that he couldn¡¯t stop coughing After checking, it was found that he had a small tumor in his long, <b>which </b>needed proper treatment.

    When Jayden and Elias arrived, William was propped up against the headboard, receiving an IV while reviewing documents.

    Jayden frowned. ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried about your health? You¡¯re still working

    William¡¯s face remained pale. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with my health. I¡¯m just reviewing <b>a </b><b>contract</b>.¡±

    Es clicked his tongue. ¡°Jayden¡¯s asking why you¡¯re still in the mood to work when your wife¡¯s gone.¡±

    ¡°Ikilled her myself. How can I not be in the mood?¡±

    What he said was hard to respond to.

    Then again, it was the truth.

    William had killed Emelle and thrown her into the sea. He even had people collect all of Emelie¡¯s belongings lett at Eastbay and send them back <b>to </b>Alderbrook in the past few days However, the Hoven residence in Alderbrook had long been abandoned. The elderly couple who lived there had passed away, leaving the ce a mere relic.

    Just like how William had discarded his love rtionship, never to see the light of day again.

    Emelie¡¯s older sister and Mona had been silenced. With Elias keeping a close watch on Ashley, there would soon be no one searching for Emelie. Her traces would be erased with time.

    Making someone disappear was that simple and thorough.

    Jayden brushed his nose. ¡°Things didn¡¯t have to go this far.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    William signed thest document with his head looking down. ¡°I did everything I could to save her. I couldn¡¯t keep her. Her wish was to die, and thest thing I could do for her was to fulfill that wish ¡±

    Ehas clicked his tongue. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Charles and Beathan stirring up trouble. Also, why did I hear that you¡¯re going to sign a new coboration with them?¡±

    ¡°Now that we¡¯ve dealt with a major threat together, we need to strengthen our cooperation to ensure closer ties.¡±

    Wim spoke without a hint of emotion, like a nk te. One couldn¡¯t tell what he was feeling.

    Even with Jayden and Elias being his long¨Ctime friends, they couldn¡¯t quite figure <b>out </b>if William¡¯s words were sincere or mocking.

    They exchanged nces, and Es asked, ¡°What should we do with Lyle?¡±

    Lyle was a traitor.

    william closed the file and picked up his water. His tone was as calm as the water. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see him in Capebatt City again.¡±

    Was he implying that Lyle should leave Capebatt City?

    What Lyle did was indeed over<b>, </b>and if it weren¡¯t for him, Emelie would have been unable to conspire with Wesley and n the escape, which might have prevented her death

    Still, Elias felt reluctant due to their long¨Cstanding friendship Give him a <b>chance</b>¡±

    William replied, <b>¡°</b>Allowing him to leave with his people is my greatest concession. I won¡¯t keep ingrates,¡±

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll handle it.¡°!

    After Es left, Jayden polled up a chair next to William¡¯s bed and <b>said </b>gently, ¡°Mrs. Hoven¡¯s body was cremated at the Hoven residence and buried with Mr. Hoven. In Cedonia, we value the peace of resting, What I¡¯m suggesting is, why not erect a memorial for Ms. Hoven?

    Aa Jayden spoke, William seemed to have choked on water and coughed suddenly,

    His condition made it hard to stop coughing once it started<b>, </b>and his pale <b>face </b>flushed with an unusual tinge of <b>red</b>.

 Chapter 556

    Chapter 556 William¡¯s Emptiness

    <b>Jayden </b>quickly got up to pat William¡¯s back and attempted to call the nurse. However, William <b>waved </b>him off and said hoarsely, ¡°1 himself

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±

    e.¡± He then took a few sips of w

    water to calm

    He coughed, feeling a dull ache in his lungs, and wearily leaned back against the head of the bed.

    As the sun sank lower in the sky, the light shifted westward. William¡¯s gaunt face looked even more hollow in the fading twilight. His eye sockets <b>grew </b>deeper, and his eyes appeared even more depthless.

    ¡°Sex burials are just another way of disposing of the dead. There¡¯s no need to bother with burying a few pieces of clothing,¡± he rasped.

    ¡°At least there should be a ce for prayers. We can¡¯t just leave her as a wandering spirit, short on money, can we?¡± Jayden replied.

    William looked at him. ¡°Do you really believe in such things?¡±

    Jayden forced a smile. ¡°If it¡¯s for someone you care about, it¡¯s better to believe than not.¡±

    Once someone had passed, there wasn¡¯t much the living could do. They¡¯d act in the hope that their efforts might have some effect. It didn¡¯t cost much or take much effort. It was

    staway to find some peace of mind.

    However, Williamcked such sentiments. He was unwilling to do even the simplest tasks. The fact that he replied, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± had left Jayden speechless.

    ¡°I just hope you won¡¯t suddenly wake up in the middle of the night, feeling pain in your chest and unable to breathe,¡± Jayden was speaking from experience. Yet, William remained Indifferent. While Jayden couldn¡¯t persuade him, he would still ensure that someone prayed for Emelie.

    With nothing else to do, Jayden stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll head back now. Don¡¯t overwork yourself. Your health is more important.¡±

    <b>¡°</b><b>Okay</b>.¡± After Jayden left, William called Ashton. ¡°Arrange for my discharge.

    ¡°But your condition¡­

    William was in different. ¡°The doctor said I can¡¯t have surgery now, only medication and gradual recovery, Whether I recover here or at home doesn¡¯t make a difference.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Ashton, wary of contradicting him, quickly packed up his belongings and took him back to Eastbay.

    Upon entering the house, Wim noticed the shoe rack was much emptier. All that remained were his shoes<b>, </b>whether formal, sports, <b>or </b>indoor, while Emelie¡¯s shoes had been removed

    He looked up into the living room. Although the furnishings hadn¡¯t changed much, the emptiness felt like a presence that invaded his very being

    He coughed again and headed straight upstairs.

    Ashton stood in the thing room. Since William hadn¡¯t dismissed her, she had to stay.

    Ashton remembered that she had yet to fire the maternity nurse and cook she¡¯d hired for Emelie. Before she let them go, she had to settle their paychecks.

    As she was settling their payments, she thought to herself how fortunate it was that Emelie¡¯s pregnancy <b>had </b>only been a rumor William <b>had </b>spread. Otherwise, it would have been a case of one body, but two lives lost, which would have been even more tragic,

    After the maternity nurse and cook left, William came downstairs

    Ashton noticed he had changed into a ck suit and shaved his beard. He was once again the distinguished Mr. Middleton, who was worth billions. She hesitated for a moment before asking, ¡°Mr. Middleton, are you going out?¡±

    William adjusted his watch. His former elegance now had a colder edge, making him seem even more unapproachable. ¡°To the Westward Club. The vice president of Vertex Capital Holdings is waiting for me.¡±

    Oh dear! Ashton pped her forehead and said in frustration, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Middleton. I almost forgot¡±

    William didn¡¯t scold her. In fact, he didn¡¯t acknowledge it at all. He simply put on his leather shoes and walked out.

    <b>Ashton </b>hurried to follow. She opened the car door, and as William got in, he suddenly said, ¡°Find me a new ce closer to thepany.¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Ashton instinctively asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you staying in Eastbay anymore?¡±

    Eastbay was his favorite home, where he had lived for five to six years. Why the sudden change?

    William closed his eyes. Ashton couldn¡¯t help but feel she had overstepped. She quickly nodded<b>, </b>saying, ¡°Yes,¡± and shut the car door before moving to the passenger seat.

    The car started. Ashton wondered if William wanted to move because Eastbay was filled with too many memories of Emelie <b>that </b>he couldn¡¯t face.

    Was this reluctance to face the past due <b>to </b>sadness, <b>pain</b>, or perhaps guilt or avoidance?

    These were things that only he <b>knew</b>.

 Chapter 557

    Chapter 557 Let Me Stay with You

    People would gather for profit in the business world. William had specifically left the hospital to meet with Liam Taylor of Vertex Capital Holdings because it was profitable.

    Over the course of a meal, the two men finalized a project coboration. As they shook hands after signing the agreement, Liam nced at Ashton thoughtfully.

    ¡°Mr. Middleton<b>, </b>I recall you had a secretary named Hoven, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    Ashton¡¯s expression tumed to shock as she looked sharply at Liam. She hadn¡¯t expected someone entirely unrted to bring up Emelle suddenly.

    william, however, understood why he was asking and calmly responded, ¡°Yes, she nearly joined Vertex Capital Holdings as your secretary. Mr. Liam, it¡¯s surprising you still temember after <b>all </b>this time.¡±

    When Emelie left Cloudex Corporation, she sought employment elsewhere. She nearly secured <b>a </b>contract with Vertex Capital Holdings.

    Tam smiled. ¡°It¡¯s hard to forget a talent. Is she no longer at Cloudex Corporation?

    William¡¯s gaze fell on their sped hands. He still wore his wedding ring, with the diamond catching the light subtly. He smirked. ¡°She¡¯s no longer with us.¡±

    Liam expressed regret but didn¡¯t press further. After the handshake, be leit

    Ashton felt a mix of emotions.

    Some people, even in death, leave asting impression. Many in the business circle probably still remember the brilliant chief secretary from Cloudex Corporation.

    They didn¡¯t stay long at the Westward Club and left shortly afterward.

    As they walked down the corridor, a figure suddenly stumbled out of a private room <b>and </b>nearly crashed into William.

    William stepped back to avoid the person. The woman fell to the ground and looked up in panic. Upon seeing him, her face lit up with joy.

    Following that, she crawled over and grabbed the <b>edge </b>of William¡¯s trousers. ¡°Mr. Middleton, save me! Mr. Middleton, please save me!¡±

    William stood still as a rotund man burst out of the private room. The man then grabbed the woman¡¯s hair to drag her back.

    ¡°You filthy slut! How dare <b>you </b>act pure while selling yourself!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not! I was tricked into this! I¡¯m just here because I needed money, but I never agreed to sell myself.¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°If you need money, just serve me well! I¡¯ll <b>give </b>you all the money that you want!¡±

    ¡°No! No! Mr. Middleton, save me!¡± the woman screamed desperately.

    William¡¯s expression remained unmoved.

    The man cursed, ¡°What kind of bullshit are you talking about! Tonight, you¡¯re mine! I¡¯d like to see who dares to interfere!¡±

    After hearing him saying that, William called out to Ashton. She understood immediately and <b>said</b>, ¡°Security¡±

    The guards quickly appeared and seized the rotund man. Confused, he continued to shout and curse, ¡°Who are you? Who dares to interfere with my business?¡± Ashton stepped forward. ¡°Sir, the Westward Club does not tolerate forcing women. If you don¡¯t follow this rule, then you need not stay in Capebatt City

    ¡°You.. You

    ¡°We are from Cloudex Corporation, the Middleton family.¡± Ashton¡¯s words sobered the man instantly. Realizing he had offended an influential figure, he apologized repeatedly. William had already started walling out. He didn¡¯t acknowledge anyone. His people would handle the aftermath.

    As they exited the Westward Club and he was about to get into the car, the rescued woman ran out. ¡°Mr. Middleton! Mr. Middleton, thank you for saving me. Do you remember me?

    William¡¯s gaze briefly flicked over her face. He didn¡¯t recognize <b>her </b>and didn¡¯t speak,

    In fact, this woman was the same person who had tried to seduce William during a previous gathering at the Westward Club with Jayden and <b>others</b>.

    She bit her lip. ¡°Thank you for saving me earlier. If it weren¡¯t for you, I don¡¯t know what else I could do. I.. I¡¯m really not a prostitute. I only came to work because my family owed money. Evenst time.¡±

    William wasn¡¯t interested in hearing more. He bluntly interrupted, ¡°So why did you chase after me?¡±

    ¡°I heard that your wedding didn¡¯t go through.¡± The fox¨Ceyed woman saw this as <b>a </b>potential moment to change her fate. Gathering her courage, <b>she </b><b>said</b>, ¡°Can I stay by your vide? I¡¯ll do anything you ask!¡±

    Grily then did William give her a proper look.

 Chapter 558

    Chapter 558 Knocked Three Times

    The woman with fox¨Cthe eyes gazed expectantly at William

    dding and <b>was </b>Ekely feeling <b>dejected</b>

    She believed that he would definitelcept her. After all, he <b>had </b>suffered a mishap at his wedding

    People often said that waren were <b>a </b>soothing balm for a man¡¯s wounds. She was obedient and willing to do anything<b>. </b><b>Surely</b>, he would take her in.

    However, things didn¡¯t exactly as she <b>had </b>nned. Instead <b>of </b>eptance, she saw a look of ridicule on William¡¯s face.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    Just as she opened her mouth to speak, William countered, ¡°What makes you think that just because teoldn¡¯t get married, I would be interested in you

    The woman froze in shock

    For the first time in days, William disyed a mocking expression. ¡°If I need a woman, I have plenty of choices. What makes you special? Do you think imitating her experience will make you a suitable recement? Do you think you¡¯re worthy?!

    Her story of family debt, being <b>forced </b>to fend for herself, encountering a scoundrel, narrowly avoiding vition, and concidentally meeting him and desperately <b>seelding </b>help¡­ If it had rained tonight, the scene would have mirrored the exact time when he met Emelie

    The difference was William was never <b>the </b>kind of <b>person </b>who would act out of goodwill without reason.

    He <b>had </b>saved Emelle back then because she was Entelle. As <b>for </b><b>others</b>, whether they were geminely in trouble or not, he had no interest in getting involved.

    He had even less interest in taking her in <b>as </b><b>a </b>substitute,

    He had no interest in recements

    The <b>woman </b>with fox repes felt humiliated Her face tuned pale as she smuggled to speak

    William got straight into the car. Ashton, <b>having </b><b>finished </b>dealing with the aftermath, nced at the wom before getting into the car as well. The vehicle drove off just like that before her

    The women paused for a long time. She <b>couldn¡¯t </b>understand where she had gone wrong.

    Yes, she had been acting

    She wanted so badly to be by <b>his </b>side that she had gathered information everywhere. She found out what kind of person his new bride was and how they met, thinking that mimicking that would touch him and fulfill her wishes

    However, it was useless. Aman kehim would never beachable unless he wanted to be

    the back seat of <b>the </b>car as the streetlights continuously cast shadows on his fair, handsome face. He tristed the wedding ring on his finger

    His rainy¨Cday counter with Emelie was known to no one. He hadn¡¯t even mentioned it to Jayden. Thus, how did this woman find out?

    Was someone intentionally feeding her information to arrange her approach? What was their motive?

    He said, ¡°Investigate that womann¡±

    Ashton replied, ¡°Understood.¡±

    He lowered his hand ¡°Prepare well for next week¡¯s celebration banquet.¡±

    Ashton replied <b>again</b>, ¡°Understood.¡±

    Clouder Corporation, <b>Swanson </b>Corporation, and Davis Group reached <b>a </b>new cooperation agreement, jointly establishing a newpany. Each held 20% of the shares, with Beathan serving as the legal representative and legdvisor.

    This coboration marked the first alliance of four major business nts, and it certainly became a significantevent in the business world Cloudex Corporation even held a celebration banquet for

    The banquet was extravagantly herous, sweeping away the gloom left by the abrupt change at the wedding half month ago. Wim was no longer in a sickly state. Not only did he attend the banquet, but he also personally lock the stage with representatives from the other <b>three </bpanies to unveil the newpany¡¯s que,

    As the red cloth slowly fell, the <b>media¡¯s </b>shlights went off in session. Everyone witnessed the birth of anther Group

    Xanther Group and Xander Group were only ateur letters apart. Thetter had fallen into disgrace twenty¨Csix years ago, bing a nearly forgotten chapter of history. The former was now and would be the focus of all attention.

    The <b>banquet </b>was led with the clinking of sses <b>and </b>toasts. It was a scene of hedonistic splendor,ughter<b>, </b>and joy.

    Wim stood there. For once, he was acting indifferent to the media¡¯s cameras <b>and </b>not rejecting the guests¡® greetings. The shlights and cameras captured every moment of William¡¯s spirited presence.

    He epted every toast graciously and thanked everyone. Dressed in a bespoke ck suit, he was elegant and iparable. He was once again the unrivaled heir of the Middleton family in Capeball Cirp

    In the surge of admiration and respect, all truths were swept into the depths and disappeared without a trace

    Meanwhile, fat way, there was arge yacht selling slowly, looking like <b>an </b>isted ind, on the sea. It was hidden in the night, with nothing but darkness ahead.

    The deck lights were din

    Wesley wore a pair of white trousers and <b>a </b>shirt. The shirt was loose and untucked, making him appear atle sloppy as the sea breeze inted the back of his shirt into a

    puit. He wore a pale of sandals on his feet.

    Looking at his appearance, one might think that he was on a cruise.

    However, he was carrying arge bottle of

    the still kocked.

    ions he knocked three times on the door of <b>a </b>room on the third level. He knew that the person inside was likely still unconscious,

 Winning Her Heart back Chapter 559

    Chapter 559 <b>Just </b>Two Centimeters Away

    As expected, there was no response. Wesley pushed the door open.

    The room¡¯s windows were tightly shut, with the air conditioning running to circte the air, preventing the salty sea breeze from disturbing the person lying on the bed.

    She had been in aa and had never opened her eyes for the past half month. Due to severe injuries and excessive blood loss, her face was still as pale as paper, even though she received a lot of blood on the day of the rescue.

    Wesley had timed his visit well. The infusion bottle she was receiving had just finished. He removed the needle from the empty bottle and reced it with the one he had brought He adjusted the drip rate to continue supplying her body with the energy needed to sustain her life.

    Amaid was about to wipe her cheeks <b>and </b>hands, but wesley indicated that he would do it. The maid silently withdrew.

    He dipped a clean towel in the warm water and wrung it out before gently wiping Emelie¡¯s lifeless¨Clooking face.

    She had <b>a </b>charming tace. Even in her frail, <b>pale</b><b>, </b><b>and </b>sickly state, she was still gorgeous. Her nose was delicate and well¨Cdefined.

    Elders used to say that people with straight noses had stubborn temperaments and preferred to break rather than bend. This seemed to hold some truth.

    Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have ended up this way.

    He wiped down to her neck, and there were also wounds there. It was clearly from <b>a </b>knife. The cuts were deep and had almost severed her arteries.

    Instinctively, Wesley checked her <b>pulse</b>, and his mind shed back to that day.

    There was a loud ssh as Emelie was thrown into the <b>sea</b>

    An arrow was lodged in <b>her </b>chest, and she seemed to have stopped breathing. She <b>didn¡¯t </b>struggle or even try to <b>save </b>herself. Blood spread from her chest and dyed the water around her a hint red

    Her limbs were lifeless, and the water pressure from all sides pushed her downward, threatening to make her disappear into the depths of the ocean.

    The sea was <b>silent </b>and ethereal yet filled with a despair that bridged Ille and death.

    Then, there was another ssh. Wesley dove into the sea and reached out toward Emelie.

    It was as though there was a beam of light following <b>him</b>, like a path to sahation.

    He had no diving gear on. Emelie was sinking too fast, and he struggled to keep up. Just as both of their physical limits were reached, he finally grasped her hand. Wesley heard his heartbeat underwater. Resisting the water pressure, he pulled <b>her </b>into his art

    arms and, like a mermaid, smoothly flipped and swam toward the surface.

    Wesley would never forget the moment when he fell Emelle, who was soaked and unconscious, leaning against him. His entire world turned dark when he couldn¡¯t feel her pulse.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for Marcel and Jodie insisting that saving Emelie was the priority, he would have gone to settle the score with William immediately.

    The only silver lining was that after a day and night of emergency treatment, he managed to save her. Even though her breathing was still weak, at least she was alive.

    The arrow had been just two centimeters away from her heart.

    ¡°Eme.. <b>Eme</b><b>.</b>¡±

    Wesley¡¯s amber eyes were fixed on the woman on <b>the </b>bed as he softly called out her name. Yet, Emelie showed no response,

    The doctors had said that she was out of danger. However, her injuries were too severe, and coupled with her weak will to survive, she hadn¡¯t woken up. It was uncertain when she might wake upAll content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.

    Wesley¡¯s throat tightened as be quietly asked her and himself, ¡°Should I have taken you away 11 years ago?¡±

    Alilough there were many uncertainties back then and taking her away wasn¡¯t the best choice, at least he would have been by <b>her </b>side. He wouldn¡¯t have let her get so badly <b>hurt</b>

    Chapter 560 What Is He Even Worth?

    Chapter 560 What Is He Even Worth?

 Chapter 560

    Chapter 560 What Is He Even Worth?

    After he was done wiping her down, Wesley switched on amp. Then, he casually picked up a book and began to read her a story

    The doctor had mentioned that talking to Emelie could stimte her to wake up. During this time, Wesley had spoken to her a lot, but he had run out of new topics. He could only

    her stories now.

    Marcel came to deliver dinner for Wesley. After ncing at the person on the bed, he hesitantly asked, ¡°Mr. Graham, will Ms. Hoven ever wake up?¡±

    Wesley paused for a moment, then calmly replied, ¡°She will¡±

    But it had already been half a month. Marcel pressed his lips together. ¡°I still remember when Ms. Hoven caught me talding photos of her in Wimstour City. She was doing well then.¡±

    Wesley was momentarily lost in thought, then softly humed <b>a </b>page of the book. ¡°She will be fine again¡±

    Marcel lowered his head and felt deeply ashamed. ¡°When Ms. Hoven wakes up, I will exin and apologize to her for failing to save Mrs. Haven as she entrusted me.¡±

    Wesley waved his hand to dismiss Marcel, who then left. Wesley then tocked Emelie¡¯s hair behind her ear and touched her cheek.

    He softly said, ¡°Eme, hurry up and wake up. If you¡¯re not waking up because of him, <b>he¡¯s </b>not worth it. <b>What </b>is he even worth<b>?</b>

    ¡°If you can¡¯t ept your foster mother¡¯s death, that¡¯s okay. I will avenge you. I¡¯ll give you everything that I can.¡°.

    Emelie¡¯s hand moved slightly under the nket. Wesley didn¡¯t notice and continued reading to her.

    <b>Day </b>after day passed. Their destination was tar, and with the yacht¡¯s slow speed, they had been saling for 20 days already.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.

    Emelle still slept quietly, like Princess Aurora from the story that Wesley had read to her the night before.

    The sun was out this day, and it made the sea sparlde

    Wesley <b>had </b>Jodie check Emelle¡¯s chest wound. Once it was confirmed that the wound had mostly healed and she could be moved, he carried her in his arms and ced her in a wheelchair, then pushed her out of the room to bask in the sun on the deck.

    He secured Emelie¡¯s wheelchair and sat in another chair beside her. Between them was a small round white table with some books on it<b>, </b>along with some h hot tea and snacks, Seagulls circled in the sky, <b>and </b>asionally, whales leaped out of the water Wesley would be reading ¡°The Gift of the Phoenix to Emelle today.

    As he read, a seagull was attracted by the snacks on their table and flew <b>over</b>. It attempted tond on Emelie¡¯sp. Wesley noticed it out of theer of his eye and reached out to block it.

    The seagull¡¯s sharp ws scratched him and left three marks on the back at his hand as it snatched a snack. However, Wesley ignored the wound and continued reading. Jodie approached and said, ¡°Mr. Graham.¡±

    She handed him a tablet. On the screen was a live broadcast from Capebatt Cry¡¯s financialchannel. The reporter was reporting on¨Csite.

    ¡°Today, Cloudex Corporation, Swanson Corporation, and the Davis Group jointly inaugurated and celebrated the establishment of Xanther Group

    ¡°Cloudex Corporation¡¯s CEO William Middleton, Swanson Corporation¡¯s CEO Bryan Swanson<b>, </b><b>Davis </b>Group¡¯s CEO Charles Davis, and legal representative Beathan Collins cut the ribbon and discussed the future of Xanther Group. It is reported that Xanther Group will continue to focus on industry.¡±

    Wesley¡¯s usually calm eyes showed a hint of mockery. ¡°Xanther Group? How dare they give theirpany this name?

    Why did they name thepany so simrly to Xander Group? Was it <b>a </b>provocation?

    No, they knew <b>that </b>the Pierce family was all dead, so there was no need for them to provoke the dead.

    This was probably a disy of arrogance. They were showing off that no one could threaten them anymore. Even if they named thepany Xanther Group, who could do anything about it?

    How arrogant.

    Jodie said, ¡°They must have been preparing this for a long time.¡±

    After all, establishing apany wasn¡¯t an overnight task. Many preparations were needed in advance. They must have been arranging this at least three <b>months </b>ago, back when Emelle didn¡¯t know her own identity and William was still pursuing her.

    This was another piece of evidence proving that William had indeed been plotting against Emelie for a long time.

    Wesley said calmly, ¡°They are like locusts tied on the same rope, but locusts will also cannibalize each other. The tighter they are bound, the more they trust each other.¡±

    As they spoke, Emelie, who <b>was </b>in the wheelchair, moved her fingers slightly

 Chapter 561

    Chapter 561¡® Take You Home

    Jodie added. ¡°No wonder Bryan has been so close to Willem¡¯sintely. It seems their families are nning a manage alliance.¡±

    Wesley watched the tablet as the scoren disyed William¡¯s slightlycold face.

    The reporter interviewed Wim <b>and </b>asked, ¡°Mr. Middleton, can you share your expectations for Xanther Group?

    william¡¯s voice was distinctive, deep, and maic, but it was devoid of emotion and sounded hollow as he repeated, ¡°Expectations<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>

    Just this one word made Emilie¡¯s eyshes suddenly tremble, <b>and </b>her breathing became rapid.

    This time, Wesley noticed <b>and </b>immediately put down the cablerandheld her hand ¡°Ene?¡±

    <b>Was </b><b>she </b>about to wake up?

    William¡¯s voice on the screen continued to prate Emelie¡¯s ears.

    ¡°I invested money and effort into it, so naturally, expect it to develop better and improve. I hope that thepany¡¯s A¨Cshares will go public and that we¡¯ll be able to ring the listing bell, join the Fortune 500, and eventually be another economic powerhouse.¡±

    The reporter <bughed</b>. ¡°Mr. Maldicton, it seems like you¡¯re in a good mood today. You¡¯re even joking with everyone so humorously.¡±

    William smiled slightly. He looked at the camera as he was looking through <b>it </b><b>at </b>someone specific. His dark eyes were like an abyss¡­

    <b>¡°</b>Yes, <b>I </b>am After nning for so long, it¡¯s finally sess. The are worries anymore. Those inconveniences¨Cthose who shouldn¡¯t be around and were meant to disapper- have all been dealt with, I feel at ease.¡±

    ¡°Those inconveniences¨Cthose who shouldn¡¯t be around and were meant to disappear¨Chave all been dealt with.¡±

    ¡°Those inconveniences¨Cthose who shouldn¡¯t be around and were meant to disappear¨Chave all been dealt with.¡±

    Emelie¡¯s breathing became increasingly capid. To her, William¡¯s vore sounded like it came from another world, as indifferent and crus abeys.

    Was he talking about her? Or was he talking about her whole family?

    Emelle <b>suddenly </b>a sharp pain in her chest as though her body was about to bear apart.

    She wanted to call for help and scream pain. She wanted to wake up<b>, </b>but her soul felt as if it was stuck in a swamp The more she struggled, the deeper she sank

    Covered <b>in </b>mud and in unter despair, she heard the reporter ask Wiliam, ¡°ch? Mr. Middleton, are you married? Is that a wedding ring on your ring linger

    William seemed to chuckle nonchntly, ¡°No, I¡¯m just wearing for fun.¡±

    Just for fun?

    Emelie felt as it someone was choking her neck.

    Memories before she lost consciousness floodedback. She membered the moment he had raised the crossbow and fired it, then used her <b>of </b>betrayal and ordered for <b>her </b>to be thrown into the <b>seat </b>destroy the evidenceAll content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.

    Scene after scene and word after word flowed <b>back </b>into her mind from her fingertips.

    Sheclenched her fingers Wesky, fearing that she might <b>hurt </b>herself, called out, ¡°ime,¡±

    Then, he tried to hold her hand. As soon as he touched her palm, she grasped his hand tightly.

    Jode was overjoyed. ¡°Ms. Howen, you¡¯re

    l

    Wesley Immediately looked at her face. Emelle¡¯s eyes were open. Her vacant eyes gradually focused. She saw the <b>golden </b>apaking sea and the soaring seagulls.

    And then she saw Wesley

    Tears welled up in her eyes. She blinked, and in the next moment, her tears flowed like a waterfall.

    The doctor on the yacht immediately conducted a thorough examination of Emelie. He i

    e confirmed that, except for weakness, she was in good health

    Wesley squatted in front of her wheelchair, bolding her hand and looking spather. ¡°Iknew you would wake up.¡±

    Emelie¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°Have Islept for a long time?!

    Wesley nodded ¡°20 days¡±

    Emelie mummized, ¡°That¡¯s long.¡±

    Wesley said, ¡°You were exhausted.¡±

    Emeleted her head to look out the windows. Beyond the ss was the blue sea with rolling waves. Her voice was light, like dandelions blowing in the wind. ¡°Where are we

    ¡°I¡¯m taking you home.¡±

    On the goth day of their <b>voyage</b><b>, </b>they docked at Mercianna in Faldocia. After such a long <b>rest</b>, Emelie <b>had </b>recovered about seventy to eighty percent. <b>She </b>could walk by herself.

    As soon as she stepped onto the Mercianna <b>port</b>, <b>she </b>saw over a dozen ck luxury cars tilling the port, creating an <b>oppressive</b>, <b>breathtaking </b>sight

    Uniformed drivers, ball <b>and </b>tidy, were <b>seen </b>standing by the car doors while wearing white gloves. When Emelle appeared, they all burned to face her, cing their right hands over

    chessbeebing

    Emelle was stunned <b>and </b>didn¡¯t understand. She instely tumed to look for Wesley, who <b>shook </b>his <b>head </b>helplessly. He seemed to know what was happening and held her hand

    Amelderly butler sporting a white beard approached them. He was dressed in an elegant ck and wearing a monocle. He greeted Wesley with a bow, then looked <b>at </b>Emelie seriously.

    bunele allowed him to look at her. Soon, he revealed <b>a </b>gratified and even smile.

    He said, ¡°It¡¯s been many years, M. Mandy.¡±

 Winning Her Heart back Chapter 562

    Chapter 562 A Hollow <b>Puppet</b>

    ¡°Mandy

    Imelle was taken aback when she heard that name.

    She Instinctively nced at Wesley, who then asked the old butler, ¡°Did my mother arrange this?¡±

    The butler replied <b>joyfully</b>, ¡°Yes, Mr. Graham. Mrs. Morales has sent me to fetch you and Ms. Mandy back to Filo Residence. A weing banquet has been prepared at the estate, all arranged personally by Mrs. Morales. If Ms. Merrill hadn¡¯t arrived unexpectedly<b>, </b>Mrs. Morales would havee herself.¡±

    Marcel and Jodie exchanged nces, relieved that Mrs. Morales wasn¡¯t present. Otherwise, the situation would have been even more overwhelming. Theirdy was quite something

    ¡°we¡¯re going back to the Denning residence,¡± Wesley <b>said </b>calmly. ¡°Tell my mother that Ene¡¯s health isn¡¯t fully restored yet. Ask her not to make such a fuss, <b>as </b>it might scare her.

    ||

    The butler looked at Emelie, whose pallor confirmed Wesley¡¯s words. His expression became worried as he said, ¡°Then, you should go back to the Denning residence <b>to </b>rest. Ms. Mandy, I wish you <b>a </b>speedy recovery. I keep you in my prayers.¡±

    Emelie found the butler¡¯s behavior a bit exaggerated. Maybe he had picked up some traits from foreigners. Although he was Cedonian, perhaps years <b>abroad </b><b>had </b>changed him. Unsure of how to respond, she simply said, ¡°Thank you

    The butler seemed even <b>more </b>moved by her words. He took a step back and bowed deeply.

    Emelie felt awkward upon receiving such a grand gesture from <b>an </b>elderly man and instinctively reached out to support him.

    Wesley, however, shook his head. He seemed in be ustomed to the situation and led Emelie down the port steps.

    At the bottom of the steps were a dozen luxurious cars. As they passed, the drivers stood at attention Emelie looked confused. Wesley pinched the bridge of his nose as if he had had enough of this disy. He quietly said, ¡°Marcel,¡±

    Marcel immediately bred and signaled for the drivers to stop their synchronized disy, preventing them from causing any more embarrassment

    Wesley hurried Emelie forward His race pracy was apparent. <b>Emelle </b>nced back at the cars and noticed a blue emblem with red patterns on their sides.

    Was it a family crest? Were the letters on the family crest the word ¡°Filo¡°? Was it the File Group or the Filo family?

    The vehicle Wesley had arranged was spacious <b>and </bfortable. Once inside, Emelie asked, ¡°Who are they? And who is Mandy?

    ¡°They are my mother¡¯s staff,¡± Wesly exined. ¡°<b>My </b>mother has a mboyant personality. She knew we were arriving <b>today </b>and sent them to pick us up, intent.¡±

    Emelielewale about Wesley¡¯s mother. His parents had divorced <b>a </b><b>long </b>time ago, <b>and </b>his mother had lived abroad ever since:

    ¡°Mandy ¡°Wesley handed Emelie a cup of warm water. ¡°Mindy was your original name.¡±

    Her original name?

    Emelie looked at him and gradually understood the situation.

    <b>Was </b><b>her </b>name Mandy <b>Pierce</b>? Was it the name given to her by die Pierce family?

    Enelle tightened her grip on the cup. ¡°What does the butler mean by ¡®at¡¯s been many years?

    ¡°He used to be the Pierce family¡¯s butler. He saw you when you were just an infant. ¡±

    So, the phrase ¡°It¡¯s been many years spanned a full 26 years.

    A <b>sense </b>of nostalgia washed over Emelie. She looked out of the car window to see the butter s standing by the car <b>and </b>not <b>leaving</b>.

    However, their vehicle soon drove away from the port, and the butler disappeared from view.

    Emelle withdrew her gaze. She stated as the water in her cup rippled from the car¡¯s motion.

    <b>They </b>eventually arrived at a grand mansion. This was Wesley¡¯s bome in Merrianna

    From that day onward, they lived there.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    but there was no ill

    The weather in Mernna was lovely, as it was often sunny with the mild temperatures of the season, Emelie enjoyed sitting on the garden swing each day while reading. When she grew tired, she would fall asleep right on the swing and often nap for the entire afternoon. When Wesley returned from his outings, he <b>would </b>find her deeply asleep on the couch, using her arm as <b>a </b>pillow.

    He would then walk over and pick her up<b>, </b>along with the nket, and carry her back to the room.

    One day, Jodie followed behind them and said softly, ¡°Although Ms. Hoven is conscious, she still sleeps a lot.¡±

    alot¡±

    Wesley looked down at the woman in his arms and tightened his grip. However, he seemed to have hurt her, as she frowned. He loosened his hold.

    The light in the corridor tell on his charming face as he replied, ¡°Her body <b>hasn¡¯t </b>fully recovered yet. Have the maids prepare more medicinal meals.¡±

    Excessive blood <b>loss </b>and a weakened constitution required plenty of rest to heal.

    Jodie hesitated, then said, ¡°Compared to her physical weakness, her mental state is more concerning.¡±

    Since she had woken up on the yacht, melle had said little and disyed minimal emotions. She had not asked about anything rted <b>to </b>Capebatt city. She had let them bring her free without protest

    She never inquired <b>about </b>what to do or how things would <b>unfold</b>. She simply existed.

    Now, <b>she </b>was like a hollow puppet.

 Chapter 563

    Chapter 563 Reserved just for You

    As Wesley ced Emelie on the <b>bed</b><b>, </b>she woke up. Blinking sleepily, she looked at him and said, ¡°Wesley, you¡¯re back.¡±

    Wesley nced down at her. ¡°Doesn¡¯t your head hurt from sleeping so much every <b>day</b>?¡°¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m tired,¡± she mumbled. Then<b>, </b>she curled up under the nket like a cold, sleepyk

    Wesley¡¯s fingers involuntarily brushed her cheek. Jodie, who had been standing behind, silently left the bedroom. Once outside the door, her expression showed hesitation.

    The room was dimly lit, with only the streetlights from the garden and the wallmps from the corridor casting a soft, warm glow.

    Wesley¡¯s voice was gentle as he <b>said</b>, ¡°Let¡¯s go out for a meal. You haven¡¯t explored Mernna at all since you arrived.¡±

    Emelie showed little interest Resting her head on theer of the nket, she replied, ¡°I¡¯ve already seen the ce on the way from the port to the estate the other day.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to go out? When he <b>didn¡¯t </b>receive an answer, he didn¡¯t press further and <b>said</b>, ¡°Then, let¡¯s eat at home. Get up.¡±

    With a silent sigh, Emelie followed Wesley downstairs.

    The butler and maids at the estate were of Estecan descent, so they prepared Estecan dishes. However, Emelie didn¡¯t eat mech. <b>And </b>unless Wesley spoke to her, she remained silent-

    There was nothing particrly wrong with her behavior. After all, she had a quiet personality.

    After dinner, Emelle intended to head back upstairs. Wesley observed her and asked, ¡°Are you going back to sleep again?

    Emelle looked at the time. It was already 9:30 pm. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to rest?¡±

    ¡°If I lie down right after eating, I might get a stomach ache. You were the one who told me that¡± Wesley stood up <b>as </b>he spoke. Then, he continued, ¡°I¡¯ll show you around the ce. Consider it a post¨Cdinner walk.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not very full, so I don¡¯t need to walk off the meal. I¡¯m a bit sleepy. I¡¯ll explore the estate another <b>day</b>.¡±

    Wesley merely called out to the maids, saying, ¡°Coat¡±

    The <b>maids </b>brought him a long overcoat and a cloak for Emelie, indicating that he was determined to have her leave the house that evening.

    Emelie put on the cloak reluctantly.

    Although it was night, the estate was well¨Clit. Thus, the paths were easy to navigate.

    The architecture of the ce wasvish and dramatic, featuring intricate carvings and vivid colors that were both ssical and artistic. As they walked<b>, </b>Wesley exined the history of the ce.

    The estate <b>was </b>built in the 19th century and had originally belonged to a Faldoria noble. The noble, who was fond of luxury and had good taste, hadmissioned skilled <b>artisans </b>to create a masterpiece that was renowned at the time.

    However, the noble¡¯s descendants were not as impressive, and after the family¡¯s decline, the estate was sold to the File family.

    When Wesley turned 20, the head of the Filo family, his grandmother, gave him the estate as a birthday gift

    ¡°The name Denning from the Denning residence is my grandmother¡¯s family name<b>, </b>Amelia Denning, Everyone calls her Mrs. Denning<b>.</b>¡± Wesley said softly.

    Emelie looked at him, and curiosity appeared on her face. <b>She </b>wanted to ask him something.

    However, she fell silent before she could ask. Perhaps she felt that it didn¡¯t concern her and decided not to pursue it. Thus, she decided to keep quiet instead.

    Wesley gave her a long look before leading her to a room.

    The room was spacious. Unlike the rest of the estate¡¯s opulence, it was sparsely furnished, with only a piano and some other instruments inside. The walls were fitted fully withAll content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.

    As they entered the room, their reflections appeared on the walls.

    Emelie looked back at him in puzzlement. Wesley exined<b>, </b>¡°This is the dance practice room.¡±

    ¡°Do you dance?¡± Emelie asked instinctively. After she spoke, she realized that it was an odd question.

    However, Wesley smiled slightly and said, ¡°It¡¯s for you.¡±

    Umele was taken aback. ¡°For me?¡±

    ¡°You used to love dancing, remember? Wesley <b>leaned </b>against the ballet barre with his arms crossed as he looked at her.

    telle hesitated before replying. ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten.¡±

    Wesley spoke gently, ¡°After my grandmother gave me the estate, i renovated it. I specifically reserved a few rooms for you. This dance practice room was designed just <b>for </b>you.<b>¡± </b>Did he just say that he had set aside a few cooms in his home for her?

 Chapter 564

    Chapter 564 You just Don¡¯t Want to Wake Up

    <b>ewas</b><b>!</b>

    Emelie opened her mouth but didn¡¯t know what to say she couldn¡¯t quite exin how she was feeling.

    However, Wesley didn¡¯t seem to care about <b>what </b>she was feeling<b>.</b>

    He said, ¡°Eme, dance for me again. Do thest dance you performed before I went abroad.¡±

    Emelie hit her lip and looked away but with mirrors on all four sides of the walls, Wesley could still see the rejection on her face. It was a look that wasn¡¯t directed at him but at the

    idea of dancing

    ¡°I¡¯ve forgotten it after all these years,¡± she said.

    ¡°I know how good your memory is,¡± he replied.

    ¡°My injury isn¡¯t fully healed yet,¡± she said.

    ¡°The wound healed while we were on the yacht. The doctor confirmed it,¡± Wesley said.

    ¡°I¡¯m not dressed for dancing today, Maybe another day¡± mele continued to argue

    ¡°You could dance even in <b>your </b>school uniform back then, so why not now?¡± he said.

    Wesley rarely insisted when she repeatedly relused. However, Emelie just didn¡¯t want to move right now.

    He dropped his hands. His brown eyes darkened to <b>a </b>deep ander. ¡°Are you still mad at me for lewing you back then?¡±

    Imele shook her <b>head </b>¡°No¡±

    wesley continued, ¡°Can my recent act of saving your life make up for my mistake of <b>leaving </b>you?

    Emelle reiterated <b>and </b>said, ¡°I¡¯m not angry.¡±

    However, Weste insisted that she <b>wouldn¡¯t </b>dance because she was still angry. ¡°If the debt is settled, then you can dance for me?¡±

    Dinele burned back and stared at hi

    What was he talking about? She had already said she wasn¡¯t angry.

    Wesley raised an eyebrow.

    Emelie was silent.

    ¡°Do you need music?¡± Wesley asked.

    Emele didn¡¯t reply.

    However<b>, </b>Wesley picked up <b>a </b>nearby <b>Molin</b>..

    Emelie reluctantly kicked off her shors and stood in her socks. Indeed, the polished wooden floor was smooth and perfect for dancing.

    Wesley rested the violin on his shoulder. After a moment, he began to y Alexander Greenwood¡¯s June¡¯s Luby. The clear sound of the violin was perfect for this song that depicted summer.

    Emelie stood still momentarily before rising on her toes.

    She <b>had </b>learned ssical dancing as a child, though she hadn¡¯t danced much in recent years. But as Wesley had said, she had a good memory and hadn¡¯t forgotten the dance

    moves

    Initially, she danced awkwardly, but she quickly found her rhythm.

    Dechid hands, single¨Carm, flowing g, spining, flowersteps, litting hem, and pressing hands. These were all ssical dance moves, <b>and </b>Emelie danced <b>them </b>beautifully, blending with the music like a young girl in a green dress dritting on a boat across a summerke.

    Dancing was exercise. No matter how gracefully one <b>danced</b>, it required energy. However, it <b>also </b>served as a great outlet for pent¨Cup mergy. <b>When </b>someone is fully immersed in <b>dancing</b>, it¡¯d make one forget everything else, with no thoughts upying the mind

    Emelie initially danced reluctantly, but soon she was fully engaged.

    The melody grew richer, and Emelie spun in ce. The hem of her cloak flew up, and as the music reached a climax, she spin faster and faster. Wesley put down the violin, but she kept spinning. She was like an unstoppable twister on ake

    Wesley didn¡¯t interrupt her. He watched her almost masochistically venting her emotions.

    She spun until she reached her limit, and her legs gave way as she crashed to the floor.

    Emel supported herself on the floor, and her head buzzed fromck of caygen. Her chest heaved, and beads of sweat formed on her forehead.

    Wesley walked over. ¡°Do you feel better?

    Emelie looked up while breathing rapidly

    wesley crouched down and said, ¡°The best way to process emotions is to vent them, not suppress them.¡±

    Emelie¡¯s eyshes fluttered Wesley looked into her clear eyes and uncovered the facade she had been maintaining with just a sentence.

    ¡°You can sleep louter or fifteen hours a <b>day</b><b>, </b>but in reality, you aren¡¯t really fully asleep during most of that <b>time</b>. You just don¡¯t want to wake up, do you?¡± Wesley said.

    It wasn¡¯t a question. It was a statement. He had long <b>since </b>called that sleeping was Emelie¡¯s way of avoiding reality.

    What really was she avoiding? Certainly, it had to be Capobart City<b>, </b>which she didn¡¯t like to mention.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    tanelle clenched her fingers <b>and </b>lowered her head. After she took a long time calming her breath and emotions<b>, </b>she closed her eyes and smiled.

    Yes. She wasn¡¯t really sleep Who could sleep that much<b>?</b>

    Or rather, she was an alcalde fall asleep,

 Chapter 565

    Chapter 565 It Was Their Tum to Die

    Dreams weren¡¯t her sanctuary from reality. She never knew when she might relive that event in the wilderness in her dreams again.

    The wound where William shot the arrow at her had indeed healed, leaving only a coin¨Csized scar. Yet, with every heartbeat, the pain in her chest still throbbed. Each bear w

    reminder <b>of </b>that event

    Emelie took a deep breath, and her <b>eyes </b><b>suddenly </b>turned red as <b>she </b>exhaled. ¡°I don¡¯t <b>know</b>, Wesley, <b>I </b>don¡¯t know how to face it.¡±

    She didn¡¯t know how to face Greta¡¯s death, the pain of the arrow wound, the destruction of her family, and William¡¯s attempts to take her life. There were too many questions, and she couldn¡¯t find a single answer.

    Why did these things happen? Why did she always have to endure such things?

    Emelie sat on the floor. The wooden boards were cold and hard, and the chill crept up her limbs. The mirrors around her reflected her trembling body.

    Even her voice was shaking. ¡°I feel like I should have died that day¡±

    Emelie was supposed to be the most resilient. No matter how much William tried to crush her, she never bowed her head nor did she ever feel defeated. But now, all she talked about was death<b>, </b>like a faded old photograph that <b>was </b>gray and lifeless.

    Wesley knew she was in great pain. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have been in aa for <b>so </b>many days post¨Csurgery. The doctors said she had no will to live at that time.

    If escaping and cocooning herself could really let her forget everything about Capebatt City and start anew, he would let her hide in her cocoon forever.

    However, the issue was that she pretended to sleep during the day and sat hugging her knees through the night until dawn. She couldn¡¯t let go of those things. She was only torturing herself.

    red, but

    Wesley lifted her face. Her eyes were red, but there were no tears. She had probably cried too much for the past few <b>days</b>.

    ¡°Dying is the easiest way out, but do you really want that? Wesley said.

    Emelie¡¯s eyshes trembled, <b>and </b>she gritted her teeth.

    Did she really want that?

    Did she really want to die quietly while her enemies livedvishly? Did she want to let those who killed her adoptive and biological parents rise step by <b>step </b>on their bones?

    Did she really want that?

    How could she possibly want that?

    Emelie¡¯s fingers clenched so tightly that her palms hurt. It was as if she were struggling to break free from <b>a </b>cocoon to be a butterfly.

    She squeezed out each word through gritted teeth. ¡°If I die, I¡¯ll take the Middleton family, the Davis family, the Collins family, and the Swanson family with me! I want them to die with me!¡±

    Why should they be <b>so </b>unrestrained? Why should they act so recklessly?

    They destroyed the Pierce family 26 years ago and then forced the Hown family to their deaths 26 yearster. Who did they think they were? What did they think they were?

    Was she a tish on the chopping block, amb to the ughter, a rabbit in a trap, or a bird with no branch to cling to within range of a crossbow?

    Azing fire ignited in Emelie¡¯s chest, reviving her nearly lifeless form, since she hadn¡¯t died 26 years ago and didn¡¯t die 26 yearster, it was now their tum to <b>die</b>

    Wesley saw the resolve and hatred in her eyes, which were something he had never seen so sharply before..

    He never thought of her as a clinging vine, nor did he think she should rely on him. However, he didn¡¯t want her to be a wolf that would stop at nothing for revenge either. Hecovered her eyes with his hand, and his gentle voice sighed. ¡°You don¡¯t have to bear the burden of the Pierce family¡¯s affairs.¡±

    Emelle swallowed hard. ¡°This isn¡¯t just about the Pierce family. This is about my family.¡±

    Xander was her biological father.

    <b>Wesley </b>paused, then slowly lowered his hand.

    Emelie looked out the window with her gaze seemingly piercing through the current darkness, crossing oceans and thousands of miles back to Capebatt City, where she saw that man and those other men

    She murmured, ¡°They fear the reopening of the case, so I will n

    I make their nightmaree true. Everyone at the Xanther <b>Group </b>should apologize to Xander Group¡±

    Wesley watched her for a long while Revenge had be her only motivation to live.

    After a while, he said<b>, </b>¡°Alright.¡±

    Emelie looked back at him. He showed no emotion <b>and </b>said, ¡°We¡¯ll make them pay.¡±

    If she wanted to escape, they would stay in Mercianna. This was his ce. Here, she could live however she wanted, and no one could hurt her.

    If she wanted revenge, they would return to Capebatt City to settle every new and old score, making those who deserved to die pay and those who deserved to atone atone. He had always followed her lealN?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

 Chapter 566

    Chapter 566 <b>It¡¯s </b>Not Your Pault

    After that<b>, </b>Emelie began her true recovery,

    Her daily routine and diet returned to normal. After her regr check¨Cups and medication, she finally gathered the courage to ask the questions she had previously avoided. She requested Marcel from Wesley toe and exin what <b>had </b>happened the day Greta was attacked

    ??? ? ? ?? ? ??

    In the living room, a maid brought two cups of tea. Emelle <b>and </b>Wesley sat on a long sota while Marcel stood in front of them.

    At Emelie¡¯s inquiry, Marcel first nced at Wesley. After he received a nod from Wesley, Marcel bowed deeply to Emelie and expressed his remorse.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Hoven. I failed <b>to </bplete my mission and <b>rescue </b>Mrs. Hoven!¡± Marcel said.

    Emelie¡¯s voice was grave as she said, ¡°I want to hear the details.¡±

    Marcel nodded<b>. </b>¡°William had Mrs. Hoven guarded very tightly. We were discovered before we even left the hospital.¡±

    To avoid drawing attention, they hadn¡¯t dared to deploy arge team for the rescue. Only four people were involved.

    When they were pursued, Marcel quickly handed Greta over to one of his subordinates. ¡°Take Mrs. Hoven to Silverbrook. Someone will meet you there! We¡¯ll draw them aw

    ¡°Understood!¡± the subordinatesaid.

    Although they were few in number, they were well¨Ctrained and well¨Ccoordinated. The one who took Greta away<b>, </b>along with the nurse who had previouslymunicated with Emelie, disguised herself as Greta and joined Marcel in diverting the pursuers.

    The chase was set in a hospital and the bustling city. As such, Marcel¡¯s team and the pursuers wanted to avoid drawing attention. Thus, the chase remained low¨Cprofile When the crowd was dense, they walked briskly. When it was sparse, they ran swiftly. They mingled with the crowd without attracting anyone¡¯s attention. Once they left the hospital, they headed into an alley. The alley was crisscrossed, and they split into three routes to scatter the pursuers

    They nned to regroup at the next intersection. By then, they had already sessfully lost the pursuers.

    ¡°Did Isaac get Gabriel <b>and </b>Mrs. Hoven yet? Marcel asked urgently

    The nurse shook her head. ¡°Isaac said he <b>hasn¡¯t </b>seen Gabriel yet¡±

    What was going on? Had Gabriel not taken Greta to Silverbrook?

    Marcel frowned. He sensed something was off. <b>Was </b>it possible the pursuers were aware of their diversion, or had Gabriel encountered another problem?

    Not wanting to dy any further, Marcel immediately led his team back to search for Gabriel and Greta.

    They all hadmunication devices, and Marcel called Gabriel on the device

    At first, there was no response, but eventually, it connected

    Gabriel¡¯s voice was tense. ¡°We¡¯re being chased by a group of men! Damn it! They¡¯re ruthless! They want us dead!¡±

    The pursuers weren¡¯t that aggressive. They seemed only to want to capture them. Why had things escted to deadly force?

    In <b>such </b>an urgent situation, Marcel didn¡¯t have time for more questions. ¡°Where are you?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re in Amberfield We split from Mrs. Hoven to distract them! Lean¡¯t find her now!¡± Gabriel said.

    What did he just <b>say</b><b>?</b>Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Marcel¡¯s heart leaped to his throat. ¡°<b>Find </b>Mrs. Hoven immediately! We¡¯re on our way!¡±

    The distance was short, so Marcel¡¯s team quickly arrived

    The area was amercial street, which was crowded with cars and pedestrians. They searched anxiously until the nurse shouted, ¡°Over there!¡±

    Marcel looked and saw Greta alone on the street, looking panicked and stumbling around..

    <b>They </b>rushed toward Oreta, but suddenly, several cars appeared and blocked their way.

    During the chaos, Marcel saw a man run past Greta and knocked her to the ground. He then stole something from her before fleeing away.

    Gretay on <b>the </b>ground, not moving

    Marcel realized the severity of the situation and agilely climbed over the car hood, which caused some bystanders to let <b>out </b>startled gasps. He no longer cared about keeping a low profile and <b>ran </b>straight for Greta

    He picked up Greta ¡°Mrs. Hoven! Mrs. Hoven! Are you alright?¡±

    A constant beeping sound came from Greta¡¯s body, and her face was ashen. She wealdly clutched Marcel¡¯s clothes<b>. </b><b>¡°</b>Ime¡­ Eme¡­¡±

    Marcel quickly reassured her, ¡°Yes! Ms. Hoven is waiting for you! Hold on! I¡¯ll take you to the hospital for treatment!¡±

    Marcel carried Greta, but she knew her condition was dire. The battery for her artificial heart had been stolen, and there was no time left.

    She heard her battery¡¯s countdown ticking. Five, four, <b>three</b>. This was <b>also </b>her life¡¯s countdown

    She opened her mouth. This was her final moment. What should she say to Eme, whom she cared for deeply? what could she say to honor their mother¨Cdaughter bond? Geeta said, ¡°L I don¡¯t me you. Your father doesn¡¯t me you either Eme, it¡¯s not your fault.¡±

 Chapter 567

    Chapter 567 An Opportunity to Be <b>Your </b>Teacher

    Emelie tried to hold back her tears, but they rolled down regardless.

    Sheenderstood what Gir meant.

    n¡¯s trap, which led to Greta and

    A mother knew her daughter the best. Greta knew that if she died, <b>Emelie </b>would Ekely me herself. Emelie would think she had fallen for William¡¯s i Ronan¡¯s deaths. Thus, Greta¡¯s final words were to absobe Emelle, <b>telling </b>her it wasn¡¯t her fa

    Wesley handed her handkerchief<b>, </b>but Emelie shook her head and wiped her tears with her hand:

    This was thest and only time she would cry. The next time she cried would be on the day she got her revenge.

    ¡°Did my mother say anything else?¡± Emelie asked hoarsely.

    Marcel nodded. ¡°She also wanted you to remember your promise to find Etta¡±

    Hoven, the third daughter of the Hoven family.

    Wesley picked up his teacup, and the steam from the tea blurted his features. ¡°I¡¯ve already sent my men to look for her. But she¡¯s been missing for so many years, so there are no leads for now,¡±

    ¡°My parents told me that Ema dropped out <b>of </b>college after meeting a pank and eloped with him. She hasn¡¯t contacted the family once since then,¡± Emelie said

    She frowned. ¡°Could she have been deceived? otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have not contacted the family at all.¡±

    Another possibility was that she wasn¡¯t able to contact them.

    ¡°<b>There¡¯s </b>a chance. Marcel, look into this possibility.<b>¡± </b>Wesley tapped his long fingers on the enamel cup¡¯s rim while being deep in thought. ¡°William was also looking for Etta. He might suspect that the ount book is with Etta¡±

    Emelie paused as an idea had struck her. ¡°It¡¯s not impossible. In my memory, Etta was an obedient, understanding, and timid girl. She doesn¡¯t seem like the type to run off with

    Wesley nodded. ¡°She had run off with the guy shortly after you left home, probably because Edward sensed iminent danger and asked Elta to take the ount book with her. Your adoptive mother¡¯sst words to find Elta were actually a way to tell you where the <b>ount </b>book was.

    Greta had <b>continued </b>to n for her even <b>in </b>her death. She couldn¡¯t bear me ming herself, and she <b>had </b>been given a chance to retaliate

    Wesley Bitted his <b>hand </b>and signaled Marcel to leave,

    Emelle, <b>who </b>had been sitting on the same <b>sofa </b>as him, turned <b>to </b>face him. ¡°Wesley, please find me some teachers.¡±

    wesley put down his teacup ¡°What do you want to learn?¡±

    ¡°A lot.¡± Emelie pressed her lips together. ¡°I used to be a secretary. Although I know many things, they are only surface¨Clevel. I want to be able to leam more in depth.¡± Wesley knew she was preparing for her future confrontations with William and the Xwdher Group. He asked, ¡°Why seek other teachers? <b>can¡¯t </b>I teach you?¡±

    Free was surprised: ¡°Aren¡¯t you busy?!

    ¡°But I don¡¯t want to let the opportunity to be your teacher go to someone else.¡± Wesley uncrossed his legs and stood up, indicating that she should follow him. ¡°We¡¯ll start <b>your </b>lessons today. Come with me to my study,¡±

    The first lesson Emelie had with Wesley was in business.

    This was Emelie¡¯s forte, given her background <b>as </b><b>a </b>chief secretary. However, because she had been secretary, she had leamed the supporting aspects of it rather than the decision¨Cmaking perspective.

    Wesley¡¯s teachings provided her with invaluable insights from the viewpoint of a leader. She had leaned <b>a </b><b>lot</b>

    In addition to business, Wesley taught her other skills.

    He taught her shooting, archery, and horseback riding Horseback riding, in particr, was Emelle¡¯s weekest skill. She had been outmaneuvered by William at the riding field

    before.

    Sering that she couldn¡¯t even control the horse, Wesley tool hold of her saddle<b>, </b>mounted the hose behind her, and guided her personally.

    The estate was vast<b>, </b>and there was plenty of space for horseback riding

    As the horse galloped Emelle inadvertently caught a whiff of the pine scent on Wesley. At that moment, she was reminded of another man whose familiar scent of fresh snow was deeply ingrained in her memory

    A pang of pain shot <b>through </b>the scar on her chest, <b>and </b>she tightened her grip on the reins

    Then, she noticed the wedding ring on her finger that she couldn¡¯t remove, and her expression went dark

    Wesley <b>noticed </b><b>she </b><b>was </b>distracted and looked down at her. She wore riding attire with her hair bed into a high ponytail, but some of her shorter hair was left louse, and it fluttered in the wind

    He reminded her, ¡°Daydreaming while riding can make you fall off.¡±

    Le refocused her attention.

    Emelie was quick to learn. She picked up skills rapidly, and with Wesley¡¯s effective teaching methods, she <b>made </b>significant progress in a short time.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.

    They practiced for an entice afternoon, and Emelle <b>had </b>already mastered about sixty to seventy <b>percent </b>of the skills<b>.</b>

    sanwed

    That evening a servant announced, <b>¡°</b>Dr. Miles hu

    Dr. Miles was the surgeon who had removed the crossbow bolt from Felle on the cre

    Latele assumed he was here to see her. However, Wesley stood up. ¡°You¡¯ve been studying all day. If you¡¯re tired, reat carly. If not, you can go <b>to </b>my study and look at the books I left on the desk.¡±

    *<b>I¡¯m </b>not tired. I¡¯ll read some more,¡± Emelie said.

    Chapter 567 An Opportunity to Be Your Teacher

    Wesley nodded and went upstairs. Miles was led in by the servant and, after greeting Emelie, also went upstairs. He even carried a medical bag

    Emelie frowned slightly

    Was the doctor seeking Wesley out, or was he seeking the doctor? <b>Was </b>her injury worse than she thought, or was there something wrong with him that he didn¡¯t want her to know?

    201

 Chapter 568

    Chapter 568 The Moon Has Grown on Me

    Emelie decided to confront the situation directly rather than leave it ambiguous or wait for Wesley to reveal it on his own.

    Whether it concerned her matters <b>of </b>his, <b>she </b>didn¡¯t want it to remain in the dark. Hence<b>, </b>she followed <b>him </b>upstairs.

    They went to Wesley¡¯s room, and the door was slightly ajar. Emelle pushed it open without knocking. As she entered, she heard Miles¡¯s voice.

    ¡°<b>Luckily</b>, it¡¯s not summer yet. Otherwise, your wound might have be infected and you would have scared your little wife,¡± Miles said.

    Wesleywarned <b>coldly</b>, <b>¡°</b>Try talking nonsense again.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it true though? The Graham family and the Pierce family have been long¨Ctime friends. When the Xander Group faced trouble, the Graham family wasn¡¯t afraid of being implicated and helped them out wholeheartedly.

    ¡°Given the rtionship of your two families, both of <b>you </b>would have been a match made in heaven if the Pierce family hadn¡¯t had their troubles.¡±

    William¡¯s key trait was coldness. Meanwhile, Wesley¡¯s key <b>trait </b>was indifference.

    He didn¡¯t show much emotion, but he didn¡¯t give off a <b>distant</b>, frosty impression either. However, his states and position made those around him cautious, and they didn¡¯t dare to joke around with him.

    The fact that Milles feltfortable speaking this way indicated a close rtionship between them.

    Wesley was sitting on the sofa with his back to the door. ¡°You should be a screenwriter instead of a doctor.¡±

    ¡°If you <b>don¡¯t </b>want to hear me talk nonsense, <b>pay </b>attention to your health. Your <b>wound </b>isn¡¯t healed <b>yet</b>, and riding and archery will only reopen it,¡± Miles said.

    Wesley was about to say something when he noticed Emelie¡¯s reflection through the ss <b>of </b>an opposing cab

    He turned around. <b>¡°</b>Eme¡±

    Miles also turned around. He was standing behind Wesley and had moved aside to let Emelie see Wesley¡¯s back.

    Her eyes widened in surprise.

    It turned out Wesley <b>had </b>called the doctor because he was injured.

    Wesley also <b>had </b>a <b>broad</b>¨Cshouldered <b>and </b>narrow¨Cwaisted build. From the back, his shoulder des and arms showed his well¨Cdefined, visibly toned muscles,

    However, his fair skin was marred by arge bruise. There were shades of dark purple and even ck, with some areas still bleeding. It was both ring and deeply disturbing

    The injury looked like it wasn¡¯t caused by a knife or a bullet but rather by being struck by a heavy object.

    Wesley tried to shield her from the sight by pulling up his shirt. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be reading in the study?¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.

    ¡°How did you get this bruise?¡± Emelie asked.

    It was obviously a fresh wound. Yet, she had been with him for a while. When did he get the bruise?

    Emelie suddenly came to a realization ¡°Did you get hurt when you saved me during that day?

    Miles answered, ¡°Yes, it happened during that day. We were waiting for you on the cruise when someone set the ship on fire and sent <b>a </b>group of men to attack us during the chaos. Mr. Cronus <b>was </b>injured by a falling pir<b>.</b>¡±

    Wesley seemed slightly upset ¡°You talk too <b>much</b>.¡±

    ¡°I admit my fault. I¡¯ll go downstairs to receive my punishment. Ms. Hoven, please <b>handle </b>Mr. Cronus¡¯s medication.¡± Miles left an ointment and nodded before departing.

    Emelie looked at Wesley. No wonder she <b>had </b>noticed a faint medicinal smell on him while he was teaching her to ride horses.

    She walked <b>in </b>and asked gently, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about this?¡±

    Wesley replied softly, ¡°<b>What </b>should I have said? That I was injured by a pir? That¡¯s rather embarrassing¡±

    There had been a fire on the ship. Simultaneously, an assassination attempt was aimed at taking his de. <b>He </b>was caught off guard and was attacked from all sides.

    Given that he <b>had </b>only suffered this injury, how was it embarrassing?

    Emelie knew he didn¡¯t want her to worry about him. She sighed <b>and </b>walked over while whispering, <b>¡°</b>You shouldn¡¯t be teaching me to ride or <b>shoot </b>if your injury <b>isn¡¯t </b>healed<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    Wesley had put on his shirt, but the buttons were still undone. His chest and abdominal muscles were visible through the open cor, mirroring the intensity of his gaze.

    ¡°I said I didn¡¯t want anyone else to be your teacher,¡± Wesley said.

    Emelie avoided his gaze and picked up the ointment Miles had left. ¡°Let me apply the medicine for you.¡±

    Wesley didn¡¯t refuse and took off his shirt again. <b>¡°</b><b>Aren¡¯t </b>you afraid of such wounds?¡±

    ¡°Why would I be afraid?¡± Emelie washed her hands in the bathroom, dried them, and then opened the ointment.

    Wesley said, ¡°I remember you once injured your knee while dancing. It was bruised and bleeding. When I treated your wound, you couldn¡¯t even bear to look at it.¡±

    Emelie paused and recalled the incident he had mentioned

    She had indeed been quite delicate back then. As he cleaned her wound with hydrogen peroxide, she was in pain <b>and </b>tear. She even clutched d his arm so tightly that it lett several

    crescent¨Cshaped marks on it.

    Wesley nced at her and said teasingly, ¡°The moon has grown

 Chapter 569

    on

    Chapter 569 Wesley, the Faux Gentleman

    Emelle carefully applied the ointment onto Wesley¡¯s wound with a medical cotton swab, gently spreading it from the edges toward the bleeding area. She was being careful.

    ¡°It¡¯s not the same at all,¡± she said,Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    Wesley felt her touch, which was as light as a feather, brushing against him. It didn¡¯t hurt, but it did tickle a bit.

    He looked at her reflection in the ss. Her head was lowered, and she had a focused and serious look.

    He didn¡¯t press her about what was different. Perhaps she meant that a wound on oneself felt different from a wound on someone else.

    Meanwhile, what he thought about was how she had once been a young, delicate girl. However, she had experienced so much over the past decade, so much so that she had even consented for an abortion surgery. Thus, she was no longer scared of such minor injuries.

    Wesley frowned as he recalled the events.

    Emelie thought she might have hurt him and bent down to gently blow on the wound. <b>Wesley </b>found it amusing, considering he was already feeling ticklish

    ¡°I¡¯m notachid,¡± he said.

    Emelie blinked and noticed his chest.

    She hadn¡¯t seen it earlier because it was covered by his clothes. Now she saw that he <b>had </b><b>a </b>scar on his chest, about the size of a ringmall Such <b>a </b>scar could only have been caused by a bullet.

    She paused. ¡°<b>What </b>happened here?¡±

    Wesley nced at the scar and answered <b>in </b>a t <b>tone</b>, The File Group¡¯s inheritance rights. It wasn¡¯t easy to obtain

    It was Emelie seeing an actual gunshot wound for the first time, <b>and </b><b>she </b>unconsciously reached out to touch it,

    The wound had long healed, but the skin hadn¡¯t fully smoothed out. The edges were slightly raised, and her fingertips felt the rough texture. She could imagine the gruesome scene when the bullet had prated his chest and caused the flesh to tear.

    The bullet had struck his right chest, which was <b>a </b>critical area. Even without him saying it, she knew how dangerous it must <b>have </b>been.

    She could also understand why he hadn¡¯t taken her abroad at that time just by looking at the scar. He was fighting for inheritance rights, which made his surroundings even more dangerous<b>.</b>

    Emelie had once naively believed that there were limits to everything.

    However, after learning about the downfall of the Xander Group and <b>how </b>the ount book had led to the death of her adoptive parents, she thought of something she had read

    before

    ¡°If there¡¯s a 100% profit, people will risk the gallows. If there¡¯s <b>a </b>300% profit, they trample <b>all </bws <b>of </b>humanity.¡±

    Wesley was a descendant fighting for inheritance rights. So, he was hated bitterly by the io family, who would dly see him eliminated:

    Lost in thought, Emelie didn¡¯t realize her <b>hand </b>was <b>still </b>resting on Wesley¡¯s chest until Jodie knocked <b>on </b>the door. She came back to her <b>senses </b>and noticed Wesley had been looking at her for some time. His expression was unreadable

    She realized that her action was inappropriate and quickly withdrew her hand.

    She wanted to exin that she was merely curious about the gunshot wound. She had no other intention. However, what other intention was there? Saying so might make things

    worse

    Emelle frowned. She was hesitating to speak while looking at Wesley.

    Thetter seemed to understand her dilemma, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly. However, he remained silent and was curious about how she would exin.

    Emelie found it even harder to speak under his teasing gaze.

    Just as she was about to say ¡°I¡°, Jodie walked in, and she fell silent immediately.

    Jodie stepped into the entrance but did not enter the bedroom.

    She said, ¡°Mr. Graham, Mr. Jacob said he has an urgent matter, and the 10 o¡¯clock conference call needs to be canceled¡±

    Wesley responded with an ¡°mm¡± that ended <b>on </b><b>a </b>slightly upbeat note. He seemed in a good mood. Emelle knew his good <b>mood </b>was likely due to having made fun of her

    In fact, he was <b>a </b>da gentleman.

    Instead of asking her directly about what she was doing earlier, he used his deep brown eyes to silently mock her, letting his teasing speak volumes without uttering a word

    Jodie had no other matters to report and lett after finishing

    <b>With </b>Jodie¡¯s interruption, the awkwardness dissipated. Emelie quickly moved past the ufortable moment, pretending nothing <b>had </b>happened, and continued applying medicine to <b>Wesley¡¯s </b>back

    ¡°So, did you get the Filo family¡¯s <b>inheritance </b>rights? No wonder I heard Dr. Miles call you Mr. Cronus earlier,¡± Emelie said.

    In fact, the butlers and servants in the residence all referred to him as Mr. Cronus.

    Emelledo¡¯t noticed this detail earlier due to her bad mood. Marcel and jodie were from the Grahams and called <b>him </b>Mr. Graham. The old butler she encountered at the port. called him Mr. Cronus because the old butler was one of his mother¡¯s men

    As Fanelle finished applying the <b>ointment </b>and was about to turn to wash her hands, Wesley suddenly grasped her hand, <b>and </b>she <b>couldn¡¯t </b>help but look at him

 Chapter 570

    chapter 570 A Test

    Wesley met her eyes and said, ¡°My mother wants to meet you.¡±

    Emelie had been wanting to ask this question <b>since </b>the other day ¡°Why? We don¡¯t know each other, right?

    ¡°You don¡¯t, but she saw you when you were just a baby. She¡¯s thought about you all these years,¡± Wesley exnel.

    Stiles¡¯s earlier revtion about the generations¨Cold triendship between the Graham family and the Pierce family suddenly made sense. It was only natural for Wesley¡¯s mother care <b>about </b>the child of an old friend.

    ¡°when your injury heals, take me to meet her.<b>¡± </b>She also wanted to ask Vennifer about her biological parents.

    ¡°Alright,¡°wesley <b>said</b>.

    In the following days, Emelle didn¡¯t ask Wesley to teach her horseback riding <b>and </b>archery. Instead, she asked him to teach <b>her </b><b>about </b>business. His study became their ssroom

    Enelle was lost in thought about something Wesley had taught her that she didn¡¯t notice Jodie¡¯s entrance <b>until </b><b>she </b>knocked on the door.

    lockedup

    Jodie modded at her before turning to Wesley, Mr. Graham, there¡¯s a call for you!

    Wesley got up and left the room.

    Momentster, be returned to <b>find </b>me sped out on the table, fast asleep. She must have stayed upte studying the night before and was tired.

    He gently picked up a nket and walked toward her, intending to cover her with it. As <b>the </b>nket touched her skin, she was awakened, her head snapping up.

    Because Wesley was bent over, Emelie¡¯s head collided with his chin the moment she looked up. He hissed in pain.

    Emelie was rmed. ¡°Are you okay?

    Jodie was alerted by the sound and peeked into the room.

    Wesley¡¯s Lips were bleeding. He touched the wound with the back of his hand, it hurt.

    He felt amused. ¡°I thought you were asleep.¡±

    Emellesund, ¡°I won¡¯t. Tww.thinking about your question.

    Her gaze fell on <b>the </b>small <b>bead </b>of blood on his lip. It was a stark contrast against his pale skin.

    <b>¡°</b>You¡¯re bleeding. She pointed at her own lip

    Jodie retreated back into the hallway. She thought both of them were behaving too intimately, and she frowned in disapproval

    Wesley wiped off the blood with his handlerchiel and nced at the open book on the desk. ¡°Still can¡¯t figure it out?¡±

    Enele nodded

    ¡°Learning from books is just the beginning To truly grasp the concepts, you need hands¨Con experience, weskey said. ¡°The weather¡¯s nice. I¡¯ll bring you unting!!

    ¡°What do you mean by ¡°hunting!!¡± Emelie asked<b>.</b>

    The weather in Marseille was <b>pleasant </b>Once again, the sun shone lightly <b>as </b>they ventured out

    Their car rolled out of the <b>manor¡¯s </b>gates. The security good stationed at the gate bowed slightly, sending them att with respect.

    As the car approached the stock exchange, Wesley lowered the window and <b>said </b>to Emelle, ¡°This is thergest stock exchange in Mernna. People say that the amount of money llowing through here dally is enough to buy one¨Cthird of Faldoria¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    While buying Faktoria was a joke, it also underscored the immense amount of money involved. Moreover, <b>Merciana </b><b>was </b><b>Faldoria¡¯s </b>secondrgest city and its oldest. It served as the administrative, eronomic, cultural, and transportation hub of southern Floria

    Mernna also boasted thergest port in the Mgro Sra and ranked as Vntis¡® fourth¨C

    port it stood <b>as </b>Faldora¡¯s primary gateway for international trade. Its significance was undeniable.

    Emelle was still puzzled ¡°Why did you bring me

    ¡°That¡¯s <b>a </bpany called SAM that sells leather goods. You¡¯ve probably heard about it,¡± Wesley said. ¡°It¡¯s a husury brand. <b>The </b>File Group sees its potential, but another Cedonianpany is also interested. It¡¯s just that jaime, <b>the </b>founder, is not willing to sell his shares.¡°¡±

    Wesley continued, ¡°Unfortunately, SAM ran into some trouble at the end ofst year. Now, their cash flows tight, but they don¡¯t have a solution. Their only hope is the stock price rising.¡±

    Wesley¡¯s gaze fell on <b>a </b><b>group </b>of dejected¨Clooking man sitting on the steps of the stock exchange. He didn¡¯t have to ask them to know they were employees from SAM, who didn¡¯t have any solutions for their problems. They could only sit there and wait for amiracle

    He handed Emelie a folder and finally revealed why he brought her here.

    || ¡°SAM will be your first test,¡± he said.

    Emelle looked at him in <b>surprise </b>Wesley was giving her a chance to prove herself. She had to defeat the Cedonianpany and acquire SAM

    No wonder he mentioned ¡®hunting. SAX was her prey

    ererge, William handled them personally, while she just followed his instructions.

    When she was a secretary, she had been involved in several lege acquisitions, because they wererge, Now, Wesley wanted her to do it herself.

    Emelle del some beskation and uncertainty deep down, but Wesley was looking at her confidendy it was as if he believed <b>in </b>her more than she did.

    She exhaled and took over the folder. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡±

    Wesley tumed around. ¡°Jodie, you¡¯ll help me out for the time being¡±

    Chapter 570 A Test

    After all, they were acquiring SAM on behalf of the Filo Group, and they needed their resources. Emelie didn¡¯t have a position in thepany, so Jodie would have to execute her ideas on her behalf.

    After they returned to the Denning Residence, Emelie went straight to the study and began to go through the files on SAM.

    Jodie, who had some insider information, thought that this arrangement was not <b>ideal </b>She voiced her concern to Wesley privately. She said, ¡°Mr. Graham, aren¡¯t you setting the bar a bit high for Ms. Hoven? And that Cedonianpany-

 Chapter 571

    Chapter 571 Pay

    Wesley looked at Jodie, and she immediately held her tongue and lowered her head.

    He said calmly, ¡°She has to seed.¡±

    It took Emelie reading the documents diligently well past midnight to only develop a general understanding of SAM¡¯s situation.

    She felt that Wesley had truly given her an arduous challenge. This task was really demanding.

    SAM specialized in handcrafted leather goods, such as wallets, handbags, leather cases, <b>and </b>shoes. It was a popr luxury brand.

    However<b>, </b>in recent years, SAM had experienced a decline and was teetering on the brink of bing <b>irrelevant</b>.

    <b>Yet</b>, as the saying went, even after suffering a loss, <b>a </b>rich person was still better off than ordinary people.

    The File Groupcked presence in the luxury leather goods market. Acquiring SAM would serve as a stepping stone andunchpad for their direct entry into the industry. This strategy was far quicker, more convenient, and more likely to seed than starting a brand from scratch

    <b>But </b>SAM was a family¨Cowned business passed down through generations. From the board of directors to senior management, all members were rted by blood and maintained a very exclusive circle

    Foreign investment in SAM was viewed as a ¡®stin¡°, leading them to firmly reject any acquisition offers.

    There were many ways of doing business. The F Group could forcibly acquire SAM, but this would cause many problems.

    Firstly, the Cedonianpany alsopeting for SAM might think that the Flo Group was using an aggressive approach <b>and </b>would do the same Thepetition would drive up the acquisition price of SAM. Then, it would not be worth it anymore.

    Secondly, it could potentially damage the brand¡¯s reputation. If that happened<b>, </b>then acquiring SAM would have been for nothing. Its established image and <b>status </b>were the reason they were buying thepany.

    Most of its customers were highworth individuals, and they would be reluctant <b>to </b>associate themselves with a brand that lowered their status.

    These two concerns had prevented the Filo Group from acting hastily. It was plse SAM¡¯s bargaining chip Currently, the three parties were at an impasse.

    Emelie had to devise <b>a </b>strategy to acquire SAM without alerting the Cedonianpany while persuading SAM¡¯s family members to willingly ept <b>the </b>acquisition.

    Jodie had warmed <b>up </b><b>a </b>ss of milk and put it on Emelle¡¯s desk.

    ¡°Miss, perhaps you should rest and continue thinking about it tomorrow. It¡¯s veryte, Jodie said.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Emelie replied, taking the milk while contemting. ¡°Apany to meet ja tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°okay,¡± <b>Jodie </b>responded.

    The next morning, Emelie departed with Jodie

    Marcel had called Emelie for a period to take her pictures, so he knew her personality and abilities.

    Wesley replied, ¡°She has always been this way¡±

    she had a tenacity to never give up.

    Marcel continued, ¡°It she can sessfully acquire SAM, proving her abdities, I believe the File Group¡¯s board will not object to her joining ¡±

    Emelle wanted to take revenge against the Xanther Group, but she wouldn¡¯t be able to do it alone. The Film Group could serve as her weapon.

    However, the Filo Group would not readily ept an outsider and grant her genuine power<b>. </b>She needed to prove her worthiness to jom thepany. Only then could it be her vessel.

    Wesley <b>remained </b>silent in response to Marcel¡¯s words.

    Marcel <b>was </b>worried. ¡°But if she takes charge of the SAM project, she might have to interact with the Cloudex Corporation. If the Xanther Group discovers that she is still alive! <b>Indeed</b><b>, </b>the Cedonianpany interested in SAM was none other than cloudex Corporation. They could not allow Cloudex to know that Emelie waspeting with them.

    wesley said gravely, ¡°It must remain hidden.¡±

    Marcel nodded and said, ¡°Understood ¡±

    After <b>a </b>short <b>pause</b>, Wesley added<b>, </b>¡°Also, don¡¯t let melle know that her opponent is the <b>Cloudex </b>Corporation

    ¡°Yes,¡± Maresid

    This was Wesley¡¯s test for Emelle. She <b>had to </b>solve all problems by herself. This included, but not limited to, finding a way to meet Jaime

    Emelie didn¡¯t know Jaime<b>, </b><b>nor </b><b>did </b>she know Merciana. The initial step was already an obstacle, but her years of experience as a head secretary had <b>equipped </b>her with certain

    She had asked the driver to bring them to the stock exchange

    The men in suits were still there. Ordinary employees would not be concerned about <b>their </bpany¡¯s stock price, so the men in suits must be SAM¡¯s senior management. This meet they were rted to Jaime,

    Emelic approached them and asked in Astesbese, ¡°Could you please bring me to see Mr. <b>Jalme</b>? Or could you <b>tell </b>me his whereabouts?¡±

    jode was endrend speechless.

    Koele wa pusi poing to ank them directly?Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

 Chapter 572

    Chapter 572 Curses

    The man in the sult was confused when he heard the stranger, who didn¡¯t seem like she was around here, asking him this <b>question</b>.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± the man in the suit asked

    <b>¡°</b>I¡¯m from the Filo Group¡± Emelie introduced herself.

    As if he was being provoked, the man¡¯s expression bamed hostile.

    He stood up and said angrily, ¡°We will never agree to your acquisition! You pirates!¡±

    Emelie remained calm. ¡°I¡¯m here to see Jaime, not force <b>a </b>takeover<b>. </b>I just want to talk to him. Perhaps we can find a solution that benefits both parties. SAM would be saved from this predicament then.¡±

    The two men exchanged a nce.

    On one hand, their gut instinct was to reject any offer from the Filo Group. On the other hand, Emelie¡¯s words gave them a glimmer of hope.

    Entelie continued speaking in her calm tone. ¡°Instead of sitting here every day and praying for a miracle, why not take me to Jaime? You¡¯re more likely to save SAM this way.¡± Finally, the men relented and brought her to see Jaime after seeing the Filo family¡¯s insignia engraved on their ear. Only then was he certain that they were from the Filo family.

    Jaime was in a <b>church</b>. He was dressed in ck and praying on the bench.

    The man in the suit approached Jaime and bent down to say, ¡°Uncle, she¡¯s the one from the Filo family who asked to see you.¡±

    Jaime was already in his seventies, so he had a face full of gray beard. He turned his scrutinizing gaze toward Emelie, <b>and </b><b>she </b>met his gaze without flinching

    Jaime spoke in Faldorian. ¡°Who <b>are </b>you, and what do you want?Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    Emelie didn¡¯t know how to speak Faktorian, so Jodie tranted it to Cedonian in a low voice. However, Emelle didn¡¯t say anything after listening to Jodie. Instead, shesized up Jaime.

    Her look would offend even the most carefree person from Lablos or Ruches, not to mention a Faldorian gentleman who was very particr about etiquette

    As expected, Jaime was displeased. He asked in Asteshese instead, ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±

    Emelie replied, ¡°I was thinking, it turns out that wisdom does note with age.¡±

    Jaime was stunned. A secondter, he flew into a rage and shot up from his seat,

    ¡°How dare you call me stupid?¡± he said.

    Jodie hadn¡¯t expected Emelie to say something like that. She stepped in front of Emelie instinctively, afraid that Jaime might harm her.

    Emelie was undeterred by his anger and continued mocking him. ¡°SAM is a symbol of your family¡¯s heritage. What the founder would have wanted was for it to continue existing

    ¡°In this critical moment, you <b>care </b>more about how outsiders are going to ¡®tant¡® yourpanypared to saving it from bankruptcy.

    ¡°It¡¯sparable to someone holding a knife against your neck and demanding you to crouch down in order to survive. However, you believe that crouching is a shameful act, so you would rather perish while standing tall.

    ¡°To put it in a nice way, you have integrity, but to put it bluntly, you¡¯re stupid<b>, </b>foolish, and stubborn.¡±

    Jaime¡¯s anger reached a boiling point. ¡°Shut up!¡±

    No one had ever spoken to him like that before. This woman was rude and uneducated.

    He unleashed a torrent of curses upon Emelie. ¡°The Filo Group will say anything to seize SAM! You say we¡¯re stubborn? Should we follow in the File family¡¯s footsteps and allow a grandson without the same surname to inherit the family business? How absurd!

    ¡°Do you know that you have be theughingstock of the entire world? You¡¯re all just cowards incapable of safeguarding your own family business! Soon, the Filo Group will belong to outsiders!

    ¡°Go back and tell Cronus this: it he continues behaving so recklessly, divine retribution will befall him one day!¡±

    Cronus was Wesley¡¯s name within the Filo family.

    Jaime¡¯s face was flushed with anger. The man in the suit quickly calmed him down and berated Emelie. ¡°Listen carefully! SAM will never agree to the acquisition! Stop dreaming!¡±

    Jodie also thought that any further discussion about the acquisition was impossible for the <b>day</b>, sering how angry Emelie had made Jaime.

    She quickly turned to Emelie and suggested, ¡°Miss, perhaps we should leave.¡±

    Emelie shrugged <b>and </b>said nothing more, then followed Jodie out of the church. Even after they were several feet away from them, they could still hear the man in the stand Jaime burling insults at Emelie.

    They said she was a liar<b>. </b>She couldn¡¯t possibly find a solution to benefitboth partie

    parties. She was <b>as</b>

    was as cunning as Cronus.

 Chapter 573

    nelle smiled instead.

    Cupter 573 Cambling

    Outside the church, Inele w jodle¡¯s hesitation, so she said, ¡°Jodle, you can tell me what <b>you </b>think.¡±

    Jodiebowal ¡°Miss, perhaps your approach was a bit too direct,¡±

    Encle replied. ¡°To deal with a stubborn conservative like him, directness is the most effective approach. We have to make it hurt for them to cooperate.¡±

    ¡°But what if they still refuse to cooperate?¡± she asked.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    Jodie had never seen such <b>a </b>negociation tactic before ¡°Provoking him will only make the acquisition harder. I thought you were going to have a proper discussion with Jaime today.

    ¡°Do you think I made a mistake? Emelle asked.

    Jodie hesitated before saying, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare.¡±

    Emelie smiled. ¡°You¡¯re not my subordinate, so you¡¯re free to express your thoughts. What are your thoughts?¡±

    Jodie pursed her lips. ¡°Jaime is a stubborn person. The <b>Filo </b>Group had conveyed the same message but in a tactful manner during previous negotiation rounds, yet Jaime still stood firm and didn¡¯t waner.¡±

    was wrong. This wouldn¡¯t be able to change his mind and make him

    So, if Emelie believed that storming in and showcasing her ¡°unique¡± personality would sway faime, then she was w ept the acquisition. This wasn¡¯t a television drama, and expecting things to have a perfect ending was unrealistic. Emelie nced back at the church

    This was the Mercianna Cathedral, constructed in the 5th century. It was revered as a ¡°basilica¡°, a symbol of significance.

    She said with a double entendre, ¡°Truecalismanship.¡±

    She was praising both the church and Jame

    His stubbornness was difficult for most toprehend. However, from another perspective, without individuals like him possessing an almost pathological insistence, traditional handicrafts and the spirit of craftsmanship passed down through generations might have already vanished. It would be a regrettable loss.

    Moreover, Emelie¡¯s primary objective for this visit was not to persuade Jaime, She had her own n, and she didn¡¯t intend to tell jodie the details.

    Emelie <b>asked</b><b>, </b>¡°Can Tuse the F Group¡¯s funds to purchase SAM¡¯s shares?¡±

    ¡°You would need to have a proposal that the board approves to secure funding,¡± Jodie replied.

    ¡°That won¡¯t do. We don¡¯t have much time and can¡¯t afford dys. Which investment banks in Mercianna have strong rtionships with Wesley?¡± Emelie asked

    Jodie pondered for a moment ¡°Most major investment banks <b>have </b>a good rtionship with Mr. Graham¡±

    Emelie nodded. ¡°Take me to the three that hold <b>the </b>highest <b>regard </b>for Wesley.¡±

    Although Jode wasn¡¯t sure about Emelie¡¯s intentions, Wesley had instructed her to follow Emelie¡¯s orders. So, Jodieplied.

    Emele got in the backseat while Jodie got in <b>the </b>passenger seat

    Jodie provided the driver with the destination and then turned to ask Emelle, ¡°Are you nning to borrow money from the investment <b>banks</b>?

    Emelle hade up with aprehensive strategy the previous night. ¡°I¡¯m going to do <b>business </b>with them.¡±

    Jodie was confused ¡°Business?¡±

    The car cruised along the road. The spacious backseat of the luxury car allowed Emelle to cross her legs. She was examining the stock market on her tablet.

    ¡°I n to sign a gambling contract with them,¡± Emelie <b>said</b><b>.</b>

    ¡°A gambling contract?¡± Jodie asked.

    ¡°Yes. Today is the 14th. 1 will wager with them that by the 28th, SAM¡¯s stock price will rise from 25 dors per share to 50 dors per share. Regardless of whether it rises or falls, 1 will purchase the shares from them at 50 dors,¡± Emelie exined

    This proposal perplexed Jodie. ¡°But what if the stock price doesn¡¯t reach so dors by the 25th? <b>Won¡¯t </b>we incur a loss? And where will we get the money to pay the investment banks? It¡¯s impossible that the Filo Group will <b>back </b>a contract like this. They won¡¯t give you the funds.¡±

    Emelie took her phone and typed on it while responding, ¡°I will sign the contract with the investment banks in my personal capacity. I don¡¯t need the Filo Group¡¯s approval.¡± jodie wanted to ask where Emelie was going to get the money. Was she nning to ask Wesley? But wouldn¡¯t that vite the roles of the challenger?

    Jodie didn¡¯t understand at all.

    Emelle didn¡¯t exin further, purposely leaving Jodie in suspense

    mse. She then <b>sent </b>a message she had typed.

    ¡°Wesley, can use your name as a guarantee to sign a gambling contract with the investment banks? Does this count as cheating?¡± Emelie asked

    Wesley replied, ¡°No. Go ahead.¡±

    Emelie felt <b>reassured </b><b>and </b>kept her phone away. She looked up at Jodie and said, ¡°Ick the necessary funds, but rest assured, I won¡¯t ask Wesley for a single penny. This deal is a guaranteed <b>win</b><b>.</b>¡±

    The investment banks shared the same perspective. It was akin to a money tree walking through their doors. If the stock price tailed to reach 50 dors, they would reap substantial profits. If it did, they <b>would </b>still profit, as their cost was only <b>25 </b>drs.

    The three investment banks weren¡¯t losing anything in this deal. Hence, they readily signed the gambling contract with Emelie.

    As a result, Emelie <b>acquired </b>4.9% of SAM¡¯s shares from each of the three investment banks at dors per share. The 49% acquisition was deliberate, as she would need to report in regtory authorities if it exceeded 5%, which could alert SAM

    Jorbe finally understood tmelie¡¯s strategy.

    She was discreetly burping up :SAM¡¯s shares. <b>With </b>abined 15.7% from the three investment banks, Emelie was now SAM¡¯s second¨CLugest shareholder, second only to Jahme.

 Chapter 574

    chupiter 574

    Enelle had returned to the manor by iben.

    In the study, she instructel Jodie. ¡°Compile a list of SAM¡¯s shareholders just because Jaime is resolute in his stance doesn¡¯t mean the others are.¡±

    Jodie was beginning to grasp Emelie¡¯s ¡°modus operandi¡°.

    ¡°You intend to buy shares from the smaller shareholders. If we can acquire 18%, we will be SAM¡¯srgest shareholder, Jodie said.

    This would give nelle significant control over SAM, enabling her to effortlessly merge it into the Filo Group while circumventing the two primary concerns that had initially detected the Ello Group

    The first concern was alerting the Cedonianpany, potentially triggering a bidding war. The second concern was damaging SAM¡¯s reputation, rendering the brand worthless This was essentially obtaining something for nothing. Emelie hadn¡¯t had to invest any money. She used Wesley¡¯s name as a guarantee to secure money from the investment banks.

    After

    ore than willing to agree

    acquiring SAM<b>, </b>she would ask the Filo Group for funds. At that point, Filo Group would undoubtedly be more

    No wonder she had said that she wouldn¡¯t require Wesley to pay a single cent. Although Jodle still didn¡¯t fullyprehend why she had intentionally provoked jaime earlier, t admited Emelie¡¯s clever manuvers

    ? ? ? ??? ? ??? ? ??? <b>??? </b>?? ?? ? ¨¥ |¨C ??

    jade said without hesitation, ¡°Okay, I will get you the list.¡±

    Emelle worked tirelessly, staying up another night to study the list and identify potential target shareholders.

    <b>she</b>

    Jodie, assisting with the research, couldn¡¯t help but praise her. ¡°Miss, you have only been learning for a few days, but you already came up with a grand scheme. You¡¯re amazing. Emelle twirled a pen between <b>her </b>fingers and smiled. ¡°I already had some knowledge, and Wesley is a good teacher.¡±

    The pen hit the <b>ring </b>on her ring finger and ttered onto the desk. Emelie nced at the ring, and her smile faded.

    Night had descended upon Mercianina, while it was still daytime in Capebart City. Thete spring and early summer weather was pleasant.

    William and Jayden were ying golf.

    Jayden, d in white sportswear, swung the club on thewn. The ball soared across the air in an arc

    He casually asked, ¡®Mr. Graham¡¯s birthday was a few days ago Why didn¡¯t you attend the celebration?

    William was wearing a baseball cap, lighting his sharp jawline. He lowered his head to adjust his anti¨Cslip gloves

    He said indifferently, Ididn¡¯t receive an Invitation. It wouldn¡¯t be right for me to attend en invited. ¡±

    <b>Jayden </b>was surprised. ¡°Don¡¯t you to have a good rtionship? How could be not invite you to his birthday party?¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.

    william finished adjusting his gloves and struck the ball directly, sending it flying

    He said, ¡°I made it impossible for his son¡¯spany to operate within the country. It would be strange if he continued to treat me like before.¡±

    He was, of course, referring to Wesley

    Wesley had initially liquidated a small portion of his assets abroad and moved it back to the country, intending to build his career here. He <b>had </b>even acquired <b>a </bpany, nning a backdoor Usting.

    However, before he could start the process, William had retaliated against him. William crushed thepany in its infancy and caused Wesley significant losses.

    Jayden, still puzzled by another matter, mentioned, ¡°Previously, Wesley was so eager to take Ms. Howen away. But after her incident, he didn¡¯t show any reaction and simply returned to Faldoria¡®

    The top half of William¡¯s face was obscured by <b>his </b>cap, <b>malding </b>it impossible for one to see his expression.

    He responded indifferently, ¡°How should I know?

    William, who was naturally cold, had be even more distant and much more un approachable in the past two months<b>. </b>Jayden hadn¡¯t seen him smile since then. William only went out for work and business, and he no longer frequented Westward Club. He was ying golf with Jayden today only due to jayden¡¯s insistence,

    He was living like a widow. And indeed he was, but he had brought it on himself. He hadlled her, hadn¡¯t he?

    jayden avoided discussing Emelie and focused <b>solely </b>on Wesley. ¡°He¡¯s probably busy dealing with family matters. Mrs. Denning only bestowed her inheritance upon him out of her fondness for her daughter and grandson.¡±

    Jayden continued, ¡°Mrs. Denning was a legendary figure in her time, but people are forgotten atter death. Her influence will diminish. The Filo family will never agree to let an

    outsider inherit the business

    ¡°It would be a humiliation to the <b>family</b>. Moreover, it¡¯s a multi¨Cbillion¨Cdor corporation we¡¯re talking about. Who wouldn¡¯t be jealous? Conflict would be inevitable,¡± Jayden sai

    Despite <b>Jayden¡¯s </b>lengthy exnation<b>, </b>William remained unresponsive, continuing to y golf

    Jayden approached him and nudged his arm. ¡°Besides, you harbor a grudge against him, don¡¯t you<b>? </b>You¡¯re eager to cause him trouble.¡±

    Only then did William nce at him. ¡°What?¡±

    Jayden raised an eyebrow. ¡°That houry brand SAM isn¡¯t important to you. Why do you insist <b>on </bpeting for it?¡±

    Wim sad indifferently, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s important Ican use it to establish <b>a </b>foothold in Vnts. It will only benefit Caudex Corporation.¡±

    Jayden chuckled. ¡°Did you know? <b>Yesterday</b>, someone from the File Group met with Jaime, and <b>it </b>did not end amicably. They even called palme ¡®stupid and stubborn¡®, infuriating

    William had met jaime before. Upon hearing that the elderly man had been subjected to such insults, he couldn¡¯t help but smirk.

    ¡°Who cursed <b>him </b>I wholeheartedly agree I wanted to call him that too when west met,¡± Willin said

 Chapter 575

    Chapter 575 Opponent

    ¡°How could I possibly know the details?¡± Jayden remarked casually and continued ying golf. He wasn¡¯t truly concerned and just wanted to share an amusing thing he heard

    William continued ying for a few more <b>shots</b>, but he was clearly distracted.

    He looked up. The sun made him squint his eyes.

    He suddenly said<b>, </b>¡°SAM is receable to me, but not <b>to </b><b>Filo </b>Group. Their intentions are crystal clear now. Surely, they have a follow¨Cup n. I¡¯m done with golf¡±

    He tossed his club to the caddie and began walking away, removing his gloves as he went

    Jayden felt a <b>mix </b>of annoyance and amusement.

    William had called SAM ¡°receable¡°, yet he was fiercelypeting for it and insisting he wasn¡¯t targeting Wesley.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    William was known for his sharp business acumen. Upon returning to thepany, he immediately instructed Ashton and Fabian to investigate the matter.

    His secretaries were exceptionally capable. By the time he changed back into his suit and emerged from the lounge, they had already gathered the necessary information and were standing by the desk with the manager overseeing the SAM project.

    Fabian was the first to report. ¡°One of SAM¡¯s shareholders, Dave, has a good rtionship with us. He disclosed that the File Group has secretly approached him with a tempting

    offer.

    ¡°They¡¯re proposing to buy his shares for 60 each and promising him a position of significant power in the future. From what he heard, the File Group has extended the same offer to other shareholders, and some have already agreed to sell their shares to them.¡±

    Williamsat behind his desk

    Ashton ced a tablet disying SAM¡¯s stock price history on the desk. William nced at his watch and studied the information.

    Ashton said solemnly, ¡°This is a ssic tactic to cut off supply. They¡¯re being very discreet, intending to catch Jaime and the public off guard.¡±

    The manager was also concerned and asked solemnly, ¡°Mr. Middleton, should we also make a move? Otherwise, we might lose SAM.¡±

    William adjusted his watch, the mchite dial reflecting his stern side profile.

    He <b>shook </b>his head<b>, </b>realizing that something was amiss. ¡°Even if the Filo Group manages to convince all the small shareholders to sell their shares, they still can¡¯t beat Jaime.¡±

    Combined, all the shareholders only owned around 14% of thepany, while Jaime alone held 17% Furthermore, there were undoubtedly some shareholders who would refuse to betray SAM <b>and </b>Jaime.

    <b>Ashton </b><b>and </b><b>Fabian </b>exchanged puzzled nces. Weren¡¯t the Filo Group¡¯s efforts in <b>vain </b>then?

    William looked up. ¡°Buying shares from small shareholders is usually a supplementary move. It¡¯s often done after acquiring a significant number of shares. Just a way to sound out the numbers.¡±

    The manager instinctively responded, ¡°The File Group couldn¡¯t possibly have a significant number of shares. There haven¡¯t been any major fund movements recently, and there Isn¡¯t any upheaval in SAM.

    There weren¡¯t any major fund movements and no disturbances, but the Filo Group wouldn¡¯t be making such a pointless move. So, they must be holding a significant number of shares. But where did these sharese from?

    William leaned back in his chair and casually said two words. ¡°Investment banks.¡±

    Realization struck the three of them simultaneously.

    ¡°That¡¯s it! The File Group could have purchased shares from investment banks. If they didn¡¯t buy more than 5%, they wouldn¡¯t need to disclose it publicly or pay immediately. Mr. Middleton, I¡¯ll check right now!¡± Ashton said as he rushed out of the office, followed by the other two.

    William picked up a fountain pen, twirling it between his fingers as he pondered the situation. Not long after, the three returned to the office with their findings

    Ashton quickly reported, ¡°just as you suspected, the Filo Group indeed signed gambling contracts with three investment banks under personal names and acquired 14.7% of SAM¡¯s shares from <b>them</b>.¡±

    William <b>smirked</b>, admiring the schemer¡¯s cunningness. ¡°<b>They </b>are quite clever toe up with a n like this. They avoided detection from all parties while also defecting payment.

    ¡°With 14,7%, if they manage to acquire an additional 33% from the shareholders, Jaime will be met with a shocking surprise when he arrives at thepany on Monday. SAM will have already been renamed to filo They¡¯ll have stolen the entirepany¡±

 Chapter 576

    Chapter 576 Old Friends

    The manager didn¡¯t dare to joke around with William. He was the one responsible for this project, and if he failed, he would be in serious trouble.

    He <b>asked </b>nervously, ¡°Mr. Middleton, now that the File Group has secretly acquired a huge number <b>of </b>SAM¡¯s shares, what should we do?

    For a small deal like this, William usually wouldn¡¯t need to intervene. But since the Filo Group was his opponent, his interest was piqued.

    ¡°<b>They </b>want to be secretive, huh? Then let¡¯s ensure they make the headlines on the Faldorian Daily. Report them to the regtory authorities for exploiting legal loopholes and engaging in illegal activities, William said.

    This would undoubtedly stop the Filo Group¡¯s clever scheme. Since they wanted to y dirty, they couldn¡¯t me William for retaliating.

    ¡°Yes!¡± the manager responded<b>.</b>

    William crossed his legs and spoke calmly. ¡°If Jaime refuses <b>a </b>polite offer, then we¡¯ll <b>have </b>to force his hand with a more punitive one.¡±

    They had also umted a substantial number of SAM <b>shares </b>from a secondary market, no less than the Filo Group¡¯s holdings. It was time to determine who would ultimately

    DID SAM.

    Soon, the Elo Group¡¯s secretive dealings with SAM became headline news.

    SAM was shocked and filed awsuit that same day, demanding the court dere the Filo Group¡¯s actions as a hostile takeover. They imed that Filo Group¡¯s actions were a vition of the Securities Exchange Act and the Company Law.

    The court epted the case, but the Filo Group remained silent. As the news spread, spectors sensed an opportunity and flooded the market SAM¡¯s stock price, which had been stagnant for half a <b>year</b>, suddenly skyrocketed.

    Amidst the chaos, at the Denning Residence, Emelie had just woken up. She headed downstairs for breakfast.

    Wesley was already seated at the <b>dining </b>table. After she sat down, the servants brought out <b>a </b>breakfast spread. There were tuna croissants, sausages, roasted potatoes, fried eggs, vegetable sd, and a cappino adorned withtte art.

    Wesley pointed to the newspaper on the table. ¡°Your secret deal with the investment banks has been exposed. The public is criticizing your underhanded tactics while sympathizing with SAM being forcefully acquired<b>.</b>¡±

    He continued, ¡°<b>SAM¡¯s </b>stock price is soaring. This isn¡¯t favorable to you. What¡¯s your next move?¡±

    Emelie sat down and took a sip of coffee. Despite her n being uncovered and even sabotaged, she remainedposed.

    ¡°Are you leaving everything to me?¡± she asked.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    Wesley asked, ¡°So, even I can¡¯t know? Are you afraid I¡¯ll leak your n?¡±

    Emelie <b>smiled</b>. ¡°Thaven¡¯t handed in my exam paper yet. How can the teacher grade it in advance?¡±

    ¡°Alright then, I won¡¯t ask. But you should know that the Cedonianpany has also made a move. Things are even more difficult for you now,¡± Wesley said with a pointed look. Emelle nodded. ¡°My opponent is indeed impressive. They could discover what I¡¯m doing behind the scenes so quickly, and an ocean across too.¡±

    Wesley paused before asking. ¡°He¡¯s your rival, and you¡¯re praising him?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m simply stating the truth,¡± Emelie said.

    She continued, ¡°He used others to do the dirty work. He exposed my n, forcing SAM to sue me. He didn¡¯t even <b>have </b>to lift a finger.While I¡¯m entangled in <b>a </bwsuit with SAM, he¡¯s quietly buying more SAM¡¯s stock. He¡¯s using force too, but the public only mes me white be benefits.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a <b>Cedonian </bpany, alright. The business tactic they used ismon in Cedonia. Emelle was genuinely curious. ¡°Whichpany is it? Perhaps I mow them. After all, she had worked in Cedonia for many years.

    Wesley <b>didn¡¯t </b>answer and just gestured to her to eat her breakfast, which was getting cold.

    Emelie decided not to press the matter further. Who her rival was didn¡¯t matter. She just needed to beat them.

    She quickly finished her breakfast and prepared to leave.

    Wesley nced at her untouched croissant and asked, ¡°Is it the croissant you don¡¯t like, or the tuna?¡±

    <b>¡°</b>The buna is fishy. The smell makes me want to vomit,<b>¡± </b>Emelie replied, taking <b>a </b>tissue. She called jodie and left with her.

    Wesley watched her leave and turned to <b>a </b>maid. ¡°Let¡¯s <b>have </b><b>a </b>cedonian breakfast tomorrow. She <b>didn¡¯t </b>seem to enjoy this.¡±

    Linelle was already eager about the challenge in the first ce, so the presence of another opponent only fueled herpetitive spirit. Her mood was better than usual.

    On the other hand, Jodie was anxious ¡°<b>Miss</b>, your n has been exposed. The original strategy won¡¯t work anymore. What should we do next?

 Chapter 577

    Chapter 577 Familiarity

    Naturally, Emelle <b>had </b><b>a n</b>.

    She began, ¡°Our <b>first </b>step is to dispatch our legal team to negotiate with them. SAM is using us of a hostile takeover, citing the Securities Exchange Act and the Company Law. But precisely whichw was broken?

    ¡°Thew states that transactions involving less than 5 percent of thepany¡¯s total shares do not need to be disclosed to the public. Gambling contracts is amon business practice, and acquiring shares from shareholders is a voluntary transaction on both ends.

    ¡°Every move we made was legal. SAM cannot <b>nder </b>us simply because they are weaker and have a reason toin, We will not ept me for this and will address thewsuit appropriately.¡±

    <b>Jodie </b>acknowledged, ¡°Yes, thewyers are already preparing our defense. In fact, SAM¡¯s Lawsuit is a dying tactic. They¡¯re just buying time to find solutions. That was just the first step. Emelle then revealed the next step of her n.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    ¡°Since what we¡¯re doing is already public knowledge, we don¡¯t need to hide anymore. We should directly acquire SAM shares from willing shareholders and also purchase as many shares <b>as </b>possible from retail investors,¡± she said.

    shares. If both

    Jodie was taken aback. ¡°Acquire openly? That might not be wise. The Cedonianpany will undoubtedlypete with us. They also hold around 14% of SAM¡¯s share sidespete, SAM¡¯s stock price will rise. By then, even if we sessfully acquire thepany, it may not be worthwhile.¡±

    The Filo Group had initially sought to avoid creating apetitive situation, which was why they <b>had </b>not used force against SAM

    Now that Emelie was employing force, could she still be considered as having passed the test?

    Emelie was unperturbed. ¡°That won¡¯t happen. Do as I¡¯ve said.¡±

    Jodie couldn¡¯t understand her approach, but she didn¡¯t have the authority to interfere with her instructions. She could only frown <b>and </b>agree.

    Emelie rested her chin on her hand and <b>gazed </b>out the window. She seemed indifferent, but there was a simile ying on her lips, revealing <b>her </b>confidence

    Jodie suddenly sensed a difference in Emeliepared to before.

    Although Emelie had never been impulsive, she hadn¡¯t <b>previously </b>exuded such an air of profound mystery. Now, she was inscrutable yet strangely familiar

    As Jodie carried out Emelie¡¯s instructions, she wondered about the source of this strong familiarity.

    It wasn¡¯t until the legal team appeared in court and the Filo Group¡¯s massive acquisition of SAM shares caused market turmoil that jodie finally figured it out.

    Emelle now resembled Wesley, be it the way she handled things or her demeanor. It was a sense of superiority that came from control.

    The old Emelie was merely a secretary, an excutor. Now, she had be the strategist. It was a shift in Identity. <b>An </b>increase in knowledge, experience, and capability.

    But their demeanor was eerily <b>simdar</b>. Was it because Emelie was trained by Wesley, or was it because they were¡­

    Jodie dared not think further. It was a secret Wesley <b>had </b>strictly ordered her to keep

    Emelie¡¯s moves prompted the Cedonianpany to take action as well.

    Holding 14% of SAM¡¯s shares each, the two parties were evenly matched. Therefore, who had control over SAM in the end would depend on how much shares they acquired in

    Due to thepaniespeting to acquire shares, SAM¡¯s stock price soared from 25 dors <b>per </b>share to 75 dors per share in just a week, with a continuing upward <b>trend</b>.

    The share price was overvalued, <b>so </b>Cloudex Corporation called for a meeting to discuss the situation.

    Some felt <b>that</b>, having reached this <b>point</b>, if they didn¡¯t see SAM now, their initial investment would be wasted.

    Others believed they should stop here. Based on estimates, the stock price might rise to 100 dors per share. Even if they acquired SAM then, they would face significant losses.

    This was because the stock price would undoubtedly fall back to a stable level after the acquisition. For example, if it fell back to 30 dors per share, they would lose 70 dors per share. The total loss would go up to tens of millions or <b>even </b>over a hundred million.

    SAM wasn¡¯t very important to the Cloudex Corporation, so there was no need for them to risk <b>it </b>fighting an oversea corporation.

    ¡°Moreover, I findit strange that the Filo Group has suddenly stopped being discreet and is openly making a big push to acquire SAM,¡± one person stated.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s normal. They originally wanted to do it secretly but were exposed by us. They have no choice but to press on,¡± someone added.

    ¡°To put it bluntly, they¡¯re acting in desperation with no regard for consequences,¡± another personmented

    William, seated at the head of the table, listened to the discussions without speaking

    When the discussion subsided, he asked the project manager, ¡°How many shares does each side hold right now?

    ¡°Both us and the Filo Group hold 30<b>%</b>, while Jaime holds 17%. The shareholders firmly <b>refusing </b><b>to </b>sell amount to 7%. So, there are only 16% percent of shares left circting in

    the market.

    ¡°¡®s estimated that at least 10% of those are held by spectors, and they won¡¯t sell easily. So, there are only 6% left topete for,¡± the project manager replied

    Willem formed the <b>wedding </b>ring on his finger and uttered three words. ¡°The final push.¡± He meant that they were only one step away from acquiring SAM, so why not continue?

 Chapter 578

    Chapter 578 Too Soft¨CHearted

    There were always diverse viewpoints during their discussions. Nevertheless, once William made a decision, there was no room for further disagreement. Everyone was expected to give their hillmitmentN?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    It was uncertain whether the Cloudex Corporation was excessively swift, or the Filo Group was too slow in their actions. But by the end of the trading day on Friday, the Cloudex Corporation had acquired 35% of SAM¡¯s <b>shares </b>in total, making them the winners.

    In this <b>situation</b>, unless the File Group <b>could </b>somehow wrestle shares from the hands of those spectors <b>or </b>convince <b>SAM¡¯s </b>shareholders to sell their shares, surpassing the Cloudex Corporation would be impossible

    On the following Monday, at <b>SAM¡¯s </b>shareholders¡® meeting, SAM would <b>officially </b>be part of Cloudex Corporation.

    Even Wesley had advised Emelie, ¡°It would be wise to sell SAM¡¯s shares now while their stock price is still high. Even if you can only recoup a portion of your investment, it¡¯s better than nothing. Otherwise, once the deal is finalized on Monday, SAM¡¯s stock price will plummet, leaving you with nothing but a huge debt.¡±

    During the twelve days face¨Coff, the Filo Group had maintained a low profile and carefully observed the situation.

    If Emelie managed to acquire SAM, they would fulfill their promise of reimbursing her for the money she had wagered with the investment banks and the funds she had spent buying shares during this period

    However<b>, </b><b>if </b>she talled, they would disassociate themselves with her. They would say that she was not affiliated with the Filo Group and that her actions were independent of them If that happened<b>, </b>Emelie would need to fork out tens of millions of dors herself.

    Emelte responded, ¡°I cannot afford to sell, even at a loss.¡±

    Those who were salt¨Chearted could not be <b>a </b>stem teacher.

    Wesley said, ¡°That¡¯s not the case. You are worth far more than SAM. It was unreasonable of me to give you such a huge project as your first real¨Cworld challenge. Don¡¯t worry, Even if you fall to acquire SAM, you won¡¯t need to bear the debt.¡±

    Wesley was malong lemon tea. He poured boiling water into the teapot. Amidst the rising <b>steam</b>, he appeared refined and <b>handsome</b>, like a prince<b>.</b>

    His sleeves were rolled up to his forearms, revealing his fair skin. It made the veins on the back of his hands stand out.

    He ced a cup of tea in front of her. ¡°Since you used my name as a guarantee, twill naturally assume responsibility for the debt.¡±

    Emelie chuckled. ¡°If a teacher isn¡¯t strict, how can a student expect to seed?¡±

    Wesley <b>raised </b>an eyebrow. ¡°Are you implying that if you lose, it¡¯s also my fault?¡±

    Emelie picked up the teacup and blinked innocently.

    To Wesley, it seemed like she was being coquettish. In that case, what else could he sing

    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s my fault. By the way, I promised to introduce you to my mother once I recovered. Coincidentally,

    Saturday. So, I¡¯ll take you to see her,¡± he said.

    ¡°You¡¯re just trying to distract me from the loss <b>of </b>SAM by bringing me out for some fresh air,¡± Emelie sald. Otherwise, why choose today of all days? And the casual mention of ¡°coincidentally Saturday¡± suggested that his working time wasn¡¯t flexible, which was not the case.

    Wesley didn¡¯t say anything and <b>stood </b>up. He effortlessly pulled her to her feet, a hint of amusement in his eyes. ¡°You talk too <b>much</b>. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Wesley¡¯s mother, also known as ¡°Mrs. Morales¡°, lived in the Filo Residence. The journey from the Denning Residence <b>to </b>there took an hour and a half by car.

    They were an aristocratic Faldorian family that had existed for over two centuries. Wesley¡¯s great¨Cgrandfather¡¯s wife was Cedonian, and she gave birth to a daughter, Amelia, who inherited the Filo family legacy

    Over time, the Filo family¡¯s fortunes declined, and the family was almost wiped out. However, Amelia¡¯s legendary abilities and resourcefulness revitalized the Filo tamily.

    As a result, the entire Filo family held her in the highest regard, acknowledging her status,petence, and invaluable contributions. When she was leading the family, no one dared to challenge her authority,

    Her husband was also <b>Cedonian</b><b>, </b>and they had a daughter named Yennifer Filo. She was Wesley¡¯s mother.

    Unlike her mother, Yennifer was mboyant, unruly, and possessed a love for koury and pleasure. She <b>was </b>rebellious andcked her mother¡¯s talents. She even defied her mother¡¯s wishes by marrying a Cedonian man, Logan Graham.

    The Filo family did not approve of this marriage. As expected, they ended up divorcing after trying to keep the marriage afloat for a decade.

    After her divorce, Yennider returned to the Filo family. But the family ostracized her due to the mistakes she had made in the p

    past

    However, Amelia loved her daughter. Since she had absolute authority, she bequeathed the Filo family to her grandson, Wesley, before her death.

    Upon heating this, Emelie could guess the remaining details. ¡°The <b>Filo </b>family was displeased with your mother, and hence you. Therefore, despite Mrs. Denning¡¯s wishes, it must have been challenging for you to inherit the Filo family, right?¡±

    Wesley smiled wryly. ¡°Regardless of the difficulties, I am the rightful heit. If they are unhappy, they can attempt to take it from me.¡±

 Chapter 579

    Chapter 579 An Ambush

    His words were filled with arrogance.

    tanele tumed to look at him she was just about to tewe him by saying<b>, </b>¡°So this is the <b>true </b>face of Mr. Cros

    However<b>, </b>before she could utter <b>a </b><b>single </b>word, <b>a </b>deafening bang empted

    It felt as though something had exploded overhead, and the impart jolted Emelie. At the same time, the car veered out of control and crashed into arge tree on the side of the

    The erased by the collision threw Emelie, who was <b>not </b>wearing a seatbelt in the backseat, forward. <b>She </b>hit the front seat, and she felt excruciating pain in her ribs

    Wesley was also caught off <b>guard</b>, but his reflexes were quicker than <b>Emelie¡¯s</b>. He grabbed the car door handle to prevent himself from being throw forward, and then swiftly nced backward.

    The scene unfolding before his eyes seemed to be happening in slow motion. A brass bullet was hurtling toward them with unstoppable force

    In a split second, Wesley grabbed Emelie and pulled her into his embrace

    The bullet struck the rear window with a bang fortunately, the car was bulletproof, preventing the bullet from prating.

    Several cars elerated as they trailed after them, forming a protective barrier around their vehicle.

    Emelie was stunned<b>. </b>What was happening?

    <b>She </b>looked up and saur <b>¡®</b>Wesley¡¯s tense jaw. It was the firsttime she had seen him so serioss,

    The driver shouted, ¡°Mr. Crones The tires have exploded!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid<b>, </b>Wesley reassured Emelie.

    He pressed her head down, preventing her from getting up. <b>He </b>observed the situation outside with a somber expression.

    Jodie, Marcel, and the bodyguards had already gotten out of their cars. Drawing their guns and pressing their backs along <b>Wesley¡¯s </b><b>car </b>door, they said urgently, ¡°Mr. <b>Graham</b>, it¡¯s

    an ambush!*

    They were in the woods, surrounded by dense vegetation and devoid of <b>any </b>signs of human activity. It was indeed an ideal location for an ambush.

    The next second, rapid gunfirecould be heard. Continuous shots were directed at Wesley¡¯s car.

    Emelie finally understood the granty of the situation was an assassination attempt, or rather<b>, </b>atant murder.

    She knew that owning a gun was legal in foreign countries, but witnessing a scene that typically only existed in movies caused her to clutch onto Wesley¡¯s clothes tightly

    Three bullets struck the window on the right, causing it to crack

    Wesley shouted, <b>¡°</b>Jodie¡±Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    The sniper had exposed his position. Jodie peered from behind the car, aimed at a specific direction, and <b>fired </b><b>a </b>shot. They heard something heavy falling from the trees and hitting the ground

    However, there was more than one shooter, and they were firing at <b>Wesley¡¯s </b>car from all <b>directions</b>.

    They couldn¡¯t remain as stationary targets, but the tires were punctured. They couldn¡¯t get out to switch whicks either, as it would undoubtedly expose them to gunfire

    Emelie was anxious and said while trying to look up, ¡°Wesley¡±

    But Wesley pressed her down again. The car windows were already cracked, and the next shat could shatter thempletely.

    His eyes glinted coldly as he shouted, <b>¡°</b>Marcel, the tow rope!¡±

    ¡°Got it!¡± Marcel replied.

    After getting two thick and sturdy ropes from another car<b>, </b><b>he </b>secured them to the front of Wesley¡¯s car. The car in front began to move, pulling Wesley¡¯s car away from the ambush area as quickly as possible.

    Emelle¡¯s heart pounded as her mind raced. Who sent the killers? Who was their target?

    She still hadn¡¯t headed from herst trauma. Had those four families discovered she was still alive, so they <b>had </be to <b>finish </b>her off?

    The car in front <b>dragged </b>them away while Jodie and the bodyguards provided cover as bullets pelted down like raindrops.

    subside

    to lift her head. She could see dust flying in the air through the back window of the car. They were hurtling forward at a high speed, but <b>the </b><b>gunshots </b>still didn¡¯t

    Emelle pursed her lips. ¡°<b>Who </b>are they? Are they from Capebatt City?

    Wesleyreplied, ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±

    Nut the next

    Hearing his answer, Emelie rxed momentarily. But the next moment, she figured out who it was. ¡°Is it someone from the File family?

    Wesley looked down at her. Perhaps due to the lighting or the angle, his eyes appeared deeper than usual. It seemed like Emmelie had guessed correctly.

    He had just uttered the words, ¡°They can attempt to take it from me.¡± And now, the File family has indeed taken action

    Emelle made an untimely joke. ¡°What a jins.¡±

    Wesley had just begun to smile when the tire of the <b>car </b>in front of them burst after being hit by <b>a </b>bullet. The <b>car </b>skodded and veered to <b>oneside</b><b>.</b>

    The driver <b>instinctively </b>yanked the steering wheel hard in the opposite direction. However, the car was traveling too quickly for the <b>driver </b>to regain control

    11 just so happened that they were on abridge, <b>with </b><b>a </b>ther flowing beneath the car is front crashed through the railing <b>and </b>plunged into the water, dragging Wesley¡¯s cat down

    with IL

    jodie, engaged in fighting with her <b>team </b>and losing, was horrified to see Wesley¡¯s car plummeting off the bridge. She immediately rushed toward <b>them</b>.

    But before she could reach the rats, both whicles on the riverbank exploded with a devtening bang, sending mes sowing into the sky.

    Chapter 579 An Ambush

    Jodie momentarily stunned, then her face turned pale as she shouted, ¡°Mr. Graham!¡±

 Chapter 580

    Graham!¡±

    Chapter 580 He¡¯s Here

    The assassins watched as the scene unfold and stopped their relentless pursuit. They swiftly retreated to report to their employers.

    Soon, news of the incident reached a luxurious vi

    The middle¨Caged man who received the message was <b>a </b>typical Faldorian with blonde hair and blue eyes. He was in disbelief. ¡°Are you sure that it¡¯s done?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Their car exploded after it tell into the river. Even if they survived the initial impact, they <b>would </b>be <b>seriously </b>injured<b>¡± </b><b>a </b>man said.

    The middle¨Caged man pressed on ¡°What about the woman? The one named Hoven. Did she die as well?¡±

    The person answering was <b>his </b>son, the mastermind behind the ambush<b>. </b><b>¡°</b>She was in the same car as Cronus, so she must be dead tool¡±

    The middle¨Caged man finally exhaled. He felt ecstatic and said, ¡°Excellent! Well done! We have finally eliminated those two formidable threats<b>!</b>¡±

    His son agreed, ¡°Indeed. If that woman had not interfered with the recent SAM acquisition, we wouldn¡¯t have discovered that she was here in Mercianna with Cronus. If her true identity had been revealed, the Filo family inheritance would have fallen into the hands of an outsider!¡±

    ¡°pmpossible! I¡¯m Mrs. Denning¡¯s nephew. I¡¯m a Filo, the rightful heir of the family. I¡¯m far more qualified than that grandson of hers. The Filo family can only belong to us!¡± the middle¨C<b>aged </b>man dered.

    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right, Father!¡± The young man¡¯s eyes gleamed with ambition. ¡°With Cronus and that woman dead, the Filo family will be ours!¡±

    Still, the middle¨Caged man felt a sense of unease and instructed, ¡°Keep an eye on the Filo Residence and the Denning Residence. Inform me immediately of any developments!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± the son said.

    The gunfight in the forest was naturally kept under wraps. Both the Denning Residence and Filo Residence enforced strict confidentiality

    <b>The </b><b>public </b>only knew that injured individuals were being rushed to a private hospital owned by the Filo family. However, the identities of the injured and the severity of their conditions remained undisclosed

    For the next two days, Wesley wasn¡¯t seen anywhere, and that Yennifer didn¡¯t leave the hospital.

    Everyone knew that Vennifer loved to indulge herself. She wouldn¡¯t voluntarfly stay the night at a ce like the hospital if things weren¡¯t serious.

    Rumors began to circte within the Filo family. Some spected that Wesley had died and Yennifer was hiding the truth to prevent a power struggle over the inheritance.

    The family members were unable to endure the uncertainty and finally gathered on Sunday afternoon demanding for Vennifer to reveal Wesley¡¯s condition. Known for her rebellious spirit, Yennifer resorted, ¡°Anyone who spreads rumors about the patriarch of the family dying is guilty of conspiring against him.¡±

    <b>That </b>was able to shut everyone up.

    ording <b>to </b>the Filo family rules, anyone who disrespected or undermined the patriarch of the family could <b>be </b>banished.

    Due to the uncertainty <b>around </b>Wesley¡¯s condition, no one dared to challenge her. They could only wait it out.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.

    Meanwhile, a private jet from Capebatt City touched down at Mercianna¡¯s airport William, dressed in a ck suit, walked down the stairs of the Gulfstream G650.

    As expected of the world¡¯s top business jet, it was both functional and stylish. And as expected of the CEO of the Cloudex Corporation, William exuded an air of dignified aloofness.

    He was in Mercianna for the acquisition of SAM the following <b>day</b>.

    A <b>manager </b>from the International Department of Cloudex received William at the airport.

    The manager had extensive connections. He leaned in and muttered to William, ¡°Mr. Middleton, something happened to the Filo family.

    William¡¯s dark eyes narrowed as he looked at the manager. The manager lowered his voice further. ¡°Wesley might <b>have </b>been killed in an assassination attempt orchestrated by the

    William paused in his steps for a second before resuming his <b>walk</b>. His voice was deep and measured as he said, ¡°When did this happen?¡±

    ¡°On Saturday. After the gunfight, there was a car ident. The passengers were rushed to the hospital, but there <b>has </b>been no news since. Mr. Middleton, should we take the opportunity to add fuel to the fire?¡± the manager said.

    The ¡°fuel¡± the manager referred to was the <b>potential </b>plummet of the Filo Group¡¯s stock p price if the public learned of the Filo family heir¡¯s assassination attempt.

    William didn¡¯t say anything more and just twirled his ring. He walked from the airport to his car, his expression inscrutable all the way.

    He didn¡¯t care if Wesley died, but..

    ¡°Car ident? Where was Wesley headed <b>when </b><b>the </b><b>incident </b>happened?¡± william asked out of the blue.

    The manager responded, ¡°Wesley¡¯s men sure can keep a secret, but it appears that he was on the way to the Filo Residence to meet Mrs. Denning. The ident was severe. Him, his secretary, and his driver are missing and presumed dead¡±

    ¡°Secretary?¡± William pressed, ¡°jodie? Marcel?¡±

    Neither. Jodie and Marcel are currently upied<b>, </b>so it must have been another secretary,¡± the manager said

    William lowered his eyes.

    If Wesley just intended to meet

    meet his

    mother, why bring multiple secretaries? If it wasn¡¯t a secretary, then¡­

    A chilling thought crossed his mind, and his expression burned cold.

    ¡°Tu the hospital,¡± Wiimmanded.

 Chapter 581

    Chapter 581 Dead or AliveContent property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    The manager was stunned. ¡°In Wesley! But Mr. Middleton, the Denning Residence and the Ello Residence had sealed off the hospital. Even the Fillo family members can¡¯t ender, kiakne us

    ¡°Go now,¡± Winmanded.

    As william lifted his gaze, the manager directed the driver to drive to the hospital<b>, </b>not daring to defy William¡¯s order.

    Soon, they arrived at the hospital.

    However, the hospital was surrounded, making it impossible for outsiders to enter. Even the doctors and nurses inside were not allowed to leave. There was no way to get any Information

    Not heat the manager, Ashton was also confused. ¡°Mr. Middleton, what¡¯s.¡±

    Ashton wondered why Willlun was so terse

    William stared at the entrance of the hospital, his expression dark with a hint of danger. ¡°Who¡¯s behind the assassination?¡±¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It could be those fighting for the Filo family¡¯s inheritance. Some family members had always opposed Wesley talking over the Filo family,¡± Ashton said. Wilmshat his secan incident, the <b>one </b><b>who </b>benefied the most was often the mastermind,

    ¡°Wesley¡¯s dead, who¡¯s bing the next heir?¡± Wilham asked.

    ¡°Mrs. Denning only has one daughter, Mrs. Filo. Though Mrs. Filo is still present, shecks the ability to lead the File family. Otherwise, Mrs. Denning wouldn¡¯t have passed the Lamily down to her grandson,¡± the manager said

    He continued, ¡°But Mrs. Filo has a cousin named Gordon File. He and his son had been working at the Filo Group Gordon¡¯s also one who opposed Wesley¡¯s inheritance.¡±

    Then it must behin

    Wi opened his eyes, his gase dark and heary. ¡°I want to know both of their recent movements.¡±

    Although the manager was unsure of William¡¯s intentions, he responded immediately, ¡°I¡¯ll look into it right away!

    Gordon¡¯s son, Terren Filo, was the one behind the shootout

    Barren was <b>in </b>a good mood <b>these </b>past few days, feeling as if he had aplished something grand. He swagged out <b>of </b>a bar and got into his car,

    As he drove, the car behind him turned on its high beams, momentarily blinding him.

    Barren cursed and turned around to see who was. As he tumed his head, the car behind sped up and rammed into his car

    A deafening bang rang our before Barren could react.

    convinced he wasn¡¯t drunk.

    As Gordon received the news, beately rushed to the hospital Barren was still <b>in </b>the emergency room, and the doctors said his condition was critical Barten was Gordon¡¯s only son. Upon hearing this devastating news, he lost control <b>and </b>grabbed one of his bodyguards.

    ¡°How did this happen? Aren¡¯t you supposed to protect him? Gordon sad

    ¡°The truck suddenly came up from behind. <b>They </b>did it on purpose. They wanted Mr. Darren dead¡± the body used said. ¡°Where¡¯s the truck then? Gordon questioned.

    ¡°They fled right after the crash. The police haven¡¯t caught them ¡°the bodyguard replied

    Gordon swore angrily, shouting in a string of Faldorian, ¡°It must¡¯ve been someone from the Denning Residence or this! Just wait until tomorrow. Whether he¡¯s dead or alive, tomorrow, I¡¯ll make sure he¡¯s out of the Filo Group!¡±

    the Filo Residence! It¡¯s Wesley! He¡¯s not getting away with

    Soon, a new week began and Gordon called a shareholders¡® meeting. He dered there were urgent matters to <b>discuss </b>and asked for all members to attend.

    Early in the morning, everyone gathered in the File Group¡¯s executive conterence room.

    Inside, the atmosphere was tense and dangerous. All shareholders were in their designated seats<b>, </b>but the chair reserved for Wesley remained empty until 9:30am.

    All present know Wesley¡¯s fate was uncertain, and he was likely to make it to the meeting. However, the File Residence and the Denning Residence <b>hadn¡¯t </b>publicly disclosed Wesley¡¯s condition. Thus, everyone feigned ignorance, murmuring to each other.

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t the head here?¡± one person said.

    ¡°Why <b>hasn¡¯the </b>arched yet?¡± another said.

    ¡°Should we call someone?¡± A <b>third </b>person joined in

    The meeting was then postponed to ten o¡¯clock

    ¡°It seems the head won¡¯t being. In that case, let¡¯s start the meeting,¡± Gordon coldly <b>stated</b>.

    Just as he finished speaking, the door was pushed open<b>, </b>and jodie and Marcel walked in.

    The two of them stood at the door and said, ¡°This is a major meeting with the head absent, how dare <b>you </b>proceed?¡±

    Gordan sat in the third <b>seat</b>. <b>¡°</b><b>You </b>should ask yourselves. Why hn¡¯t Cronus here?¡±

    ¡°The head is unwell and can¡¯t attend. So, he sent us here. We¡¯ll take notes and report back to him,¡± <b>Jodie </b>replied fl

    Gordon had been incertain about Wesley¡¯s fate. However, he wasinced that Wesley and that woman had died in <b>the </b>car ident

    ¡°Ichernally enwell¡¯or is he nevering? Gordon asked boldly.

    poder¡¯s see prew sharp.: ¡°Mr. Gordon, what are you implying?¡± Gordon then kartly stated, ¡°Cronus is already dead, Isn¡¯t he?

 Chapter 582

    Chapter 582 The <b>Twist</b>

    Everyone was already guessing the same thing. Despite that, hearing Gordon say it out loud in the brightly lit conference room made them tense up. It was a serious matter if the head was really dead

    Marcel scolded angrily, ¡°How dare you curse the head of the family?¡±

    Gorden spread his hands. ¡°Who here doesn¡¯t know that Cronus got into a serious car <b>ident </b>on Saturday? Only Mrs. Filo and you know whether <b>he¡¯s </b>dead or alive. For all we know, Mrs. Filo is hiding Cronus¡® death to seize the inheritance for herself!¡±

    Jodie retorted, ¡°Mrs. Filo is Mrs. Denning¡¯s only daughter and the primary <b>heir</b>. Why would she need to ¡®size¡® the inheritance?¡±

    Gordonughed. ¡°If Mrs. Denning wanted Mrs. Filo to run the Filo family, she wouldn¡¯t have passed it down to Cronus instead of her<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    Jodie calmly replied, ¡°However, Mrs. Denning never said Mrs. Filo couldn¡¯t inherit the Filo family.¡±

    Gordon narrowed his eyes. ¡°<b>So</b>, you admit Cronus is <b>dead</b>, and the inheritance is going to Mrs. Filo?

    The others remained silent <b>as </b>they watched the heated exchange.

    ¡°Can you take the responsibility for your own words? Jodie asked angrily, nearly getting caught in his trap.

    Gordon was experienced, and he had always been crafty. In fact, he had another card up his sleeve.

    ¡°Even if Cronus isn¡¯t dead, he no longer deserves to be the heir of the Filo <b>Group</b>!¡± Gordon <b>said</b>.

    Marcel stepped forward. ¡°Gordon, are you out of your mind?¡±

    Gordon cose from his seat and said, ¡°The family has rules, and thepany has regtions. If someone messes up and harms thepany, the shareholders have the right to make a vote. They can remove the person from all positions.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    ¡°Recently, Cronus tried to acquire SAM, but he kept making poor decisions. He signed three huge wage agreements. In the end, he still failed to secure SAM. He evennded the Filo Group in <b>a </bwsuit, making us a public target. Removing him <b>is </bpletely justified¡±

    Jodie pressed her lips together.

    ¡°The fate of SAM isn¡¯t decided yet. How can you be so sure the File Group would lose? Are you working against Filo Group in secret?¡± she said.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you know? Wiliam, the CEO of the Cloudes Corporation, came to Mercianna personally to finalize the SAM contract,¡± Gordon said<b>.</b>

    Jodie and Marcel exchanged nces. No one in the room knew that William hade

    *You Cedonians <b>are </b><b>just </b>cunning.¡± Gordon mocked, internallyughing at their ignorance.

    Jodle shot back. ¡°So we¡¯re being racist now?

    It was a sensitive topic, especially in a foreign country.

    Gordon paused briefly, checked his <b>watch</b>, and sat back down confidently

    <b>¡°</b>No matter <b>what </b>it¡¯s almost 10:30, and the stock exchange will open soon. Let¡¯s see who wins the SAM deall When the results are out, I¡¯ll be curious to see how Cronus is going to defend his bad decisions!¡± he <b>said</b>.

    Either way,

    Gordon was prepared. It would be best if Wesley was dead. And if he wasn¡¯t, Gordon would make him pay for failing to acquire SAME F Group

    Gordon wanted Wesley out of the

    The internal turmoil within the Filo family was unknown to outsiders. However, the battle over SAM has recently be a hot topic in the market.

    On thest day of trading, onepany in <b>Cedonia </b>secured 35% of SAM¡¯s shares, giving it a huge advantage. If nothing unexpected happens, SAM would likely belong to the Cedoniapany starting that werk.

    The File Group was one of the top capital firms in Faldoria, rarely facing defeat. But they lost to a foreignpetitor in their attempt to acquire <b>a </b>localpany. It had left the Filo <b>Group </b>with a tarnished reputation. People from all over the world were eager to watch the spectacle.

    Early in the morning, the stock exchange was packed with people. They were all waiting for <b>the </b>result of the fiercepetition.

    As the clock struck 10:30 am, SAM¡¯s stock price officially broke the 100¨Cdor mark. Thepany then announced their official coboration through their website.

    SAM had reached a voluntary agreement with the File Group From that day onwards, <b>SAM </b>was integrated into Filo Group, bing its 215th subsidiary. To celebrate their coboration, theyunched <b>a </b><b>new </b>series of products.

    The sudden twist <b>had </b>caused a stir in the stock exchange.

    How could that be? Didn¡¯t the Cedoniapany buy 35% of the shares?

    The Filo Group only had 3%. How did theye out on top!

    Walt.

    Voluntarily? Did that mean that jane joined the File Group with 17% of his stake?

    No. That can¡¯t be right, Jaime reused to sell out no matter what.

    What on earth was going on?

 Chapter 583

    Chapter 583 Back To Life

    The outsiders weren¡¯t the <b>only </b>ones with questions. In fact, Gordon had even more questions.

    Like everyone else, <b>he </b>confidently believed that the Cloudex Corporation would secure SAM. They held 35% of the shares, while Cronus only had 31%. There was a gap between

    There was no way Cronus could gather enough from the other shareholders or the market.

    Most importantly, Cronus had been in a car <b>ident</b>, and his condition was uncertain. How could he possibly stage <b>a </beback?

    So, how <b>had </b>SAM joined the Group? How did none of the shareholders of the Filo Group know about that? Was someone deliberately keeping it a secret?

    Gordon couldn¡¯t help but wonder. With Cronus in the hospital, who could¡¯ve orchestrated such a move? <b>The </b>sination was beyond <b>Gordon¡¯s </b>expectations

    Gordon refused to ept the truth and asked, ¡°There¡¯s something wrong here. What did you do?¡±

    Jodie replied, ¡°Regardless of <b>what </b>the head <b>did</b><b>, </b>SAM is now part of the <b>Filo </b>Group. It¡¯s also a good thing for SAM. Why aren¡¯t you happy about it, Mr. Gordon?¡±

    <b>¡°</b>Something¡¯s must¡¯ve been going on! Gordon couldn¡¯t believe that his ns tell apart. ¡°Bring me to Cronus! I want to see him right now!¡±

    Gordon wasn¡¯t ready to ept defeat. If he could expose their lies and prove Cronus was <b>dead</b>, the inheritance would be <b>up </b>for grabs. As Amelia¡¯s nephew<b>, </b><b>he </b>would be the rightful

    helr

    Gordon rose from <b>his </b>seat and headed for the door. Both Jodie and Marcel tried to stop him, <b>but </b>he pushed them aside. He grabbed the conference room door handle, furiously swinging the door open

    To his shock, a crowd stood outside the door.

    At the front of the crowd was a man in a ck suit with light¨Ccolored eyes. He wore an elegant white shirt with ordion pleats. His tea¨Cbrown eyes looked calm andposed.

    Gordon nearly bumped into that man. After genting a <b>clear </b>look at that man¡¯s face, Gordon staggered back in shock. He tripped over his own feet,nding hard on the floor.

    ¡°Cro¡­ Cronus¡­¡± Gordon stuttered.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    Right outside was none other than the very person Gordon had demanded to see, Wesley,

    Wesley<b>, </b>tall and imposing, looked down at Gordon with an <b>air </b><b>of </b>superiority

    ording to the family hierarchy<b>, </b>Gordon was Amelia¡¯s nephew, Yennifer¡¯s <b>cousin</b>, and <b>Wesley¡¯s </b><b>uncle</b>,

    Wesley spoke calmly. ¡°Uncle Gordon, I heard you¡¯re looking for me? Well<b>, </b>I¡¯m here. Is there anything you want to <b>say</b>?¡±

    For a moment, <b>Gordon </b>couldn¡¯t manage his expression. He stared with wide eyes at Wesley, as though he had seen a ghost

    He sized up Wesley, who stood there looking perfectly fine. All of <b>his </b>limbs were attached, and even hisplexion was normal. It was as if he hadn¡¯t been injured at all.

    The other shareholders had been watching the situation unfold. At Wesley¡¯s sudden appearance, all of them instantly <b>stood </b>up.

    They stared at the entrance in disbelief. They had all thought that Wesley was lying in a hospital bed, seriously injured. No one expected him to show up suddenly

    Gordon stuttered, ¡°Aren¡¯t.. aren¡¯t you.¡±

    ¡°<b>What</b>? In a car ident? Dead? I just had a cold and felt <b>dizzy</b>, so I sent my secretaries in. I didn¡¯t expect Uncle Gordon to think I was <b>done </b>for What <b>a </b>huge misunderstanding.¡± Wesley said calmly.

    Gordon froze in ce.

    With that being said, Wesley walked past him. He entered the conference room, leaving <b>his </b>bodyguards outside the door.

    <b>A </b>Wesley walked in, the crafty shareholders quickly lowered their heads. They all knew that Gordon¡¯s n to seize power waspletely doomed. It <b>was </b>impossible for him <b>to </b>overthrow Wiley

    As Jodie pulled o

    at the head of the table, Wesley unbuttoned his suit jacket. He sat down and lifted his ge

 Chapter 584

    Chapter 584 Respect

    The conference room tell into an le silence as everyone held their breath in the intense atmosphere

    Gordon was helped to <b>his </b>feet, but the shock on his face remained.

    Before he could deal with one problem, another one surfaced. He <b>hadn¡¯t </b>even wrapped his head around the SAMsituation when Wesley showed up, alive and well.

    All of Gordon¡¯s ns had gone up in smoke, leaving him feeling like a pawn in Wesley¡¯s game. He felt shock, anger, and frustration overwhelming him,

    <b>Gordon </b>refused to ept his defeat, so he stormed up to Wesley and demanded, ¡°Cronus, what have you done?¡±

    How did he secure SAM? How did he get out of the ambush unscathed? How was he well and alive after the car ident?

    Jodie warned. ¡°Mr. Gordon, is that how you speak to the head of the family?¡±

    Despite Gordon being an elder and <b>a </b>senior, Wesley was the head of the File <b>family</b>. In his presence<b>, </b>respect was non¨Cnegotiable. Otherwise, Wesley had the right to deal with him <b>as </b><b>he </b>saw fit

    One shareholder sensed the tension between them and stepped in to calm the situation. He pulled Gordon back with a conciliatory smile.

    ot into a car identst night and broke his leg, so Mr. Gordon is not in a good mood. Please forgive his rudeness. You¡¯re all familles after all,¡± he exined to Wesley.

    A broken leg

    Exactly

    While Cronus was perfectly fine, Barren had ended up with a broken leg

    Gordon¡¯s eyes were tinged with anger as he shoved the peacemaker aside.

    He lunged at Wesley, shouting ¡°Cronus.¡±

    However, Marce <b>quickly </b>held him back

    Wesley calmly watched as Gordon raged. He said, ¡°There¡¯s no puzzle here. Jaime realized that joining F Group would be best for SAM<b>, </b>and changed his mind. He transferred his 17% share to me. With that, I took down SAM with 48% of the share. It¡¯s as simple as that.¡±

    ¡°Jaime? How could that be?¡± Gordon was shocked.

    Everyone knew Jaime was someone who would rather break than bend. He would never willingly sell <b>SAM</b>.

    Gordon had been keeping tabs on SAM¡¯s shareholders and market movements. However, he never kept watch on Jaime. He believed Jaime would never betray SAM

    Gordon shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you!¡±

    Wesley didn¡¯t need to exin everything to Gordon.

    As Gordon pondered, <b>a </b>sudden realization hit him. ¡°You¡¯re doing this on purpose, Cronus. This is a trap!¡±

    Wesley leaned back in his chair with his legs crossed. He said, ¡°Why would I trick you, Uncle Gordon?¡±

    Gordon replied,

    ¡°Because..

    ¡°Gordon! Calm down!¡± someone interrupted sharply.

    Gordon felt as though a bolt of lightning had struck him. He instantly snapped out of his frantic emotions.

    However, it was toote<b>, </b>and Gordon had let the cat our of the bag. Wesley would never let him off the hook.

    ¡°The reason you¡¯re <b>acting </b>this way is that I didn¡¯t die in that car ident bile you expected, right? Wesley said.

    Gordon retorted, ¡°Cronus, you need proof to use someone like that!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have to give <b>you </b>any proof,¡± Wesley retorted.

    Gordon had covered his tracks meticulously. Even if Wesley suspected him, Wesley had no proof.

    Wesley continued, ¡°The police will deal with what needs to be handled.¡±

    <b>Gordon </b>Instinctively asked, ¡°What police?

    ¡°The police are here!¡± a woman¡¯s voice rang out.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    with the door <b>to </b>the conference room left open, everyone watched as a confident woman strode in. Behind her followed a team of police officers

    Most of the shareholders present were members of the <b>Filo </b>family. They were taken aback at the sight of that woman

    The shareholders disdained her superficial and mboyant ways. Despite that, her status demanded respect. As she entered, they all stood up to greet her

    ¡°Mrs Filo,¡± the shareholders greeted

 Chapter 585

    Chapter 585 Keeping It In The Family

    The woman scanned the room with a half¨Csmile. ¡°What a lively gathering<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    The woman¡¯s name was Vennifer Filo. She was Wesley¡¯s mother and the ¡°legendary¡± daughter of the iconic Amelia.

    She was in her usual extravagant style, with a dress adorned with tiny crystals. Her dress shimmered in the light, <b>making </b>her look exceptionally captivating

    She was still youthful, only appearing to be in her forties. Standing next to Wesley, one might mistake them for siblings.

    Wesley had inherited some of her features, and they shared a certain simrity. However, Yennifer¡¯s naturally upturned eyes still held an alluring charm.

    She pointed directly at Gordon. ¡°There! He¡¯s the one behind everything!¡±

    The police stepped forward.

    ¡°Mr. Gordon, on the 26th of this month,st Saturday, there was a violent attack in Dolhoun Woods. Six armed men opened fire at Mr. Cronus. Our evidence shows that you have direct ties to these gunmen. Pleasee with us to the station,¡± a police officer said.

    Gordon hastily defended himself. ¡°Thad nothing to do with this! I didn¡¯t do anything!¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.

    One officer swiftly handcuffed him. ¡°One of the gunmen <b>has </b>confessed to us. Your son, Barren, hired them to assassinate Mr.Cronus on his route to the Filo Residence.¡±

    Gordon turned as white as a paper, and he was at a loss for <b>words</b>.

    Yennifer turned and looked at the shareholders.

    She <b>said</b>, ¡°First, attempting to kill the head of the family is a serious vition of the Flo family¡¯s rules. Second, hiring hitmen means criminal charges. <b>Since </b><b>Gordon </b>had disgraced the family, he will go to prison. Expelling Gordon from the family is only reasonable<b>, </b>right?

    The shareholders didn¡¯t dare to object. They all remained <b>silent</b><b>, </b>tacitly agreeing

    Wesleyposedly directed, ¡°Publish the statement: Gorden and his entire family are expelled from the Filo family.¡±

    ¡°No! No!¡± Gordon yelled.

    He couldn¡¯t ept his fate. Without his starus in the Filo family, how would be fight for the inheritance?

    As the police tried to take him away, he struggled fiercely.

    ¡°Cronus! on what grounds do you expel me? You¡¯re not even a member of the Filo family by blood!¡± he turned around and shouted.

    With all his strength, Gordon broke free from the police¡¯s grasp. He pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket, waving it at everyone.

    ¡°This is a DNA best Cronus is not Logan¡¯s biological son! <b>You¡¯re </b><b>a </b>nobody! Who knows where you came from. What right do you have to inherit the Filo family? You have no right, Cronus!¡± Gordon yelled.

    ¡°Wait, what?¡± The shareholders were stunned.

    The conference room enupted in shock. Cronus, also known by his Cedonian name Wesley, was the son of Yennifer and Logan. At least, it was what everyone believed it to be

    How could be not be their son?

    Unlike the others, Wesley¡¯s demeanor remained unchanged.

    Gordon, thinking he had won, broke free from the police. I sent someone to take this sample from Capebatt City. If you all don¡¯t believe me, we can test it again! Cronus, do you dare?¡±

    Wesley replied calmly. ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡±

    Gordon went wild withughter. ¡°You admit it! You admit it! You¡¯re not..

    Yennifer couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and said, ¡°Gordon, you¡¯re only in your fifties. How are you already showing signs of Alzheimer¡¯s?¡±

    <b>Gordon </b>choked on his saliva

    Yenniter continued, ¡°It <b>doesn¡¯t </b>matter who Cronus¡¯s biological father is. He is my son. He¡¯s not inheriting from the Middleton family. He¡¯s inheriting from the Filo family. As long as he has Filo blood, then that¡¯s mough¡±

    A brief silence filled the room. She was right.

    The shareholders, who had been buzzing with excitement, abruptly quieted down¡­

    Back when Wesley returned to the Filo family, Amelia <b>had </b><b>a </b>DNA test done. All the shareholders witnessed it, and they could confirm Wesley as Amelia¡¯s grandson

    Gordon was running out of options, so he resorted to insults, ¡°Yennifer! You <b>whore</b><b>!</b>¡±

    Yeniler remained poised. ¡°Men in power can have countless women. Wel, I¡¯m wealthy and influential <b>What¡¯s </b>so wrong for me to have a few men?¡±

    Shrined Gordon slowly and said, ¡°Or maybe you¡¯re just jealous? We do have a thing for <b>keeping </b>it in the family. But an old cucumber like you? Totally not my type. No need to act

    ¡°You How could you ¡°Comedon¡¯s face changed from red to then white<b>, </b>finally copsing in a faint.

    ¡°Takeit away,¡± Wesley added ¡°The meeting¡¯s done *

 Chapter 586

    Chapter 586 Fianc¨¦e

    The shareholders all rose to see Wesy of

    Usually, they didn¡¯t show him such respect However, with Gordon¡¯s defeat, they hesitated to make any trash moves

    As Wesley walked to the door, he halted in his tracks. <b>Then</b>, he turned around and said, ¡°talmost forget.¡±

    He lowered his gaze to adjust his shirt cuts before continuing casually, ¡°With SAM merging into the Eilo droup, we¡¯ll need someone at the director level to take care of ¡± Luxury leather <b>goods </b>were a new area of growth for File Group<b>, </b><b>and </b>it was critical for them

    The shareholders immediately understood that it was a position of real power. If one of them could get their hands on the role, their influence would grow significantly.

    cine shareholder quickly spoke. ¡°Since this is our first foray into the leather goods industry, It¡¯s important to choose the right person it needs to be someone capable and trustworthy. Perhaps we could.¡±

    Before the shareholder could nominate anyone, Wesley already made his decision.

    He announced, ¡°The person responsible for this acquisition will be my secretary, Mandy. She managed to secure SAM, proving her abilities. She¡¯ll take on the role of director.<b>¡± </b>The <b>shareholders </b>were taken aback

    ¡°Mandy? Who¡¯s Mandy?¡± one shareholder said.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of her before, another one added.

    Wesley put down his hand. His cuff revealed a small part of his sleeves, making him appear elegant. Nevertheless, his gaze was <b>as </b>cold as the wintry chill, sending shivers down one¡¯s spine.

    ¡°Why do you thank you have the right to know all my business?¡± be questioned them.

    The shareholders stiffened.

    ¡°It¡¯s it¡¯s our duty to show concern to the head of the family,¡± a shareholder argued.

    Despite them being reluctant about Wesley leading the File Group, they couldn¡¯t deny he had a dominating presence that naturallymanded respect.

    They tried to reason with Wesley. ¡°Even normal employees undergo three months of training. Mr. Cronus, please reconsider. It¡¯s too risky to put a neer in charge of such an important position.¡±

    Vennifer could no longer hold back. Her expression was fierce as she said, ¡°Risky? <b>Who¡¯s </b>the head of the family here? Wesley or you? You do as he says!¡±

    The shareholders tried to ang with Yeniler. ¡°Mrs. Filo, a shareholders<b>¡® </b>meeting isn¡¯t an autocracy. Even during Mrs. Denning¡¯s time, we were allowed to say our opinions. ording to the family rules, key positions should be passed to family members, not outsiders¡±

    Wesley interjected, ¡°She¡¯s not an outsider.¡±

    The shareholders were puzzled. ¡°Then, who<b>..</b><b>¡±</b>

    Wesley gave a faint smile as he dropped a bombshell ¡°Mandy Merce is my fanc¨¦e¡±

    What?

    The shareholders all stood up in shock,

    That meant that she was going to be the bubur familydy of the Fin Group. It was a matter far more significant than just a director¡¯s position.

    The shareholders were overwhelmed with questions.

    Which noble family did that womane from? What businesses did her family own? What social status did she have? Did she have a im to any inheritance? What benefits would that marriage bring to the Filo family?

    Cindere¡¯s story with the Prince was a fairytale. However, the prestigious Filo family was one of the top noble families in Faldoria. They could never allow their head to marry <b>a</b>

    However, Wesley didn¡¯t give them time to ask questions. He didn¡¯t even let them process what was happening. His next decision came swiftly.

    ¡°Gordon¡¯s shares in the Filo Group were given to him because he was a family member. Now that he is no longer part of the family, it¡¯s only natural to reim them,¡± Wesley said.

    Wesley slightly lowered his gaze, hisshes casting shadows on his fair skin

    ¡°Jodie, being Mr. Henry in Gordon¡¯s shares will now belong to my fianc¨¦e, Mandy,¡± he said.

    Jodie answered, ¡°Yes, sir,¡±

    Wait. Was he sane? Who gave him the right to do that?

    The shareholders felt their minds buzzed as they hurriedly left their seats. They swiftly stepped forward <b>to </b>confront Wesley. ¡°Cronus<b>, </b>how could you¡­

    You

    Wesley silenced them with a single, cing look, ¡°Aunt Natalia<b>, </b>you won¡¯t object, will you? After all, you have to hurry bark and handle Timothy¡¯s idental murder. Y wouldn¡¯t want to waste time here arguing¡±

    The woman froze in her tracks with her mouth opened, unable to speak.

    How did he know? she had kept it ander wraps so well.

    With another <b>nce</b>, Wesley continued, ¡°Uncle Vincent wouldn¡¯t object either, would you? If Mr. Francesco finds out about you and Mrs

    The man was at a loss for words.

    These were their secrets. How did he know all of their secrets and vulnerabilities?

    Mrs. Francesco, It <b>could </b>end badly.¡±

    For a moment, those who were called out fell silent, as did those who typically <b>kept </b>quiet. II <b>Wesley </b><b>knew </b>those two¡¯s secrets, he could eastly encore theirs too. They weren¡¯t willing to gamble on that.

    The one furious shareholders lowered their heads, not daring to say anything

    Chapter 586 Fianc¨¦e

    Wesley remained calm and unbothered. He concluded, ¡°It¡¯s settled then.¡±

    He then turned around and left with his group.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.

    A few shareholders couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and sank back into their <b>chairs</b>,

    His shares had just increased <b>again</b><b>, </b>which gave him even more influence now. At this rate, how could they maintain their footing?

    All the shareholders exchanged nces.

    Was the Filo family really going to fall into his hands?

 Chapter 587

    Chapter 587 Panishment

    Westry walked toward his office. He nced sideways and found Yennifer following him by his side. ¡°Moin, aren¡¯t you going back to Filo Residence?¡® he asked.

    ¡°now Mandy is in your office right now. I want to see her,¡± Yennifer said, sounding urgent

    Wesley replied, ¡°There¡¯s no hurry. You can meet her after talk to her about it.¡±

    In the past few days, everyone assured that Wesley, Emelie, and Yennifer were all at the hospital,

    reality, only Yennifer was there. Werley and Emelie were busy with their own matters. Hence, Yennifer hadn¡¯t seen Emelle until now.

    Yenniler was eager to meet Mandy<b>, </b>but Wesley had forbidden itContent property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    ¡°You¡¯re fondatic. You¡¯re going to scare her,¡± Wesley said.

    ¡°You brat! Is this how you talk to your mother?¡± Yenniter red at Wesley.

    ¡°Escort Mrs. File downstairs,¡± Wesley directed

    He then turned around and headed towards his office

    ¡°<b>Mrs. </b>Filo, this way, please,¡± Jodie said with a smile, leading <b>the </b>path.

    Yennifer stomped away in frustration. She stormed downstairs and drove away in her Ferrari.

    Wesley entered the office and found Emelie asleep on the couch

    Emelie had been traveling to multiple ces over the past few days, so she was genuinely exhausted since she <b>hadn¡¯t </b>had much rest

    Wesley took off his jacket and gently draped it over her, making sure not to wake her. After that, he walked over to his desk and started working on the equity transfer and appointment matters.

    Meanwhile, as Emelie was sound asleep, she had a dream-

    In the dream<b>, </b><b>she </b>wandered alone through a mistyndscape. She was searching for something, but she couldn¡¯t find it.

    Suddenly, she felt achill on <b>her </b>back, as if something was watching her. She spun around quickly and found herself staring at a crossbow aimed directly at her.

    Emelie woke up from the shock and she sat up with <b>a </b><b>sharp </b>pain in her chest.

    At the same moment, outside <b>a </b><b>cathedral</b>, <b>William </b>stepped out of his car and began coughing violently and uncontrobly. <b>He </b>struggled to catch his breath because of it.

    Ashton quickly handed Wim his coat ¡°Mr. Middleton.¡±

    William shook his head, indicating it <b>wasn¡¯t </b><b>a </b>cold.

    william sped his faintly aching chest and lifted his head. He looked up at the imposing cathedral and forced <b>a </b>smile. In a way, William pondered that this could be his punishment.

    He pressed his lips together until the coughing subsided. He straightened up and then entered the church with his face still pale.

    <b>Inside</b>, be quickly spotted Jaime sitting on a bench in the corner, praying lervently

    William approached and said coldly, ¡°You <b>sold </b>off your family¡¯s legacy and now you¡¯re here, feeling guilty. Trying to seek forgiveness in a church, Jaime Jaime slowly opened his eyes and looked at <b>William</b>.

    Emelie woke up with a start, and Wesley immediately walked over

    ¡°Eme?¡± Wesley said.

    Emelie <b>took </b>a moment to gather herself.

    She looked up at Wesley and murmured, ¡°Wesley, you¡¯re back I was going to wait for you, but I was too <b>tired</b>. I didn¡¯t sleep at allst night.¡±

    Wesley poured her cup of herbal tea and handed it to her. He sat <b>on </b>the coffee table in front of her, his eyes filled with concern

    ¡°Bad dream?¡± he asked.

    Ever <b>since </b>she came to Mercianna, she had been <b>having </b>dreams like that

    gripped the teacup, took a deep breath, <b>and </b>changed the subject

    She asked. ¡°How did the shareholders<b>¡± </b>meeting go?¡°¡±

    ¡°What do you <b>think</b>? Wesley replied with a question

    ¡°Of course, you won You secured SAM¡¯s shares and exposed Gordon¡¯s plot. There¡¯s no way you could have lost,¡± she said without hesitation. Wesley smiled faintly ¡°Yeah, it went well. Gordon and his entire family have been expelled, and his shares <b>have </b>been reimed. They¡¯re yours now.

    Emelie was taken aback as she wasn¡¯t aware of Wesley¡¯s n. She looked at Wesley with wide eyes as she choked on her tea

    ¡°Mine! Why would you give them to me?¡± she asked.

    Wesleyretmesed a handkerchief from his pocket, gently wiping the corner of her mouth

    Hewald, ¡°Beranie you¡® or mylian de ¡±

 Chapter 588

    Chapter 588 Both yed <b>By </b>Her

    The Mercianna Cathedral was massive<b>, </b><b>and </b>it was built in the 5th century. Over the years, it has undergone countless renovations and reconstructions. Still, the one thing that remained unchanged was the faith within its walls.

    Will and Jaime strolled through the cathedral.

    It was May, and the weather had warmed up. The garden burst with vibrant blooms under the bright sun.

    Jaime was well into his old age, while Wiliam was still ill. In contrast to the weather, they seemed tock vitality.

    Jaime and Wam knew each other. Although they rarely kept in touch, they shared a bond that transcended age.

    Jaime nced at William beside him. Over the years, William had be increasingly distant

    ¡°You¡¯ve changed. <b>You </b>were much happier thest time we met three years ago. It looks like you¡¯ve been through a lot since then. But you still like wearing all ck, just like back then,¡± Jaime said.

    William replied indifferently, ¡°Well, people change.¡±

    ¡°Did you tly from Cedonia because I refused to sell SAM to you? Coming all the way to confront me? You¡¯ve be quite petty,¡± Jaime said.

    Wim didn¡¯t confirm or deny it. Instead, he asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you swear you would never sell SAM? What made you change your mind and willingly join the Filo Group?¡±

    ¡°At first, I didn¡¯t want to sell. I was prepared to go down with all of you,¡± jaime said,

    William smirked, and jaime hutted indignantly.

    ¡°Hey! I¡¯m being serious<b>. </b>Over the weekend, I went to Nivendale to visit my <b>parents</b>¡® graves, I was going to ask for their forgiveness for my actions. I didn¡¯t expect that girl from the Filo family to tag along,¡± Jaime said

    As Jaime mentioned the girl, he couldn¡¯t help grumbling. ¡°You won¡¯t believe it. Thut that Cedonian girl was so rude! I could practically be her grandfather. Yet when w

    we first met, she called me foolish and dumb. I almost lest my temper!¡±

    William lowered his gaze. He didn¡¯t ask about the woman, <b>he </b>only simply listened to Jaime speak.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never met such a rude girl. But she told me she understood why I didn¡¯t want to sell SAM.¡± Jaime paused.

    He softened his tone as he repeated Emelie¡¯s words that day in the cemetery. ¡°Capital doesn¡¯t care about your old¨Cschool brands that take pride in craftsmanship and heritage. You¡¯re just pieces on <b>a </b>chessboard, pawns making profits. When capital parchases something, it¡¯s all about squeezing out its value.

    ¡°Marketing and promotion will make it widely known. But once it gets overexposed, <b>and </b><b>no </b>one wants to pay for the product anymore, it will be tossed aside by the market. It doesn¡¯t matter if the brand has been <b>around </b>for a hundred or two hundred years<b>. </b>Capital will treat it the <b>trash</b>.

    ¡°What¡¯s worse is that people will forget what it once was. They won¡¯t care when it disappears because it¡¯s be worthless. After all, who mourns a cotten apple?

    ¡°You didn¡¯t want to sell SAM because you¡¯re afraid that one day it could end up like that. You¡¯d rather let it fade away now and be a part of history. That way, at least people will remember it. They might even say something like, ¡°What <b>a </b>shame. It was such a great brand.¡°¡±

    It was better to be a small gem than a big rock. Stubborn craftsmen often behave that way, and Jaime was no exception.

    William halted in his <b>tracks </b>and turned to Jaime, his expression unreadable:

    He said, ¡°So, just because she hit the mall on the head, you agreed to sell SAM?¡±

    ¡°She said she understood me, and that she would help protect SAM. She¡¯ll make sure it won¡¯t be a castaway,¡± Jaime replied.

    William lifted his brow and said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried that she¡¯s giving you an empty promise? That she was just sweet¨Ctalking you into selling?¡±N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    Jaime shook his <b>head</b>, struggling to find the right words to express his feelings. ¡°She¡¯s different. I believe that she¡¯ll keep her word.¡±

    William¡¯s hands were behind his back, and he was absent¨Cmindedly fiddling with his ring

    ¡°Apart from what she said, I was also thinking about something when I was standing there in the cemetery, <b>I </b>realized that if recklessly destroy SAM, I might regret not giving my future descendants achance to know it. My parents passed SAM to me, and I haven¡¯t passed it on,¡± Jaime added.

    Helted his gaze and nced at William before continuing, ¡°Also, you¡¯ve been putting pressure on me. If I refuse the FB Group, <b>SAM </b>will end up getting acquired out by you.¡± William replied coolly, ¡°Was <b>it </b>better being taken over by the File Group than by me?¡±

    ¡°You run a cedonianpany. There are too many risks if SAM joins you For example, will my employees be able to adapt to your Cedonian way of doing things? And can you manage the Vntis market effectively? Jaime said.

    He continued walking as he said, ¡°If I want SAM to survive, I have to choose the side with the better odds. So, of course, I¡¯m going with the Filo Group,¡± Jaime added.

    William silently walked a few steps before suddenly chuckling A lingering question had finally clicked into ce

    Jaime was confused. ¡°What are youughing <b>at</b><b>?</b>¡±

    ¡°Tin Laughing because we¡¯ve linth been yed,¡± William said..

 Chapter 589

    Chapter 589 A. Stranger

    Jaime was confused ¡°what do you <b>mean </b><b>she </b>yed us

    A small deformed on Wim¡¯s pale, dry lips. ¡°I ¨¹nally understand why she publicly insulted you in the church.¡±

    instinctively asked, <b>¡°</b>Why?¡±N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    ¡°only by publicly invahting you could she get the news spread. She wanted everyone to know that the Filo Group has fallen out with SAM,¡± William said.

    Both of them were <b>as </b><b>clever </b>as foxes. Once he thought through, he sensed something was off.

    The Flo Group had been trying to acquire SAM for ages. Why would they suddenly have a fall out? Something strange <b>had </b>happened, so william wanted to investigate further.

    He prompdy sent someone to lock into it, and it <b>didn¡¯t </b>take long before he learned that Emelie <b>had </b>secretly signed a gambling contract with an investment bank and was acquicing SAM shares. Thinking this was het strategy, William instructed the <b>Cloudex </b>Corporation to acquire SAM shares too.

    Unbeknownst to him, her true intention was to let him know what she <b>was </b>doing and to bring the Cloudex Corporation into the game. The more favorable the Clouder Corporation¡¯s position was, the more it would pressure SAM toward the Fin Group

    To put it into simpler terms, all the talk of gambling contracts, share acquisitions, esults, <b>and </b>corporate thealties were just for show. She was actually using the cloudex Corporation, to force SAM, who had no intention of sling, to willingly tum to the F Group

    Ather bearing William¡¯s exnation, Jaime fell silent for a long while. Instead of getting angry, he burst outughing.

    ¡°Wow, despite her young age, her tactics are impressive!¡± Jaime praised.

    Based on her predictions, SAM were to be acquired, Jaime would lety prefer the domestic Fileoup over a orignpany. After all, it was a matter of sentiment Hence, she deployed this clever move. She had done it on purpose, considering that the Caudex Corporation might acquire 5% of the <b>remaining </b>6% of floating shares in the

    marker

    By leveraging thepetition with Cloudex, she could inte SAM¡¯s stock price as SAM¡¯s performance had been sluggish for months.

    Additionally, this would ensure that the File Group could reap the benefits after acquiring SAM, all while setting the gambling contract with the investment bank, killing three birds with one stone Like new waves pushing out old ones, the younger generation was always surpassing the older generation.

    Jame wasn¡¯t upset because the die had already been cast. On top of that, he found talented and shrewd people to be quite likable. Hence, <b>he </b>admired Enelle for that

    However, he was surprised that Wim, who had been used and turned into a pawn, wasn¡¯t angry. After all<b>, </b><b>he </b>was not known for his kindness

    Barber<b>, </b>when Jaime mentioned that Willis seemed less happy than at theirst meeting, it was because he detected a sense of indifference in hin. I was as if nothing could move

    However, <b>William </b>ww.currently wearing a small smile jame, putting on his reading sses to look <b>closely</b>, couldn¡¯t tell if it was satadaction, relief, or assurance. Jame was perred. ¡°Do you know that woman?

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know her name. Howeodd I know her? William said. He stuffed his hands into his trousers pockets, making him <b>look </b>tall and slender.

    While Jaime didn¡¯t know the woman¡¯s name either, he wondered why <b>William </b>was reacting this way if he didn¡¯t know her: He almost thought <b>the </b>woman meant something to <b>him </b>as he almost seemed pleased with her growth

    Jame couldn¡¯t understand him and took off <b>his </b>sses, wiping them with a cloth before putting them away

    He casually asked, ¡°When are you heading back to Cedonia? Tomorrow?

    With the Codex Corporation and Xanther Group under his weg, he couldn¡¯t be away for too long.

    William <b>nned </b>to leave the next day. However, before he replied, Jaime said, ¡°I¡¯m having lunch with that woman hom the Filo family tomorrow. If there¡¯s time, I¡¯ll take you to the airport. Who knows when we¡¯ll meet again?¡±

    William paused for a moment<b>, </b>swallowing the words he was about to say.

    He replied softly, ¡°I¡¯ll leave the day after tomorrow. Where are you having licht?

    ¡°She chose to have lunch at Ambroise,¡± Jaime replied

    Jame thought william was asking because he intended to join him for the meal and meet that impressive woman

    However, the next day at noon, when Jaime arrived at the restaurant, he didn¡¯t see William anywhere.

    Emelie noticed Jaime ncing toward the door repeatedly and curiously asked, ¡°Mr. Torres, are you expecting another guest?

    Since William hadn¡¯t shown up, Jaime decided not to mention him. ¡°No, I was just looking around.¡±

    Meanwhile, at the hotel, <b>Ashton </b>asked William if he <b>wanted </b>to go to the restaurant. At that moment, William <b>was sitting </b>on a sada by the window, casually flipping through a magazine.

    He replied nonchntly, ¡°<b>¡®</b><b>s </b>too far. Besides, have you eat see

    Least seen two rivalpanies having a <b>meal </b>p

    peacehilly?!

    ¡°Alright, let me make your lunch arrangements then,¡± Ashton said.

    As Ashton turned to leave the room, she thought, ¡°That restaurant is just down the street How is that far?

    She assumed that William had intentionally <b>changed </b>his flight schedule just for <b>this </b>meal. She simply didn¡¯t understand why he was contemed about a stranger.

    After she closed the door behind her, the room bell silent, leaving William alone Heclosed the magazine and walled to the window

    From the back window of <b>hh </b>room, he could see the street directly below, and the restaurant was <b>diagonally </b>across from him

 Chapter 590

    Chapter 590 What Fianc¨¦e?

    Emelie had reserved a private room in the restaurant. As soon as Jame sat down, the waiter began to serve them their food.

    Even though Jaime <b>had </b>grown to admire and approve of Entelle after learning of her during his <b>chat </b>with William the previous day, he still felt the need to be critical of her. After all, she was taking hispany away from him,

    Seeing that she hadn¡¯t even asked what he liked and had instead ordered on her own, his expression tumed cold, and he was about to criticize her for being rude. However, he noticed that every dish the waiter served was exactly what he liked, down to the very dishes he usually ordered at this restaurant

    It was clear that Emelie had meticulously researched his preferences and arranged everything perfectly. Jaime suddenly found himself at a loss for words.

    Once all the food was served, a waiter, dressed <b>in </b>a shirt and west with one hand behind his back, elegantly poured white wine into Jaime¡¯s ss.

    Emelie gestured for him to eat, smiling faintly. She appeared much more approachable than she had been during their first meeting at the church <b>and </b>their second meeting at the cemetery.

    ¡°Theard that you love to have half a ss of white wine before meals, Mr. Torres. I wonder if the wine I prepared suits your taste?¡± she said.

    Jaime thought that Emelie¡¯s demeanor changed as quickly as a chameleon and snorted. ¡°My goodness, you even went to the trouble of finding out my habits and preferences.¡±

    Emelie was once an impable chief secretary. She considered knowing each client in advance as basic homework.

    Jaime¡¯s expression softened considerably <b>as </b>he looked at the young Cedonian woman seated in front of him. ¡°You haven¡¯t introduced yourself yet. I still don¡¯t know your <b>name</b>.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, that was my oversight.¡± Emelie took out a business card from her bag and handed it over with both hands.

    The light yellow business card had a faint fragrance and her name Mandy Pierce was written in threenguages¨CCedonian, Asteshese<b>, </b>and Faldorian.

    Jaime had never heard of her before. He epted the card and nced at the woman behind Emelie, Jodie.

    He asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t she one of Cronus¡® personnel? Why is she with you now? <b>What¡¯s </b>your rtionship with Cronus?¡±

    Jodie lowered her head and nced at Emelie before answering. ¡°Mr. Torres<b>, </b><b>you </b>have a good memory. I am his family¡¯s bodyguard. As <b>Ms. </b><b>Pierce </b>is my employer¡¯s fianc¨¦e, Tam now responsible for her safety.¡±

    nce?

    Jalme looked at Emelle <b>in </b><b>surprise</b>, but she merely lowered her eyes and continued cutting her steak

    ¡°So, you¡¯re the future madam of the F family. No wonder you¡¯re so arrogant!¡± Jalme said.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    ¡°Arrogant? That¡¯s the first time someone used that word to describe me.¡± Emelie put down her knife and fork, looking at jaime with neither arrogance nor humility.

    the future. <b>You </b>can take

    She extended her hand. ¡°After SAM merges into the Filo Group, I will be the director. Mr. Torres, we will have many opportunities to meet and interact in the f your time to understand what kind of person Lam.¡±

    After he stared at her hand for a few seconds, Jaime shook it

    They had <b>a </b>pleasant meal and shared good conversations, wrapping up the meal by 3:30 pm.

    Jaime walked straight to William¡¯s hotel and rang the bell to his room. When Ashton opened the door, he saw Willum sitting on the sofa.

    He entered the room andined<b>, </b>¡°Why didn¡¯t youe to the restaurant for <b>lunch</b>? I waited for you for quite a <b>while</b>.¡±

    ¡°Why do I need to have lunch with the File Group? Did you think I came to Mercianna for sightseeing¡°¡± William didn¡¯t even <b>turn </b>to look at him.

    It was only when Jaime got closer that he saw a document on the table in front of William. The title was erged and bolded, making it very visible.

    It was a contract between the Xanther Group and the <b>Aurora </b>Group.

    The Aurora Group was thergest energypany in Mercianna and one of the toppanies in Faldoria, Jaime suddenly understood that William had met with thispany that <b>day</b>.

    ¡°I knew it. Coming to Mercianna just for the acquisition of SAM seemed too trivial <b>for </b>you. So this was your real purpose,¡± Jaime <b>said</b>.

    He continued, ¡°Wow, Xanther Group is developing really tast. Although you were formed just a few months ago, you¡¯ve already secured a partnership with the Aurora Group. At this rate, you might be publicly listed by the end of the year-¡±

    William noticed Jaime¡¯s happy expression and interrupted his chatter. ¡°So, did you enjoy your meal?¡±

    Jaime took <b>a </b>seat: ¡°It was quite good. I finally know the woman¡¯s name¨CMandy Pierce. It sounds gentle, quite contrary to her personality.¡±

    Mandy Pierce, William repeated the name in his mind twice

    He calmly asked, ¡°You¡¯ve only met her three times. How <b>can </b>you say you know her personality?¡±

    Jaime stroked his white beard. ¡°You sound just like her. She also told me to take my time getting to know her. Fine, I¡¯ll see if she really has the skis or if she¡¯s just arrogant because she¡¯s Cronus¡® fianc¨¦e¡±

    William had been staring at his tablet. When he heard the word ¡°<b>fianc¨¦e</b>¡± in Faldorian, he didn¡¯t immediately react. However<b>, </b>after a moment, he jerked his head up to look at him.

    His gaze darkened, like the night sky just before dawn¡¯s first light

    Hecoldly demanded, ¡°Whae are you talking about?¡±

 Winning Her Heart back Chapter 591

    Chapter 591 Chasing After a Lost Wife

    Jaime paused for a moment. ¡°She¡¯s Crous¡® anc¨¦e, the future madam of the Filo family.¡±

    ¡°Did she say that herself?¡± William questioned Jaime.

    Jaime tried to spealc ¡°No-

    However, before he could exin, William eut him off. ¡°Then why do you say she is his wife?¡±

    Jalme, an elderly man in his eighties, was startled by the sudden outburst. He didn¡¯t understand why he was so angry.

    Jaime said, ¡°Her secretary said it, and she didn¡¯t deny it. Besides, after our meal, she¡¯s heading to Balix with Cronus. How could that be fake?¡±

    William¡¯s fingers tightened around his tablet, his expression darkening instantly. As he was already a little pale to begin with, he currently looked as

    white as snow.

    Jaime wanted to <b>ask </b>what was wrong

    But William got up <b>and </b>left

    ¡°You¡­

    Something was wrong with him, so Jaime quickly asked, ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going back to Cedonia,¡± William <b>said</b>.

    ¡°Now? Weren¡¯t you leaving tomorrow?¡± Jaime asked.

    However, the response he got was the sound of a door mming shut,

    Jaime was bewildered, wondering what that was about

    Was he angry? Was he anxious? Why did it seem like he was chasing after his lost wife?

    William left the hotel and got into a car immediately.

    Due to his sudden decision, Ashton had to scramble to remake the arrangements. <b>She </b>hurriedly opened the car door to the shotgun seat while quickly searching for flights to Capebatt City on her phone

    However, given the limited number of first¨Css seats, and the fact that they were booking a flight so suddenly, how could they still get one?

    Her head pounded as she faced the biggest challenge of her career. She quickly said, ¡°Mr. Middleton, there are no first¨Css seats left for today¡¯s flights <b>to </b>Capebatt City. There¡¯s only the economy ss left. <b>Shall </b>we go back tomorrow?

    If they left the next day, she could still figure out a way to get first¨Css tickets that night.

    However, William replied, ¡°Book the tickets.¡±

    Was he asking her to book an economy flight ticket? The flight from Mernna to Capebate City would take at least 16 hours, with ayover <b>in </b>between. Given the cramped economy ss seats, how could he endure a journey thatsted more than ten hours?

    As William was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he neverpromised on anything his whole <b>life</b>. How could he handle such <b>difort</b>?

    As his secretary, Ashton was obligated to advise him. Hence, she forced herself to say, ¡°Mr. Middleton, maybe we should-¡±

    William checked his watch and urged the driver loudly. ¡°Drive faster.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± the driver said.

    Ashton noticed his urgency and realized there was no persuading him. She reluctantly booked the economy tickets, all the while being more puzzled than anyone ever. Why was he suddenly in such a rush to go back? Had something happened at Cedonia?

    William was looking at a booking app on his phone, but he was checking flights from Mercianna to Baliz. The next flight was departing in an hour.

    William tightened his grip on his phone. Even the sunlight could not prate his deep, dark gaze.

    The driver pushed past the speed limit and got them to the airport well before their boarding time. Although they didn¡¯t get first¨Css tickets, they were still VIP members of the airline, so they could walt in the VIP lounge.

    Ashton led the way. ¡°Mr. Middleton, the lounge is this way

    However, William looked at the airport screen. After be confirmed something, he walked in the opposite direction.

    ¡°Mr. <b>Middleton</b>!¡± Ashton yelled after him.

    It was finally clear to Ashton that William wasn¡¯t in a hurry to fly home. He was loolding for someone. However, she couldn¡¯t tell who he was looking for. Unable to guess, she could only follow WilliamAll content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    William took big strides. He hurried as Jaime¡¯s words raced through his mind. She didn¡¯t deny that she was Cronus¡¯s fianc¨¦e and the future madam of the Filo family

    William took a deep breath. Despite him knowing he shouldn¡¯t be impulsive, his pace <b>quickened</b>, and his breathing turned <b>rapid</b>, causing a slight pain in his bangga. He pressed his lips together as he started coughing

    Chapter 991 Chasing Aher a Lost wife

    The flight to Baliz was at Gate 46. When William arrived, he heard the boarding announcement..

    Arge group of people was gathered at the VIP boarding gate as the airline staff checked their tickets. Given their uniform outfits, they were likely bodyguards for some big shot.

    Jodie and Marcel were at the front of the line, handing over their boarding passes. Behind them stood a man and a woman.

    William slowed down. Despite the <b>crowd</b>, his gaze fixed on them from several yards away.

 Chapter 592

    <b>Chapter </b>592 He Chose This, He Should <b>Bear </b>It

    Emelie and Wesley stood together. Their height difference was just right. They wore simr outfits, both with blue outerwear. The woman wore a beret and a mask, the brim of the hat <b>pulled </b>low, revealing only her eyes.

    She turned her head to look at him, seemingly saying something. He bent down to listen, his hand naturally lifting her hair, which was caught under her coal. The ck strands wrapped around his pale fingers. She didn¡¯t seem to find his actions inappropriate, it <b>was </b><b>as </b>if it was natural.

    At that moment, William recalled thest New Year in Weston.

    Back <b>then</b>, he and Emelie were walking hand in hand on the street. It was a cold winter then, and the wind was naturally, pulling out her hair. She had looked up at him, her smile turning her eyes into crescents.

    slcy. He had adjusted her scarf, just <b>as</b>

    William felt a lump in his throat. He took a step forward but stopped himself.

    No, he <b>couldn¡¯t </b>do it. It wasn¡¯t the right time,

    As the group boarded the ne, <b>William </b>remained rooted at the <b>spot</b>,

    of, unmoving.

    is gaze, recognizing the family crest on the clothes of the boarding <b>group</b>. ¡°That¡¯s the Filo family

    Finally, Ashton caught up with him. ¡°Mr. Middleton, are you looking for someone? I can help you.¡±

    William stood still, and Ashton followed his p She noticed the man and woman, and she recognized the man, ¡°Mr. Graham? No, he¡¯s the head of the Filo family here. The <b>woman </b>with him must be his fianco?¡±

    William¡¯s face turned even paler. He said nothing until the cabin door closed. Then he closed his eyes briefly and turned to leave

    However, after only a few steps, he couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He leaned against the wall, bending slightly, covering his mouth with one hand. It felt like there was a fire burning in his lungs, and be started coughing violently.

    He coughed so hard that Ashton quickly found some medicine for him ¡°Mr. Middleton, let¡¯s return tomorrow. We really can¡¯t get first¨Css tickets¡­ Should we arrange for a private jet instead?

    William said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s just go.¡±

    <b>H</b>

    When he was <b>unwell</b><b>, </b>he would make it so that he would have no time to think about anything else. He needed a distraction to stop thinking about what Jaime had said, to stop reying what he had seen.

    After all, it was pointless to think about it. Since he had chosen this path, he should bear it.

    Eighteen hourster, the nended at the Capebatt City Airport.

    The economy ss seats were cramped. After being confined for so long, William, who was already not looking well, looked even worse. He would cough every few steps.

    However, when he got into the car, he still told the driver. ¡°Send me to the Kanther Group

    The Xanther Group had <b>a </b>meeting that day to discuss the contract he had signed in Merrianna

    Ashton hesitated, feeling he was pushing himself too hard. The meeting could wait until the next day. He looked so unwell that he should go home and rest first. However, when she noticed his cold expression, Ashton didn¡¯t dare speak up.

    At the Xanther Group, Bryan immediately noticed that William didn¡¯t look well.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    Hisplexion was pale to begin with. Currently, it looked as if he had beenpletely drained of blood. Hence, his features stood out starkly. If one didn¡¯t know better, one might think he was a ghost. After all, his face looked like a white canvas painted with features.

    ¡°Mr. Middleton, are you feeling unwell?¡± Bryan asked.

    William simply said, ¡°I¡¯m fine.<b>¡±</b>

    The meetingsted two hours, and William hardly spoke. He sat there expressionless, like a block of ice.

    But a closer look would reveal beads of sweat on his forehead. Why was he sweating in a room with strong air conditioning?

    After the meeting, Charles got up from his seat and walked over to William, smiling ¡°Mr. Middleton, this is a great first step for Xanther <b>Group</b>. We¡¯ve started strong! Let me host a dinner at the Westward Club tonight to celebrate!¡±

    Since everyone else agreed, William also rose to his feet. But <b>as </b>soon as he stood, his vision went ck. He didn¡¯t even have time to <b>reach </b>out and support himself on the <b>table </b>before he fell forward.

    ¡°Mr. Middleton

    William fainted, throwing the meeting room into chaos.

    He was rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment. The doctor said that he had overworked himself, and emotional fluctuations caused his blood pressure to spoke and drop. Additionally, the small amor in his lung had already started to spread a little

 Chapter 593

    Chapter 593 It Was Worth the Trip

    When William woke up, it was alreadyte at night. The moon was obscured by thick clouds, and not a trace <b>of </b>light seeped through them.

    As he regained consciousness, the sensation in his body returned as well. He instinctively raised his hand to cover his slightly aching liver, identally tugging <b>at </b>the IV in his hand<b>.</b>

    The person closest to his bed, Jayden, was the first to notice that he was awake. ¡°Will, you¡¯re finally awake.

    Others who had been sitting on the sofa also stood up and approached the bed, Among them were Ashton, Es, Charles, and Bryan

    Jayden asked, ¡°How are you feeling? Should we call the doctor<b>?</b>¡±

    William shook his head, his voice was hoarse. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°You were almost not fine<b>,</b>¡± Jayden

    said

    care of yourself at all. ording to Ms. Jones, you were coughing in Mercianna. <b>You </b>flew He couldn¡¯t help <b>but </b>scold him. He continued, ¡°You don¡¯t take c back to Capebatt City in economy ss on a flight thatsted more than ten hours. Why are you punishing yourself like this?¡±

    As William silently lowered his gaze, shadows fell on his pale cheeks. He ced his palm on the mattress, trying to sit up. Charles was standing at the end of the bed<b>, </b>so be pressed the button to adjust the bed¡¯s height to a 60¨Cdegree angle, allowing William to sit up and lean

    on it

    ¡°Thank you,¡± William said.

    ¡°You¡¯re wee,¡± Charles replied.

    Charles was quite curious. ¡°The doctor said your blood pressure was erratic <b>due </b>to severe emotional fluctuations. What happened? Did something happen in Mercianna or did you meet someone there?¡±

    His question seemed like a test

    Elias found the question annoying, and he stared at Charles. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    Charles shrugged innocently, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean anything. I¡¯m just concerned about Mr. Middleton.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that the negotiations with the Aurora Group didn¡¯t go well William coughed Lightly.

    Ashton immediately added, ¡°Yes, they thought the Xanther Group would be easy to manipte because we¡¯re a newpany. Hence, they proposed tough conditions.

    ¡°However, since the coboration with the Aurora Group is crucial for us, Mr. Middletonpromised in the end. This was the first time he ever made a concession¡±

    In other words, Win was upset because of the Aurora Group¡¯s demands. Her exnation made sense. After all, <b>about</b>. He had never bowed to anyone before.

    this

    is was William <b>they </b>were talking

    ¡°Let me handle them next time.¡± Bryan showed his support and concern<b>. </b><b>¡°</b>Healthes first, Mr. Middleton. You need to take care of yourself.¡± William replied coolly, ¡°I will. Thank you for staying sote, Mr. Swanson and Mr. Davis. I¡¯m fine now. It¡¯s gettingte. Ms. Jones will see you out.¡± With that, Ashton said, ¡°This way please, Mr. Swanson and Mr. Davis

    Bryan and Charles bid their goodbyes. ¡°Take <b>care</b>, Mr. Middleton. We¡¯ll visit you another day,¡±

    Although these two were supposed to be their close partners, they were constantly testing each other.

    After they lett, Es <b>closed </b>the door to the room, clicking his tongue in annoyance.

    Not only did Beathan loathe Charles for associating himself with them. Ever since knowing Charles was close <b>to </b>Beathan, Elias also felt disgusted by Charles.

    Jayden set up a small table attached to the hospital bed and poured out some chicken soup that Ashton had ordered from a private kitchen.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    <b>Jayden </b>didn¡¯t believe Ashton¡¯s exnation. Given William¡¯s character, he wouldn¡¯t get upset over the Aurora Group.

    ¡°Even if you lost the SAM bid to the Filo Group and Wesley, you shouldn¡¯t neglect your health because you¡¯re upset,¡± Jayden said, thinking Willian was upset about lesing SAM to Wesley.

    William nced at him but neither confirmed nor denied it. It didn¡¯t matter to him if the other familles believed Ashton¡¯s exnation or thought something along the lines of what Jayden did.

    He stirred the chicken soup and faintly smiled. ¡°Well, the trip to Mercianna was worth it. I met a worthy opponent.¡±

    Jayden asked, ¡°An opponent? Is it Wesley?¡±

    Of course not

    William hadn¡¯t realized who was behind everything until Wesley¡¯s car ident. Finally, he learned that Wesley had a new secretary and suddenly understood it was her who had beenpeting with him for SAM. She was different from the past and had improved a lot.

    William¡¯s dull <b>gaze </b>brightened slightly at the thought of her.

    Chapter 593 i Vos Worth the Ing.

    Elias didn¡¯t care to figure out the riddles he was speaking in. Hence, he simply replied, ¡°Anyway, Will, you need to take it easy. <b>Your </b>dad is already in poor health. If something happens to you now, your stepmother and stepsister would be so happy they¡¯d throw a party.¡±

    William looked at him and said, ¡°Instead of worrying about me, you should care more about Ms. Thornton. She¡¯s five months pregnant, right? If she needs anything, let me know. Make sure she safely delivers the baby and recovers well.¡±

    Elias looked as if he¡¯d seen a ghost. ¡°Why are you so concerned about my wibe!!!

    William took a sip of chicken soup, the hot liquid reddening his bloodless lips. ¡°Because I¡¯ll need her help in the future.

 Winning Her Heart back Chapter 594

    Chapter 594Holding <i>My </i>Wife and Child

    Elias felt that ever since William came back from his trip, he had taken to speaking in riddles,

    Willian casually handed the contract with the Aurora Group to Jayden.

    Jayden flipped through it, raising an eyebrow. ¡°The scale of this project is quiterge. It¡¯ll take at least three years toplete. With this project, the Xanther Group can quickly get on track. If wepare the Xanther Group to a sapling, it¡¯s now starting to take root and <b>sprout</b>.¡±

    William¡¯s expression turned cold, making it hard to discern his emotions.

    He said, ¡°<b>The </b>Xanther Group needs to get on track. It has to not only take root and sprout but also bloom and bear fruit.¡±

    <b>She </b>coulde <b>to </b>harvest the fruit when it was ready.

    Bryan and Charles left the hospital together.

    The night breeze in May was <b>cool </b>in Capebatt City<b>, </b>but the hospital was bustling around the clock

    The two stood by the roadside, waiting for their car to arrive.

    Across the street, shops were lit with colorful neon lights, casting their glow on the two <b>men</b>. One looked stern and serious, the other rxed and

    chefree.

    Bryan questioned Charles, asking, ¡°<b>What </b>did you mean earlier when you be met someone? That was rather rude

    asked Wilin that? What did you mean by asking if something happened or if

    Charles shrugged. ¡°Tve rarely seen Mr. Middleton get so emotional Even when Ms. Hoven died, he wasn¡¯t like this. So, I was curious.¡±

    Bryan said, ¡°We¡¯re partners now. If you keep probing him like that, he won¡¯t be happy.¡±

    William was not known for his good temper

    ¡°Okay, I got in.¡± Charles smiled. Then, <b>he </b>brought up the Aurora Group¡¯s project. ¡°It has a total value of jon billion. That¡¯s quite the number.

    After leaving the hospital, Es went straight <b>home</b>.

    Him and Ashley lived in a ce called Pearl Bay. That day was the earliest he hade home in a while <b>as </b>he usually only returned in the early hours of the morningN?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    As s

    soon as he entered, he heard a woman vomiting.

    <b>his </b>shoes

    He was startled for a moment before quickly realizing it was Ashley. He rushed inside without even changing his

    He passed through the living room and noticed a bowl of noodles on the table. It was barely touched <b>and </b>looked rather unappetizing.

    He entered the room and saw Ashley clutching onto the sink, <b>vomiting</b>

    He immediately went to her, rubbing her back, his brows furrowing instinctively. ¡°Have you been throwing up often?¡±

    Ashley was startled by his touch on her back. She tumed around, surprised to see him. But another wave of nausen hit her, and she quickly bent over vomit <b>again</b>.

    Elias hurried to get two sses of water. After she finished retching, he handed her one to rinse her mouth, then gave her the other. ¡°Drink this, it¡¯ll help.¡±

    When

    <b>ley </b>sipped the water, she noticed a tangy sweet taste. ¡°What did you put in this?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t make it sound like I poisoned you.¡± Elias, both amused and annoyed, pulled her out of the bathroom. ¡°I just added some juice. in water is tasteless, and I was worried <b>you¡¯d </b>throw it up again.¡±

    Ashley had developed a craving for sour foods since bing pregnant.

    She watched as s rolled up his sleeves and cleaned the sink without a trace of disgust. She was momentarily stunned.

    ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there. Go sit on the couch,¡± <b>he </b>urged.

    Ashley silently pursed her lips and went to sit on the small sofa in the bedroom.

    After Elias finished with the cleanup, he fetched a pillow and ced it behind her lower back to make her morefortable. Then, he opened the window slightly to let in the night breeze.

    ¡°This should be better. Although it¡¯s summer, I heard that pregnant women shouldn¡¯t be in air¨Cconditioned rooms all the time. Natural air is healthler,¡±

    he said.

    Ashley turned her head slightly to look at him. ¡°Why are you back so early?¡±

    ¡°finished work early, so I came <b>home</b>,¡± be replied.

    Es walked over, scooped her up to hisp, and held her close. ¡°Is a bowl of noodles all you are? No wonder you¡¯re five months pregnant and still

    2/2

    Chapter Holding My Wife and Child

    haven¡¯t gained much weight.¡±

    Except for the baby bump and a bit of extra flesh on her face, Ashley looked pretty much the same as before she was pregnant.

    Elias ran his hands over her, unable to find any extra weight.

    Ashley grabbed his wandering hands, trying to get up, but he held her tight. ¡°I¡¯ll order some proper food. Don¡¯t move. Let me hold my wife and child.¡±

 Winning Her Heart back Chapter 595

    Chapter 595 My First Time

    After a brief pause, Ashley resolutely got off of Elias¡¯sp.

    Elias didn¡¯t dare hold her too tightly. As soon as she struggled, he let go immediately.

    Ashley moved to another <b>sofa </b>and said calmly, ¡°As you can see, I¡¯ve managed to keep the baby healthy for five months despite my eating habits. Every prenatal check¨Cup has been good, so I don¡¯t need you to tell me how to live.¡±

    Elias stared at her face. She had already taken <b>a </b>shower, and her clean, fair skin glowed softly under the light of the floormp.

    He took a deep breath and smiled. ¡°Ash, let me tell you a story.¡±

    He continued, ¡°When God was creating a <b>woman </b>named Ashley, He picked up a vialbeled ¡°Intelligence¡® and poured it all in. Then He picked up a <b>vial </bbeled ¡°Emotional Intelligence¡®. He was ready to pour it in too, but <b>then </b>he realized the pot was already full Such a pity, He couldn¡¯t add any.

    ¡°As a result, this woman named Ashley was born without any emotional intelligence. What do you mean I¡¯m telling you how to live? I¡¯m obviously just concerned about you.¡±

    Ashley remained expressionless. ¡°Thank you for your concern, albeit five monthste, but I don¡¯t need it.¡±

    He had misspoken earlier. It wasn¡¯t true that she hadn¡¯t gained <b>anything </b>in five months. She had certainly gained a nasty temper.

    Though, to be fair, she had always had a bit of a temper with <b>him</b><b>.</b>

    With that, Ashley got up and left the living room.

    Elias followed and saw her pick up the bowl of noodles, walk to the kitchen, and put it in the microwave to reheat it. Obviously, she was nning to eat it

    after reheating it.

    Elias pressed his tongue against his cheek. ¡°You won¡¯t even eat a meal I get for you. We¡¯re married. Do we really need such <b>clear </b>boundaries?¡±

    He had already said he¡¯d get food delivered.

    ¡°I only agreed not to divorce you, nothing else. If we don¡¯t set clear boundaries, things would be vague and ambiguous-¡± she retorted before being

    cut off.

    Elias had crept up on her.

    He turned her around and pinned her against the fridge, kissing her deeply.

    r couldn¡¯t resist<b>.</b>

    He <b>was </b>a skilled kisser, especially when he wanted to show off. Even someone as naturally indifferent as Ashley c

    Besides, during the second trimester, women often experienced heightened hormones and desires.

    She was overwhelmed and hurriedly pushed him away. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    Elias grinned mischievously. ¡°Since the boundaries aren¡¯t clear, if you can handle kissing me, what¡¯s the big deal about eating a meal I get for you?¡±

    Ashley¡¯s expression was cold. ¡°<b>What</b>? <b>Are </b>your women outside not fun enough, so you¡¯re back to tormenting this old, ugly woman?¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    Even though Elias was a few years younger, he was still a head taller than her. He ced his hand on the fridge behind her and leaned down, his breath a minty fresh mix of youth and manliness.

    He said, ¡°First of all, you have misjudged your appearance. You¡¯re neither old nor ugly. Second, what misunderstanding do you have about me? When have I ever gone after other women?¡±

    ¡°Why else do youe home sote every night? We both know the answer, so there¡¯s no point <b>in </b><b>asking</b>,¡± Ashley said, trying to push past him.

    Es pressed against her,ughing in frustration. ¡°I¡¯ve beening homete because I¡¯ve been busy with work. Who said I¡¯ve been out partying and chasing women? Ash¨C¡°¨C

    He gritted his teeth, emphasizing each word, ¡°Our first night together was my first time. You¡¯re the only woman I¡¯ve been with. How could you think I¡¯m some kind of yer?¡±

    It took Ashley several seconds before she quietly said, ¡°You can lie to me all you want, but don¡¯t start believing it yourself. If you keep saying things like that, your pants might catch fire.¡±

 Chapter 596

    Chapter 596 Es¡¯s Sweet Talk

    Ashley pushed him away.

    As a strong¨Cwilled <b>person</b><b>, </b>she didn¡¯t like being restrained. Meanwhile, Es had an <b>alpha¡¯s </b>mindset. Hence, their personalities shed with each other.

    She put on over mitts, took the noodles out of the microwave, and went back to the living room to eat.

    Elles was always good at justifying things <b>to </b>himself. He convinced himself that Ashley wasn¡¯t trying to draw boundaries by eating her own food; she was probably just too hungry to wall.

    He scratched his chin and opened the fridge. He scanned its contents before <b>taking </b>out two eggs.

    Ashley ignored what he was doing in the kitchen. She ate her noodles while reviewing case files on her phone.

    Before long, Elias came over and ced two sunny¨Cside eggs on her bowl of noodles.

    ¡°I seasoned them with Himyan <b>salt</b>, so they should taste good,¡± he <b>said</b>.

    While Ashley didn¡¯t know what they tasted like, the eggs looked perfectly cooked, with firm whites and runny yolks. Ashley poked one with her fork, and the yolk <b>oozed </b>out.

    She nced at him. ¡°You can cook<b>?</b>¡±

    Es grabbed a puppy plushie and chuckled. ¡°Have you forgotten already? When I got kicked out by my dad and begged you to take me in, I had to cook for myself if you forgot to feed me. I used up all the food in your house.¡±

    This triggered a long¨Cforgotten memory for Ashley.

    When Elias was around the age of eighteen, he was very rebellious. Eventually, he had a big fallout with his dad and ran away to her ce.

    During that time, he promised to protect her and everything she cared about. So<b>, </b>she took him in, <b>and </b><b>he </b>stayed with her for over a month.

    She was busy with college and couldn¡¯t always take care of him. If she remembered, she¡¯d bring him food. If not, he had to feed himself.

    He was an eighteen¨Cyear¨Cold boy, not a puppy. There was no way he would starve himself.

    Hearing this, Ashley realized he <b>had </b>really been waiting for her to feed him. When she didn¡¯t, he learned how to cook

    Ashley pressed her lips together. ¡°<b>You </b>couldn¡¯t order takeout or go out to eat?¡±

    Elias scooted closer to her. ¡°I didn¡¯t have any money. My dad froze my bank ounts.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± she asked.

    Elias scooted even closer, his tone was teasing. ¡°I was a poor little guest, too scared to bother

    r you. What if you kicked me out for being a nuisance?¡±

    Ashley didn¡¯t know what to say to that.

    Back then<b>, </b><b>while </b><b>Ashley </b>lived off¨Ccampus, she usually are at the university <b>cafeteria</b>. There wasn¡¯t much <b>food </b>in her apartment save for instant noodles and other quick meals. It wouldn¡¯t be enough food for him for <b>a </b>month

    Elias picked up on her expression and leaned closer, his face resembling the puppy plushie in his arms. ¡°Are you feeling guilty? No worries, just be nice to me now to make up for it.¡±

    Ashley didn¡¯t give him the chance <b>to </b>get toofortable. ¡°I don¡¯t eat half¨Ccooked eggs<b>. </b>I don¡¯t like runny yolks. Now you¡¯ve ruined my noodles.

    Ehas blinked, genuinely surprised. He didn¡¯t know

    He tossed the plushie aside and scratched his head. ¡°Let me make you a new bowl? Actually, never mind, the delivery should be here soon. Are you very hungry? I can pick the eggs out for now. You can eat the untainted noodles.

    Ashley replied calmly, ¡°If you weren¡¯t causing trouble here, I¡¯d be done eating and ready for bed by now.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    Elias took the bowl and started removing <b>the </b>eggs <b>and </b>any noodles touched by the yolk

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know. Don¡¯t be mad. I¡¯ll remember next time not to give you runny eggs. What else do you not eat? Tell me now so I can make sure to get it right. As your due date gets closer, I¡¯ll be home earlier to take care of you.¡±

    Ashley said, ¡°So, you¡¯re saying ordering takeout is taking care of me?¡±

    Elias carefully picked out the yolk¨Cstained noodles. ¡°If you need anything, just tell me. I¡¯m not a mind reader. How am I supposed to know if you don¡¯t

    ¡°It¡¯s unnecessary,¡± she said

    ¡°It is necessary.¡± Es insisted.

    Es put the bowl back in front of her.

    He nced at her belly <b>and </b>gently touched it. ¡°I¡¯m the baby¡¯s father. Didn¡¯t you say you were mad at me for getting you pregnant? hn¡¯t it too easy on me If you don¡¯t give me a hard time?¡±

    Ashley pushed his hand away. ¡°You smooth talker.¡±

    Chapter 596 Bias Sweet Talk

    However, Elias could tell she wasn¡¯t as resistant as before. He knew best how to push his luck with his wife and leaned in to kiss her. Ashley tried to dodge, but he managed to capture her lips.

 Chapter 597

    2/2

    Chapter 597 Their First Night

    Elias¡¯s kisses were light yet full of desire, moving from her lips to her chin, and then to her neck. Ashley was wearing a spaghetti strap nightgown with a thin cardigan over it. Elias bit down on the strap adjuster and pulled it down.

    For some reason, Ashley saw him as <b>a </b>puppy trying to please its owner.

    It had been about six months since theyst did anything like this, partly due to their arguments and partly because of her early pregnancy. Both of them were currently feeling the moment. Clothes started to fall, and their desirescked in

    At that critical moment, the doorbell rang unexpectedly.

    Elias¡¯s face was filled with frustration and reluctance. He stubbornly continued kissing her with the temperament of a child, ignoring the bell.

    Ashley wasn¡¯t as shameless. She guessed <b>that </b>it was the food delivery and pushed him away, ¡°The food is here.¡±

    Elias, his eyes slightly glowing with passion, lifted his face from her chest. ¡°So, do we continue after we <b>eat</b>?¡±

    Ashley didn¡¯t bother to answer. She pushed him aside, fixed her clothes, and headed for the door. However, Elias stopped her and went to get it himself. It <b>was </b>indeed the delivery <b>man</b>, and he took the food from him<b>. </b>Despite the interruption, he felt better and gave the delivery person a tip.

    ? ? ? ? ?? ? ?

    Even though he didn¡¯t know what Ashley didn¡¯t like, he knew what she liked. After they finished eating, he cleared the table without being asked. Ashley returned to her room to brush her teeth and get ready for bed. It was alreadyte, just past ten, and her pregnancy had made her routine very regr.

    Recently, Elias had beening home <b>in </b>the wee hours of the night and sleeping in the guest room. Ashley took this as a sign he didn¡¯t want to share at bed <b>with </b>her, so she assumed he wouldn¡¯t be joining her that night either. Hence, she turned off the lights and went to sleep.

    Perhaps it was those kisses from Elias and his words about their first night that affected her. In her sleep, Ashley dreamt of their first time together. That day, they had just gotten their marriage certificate. But right after leaving the city hall, they went their separate ways.

    Ashley knew Elias married her under his mother¡¯s pressure and that he didn¡¯t really want to marry her. He had evenined to his friends, calling her an old and ugly woman.

    If that had happened <b>seven </b>or eight years ago, that might have hurt her feelings. However, after her seven¨Cyear rtionship with Beathan <b>and </b>dealing with countless bizarre cases as <b>a </bwyer, she understood the diversity of human nature and didn¡¯t take suchments to heart.

    She knew that she married Elias <b>mainly </b>for the power of the Undvike family. With them, her rtives wouldn¡¯t dare to vie for her parents¡® inheritance. Of course, she knew that the Undvike family also married her for her wealth. However, it was better to deal with one wolf than a pack of them. Hence, she never expected to have a long, loving rtionship with Elias. If he ignored her, that was fine. It was just a bit disappointing that the boy who once promised to protect her was gone.

    She didn¡¯t treat their wedding night as special. After she showered, she sat on the couch in her room, going through case files. Suddenly, she felt dizzy. Besides <b>that</b>, her eyelids felt warm. She touched her forehead and found that it was hot

    She took her temperature with a thermometer and found that it was 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit. She had a fever, probably from getting caught in the rain from the previous night.

    Ashley had a little habit of refusing medicine. She would use a mixture of alcohol and water to wipe her body to let the heat out through sweating. Then, she would feel better the next day.

    She went to the bathroom. Since she was alone at home, she left the door open<b>. </b>At the sink, she mixed hot water with alcohol, soaked a towel, and began wiping her neck and chest.

    Just then, azy male voice came from the doorway. ¡°How many times are <b>you </b>going to shower tonight?¡±

    Ashley was startled and looked up to see Elias leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed. He noticed her freeze and raised an eyebrow.

    Ashley realized she had lifted her <b>shirt </b>and quickdy pulled it down. ¡°When did you get back?¡±

    How did he know she had already showered?

    ¡°I was in the living room <b>while </b>you were showering earlier,¡± he said.

    Even though they were legally married, Ashley still wasn¡¯t used to this. She pressed her lips together. ¡°Get out.¡±

    The bathroom light was bright, and Elias noticed her cheeks were red, but not from embarrassment.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    He also saw the bottle of alcohol on the sink. ¡°Honey, what are you doing?¡±

    Ashley was stunned by how naturally be called her that.

 Chapter 598

    Chapter 598 Teach Me, Ash

    Ashley thought he didn¡¯t want to marry her. How could he call her ¡°honey¡± so easily? Was he being sincere, or was it moclorry?

    In the five minutes of their encounter, she felt like she was constantly at a disadvantage, constantly being startled by him. She didn¡¯t find that eptable as she was several years older than him,

    When they went to the city hall to get their marriage certificate that afternoon, it didn¡¯t feel like much.

    However, in this narrow bathroom, Elias¡¯s presence seened overwhelming. Was it because he was so tall?

    Ashley took a silent breath, regaining her usualposure. ¡°I¡¯m just wiping myself down. I¡¯ve got a bit of a fever.¡±

    ¡°A fever?¡± Elias stepped into the bathroom. It wasn¡¯t <b>small</b>,

    all, but his presence seemed to thin the air, and Ashley held her breath.

    ¡°Es <b>said</b>

    ¡°You need to wipe your back to help with a lever. You can¡¯t reach it. I¡¯ll help you<b>,</b>¡±

    Without waiting for her answer, he grabbed her towel. He re¨Cwetted it, wrung it out, and slipped it under her <b>clothes</b>. He held the hot towel against her spine, dragging it down, sending a shiver through her body.

    They stood very close, one behind the other<b>, </b>their figures reflected in the bathroom mirror.

    Ashley looked at Elias in the <b>mirror</b>.

    <b>While </b>he still looked like how had looked when he was a teenager, he had matured. His features were more defined and striking

    He wasn¡¯t just a boy anymore, he was a man. On top of that, he was her legal husband.

    Although they were rted, they were distant rtives<b>, </b>so distant they didn¡¯t even meet during holidays. They hadn¡¯t seen each other much over the recent years.

    Elias lowered his gaze, noticing the tiny goosebumps on the <b>back </b>of her neck.

    His <b>voice </b>grew buskler. ¡°Ash, you¡¯re so thin. I can feel your bones.¡±

    She didn¡¯t know what to say to that

    After a moment, he added, ¡°Ash, are you using alcohol to wipe yourself? It smells like some kind of floral wine. It¡¯s so fragrant.¡±

    ¡°You sound so cheesy,¡± Ashley finally said slowly.

    Elias couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter.

    It seemed like it didn¡¯t take much to make himugh. Once he started, he <b>couldn¡¯t </b>stopughing.

    He lowered his head <b>and </b>rested his forehead on her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m serious. <b>Why </b>don¡¯t you believe me?¡±

    Ashley didn¡¯t respond.

    His breath tickled her neckline, making her squirm. She pushed his head away, adjusted her clothes, and moved to leave.

    Elias smoothly wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. His eyes were soft but earnest. ¡°If you want to sweat it out, I have a better way, Ash. Do you want to give it a try?¡±

    Ashley wasn¡¯t a naive child. She knew exactly what he meant.

    He had a handsome face. She could feel his chest against her back and tell that he had a good physique. He was already her legal husband, and she had needs, so why waste the opportunity?

    Hence, without being coy, she nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s give it a try.¡±

    Her seriousness and straightforwardness made Elias¡¯s smile widen

    ¡°Let¡¯s try it in bed. It¡¯s my first time, so take care of me, Asli,¡± he said.

    Ashley thought he was lying. With his looks, his personality, and his way of doing things, how could this be his first time?

    However, she didn¡¯t say anything, and they headed to bed.

    Elias took a long shower and came out wearing only a bathrobe. He kneeled on one knee on the bed and untied the robe¡¯s belt.

    Ashley watched, noting his impressive physique,

    ¡°Why did you take so long in the shower?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I was making sure that you¡¯ll have <b>a </b>good experience on our first night. So, I took care of myself first,¡± he replied.

    He took care of himself?.

    Before Ashley could catch his meaning, Elias <b>had </b>already cupped her chin and kissed her.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    That was their first kiss, if they didn¡¯t count the time he kissed her while she was asleep

    Years ago. His first kiss was protle and natural, but soon it turned urgent like he was eager to devour her.

 Chapter 599

    Chapter 599 Did She Misunderstand <b>Him</b><b>?</b>

    Slowly, it downed on Ashley what Es meant by those words when she was swept into his embrace.

    Apparently, a man¡¯s first time would end quickly due to excitement. Hence, it would be better for them to release themselves before doing the deed so that the real deal wouldst longer. He was saying that it was his first time that night.

    Elias gulped and said, ¡°Ash, I <b>don¡¯t </b>know what to do. Can you show me?¡±

    Ashley didn¡¯t believe him <b>as </b>his repeated insistence only made it seem like he was trying to cover up the truth.

    What followed next unfolded naturally. Although he was a bit awkward at first, he had be adept by the second round. By the third time, Ashley had sech it all

    Ashley always found men whopared their girlfriends to be rather distasteful. Hence, she didn¡¯t want topare him to her exes. However, it was undeniable that he clearly had an edge due to his young age.

    On their wedding night, they went at it until dawn. Once they got a taste of it, they couldn¡¯t seem to stop the next few days.

    Presently, in her dreams, Ashley felt parched. There <b>was </b>also an itch on her chest.

    Wait a minute..

    The itch she was feeling wasn¡¯t a dream. Ashley jolted awake to find that the sheets had formed a small mountain, and Elias was kissing her. ¡°Elias!¡± Ashley was shocked, embarrassed, and annoyed. She bit her lip

    Es supported himself with both his ends and looked deeply into her eyes. ¡°Do you want to continue, Ash?¡±

    ¡°No! Get off me!¡± she eximed.

    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to? Or are you just pretending?¡± Elias¡¯s eyes curved as he smiled, and Ashley¡¯s breath quickened<b>, </b>but she didn¡¯t speak.

    Elias took her silence as consent.

    Soon, Ashley¡¯s clothes were tossed off the bed.

    Es, having brushed <b>up </b>on caring for pregnant women,new that bedroom activities during the second trimester of pregnancy were fine with proper

    <b>care</b>

    r, just as Elias was about to proceed, Ashley suddenly felt nauseated and pushed him away, grabbing a waste bin to vomit.

    However,

    The symptoms of her pregnancy during her second trimester were severe, especially <b>during </b>this month. She frequently experienced nausea outside of

    meals too.

    Elias was stunned and immediately lost all desire to continue. He quickly patted her back. <b>¡°</b>Honey, are you okay?¡±

    Whenever her pregnancy caused trouble, Ashley couldn¡¯t help recalling that she was tricked by Elias into having this child and couldn¡¯t help but feel

    angry.

    ¡°Go back to the guest room!¡± she said.

    Es wasn¡¯t upset. ¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯ll get you some water. By the way, my mom wants us toe over for lunch tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going,¡± she said.

    ¡°After we got married, you¡¯ve never visited my family,¡± Elias said.

    Ashley coldly retorted, ¡°And what about it?¡±

    As she didn¡¯t want to go, Elias didn¡¯t push her. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go by myself tomorrow.¡±

    Elias helped her put on her clothes, poured her a ss of water, and brought her some snacks. He ced them on the bedside table so that they were within reach before he left the master bedroom.

    As the master bedroom fell silent, Ashley overcame her nausea.

    Sheid in bed and shut her <b>eyes</b>, but it took a long time before she fell asleep.

    After she fell asleep, Elias came in again. This time he didn¡¯t get on the bed. He merely slept on the long sofa, in case she needed something at night

    At 8:00 am the next morning, Ashley got out of bed and walled out of the bedroom to find breakfast already prepared on the dining table. Elias, dressed in a shirt and <b>apron</b>, came out of the kitchen carrying a te of tacos. ¡°Good morning, honey, I made some tacos. Come and eat.¡±

    ¡°You made these?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I sayst night that I¡¯d take care of you during your pregnancy? Of course, I made it.¡± Elias lifted the lid, revealing a fragrant te of tacos.

    Ashley replied coolly, ¡°Had it delivered and then dumped onto a te, more like.¡±

    Chapter 599 Did She Misunderstand Himi

    Elias looked displeased. ¡°What do you take me for? Why would I lie to you?<b>¡±</b>

    Don¡¯t you think I would know that there are no taco shells at home?¡± she said.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    How

    could he make tacos without taco shells?

    Es paused, and there was a hint of sarcasm in his smile. ¡°It seems there¡¯s really no trust between us although we¡¯re <b>a </b>couple.¡±

    He didn¡¯t say more and instead <b>ced </b>some tacos in front of her. ¡°Are you going to thew firm today? I¡¯ll bring you lunch.¡±

    ¡°No thanks. My assistant will order takeout,¡± she replied.

    ¡°You never know what¡¯s in takeout. It might not be good for you. I¡¯ll bring lunch. That¡¯s final,¡± he said.

    Ashley didn¡¯t argue further.

    After finishing breakfast, Elias was about to visit his family.

    Before leaving, he reminded her, ¡°Just put the dishes in the dishwasher.¡±

    Ashley said nothing, keeping her head down as she ate breakfast, showing no warmth in her demeanor.

    Elias clicked his tongue in resignation, put on his shoes, and left.

    After finishing the tacos, Ashley took the dishes to the kitchen. That¡¯s when she noticed an opened bag of taco shells on the counter. That bag of taco shells hadn¡¯t been there the night before. It appeared that the tacos that morning really had been made by Elias.

 Chapter 600

    Chapter 600 Can¡¯t You Tell <b>I¡¯m </b>Not Willing?

    After leaving Pearl Bay, Es first went to visit William at the hospital

    Although William¡¯s small lung tumor had spread slightly, it wasn¡¯t at a stage that required surgery yet. For now, it was just a matter of using medication and monitoring the situation. They had to see if it improved or worsened before deciding on the next steps.

    William looked much better today. <b>Since </b>Elias had no other business, he chatted with him for a bit and was about to leave.

    William then <b>asked</b>, ¡°Where did Lyle go after leaving Capebatt City?¡±

    Elias replied, ¡°How would I know?¡±

    ¡°Drop the act,¡± he said.

    Es then smiled and said, ¡°We chatted on WhatsApp a couple of days ago. He went to Eprand to visit his younger siblings. He ns to travel abroad after that for a vacation before figuring out what to do next.¡±

    William grunted softly in acknowledgment.

    Elias raised an eyebrow. ¡°Aw, are you feeling soft¨Chearted? I could tell Lyle toe back to Capebatt City once he¡¯s done traveling.¡±

    William sneered. ¡°When have I ever forgiven traitors?

    Elias shrugged helplessly. ¡°Alright then, take care of yourself. I need to visit my family,¡±

    William nodded.

    After Elias left, William picked up his phone and checked the Faldorian Dally.

    The current biggest news topic in Faldoria was undoubtedly the merging of the Filo Group and SAM

    After announcing the news, SAM quicklyunched new products, riding on its new wave of poprity. The new products sold well, and the stock price. had steadily risen to 75 dors, several times its original value of 25 dors.

    The merger was <b>a </b>win¨Cwin for both Filo Group and SAM, making it a ssic case study in the financial domain. Consequently, many media outlets wanted to interview the current head of SAM.

    However, the F Group¡¯s response was that she was currently focused on her studies. While they appreciated the interest, they had to decline interviews.

    Their brief statement led keen¨Ceyed journalists to deduce a lot of information. For instance, the way they referred to her indicated she was female <b>and </b>closely rted to the Filo family. Her focus on academics suggested she was quite young

    Orchestrating such a perfect deal at a young age was indeed-N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    ¡°-impressive<b>.</b>¡±

    At that moment in Baliz, Emelie was sipping on some chicken soup while reading the Faldorian Daily. She was amused by the media¡¯s exaggerated portrayal¡­

    ¡°The Faldorian media could really rival the Orienta press. You¡¯re making me out to be a 15¨Cyear¨Cold teenage prodigy,¡± she said.

    Wasn¡¯t it overly exaggerated?

    The weather in May was pleasant, neither too hot nor too cold. They were having breakfast in the back garden of their residence. A gentle breeze brought the fragrance of pear blossoms with it.

    Across from her was Wesley, who had finished his meal. He <b>was </b>working on his tablet, tapping the screen to flip through pages.

    ¡°I told you I could <b>teach </b>you, but no, you insisted oning to Baliz for your studies. Who would still be studying at your age? Of course, people will think you¡¯re a teenager,¡± he said.

    Emelie put down the newspaper and reasoned with him, s

    they¡¯d think I was 36 or 46. Don¡¯t gaslight me,¡± she said.

    saying.

    ¡°I¡¯m only 26 this year. What do you mean ¡®at your age¡®? If someone didn¡¯t know better,

    The maids behind them smiled. Wesley¡¯s words didn¡¯t really make sense, but he was only this unreasonable with her. They had alle from the Denning Residence in Merciannas to take care of her, and they noticed that since she had arrived, he seemed much more lively.

    Emelie continued, ¡°Besides, even if I were in my thirties or forties, learning has no age limit. As long as I¡¯m willing, I can study even when I¡¯m seventy or eighty¡±

    Thar calin expression on Wesley¡¯s face didn¡¯t reveal much emotion. His gaze was serene, like the deep autumn waters in the garden clear and distant. ¡°Can¡¯t you tell that I don¡¯t want you to call other people your teacher?¡± he said.

 Chapter 601

    ?Chapter 601 Too Familiar

    "What kind of strange taboo is this?"

    Wesley didn''t reply to her. He looked pretty displeased. He took a sip of his coffee, but it had gotten a bit cold. He nced at the maid, who immediately left to make him a fresh cup.

    Emelie looked at the newspaper again and suddenly said, "William is probably reading the news about Faldoria now too."

    Wesley immediately looked at her. His eyes were a light amber color under the morning sun, but they held some unfathomable emotion. His lips were pressed into a thin line.

    It had been a long, long time since she had mentioned that name.

    Emelie''s tone and expression remained as usual as she asked, "If I didn''t expose you, were you really nning on keeping the answer from me? The Cedoniapany I''mpeting with for SAM is Cloudex Corporation, right?"

    Wesley still didn''t speak, but Emelie''s lips curled up into a smile. "You don''t have to be so surprised. I''ve known for a long time now. I sensed that it was him the second time we crossed paths."

    That feeling was too familiar.

    William was a person with a strong presence in every sense. His methods in the business world carried his unique signature. If someone close to him encountered his work, they would immediately recognize it.

    She had indeed felt the familiarity of someone close to her. Upon realizing that it was him, Emelie''s first reaction was disgust.

    She was disgusted with herself. She had been around him for three years and knew his every move. She could always recognize him in the crowd, as naturally as breathing air.

    It was just like animals in the wild. Tigers, lions, wolves, cats, and dogs could find theirpanions through scent.

    William probably knew that she could recognize him. Thus, when he had schemed against her or used her in the past, he either had Lyle execute the ns or handed them to Ashton.

    However, this time, he had taken it on himself, and she had recognized him immediately.

    Emelie sighed. "How could you dare to let me go up against William? Aren''t you afraid that he''ll find out I''m not dead?"

    Wesley''s tone was calm yet fragile, like thin ice under the winter sun, as he said, "If he can recognize that the person behind the scenes is you, just as you''d recognized him, I''d think more highly of him."

    Emelieughed. It was true. Over those three, no, four years, the love, hatred, and scars he had left on her were deep.

    On the other hand, she had left no trace on William. He didn''t recognize her at all.

    The maid reced his coffee, and Wesley tapped the enamel cup with his fingers. "How does it feel to have defeated him?"

    Emelie rested her chin on her hand. "I could tell that he didn''t put his all into this battle. Maybe because SAM isn''t that important to Cloudex Corporation. But regardless, I did win, and it feels good to beat him."

    Wesley said, "You did very well on this test."

    "Not just this test. I''ll win the test three years from now too." Emelie wasn''t in a hurry. A sharp glint

    shed in her eyes as she slowly said, "You said it''s like hunting prey. It''s more fulfilling to fatten them up before you shoot."

    Wesley tapped his fingers on the table, making a constant knocking sound, and Emelie looked up at him. He raised his chin and said, "Finish your chicken soup quickly. It''ll get cold."N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    The frost and sharpness in Emelie''s eyes immediately melted away. She pouted as though she were a child being scolded by a parent and lowered her head to drink the soup.

    She muttered, "Chicken soup is fine, but why does it have to be medicinal chicken soup? It tastes terrible." Wesley''s lips curled up into a faint smile. "If you keep on muttering, I''ll have Same and nag you."

    Did he just say Samuel? Emelie raised her hands in surrender and quickly finished the soup.

    After the maid cleared the dishes, the butler came over and reported, "Mr. Graham, Ms. Hoven, there''s a guest outside who ims to be an old acquaintance of Ms. Hoven. He wishes to meet with Ms. Hoven."

 Chapter 602

    ?Chapter 602 Crying and Fussing

    Emelie asked, "Did you just say an old acquaintance of mine? If an old acquaintance wants to see me, they should be going to the cemetery instead."

    Only a handful of people knew that she was still alive.

    Wesley asked, "Is it a man or a woman?"

    "A young man, and he also said something else."

    "What is it?"

    The butler paused before replying, "He said that Ms. Hoven has deceived him and that she needs to take responsibility."

    Emelie was so shocked that she couldn''t speak.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    For a moment, the garden was so quiet that only the sound of the summer breeze rustling the flowers could be heard.

    A few secondster, Wesley put down his tablet. He smiled faintly as he said, "Oh? How interesting. Invite him in. I''d like to meet him too."

    Emelie thought that it was a prank. However, when the butler brought the person in, she stood up in surprise.

    It was him!

    Baliz was sunny.

    On the other hand, Capebatt City had a change in weather.

    When Elias left in the morning, the sky was clear. However, by the time he arrived at the Undvike residence at noon, dark clouds had covered the sun, and it looked like it might rain.

    He checked his watch. It was now 11 o''clock.

    After listening to his mother nag for half an hour, he would go and deliver lunch to Ashley. Then, he would wait at thew firm for her to finish work so that he could drive her home. He didn''t trust her to drive in the rain.

    That was right.

    He didn''t n on eating at the Undvike residence. He knew that his mother didn''t call him to return just to have a meal. After all, she constantly nagged him about the same things.

    "Mom."

    Elias'' mother, Maya Gonzales, was sitting on the couch. She immediately turned her head when she heard him and then looked behind him.

    Elias said, "You can stop looking. It''s just me."

    Maya instantly got angry. "Didn''t I ask you to bring Ashley back for dinner?"

    "She has work at thew firm today."

    "She''s five months pregnant. Why is she still going to thew firm? Staying home and taking care of the baby should be her priority!"

    Elias sat on the couch and grabbed a few peanuts before cracking them open and tossing them into his mouth. He saidzily, "She''s only five months pregnant. Why can''t she go to thew firm? What about those female employees who work until their due date?"

    Maya said, "That''s different. She''s carrying the child of the Undvike family and the Thornton family! That child will be worth billions once they''re born!"

    Eliasughed. "What kind of logic is that? The money is Ashley''s. If she wants to give it to the child, she can. If she doesn''t, the child isn''t automatically entitled to inherit her wealth. Don''t take things for granted."

    Maya''s expression changed. "What do you mean by that? Didn''t you sign a prenuptial agreement? Didn''t you both agree that her inheritance would go to the child after they''re born?"

    A look of impatience shed across Elias'' face. He knew that his mother was only interested in the inheritance.

    He threw another peanut into his mouth, then looked up and said, "No."

    Maya was furious, and she raised her hand to p him. Elias didn''t dodge and merely looked at her indifferently.

    However, before her hand reached his face, she stopped as she couldn''t bring herself to hit him. Instead, she pped his shoulder and started crying while hitting his back.

    "You ungrateful child! If it weren''t for Ashley''s inheritance, I wouldn''t have allowed you to marry her! You know how difficult things are for me in this family! That wretched Sadie is pregnant again. She''s pregnant again!"

    "She keeps having one child after another. If this keeps up, there won''t be any ce for either of us in this family! Do you think I''m just thinking about myself? I''m thinking about you too!"

    Elias didn''t react to his mother''s crying or hitting. He continued eating the peanuts indifferently. This happened every month, and he was used to it.

 Winning Her Heart back Chapter 602

    Chapter 602 Crying and Fussing

    Emelie asked, ¡°Did you just say an old acquaintance of mine? If an old acquaintance wants to see me, they should be going to the cemetery instead.¡±

    Only a handful of people knew that she was still alive.

    Wesley asked, ¡°Is it a man or a won in?¡±

    ¡°A young man, and he also said something else.¡±

    The butter paused before replying, ¡°He said that Ms. Hoven has deceived him and that she needs to take responsibility.¡±

    Emelie was so shocked that she couldn¡¯t speak.

    For a moment, the garden was so quiet that only the sound of the summer breeze rustling the flowers could be heard. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    A few secondster, Wesley put down his tablet. He smiled faintly as he said, ¡°Oh? How interesting. Invite him in. I¡¯d like to meet him too

    Emelie thought that it was a prank. However, when the butler brought the person in, she stood up in surprise.

    It was him!

    Ballz was sunny.

    On the other hand, Capebatt City had a change in weather.

    When Elies left in the moming, the sky was clear. However, by the time he arrived at the Undvike residence at noon, dark clouds had covered the sun, and it looked like it might rain.

    He checked his watch. It was now 11 o¡¯clock.

    After listening to his mother nag for half an hour, he would go and deliver lunch to Ashley. Then, he would wait at thew firm for her to finish work so that he could drive her home. He didn¡¯t trust her to drive in the rain.

    That was right.

    He didn¡¯t n on eating at the Undvike residence. He knew that his mother didn¡¯t call him to return just to have a meal. After all, she constantly nagged him about the same things..

    ¡°Mont¡±

    Elias¡® mother, Maya Gonzales, was sitting on <b>the </b>couch. She immediately turned her head when she heard him and then looked behind him

    Elias said, ¡°You can stop looking. It¡¯s just me.¡±

    Maya instantly got angry. ¡°Didn¡¯t I ask you to bring Ashley back for dinner<b>?</b>¡±

    ¡°She has work at thew firm today.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s five months pregnant. Why is she still going to thew firm? Staying home and taking care of the baby should be her priority!¡±

    Elias sat on the couch and grabbed a few peanuts before cracking them open and tossing them into his mouth. He saidzily, ¡°She¡¯s only five months pregnant. Why can¡¯t she go to thew firm? What about those female employees who work until their due date?¡±

    Maya said, ¡°That¡¯s different. She¡¯s carrying the child of the Undvike family and the Thornton family! That child will be worth billions once they¡¯re b

    <b>born</b>!¡±

    Eliasughed. ¡°What kind of logic is that? The money is Ashley¡¯s. If she wants to give it to the child, she can. If she doesn¡¯t, the child isn¡¯t <b>automatically </b>entitled to inherit her wealth. Don¡¯t talo things for granted.¡±

    Maya¡¯s expression changed. ¡°What do you <b>mean </b>by that? Didn¡¯t you sign a prenuptial agreement? Didn¡¯t you both agree that her inheritance would go to the child <b>after </b>they¡¯re born?¡±

    A look of impatience shed across Elias¡® face. He knew that his mother was only interested in the inheritance.

    He threw another peanut into his mouth, then looked up and said,

    ¡°No.¡±

    Maya was furious, and she raised her hand <b>to </b>p him. Elias didn¡¯t dodge and merely looked at her indifferently.

    However, before her hand reached his face, she stopped as she couldn¡¯t bring herself to hit him. Instead, she pped his shoulder and started <b>crying </b>while hitting his back.

    ¡°You ungrateful child! If it weren¡¯t for Ashley¡¯s inheritance, I wouldn¡¯t have allowed you to marry her! You know how difficult things are for me in this family! That wretched Sadie is pregnant again. She¡¯s pregnant again!¡±

    ¡°She keeps having one child after <b>another</b>. If this keeps up, there won¡¯t be any ce for either of us in this family! Do you think I¡¯m just thinking about myself? I¡¯m thinking about you too!¡±

    Elias didn¡¯t react to his mother¡¯s crying or hitting. He continued eating the peanuts indifferently. This happened every month, and he was used to it.

 Chapter 603

    Chapter 603 Wives and Mistresses

    Elias waited until she was done speaking before he responded.

    ¡°I just don¡¯t understand you. Your family is quite wealthy, and my grandparents are pretty open¨Cminded. My dad doesn¡¯t like you, so why do you cling to

    him?

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just divorce him, takke half of his assets, and then go back home <b>and </b>enjoy yourself with a few young male <b>models</b><b>? </b>Wouldn¡¯t that be much more enjoyable? But no, you insist on sticking to this one person. You reallyck ambition.¡±

    If it were Ashley, she would¡¯ve divorced him and found a new boyfriend long ago if he hadn¡¯t been shameless enough to make her pregnant and hold something over her head. He wouldn¡¯t even have a chance.

    Why couldn¡¯t his mother learn from his wife<b>? </b>

    ¡°Dream on!¡± Maya sneered coldly as bears streamed down her face. ¡°The Undvike family wasn¡¯t as prestigious back when we first got married as it is

    now.

    ¡°Back then, I had to lower myself to marry him. He sweet¨Ctalked me, iming that having a virtuous wife would help him achieve his ambitions and that I would bring him great fortune as one. And what did I get from that?

    <i>¡°</i>Ever since the Undvike family flourished, he brought in one woman after another. He even brought those two sluts and their bastard children into our home. How could I be content? I drag him down with me even if I die!¡±

    Elias sighed. ¡°You wish to take him down with you, but I don¡¯t. Neither Ashley nor her unborn child will be tools in your fight<b>. </b><b>Give </b>it up.¡±

    Just as Maya was about to say something, a maid suddenly walked in and said, ¡°Mrs. Undvike, Mr. Elias<b>, </b>lunch has been served in the main hall.¡±

    ¡°Did I ask you to speak?¡± Maya scolded.

    The maid quickly lowered her head

    Es clicked <b>his </b>tongue in annoyance. Why did Maya have to take it out on the maid? He waved his hand <b>to </b>signal to the maid to leave.

    Regardless of whether you¡¯ve signed <b>Maya </b>wiped away her tears angrily. ¡°As long as I¡¯m alive, I won¡¯t allow that bitch to be so smug! Elias, listen to me. an agreement or not, you must secure the Thornton family¡¯s inheritance. Otherwise, you can watch me hang myself in this house!¡±

    Then, she stood up and walked away.

    Elias tossed the peanuts in his <b>hand </b>back into the fruit bowl, making a ttering sound. He didn¡¯t look happy.

    He checked the time. It was almost 11:30 am. It was time for him to bring lunch to Ashley.

    He got up and prepared to leave.

    However, he suddenly thought about how Maya was in a bad mood that day. After all, Sadie Cassidy being pregnant again was unexpected. There was no way that the lunch was going to be peaceful.

    Gritting his teeth, Elias called a maid over and told her to deliver the lunch to thew firm. After that, he went to the main hall.

    In the main dining <b>hall</b><b>, </b>a man and three women sat at arge round mahogany table. They were a husband, a wife, and two mistresses.

    Elias¡® father, Rowan Undvike<b>, </b>had indeed risen to prominence early on with the help of his wife¡¯s family. Later, his career flourished, taking off like a

    cocket

    With wealth came power, and with power came influence. No one dared to oppose him anymore.

    He even dared to forget the support of his wife and her family and then brought his mistresses and illegitimate children into the Undvike family. This was a huge p in the face to his wife¡¯s entire family.

    Elias had been annoyed by this family strife since he was a child. He found it meaningless, low¨Css, and even absurdlyughable. Still, Maya was his mother at the end of the day.

    He walked over and set in the empty seat.

    Then<b>, </b>Sadie, who was pregnant, sald with a smile, ¡°Es, you¡¯re back. Did youe alone? Why didn¡¯t you bring Ashley with you?¡±

    Maeve Keller, the second mistress, chimed in, ¡°Yes, since you both got married, Ashley has nevere home for a meal. I haven¡¯t seen her since the wedding day.¡±

    Elias was already annoyed that he couldn¡¯t have lunch with his wife, and now they were hitting his <b>sore </b>spot. The irritation on his face became mo apparent. ¡°Why should my wife be here for you to see?¡±

    <b>Maya¡¯s </b>eyes were fixed on Rowan as she s Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    e said coldly, ¡± her presence¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s al

    awyer from a respectable family. Our trivial family disputes would only bring us shame in

    a smile. ¡°But she¡¯s pregnant. Even if she looks down on us, we

    <b>¡°</b><b>So</b>, it turns out that she looks down on our family.¡± <b>Sadie </b>leaned on Rowan¡¯s arm with a smile. ¡°But are still a family. It¡¯s unreasonable for her to nevere home..¡±

    ¡°Who are you calling unreasonable? Elias<b>¡® </b>voice carried a thin thread of hostility. ¡°<b>What </b>gives you the right to criticize my wife?¡±

    Sadie¡¯s words were cut off, and her smile faltered<b>. </b>However<b>, </b>soeing Rowan remain silent, she asked sweetly, ¡°Es, what are you tallding about? As alders, we wouldn¡¯t criticize a younger family member. I didn¡¯t mean it that way.¡±

    Chapter 603 Wives and Mistresses

    ¡°If you didn¡¯t mean it, then shut your mouth.¡± Elias wasn¡¯t in the mood for her tricks.

    Sadie couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. She said to Rowan, ¡°Darling, I¡¯m merely concerned about Elias. After all, I am his second mother¡­

    However, she was interrupted for the third time<b>. </b>This <b>time</b>, it wasn¡¯t Elias who interrupted her.

    A woman¡¯s voice came from the doorway. ¡°When my elders taught me about family, they only mentioned the parents, not a second mother.¡± Everyone looked toward the door.

 Winning Her Heart back Chapter 604

    Chapter 604 Arguments

    It was Ashley.

    Despite her pregnancy and the way that she was wearing t shoes, she stood with amanding presence that showed no hint of weakness.

    Her gaze was unwavering as she stared at the two so¨Ccalled mistresses. It left them speechless.

    Es was stunned for a moment but quickly got to his feet and walked toward her. ¡°Honey!¡±

    The Undvike residence was well¨Clit and elegantly decorated. The light shining on Elias¡® face as he rushed over made his expression <b>seem </b>bright. He hadn¡¯t expected Ashley toe, and a smile appeared on his face.

    Ashley thought that he seemed like a pet dog that was seeing its owner as he ran over happily.

    Es supported Ashley and then called out to <b>her</b>,

    ¡°Honey.¡±

    Ashley pressed her lips together and gave a humm.

    Everyone at the table tracted as well. Maya¡¯s face lit up with a smile, ¡°Ashley, you¡¯re here!¡±

    Ashley greeted them. ¡°Maya, Rowan<b>.</b><b>¡± </b>

    ¡°Hello!¡± Maya walked over to support her. She showed a warm and attentive attitude that a mother¨C<b>in</b>w would show to a daughter¨Cinw.

    This was Ashley¡¯s first visit to the Undvike residence since her marriage. She didn¡¯t dress up too much and was asfortable as ever.

    She wore a light purple dress with a square neckline that entuated her pale skin from neck to chest. The fabric was smooth with a high drap, and she had paired her outfit with simple white shoes.

    Without any obvious attempt to impress, her outfit <b>was </b>elegant and casual.

    As Ashley approached the dining table, even Rowan, who <b>had </b>been silent amidst the tension between his wife and mistresses, nodded <b>and </b>said, ¡°Ashley, you¡¯ve arrived. Please take a seat and join us. Elias didn¡¯t mention that you wereing, so we didn¡¯t wait for you.

    ¡°The dishes have just been served, and we haven¡¯t started eating yet. See if the food is to your liking. If you don¡¯t like the food, I¡¯ll have the chefs prepare something else.¡±

    ¡°I had a meeting with an important client this morning at thew firm. I wasn¡¯t sure how long it would take, so I told Es that I might note. But once our meeting was over, I saw that it was still early, so I decided toe.¡±

    Ashley continued, ¡°I¡¯ve been busy organizing files and preparing for court cases at the end of the year. It¡¯s my fault that I haven¡¯t found time to <b>visit </b><b>you</b>.

    Although she could be aloof and sometimescked social grace, as awyer, she was adept at handling such situations.

    Elias gently squeezed Ashley¡¯s fingers under the table. He recalled their argument when Ashley had said that she would <b>avoid </bing to his house to steer clear of seeing his father¡¯s wife and mistresses.

    Now, however<b>, </b>she was speaking to them all diplomatically. A faint smile yed on his lips.

    Despite Rowan having multiple women in his life, he <b>wasn¡¯t </b>the typical sleazy middle¨Caged man. Even in his 50s, he retained a fit physique and a gentle demeanor. His extensive experience in business had made him both sophisticated and shrewd.

    <b>¡°</b>I understand. I really do. You¡¯re awyer, after all. Our legal department is also busy with the year¨Cend legal work and various liquidation cases. But now that you¡¯re pregnant, you have to take care of yourself.¡±

    Maya smiled. ¡°That¡¯s right. Ashley, next time, let me know when you¡¯reing. I¡¯ll send a car to pick you up.

    se canpare with this child. Be careful that

    ¡°You¡¯re carrying the precious heir of the Undvike family and the Thornton family. Nothing and no one else c nothing goes wrong

    Sadie clearly heard the underlying criticism in Maya¡¯s tone about her child. She retorted, ¡°Maya <b>is </b>right. Ashley is indeed the <b>gem </b>of our family. However, the question of inheriting the family business depends on the child¡¯s future luck and ability.

    ¡°After all, I¡¯ve heard that Ashley doesn¡¯t have absolute control over the Thornton family. She faces difficulties even there. Just imagine the situation here

    in the Undvike family. The child will have multiple uncles with wild ambitions, which could potentially affect the child¡¯s future prospects.¡±

    Maya became furious. She stood up and pointed her finger at Sadie. ¡°Sadie, how dare you curse my grandchild!¡±

    ¡°Did I do that? I don¡¯t think so. You¡¯re being overly sensitive, Maya.¡± Sadie¡¯s boldness came from Rowan¡¯s constant <b>indulgence</b>.

    Elias pressed his tongue against the roof of his mouth. Not only was <b>Sadie¡¯s </b>contemptuous attitude toward Ashley infuriating, but her implied curse on his child was uneptable. Given his temperament, he could not tolerate such behavior. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    He red at her with eyes as cold and sharp as a winter de. Just as he was about to speak, Ashley¡¯s hand, which he was holding under the table, tightened around his.

    Ashley didn¡¯t like being confrontational, but if someone pushed her, she wasn¡¯t going to be polite.

 Chapter 605

    Chapter 605 Retort

    She nced at Sadie and didn¡¯t bother discussing the inheritance. ¡°You I haven¡¯t answered my question. What does a second mother mea

    Sache was caught off guard. She didn¡¯t expect the sudden change in topic

    Ashley didn¡¯t wait for her to answer. She took out her phone and tapped on the screen.

    ¡°Oh, I found it. ording to online sources, historically<b>, </b>a second mother was called a concubine, and concubines were considered servants. In modern terms, that means a maid, right?

    ¡°I get it now. Could you serve me a bowl of soup? Please and thank you.¡±

    Ashley actually dared to treat her like a servant! She had never been so humiliated before!

    ¡°You.¡±

    Ashley put the phone down and looked at her. ¡°Since you¡¯re curious, I¡¯ll tell you that I run the <b>Thornton </b>family. My dear second mother¨Cinw, if you have any questions, ask me directly. There¡¯s no need to rely on hearsay.¡±

    Sadie bit her lip and looked at Rowan, but he was silent

    it and had no intention <b>of </b>offering any help.

    ¡°<b>And </b>there¡¯s also this.¡± Ashley turned her phone screen toward Sadie to show her the legition. ¡°My dear second mother¨Cinw, can you read? Allow ime to read it to you.

    ¡°Deliberately spreading false information is both hical and potentially illegal. The criminal code detines defamation as the act of making false statements that injure the reputation of another.

    ¡°Of course, you¡¯re only at the stage of hearsay

    by and haven¡¯t yet reached the level of defamation. I¡¯m just warning you to be careful with your words so that you don¡¯t <b>end </b>up speaking recklessly and facing unintended consequences¡°.

    Sadie was seeking trouble. How dare she curse Ashley¡¯s child?

    Of course I can read!

    After a long pouse, Sadie only <b>said</b>, ¡°Of

    Ashley smiled faintly. ¡°I must have misunderstood. I thought that by calling yourself a second mother while still behaving like a concubine <b>from </b>two hundred years ago, you didn¡¯t recognize the current Cedonian legal terms, so you might need me to exin them to you.¡±

    Sadie¡¯s face turned from red to pale, and she struggled to find words to say,

    Maya similed as victory was in sight, while Es leaned back in his chair with <b>a </b>slight smile <b>on </b>his lips. Who could match awyer when it came to verbal sparring?

    Embarrassed and defeated, Sadie couldn¡¯t sit still and wanted to get up and leave. However, Ashley called after her, still haven¡¯t served me the soup yer.¡±

    ey a bowl of soup.

    ¡°<b>My </b>dear second mother¨Cinw, you

    Finally, Rowan spoke. His tone was calm and authoritative as he said, ¡°Sadie, serve Ashley a Before Rowan spoke, Sadie still had other options, but once he did<b>, </b>she had no choice but toply. She gritted her teeth in frustration and said, ¡°Okay.¡± Ashley looked at Rowan. She believed that this man, who remained silent while his family fought and then stepped in as a judge, was the real problem. He had <b>allowed </b><b>his </b>wife, his mistresses, and <b>his </b>children to fight among themselves while he had remained uninvolved. Only when things got <b>out </b>of hand did he step in to arbitrate.

    He was the cause of chaos in the Undvike family and the ultimate source <b>of </b>all their troubles.

    After dinner, Ashley and Elias left the Undvike residence early. Their excuse was that they had other matters to attend to.

    The grand avenue in front of the Undvike residence was lined with tall sycamore trees. The car drove along the asphalt road, with sunlight filtering through the branches and casting dappled shadows on the vehicle.

    Elias held the wheel with one hand. He was in a particrly good mood. ¡°I thought you said that you weren¡¯ting.¡± Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    Ashley hadn¡¯t lied. She had indeed gone to thew firm in the morning and <b>had </b>then decided to head to the Undvike residence after that, upon finding out that it was still early.

    As for the reason for her visit, she pursed her lips and then said, ¡°I misunderstood you regarding the taco incident this morning.¡±

    Elies looked at her. This was indeed Ashley. She wasn¡¯t afraid to admit her mistakes when she was wrong.

    Elias smirked. ¡°So, are you here to apologize?¡±

    Ashley asked with an expressionless face, ¡°Do you even dare to ept my apology?¡±

    Elias chuckled softly. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± He should be the one to apologize instead<b>. </b>

    Ashley was in no mood for jokes. She took <b>a </b><b>sour </b>candy out of her pocket and then popped it into her mouth, letting the tangy vor linger on her tongue.

    She turned to gaze our the window and watched the trees pass by.

    Spring was ending, <b>and </b>summer was approaching. The branches were lush with fresh green leaves.

    Chapter 605 Reton

    The ss reflected Elias¡® profile, from his high¨Cbridged nose to his smile. The young man was full of energy.

    She bit the solid candy in half. She was frustrated, and she couldn¡¯t understand how he could still be smiling. She asked, ¡°Is this how you are always treated in your own house?¡±

 Chapter 606

    Chapter 606 So Adorable

    When she had first visited the Undvike residence, she had stumbled upon Sadie and Maeve talking down to Elias. Meanwhile, his father wasn¡¯t helping him at all. It showed how often things like that happened

    ¡°Did <b>you </b>always have such a low status in your own home?¡± Ashley asked.

    Elias was so taken aback by her question that he almost mmed on the brakes. What?

    ¡°Low stages? I¡¯m just toozy.

    He was simply toozy to argue with a bunch of women. Who would bother fighting with their father¡¯s mistresses? Wouldn¡¯t that be a disgrace? However, he paused mid¨Csentence when he suddenly realized that her question sounded like she felt sorry for the way he was treated at home,

    Elias slowed the car down. He nced at Ashley, who was frowning with a heavy expression. She was clearly unhappy

    He <b>couldn¡¯t </b>help smiling but quickly suppressed it. He cleared his throat and said in a pitiful tone, ¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing I can do. My father favors those two women and their sons. He thinks that they are better than me. My mother and I have no ce in the family.

    She knew it!

    Ashley was furious. <b>¡°</b>Your mother is the one with a marriage certificate to your father, and you are the rightful eldest son of the Undvike family. Even though children born out of wedlock have the same inheritance rights as those born in wedlock, the rtionships between these two women and your father are not legally recognized or protected. Yet, you and your mother are <b>still </b>being bullied!¡± Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    <b>Elias </b>almostughed at her serious tone. He coughed and continued to feign being pitiful.

    He asked, ¡°Have you seen those TV series? Legitimate wives can¡¯tpete with favored concubines. With my father protecting them, what can we do?

    ¡°We¡¯re better off now. It was much worse when I was still a child. Back then, I wasn¡¯t allowed to turn on the heating in winter or <b>the </b>air conditioning in summer. Leftovers from lunch were heated <b>up </b>and served to me for dinner.

    ¡°<b>And</b>, I only had 3000 dors, no, 30 dors for my dally expenses. I had to stretch every penny.¡±

    Elias pulled over the car before they reached the main road. He unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned over <b>toward </b>Ashley. ¡°That¡¯s why I begged you to take me in back then. My father almost throw me out.

    Ashley was hearing all this for the first time. ¡°How outrageous! I remember that your grandparents were still alive back then. Why didn¡¯t you ask them to confront your father? I don¡¯t think your father would have dared to act like that in front of them. You should..¡±

    Ashley was still feeling indignant when she suddenly saw Elias¡± smiling eyes. She paused and then noticed the mischievous curve of his lips. Only then did she realize that she had been fooled.

    Furious, she pushed him away. ¡°I actually believed your nonsense!¡±

    Elias burst outughing. He grabbed her hand and pressed his forehead against hers. Amused, he said, ¡°Oh, honey, you¡¯re so adorable.¡±

    With <b>a </b>sour

    a sour expression on her face, Ashley pulled her hand back <b>and </b>unbuckled her seatbelt <b>to </b>get out of the car.

    Elias knew that she <b>couldn¡¯t </b>take a joke, but he always teased her. This time, he had truly upset her, and he became nervous. Locking the car door, he repeatedly called her ¡°honey¡± and ¡°Ash¡± before cupping the back of her bead and kissing her.

    Ashley pushed him away and turned her head to avoid him. However, she couldn¡¯t resist him as he leaned in like a puppy with his tongue out.

    The car stayed parked under the sycamore trees for a while, but the people inside didn¡¯te out for quite some time.

    Leaves fluttered down from the branches andnded on the <b>windscreen</b>, just enough to hide the intense kiss that was going on inside the car.

    Meanwhile, back at the Undvike residence, Sadie grabbed <b>a </b>cup and smashed it against the wall.

    The shattering ss startled Maeve as she walked in. ¡°Oh my! Sadie, what happened?¡±

    Sadie gritted her teeth. ¡°Who does she think she is? She dares to boss me around just because she has the Thornton family backing her and a child in her belly!¡±

    while wet¡±

    not even three months along. It¡¯s not stable

    The enemy of an enemy was a friend. Sadie and Maeve were both mistresses in the Undvike family, and they often stuck together. Maeve helped her to sit down as she said, ¡°Calm down. You¡¯re pregnant <b>too</b>, and you¡¯re n Sadie stroked her belly and said in a low voice, ¡°We alreadyck statuspared to that old hag. Ever since Elias married Ashley, a woman of status a wealth, Rowan has been paying more and more <b>attention </b>to him.

    <b>and </b>

    ¡°Their marriage has be even more solid now that they are expecting a child. It¡¯s clear that they won¡¯t get a divorce. If Rowan thinks that Es has more leverage, he might even give him thepany!¡±

 Chapter 607

    Chapter 607 Cannot Stay

    Maeve hesitated before <b>saying</b>, ¡°It can¡¯t be that serious, can it? Rowan doesn¡¯t like that old hag or Elias. Even if he values Elias more now because of his marriage to the Thornton family¡¯s daughter, Es can¡¯t beat our sons.¡±

    Sadle said, ¡°Rowan had nned to leave the matters of the <bpany </b>to our sons. But now, he¡¯s starting to hand things over to Elias. Who <b>knows </b>what will happen next? We can¡¯t take that risk. We can¡¯t give Elias too many advantages and too much of a chance to win.¡±

    Maeve could see that Sadie was ready to go for the kill. She asked uneasily, ¡°What are you nning? Ashley¡¯s awyer, and she knows thew. Besides, she¡¯s the sole heir of the Thornton family.¡±

    Sadie suddenly narrowed her eyes and said, ¡°Exactly. She has that inheritance, <b>and </b>a lot of people are after it. She¡¯s awyer, not an imprable fortress. Just wait and see how I¡¯ll make Es lose her as an advantage!¡±

    What wife and concubines? They were nothing more than the legitimate wife and the mistresses.

    From the beginning, <b>Sadie¡¯s </b>goal was to be the true Mrs. Undvike and ensure that her son would inherit the entire Undvike family¡¯s assets. Without that ambition, who would be ying the role of a feudal royal mistress in this era?

    Elias was once deeply disliked by Rowan. However, since he had gotten married to Ashley, Rowan¡¯s attitude toward him had begun to change.

    Ashley had social status, not only because of her reputation <b>in </b>the legal profession but also because the Thornton family had been a <b>prominent </b>legal family for generations.

    The Thornton family had been involved in the legal profession for four generations.

    Ashley¡¯s great¨Cgrandfather was one of the firstwyers in Cedonia. He was involved in many important legal matters and negotiations, even helping to draft the first version of the Lawyers¡® Act. The Thornton family was truly a family of generations of prestige and influence.

    Although Ashley¡¯s parents had died when she was very young and although the Thornton family had fallen from grace, their <b>extensive </bwork still remained. Ashley had also made a name for herself and had gradually taken over her family¡¯swork. Besides that, her parents had also left her a substantial inheritance

    These were Ashley¡¯s assets, and when she married Elias, they became his leverage Rowan would certainly take all <b>that </b>into ount when he finally chose a sessor.

    <b>Sadie </b>couldn¡¯t just watch thembine forces.

    Fortunately, the people in the Thornton family also had their eyes on Ashley¡¯s inheritance. Since they each had their own motives, they could coborate.

    A few dayster, Capebatt City entered the month of June and weed summer. The weather became hotter, and the mountain resort hotels became the best ces to escape the heat.

    Sadie was lying <b>on </b><b>a </b>bamboo chair in the hotel¡¯s foot massage room. She was enjoying the services <b>of </b>a deaf masseuse. Next to her was Ashley¡¯s aunt, Gianna Thornton.

    ¡°Are you suggesting that we terminate Ashley¡¯s pregnancy and have her divorce Elias?¡±

    Gianna¡¯s eyes flickered. This was too bold of a n. ¡°She¡¯s been pregnant for over five months now. It isn¡¯t just a month or two, where just a little push would <b>do</b>. This could easily lead to death.¡± All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    With her eyes closed, Sadie said slowly, ¡°This will help me, and it will help you too. As long as she¡¯s married to Elias, she¡¯s protected by the Undvike family, and you can¡¯t touch her

    ¡°The child must also be eliminated. Otherwise, even if Ashley were dead, her child would have the first rights to the inheritance. This child carries the blood of the Undvike family. Do you think you <b>can </bpete with the Undvike family for the inheritance?

    ¡°So, it¡¯s best if the child is gone and if Ashley and Elias are divorced. Then, Ashley will be easy for you to deal with, as she¡¯s just a lonely orphan.¡± Gianna was no fool. ¡°You¡¯re mainly worried that Ashley and Elias might reconcile because of the child and ruin your ns, right?¡±

    Sadie giggled <b>and </b>looked at Gianna. ¡°But would you say that I¡¯m wrong?¡±

    Alter a moment of silence<b>, </b>Gianna¡¯s tone became ruthless as she said, ¡°If we¡¯re going to do this, we have to be thorough. The child can¡¯t stay, and neither can Ashley.¡±

    If Ashley died without having any parents, siblings, husband, or children, her assets would naturally tall to her rtives. That would save nna a lot of

    trouble

 Winning Her Heart back Chapter 608

    Chapter 608 What Are You Looking At?

    pat a time. First, we make sure she loses the baby, then we push

    Sadie was pleased. She held up <b>a </b><b>finger </b><b>and </b><b>said </b>quietly, ¡°<b>We¡¯re </b>going to take it one step for the divorce, and finally, we get rid of her while she¡¯s weak from the miscarriage.¡± Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    Il Ashley were to die while still married to Elias, her inheritance would go to him as her husband, which would be bad news.

    Having reached an agreement, the two women leaned back in their bamboo chairs and fantasized about a future in which one would control the Undvike family and the other would secure the inheritance.

    Testaurant

    Since the masseuse was deaf and mate, they spoke without fear of being overheard. <b>When </b>the massage was over, the two women went to the res for a meal.

    The masseuse quietly tidied up the <b>room </b>and restored it to its original state.

    Then, she headed straight to the observation deck.

    This resort hotel was nestled in the mountains, surrounded by lush trees and babbling streams. <b>The </b>observation deck, situated on higher ground, offered a panoramic view of the surroundingndscape. Every guest would make it a point to visit and capture the breathtaking scenery.

    However<b>, </b>there were only two people on the viewing tform at the moment

    The masseuse approached with her head down. A slender man was seen sitting in a wicker chair with <b>a </b>small tea table beside him. He held a purple y teapot and was enjoying a moment of leisure, sipping tea and reading a book.

    The masseuse paused behind the man before calling him out. ¡°Boss.¡±

    Beathan lifted his tiny teacup, and the tea excluded a faint aroma. As <b>he </b>took a measured sip, the masseuse reported the conversation she overheard in the massage room. A dark glint flickered behind his sses,

    Getting Ashley to miscarry and divorce Elias was eptable.

    However<b>, </b>talking her life was not.

    Since these fools had delivered themselves to him, he would use them to aplish the first two tasles,

    Beathan set his teacup down with a light clink. The masseuse withdrew, and his assistant stepped forward. ¡°Keep a close watch on the Undvike and Thornton families over the next few months.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Charles, shuffling in his slippers, approached just in time to hear hisst statement

    He settled into another wicker chair. ¡°What are you keeping an eye on the Undvike and Thornton families for? Are you still hung up on Ms. Thomton? She¡¯s married and pregnant now, yet you still can¡¯t let go of your ex?

    est ce?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t peg you for the sentimental type. If you knew that this would happen, why did you break up in the first Charles had turned Beathan¡¯s seven¨Cyear rtionship and near engagement into a tale of unrequited love. Cold <b>as </b>ice, Beathan retorted, ¡°I am no match for you. Your beloved is dead, yet you still pine for her. What was that new woman¡¯s name again? What do you <b>call </b>her?¡±

    Charles pretended not to hear the jab and smoothly changed the subject. ¡°You¡¯ve done remarkably well with this hotel, catering to the rich and powerful who need privacy for their dealings. Employing deaf and mute staff from the reception to <b>the </b>servers ensures no secrets are ever leaked. It¡¯s no surprise your business has been booming these past few years.¡±

    Beathan¡¯s lips curled into <b>a </b>smile devoid of any warmth.

    The more influential the individuals, the more they valued their privacy and had secrets to hide. Then again, it was more than just anyone who could open a hotel and im it was secure enough for these elites to trust. Beathan¡¯s ability to aplish this spoke to his skill

    Charles propped his legs up on a stool in front of <b>him </b>and sipped his tea before asking, ¡°Have you reviewed the contract with Aurora Group? Are there any problems with ich

    Beathan replied calmly, ¡°The terms of the contract are sound, I¡¯ve also looked into Aurora Group¡¯s activities over thest decade and the key people within thepany and found no problems.

    Charles chuckled ¡®You¡¯re thorough for checking all

    il that

    Beathan¡¯s tone turned serious as he <b>said</b>, essary to be cautious. The project is massive, and constructing the energy storage warehouse alone will take three years. The amount of capital and resources involved is significant. If there are any mistakes, not only will the Xanther Group suffer, but the four of us won¡¯te out unscathed either.¡±

    ¡°Seven or eight expert teams have reviewed it and found no issues. If you say that it¡¯s fine too, then it must be. Let¡¯s proceed¡±

    Charles raised his head and noticed the <b>moon </b>perking out from behind the clouds. He raised his cup to it and said, ¡°To our continued sess!¡±

    Beatham sipped his tea, but his mind was on Ashley.

    Chapter 608 What Are You Looking At?

    <b>2/2 </b>

    Ashley suddenly sneezed. A momentter, a jacket was draped over her shoulders. <b>She </b>looked up.

    Elias was standing behind her, leaning forward and watching her intently. She got confused and asked, ¡°What are you looking at?¡±

    Was there something on her face? Ashley touched her cheek instinctively. Then, she heard Elias whispering, with his eyes looking down from above, Honey, your chest <b>seems </b>to have gotten a little bigger

    Ashley was speechless.

    The weather was getting hotter, and they hadn¡¯t turned on the air conditioning at home. After her shower, Ashley was wearing nothing but a silk camisole as she sat on the tatami reading case files. Elias stood at a vantage point with a clear <b>view </b>of her body.

    Ashley covered her chest and angrily grabbed the nearest file before throwing it in his face. ¡°Get out!¡±

    Elias caught the file with a mischievous smile. Of course, he wasn¡¯t going to leave. He sat down behind her and pulled his knees up to serve as her backrest

    As he casually flipped through the file, he asked in aid¨C<b>back </b>tone, ¡°Is this the case you¡¯ve been working on? Involuntary manughter? Did the suspect¡¯s father cause a <b>scene </b>in your office?¡±

 Chapter 609

    Chapter 609 A <b>Way </b>to Fall Asleep

    Ashley hummed in response. She could feel the stiffness in her back from sitting too long. She leaned against Elias forfort but said little, as she still Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    had work to finish.

    Elias quickly scanned the case. In summary, the incident was a ssic <b>case </b>of self¨Cinflicted consequences.

    There was a middle school <b>and </b>a technical school separated by Just a street in the west of Capebatt City. Most of the students at the technical school were, to put it mildly, troublemakers with one foot in the underworld.

    One such student, Theo Ellis, was notorious for getting his gang together to extort money from the middle school students across the street.

    For the past year, they had been targeting Marco Marley, a shy secondary school student, regrly demanding money from him. Too scared to resist<b>, </b>Marcoplied.

    One day, Marco was walking with a female ssmate and was blocked again. The gang found his female ssmate attractive and tried to harass her. Marco, driven by both a desire to protect his ssmate and his own frustration, could no longer stand it and finally fought back

    Marco grabbed a brick and hit Theo in the middle of this one¨Con¨Cfour mayhern, and little did he low, Theo died just like that.

    As both parties were over the age of fourteen and, therefore, legally responsible, the case went to court.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? Theo brought this on himself, and Marco was merely acting in self¨Cdefense. What¡¯s his fault?¡± Elias asked, making a sound of disapproval

    What a bunch of social scum. They were still young but were already rotten.

    Ashley took the file back. ¡°Yes, the case is about arguing self¨Cdefense. However, the opposingwyer ims that both parties were minors and were just fooling around. But the situation didn¡¯t justify the use of deadly force. So, it¡¯s excessive self¨Cdefense and not a case ofplete innocence.

    Elias rested his chin on her shoulder. ¡°What about the girl? Isn¡¯t she a witness?¡±

    ¡°She ims she was hiding and didn¡¯t see anything, but I suspect she¡¯s afraid of retribution.¡±

    Elias sighed. ¡°Pour M

    Marco<b>. </b>He¡¯s really out of luck.¡±

    Ashley replied calmly, ¡°She¡¯s just a fifteen¨Cyear¨Cold girl. Considering what happened, she¡¯s probably terrified. Don¡¯t be too hard on the <b>victim</b><b>. </b>She¡¯s innocent too.¡±

    ¡°Well, then I¡¯ll be hard on the perpetrator. Theo¡¯s father really had the nerve to <b>cause </b><b>trouble </b>in your firm. I¡¯ll find someone to beat him up.¡±

    Ashley shrugged. The puppy¡¯s head was so heavy. She patted her lower back, and Elias noticed and helped her. She added, ¡°Don¡¯t make it harder for me. This case ended up on my desk because it was difficult to handle.

    ¡°Marco¡¯s family can¡¯t afford awyer. Moreover, it¡¯s a legal aid case. It was initially handled by one of my attomeys, but since they had othermitments, it was passed on to me. Thave some experience in cases where victims of bullying fight back¡°.

    Es nced at the time, and it was already eleven at night. ¡°Are you done then?¡±

    Ashley shook her head. ¡°The trial is in two days. I need to review the case further.¡±

    Knowing she would be busy for at least another two hours, Elias stopped ying the considerate husband and lifted her, ¡°You¡¯ve worked all night. It¡¯s time you get some sleep<b>,</b>¡±

    Ashley, who disliked being managed and having her ns interrupted, grabbed his pajama and struggled to break free. ¡°Elias! Put me down!¡±

    Elias carried her to the bed and gentlyid her down. cing his hands on either side of her head, he leaned forward and <b>said</b>, ¡°You stayed uptest night, and you want to stay up again tonight. Your body can¡¯t take it.¡±

    His baggy <b>pajamas </b>exposed his well¨Cdefined abs, which caught Ashley¡¯s eye. She looked away. ¡°I¡¯m aware of my limits.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m more aware of that than you are,¡± Es sald, pulling the nket over her.

    Ashley frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not sleepy yet. I want to review the file a bit more.

    ¡°You¡¯re not sleepy, huh? Then, you should have said something earlier.¡± Elias leaned closer to her. His brown eyes reflected her face with a predatory glint. It was as if he was a docile dog who had turned into a prowling wolf. ¡°I can help you sleep.¡±

    Ashley was distracted by his face, and she instinctively asked, ¡°How can you help me get to sleep?¡±

    She regretted it as soon as she asked. Sure enough, Elias, who had been looking for an opportunity to kiss her, pressed his lips to hers,

    After all, what could be more effective at inducing sleep <b>than </b>a bit of

 Chapter 610

    Chapter 610 A Life for a Life

    Ilis kisses had always been seductive and could stir her emotions.

    Their tongues intertwined as he took her breath away. As she clutched at his shirt in a desperate bid for air<b>, </b>Elias released her, then kissed a path from her jaw to her neck and chest.

    He couldn¡¯t seem to get enough of her.

    Ashley was

    ey was somewhat conflicted. While she could manage her own needs, deny herself. She might as well take advantage of the situation.

    is, they were still married, and he was her husband. Thus, she had no reason to

    If men could separate sex from love, then so could women. Ashley never believed that epting Elias¡® advances meant that she had feelings for him. She was merely addressing her own needs.

    So, she just let it be

    Ashley gripped <b>the </b>sheets tightly as Es lowered his head to kiss her belly. She was nearly six months pregnant now, and her belly had grown a little. The thought of their child softened him, and he kissed her belly more. But suddenly, he stopped.

    Ashley¡¯s eyes were misty, and she felt ufortable with his sudden pause. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?

    Elias raised his head with a thought. ¡°The baby kicked me.

    Ashley was stunned. She had indeed felt the baby move fast then. She smiled faintly and said, ¡°You¡¯re such a lecher. Even the baby can¡¯t stand you.¡± Flias rarely saw her smile. The sight stirred the emotions in him, and he grabbed her chin to savor her smile.

    up with a warm towel and change

    Ashley felt quite sleepy after their intimate moments. Her eyelids grow heavy, and she allowed Elias to help her clean up with a into her pajamas.

    She didn¡¯t want to move anymore, and as soon as she was wrapped in the nket, she fell asleep.

    After showering, Elias joined her in bed and wrapped his arms around her from behind. She pushed him away,ining about the <b>heat</b>, but he persistently tried to snuggle closer. Despite her pushing him away twice, he responded each time by pulling her <b>closer</b>.

    Ashley said irritably, ¡°It¡¯s too hot¡±

    Only then did Elias finally let go of her

    Ashley thought he wouldn¡¯t bother her again. However, she felt a gentle breeze a short whileter. When she turned her head, she saw that Elias was using a folded piece of A4 paper as a fan to cool her down.

    The breeze was just right and might help her sleep.

    ¡°Honey, go to sleep,¡± <b>he </b><b>said</b><b>. </b>

    The following day, Elias dropped Ashley off at herw firm before heading to the office. He carefully reminded her by saying, ¡°Make sure to rest. I¡¯ll bring you lunch.¡±

    Ashley, <b>who </b>was used to his attentiveness, responded faintly before getting out of the car.

    However, she was greeted by chaos as <b>soon </b>as she entered the office.

    ¡°Someone must pay for the <b>murder</b>! Why should my son¡¯s murderers go unpunished? You heartlesswyers must have been paid by their families! Is the life of my son not le? You¡¯re helping these criminals, and there will be retribution!¡±

    Ashley recognized the voice immediately. It was Roman Ellis, Theo¡¯s father, causing another disturbance.

    The office was in disarray, withwyers and security trying to control Roman. Ashley, who was unwilling to get involved, pulled out her phone to call the police.

    ¡°Hello, Officer Austin. Theo¡¯s father is causing a scene at my firm again. Yes, pleasee quickly.¡±

    As soon as Ashley ended the call, Roman noticed her. His eyes burned with rage <b>as </b>he stormed up to her. ¡°It¡¯s you! You immoralwyer! You¡¯re defending a murderer! My son was only 15! If you don¡¯t make the <b>murderer </b>pay for my son¡¯s death, then you¡¯ll have to pay for it yourself!¡± All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Ashley stepped back quickly. Just as Roman¡¯s hand was about to strike her, someone abruptly stepped in front of her. The figure seized Roman¡¯s hand and prepared to kick him.

    Ashley cried urgently, ¡°Elias! Don¡¯t!¡±

    Es struggled to restrain himself. Nevertheless, he increased the pressure on Roman¡¯s hand, and it made him cry out in pain.

    Es smiled and said with a chill in his voice, ¡°A child¡¯s behavior reflects his upbringing. You raised a bully, and now that he¡¯s dead, you¡¯re the one to me. Since you¡¯ve failed to teach your son<b>, </b>society will do it for you.¡±

    Roman yelled, ¡°You.. Let.. Let me go! Awyer is attacking

 Winning Her Heart back Chapter 611

    Chapter 611 Acting <b>Out </b>

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Elias shouted.

    Roman was so intimidated by Elias¡® presence that he couldn¡¯t say a word.

    <b>¡°</b><b>If </b><b>you </b>cause trouble here again, I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯ll spend a few days in jail.¡± Elias released his hand.

    Ashley calmly added, ¡°There¡¯s no need to wait. The police are on their way.¡±

    Roman fell to his knees when he heard that. ¡°Mrs. Thornton, please don¡¯t arrest me. You¡¯re pregnant and a parent. Please understand a father¡¯s pain.¡±

    Ashley wasn¡¯t sympathetic. ¡°This isn¡¯t the first time you¡¯ve caused trouble. I¡¯ve warned you before that if you do it again, you¡¯re going to regret it. Plead with the police<b>, </b>not me.¡±

    With that, she walked past him into the office.

    Roman was furious and began to curse at her. Just then, Elias turned around and kicked a table, causing it to crash loudly.

    Roman was terrified.

    Elias was brimming with anger. He wouldn¡¯t have let Roman leave the office unscathed if he wasn¡¯t worried about causing trouble for Ashley.

    Fortunately, the police arrived quickly and took Roman away.

    Elias exhaled deeply. His expression was still cold as he entered Ashley¡¯s office.

    He tugged at his tie and said, ¡°I¡¯ll send a few men here to keep anyone like that from causing trouble again.¡±

    Ashley looked at him and realized what it meant to not fit a role, even when appropriately dressed. Despite wearing a formal suit, Elias looked more like a thug. His presence was too wild to be contained in an office.

    ¡°Little boys are just full of boundless energy,¡± Ashley thought as she hung her bag on the coat rack.

    She turned on herputer and asked, ¡°Why did youe back?¡±

    ¡°You left your candy behind, so I brought it back here.¡± Elias ced a jar of sour plum candy on her desk.

    Ashley nodded. ¡°You can go now.¡±

    Elias was on his way out. But after a few steps, he turned back and noticed a cold look on Ashley¡¯s face.

    He asked, ¡°Ash, are you upset?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± she simply replied.

    ¡°I can tell that you are.¡± Elias walked back to her. ¡°Is it because he insulted you?¡±

    He pressed his tongue against the roof of his mouth. ¡°Should I find someone to beat him up? I promise it won¡¯t be traced back to you.¡±

    Ashley was indeed upset. She looked up and red at him. ¡°It¡¯s because of you.¡±

    Elias chuckled and sat down on the edge of the desk.

    He asked, ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything to upset youtely, have I, Ash?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like my ns being disrupted. If you hadn¡¯t suddenly gotten me pregnant, I could have been more prepared!¡± Ashley said.

    Elias scratched his nose. ¡°What more do you need to prepare?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you see? If our child isn¡¯t in a good environment, they could end up surrounded by bad influences. If they were fortunate, they might only need to deal with a judge. But if they¡¯re unfortunate, they might end up in front of a coroner,¡± Ashley exined.

    Elias found it amusing. ¡°Our child will never be bullied.¡±

    Ashley retorted, ¡°There¡¯s no absolute guarantee!¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re saying we should carefully choose the school and ssmates for the child before we even have one? Is that even possible? Even if you tried, could you prevent everything? Life is full of surprises,¡± Elias said.

    Ashley didn¡¯t answer him.

    ? Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    After a moment of pondering, Elias pulled her out from behind her desk. ¡°You¡¯re not working today.¡±

    ¡°Are you crazy? I have work! The <b>case </b>goes to court tomorrow!¡± Ashley eximed.

    She struggled, but Elias ended up dragging her out. ¡°You¡¯ve been reviewing the <b>case </b>for days, Ms. Thornton. How could you not handle a case this small? Besides, do <b>you </b>only have useless staff? Let them handle it.¡±

    Elias took her out of the office and into his car.

    She frowned and asked, ¡°Where are <b>you </b>taking me?¡±

    Elias opened the convertible top of the sports car. It was morefortable that way. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you weren¡¯t ready? We¡¯ll get ready now.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ashley was puzzled.

    Chapter 611 Acting Out

    ¡°We¡¯re getting clothes, toys, and a cradle for the baby,¡± Elias said.

    Ashley replied, ¡°It¡¯s too early.¡±

    Elias nced at her with a smile. She thought it was too early to buy things for the baby, who wouldn¡¯t be born for a few months. Yet, she was already worried about things like schooling, which wouldn¡¯t be an issue for years.

    When Ashley felt guilty and couldn¡¯t defend herself, she¡¯d adopt a cold demeanor to intimidate everyone. Elias thought it was adorable.

    Elias had always found Ashley adorable, no matter what she did.

 Chapter 612

    Chapter <b>612 </b><b>More </b>Children to Come

    Elias took Ashley to an international well¨Cknown baby and maternity store. He asked her to sit down while he went to select several items and brought

    them to her.

    Elias had an eye for fashion, but somehow, every outfit he picked out for the baby looked awful.

    Ashley was unable to stand it any longer, so she stood up to help him with his selection.

    <b>To </b>outsiders<b>, </b>they looked like a loving couple picking out clothes for their soon¨Cto¨Carrive child. A perfect, happy family of three. However, Beathan, who watched from a distance, was far from pleased.

    He made a phone call.

    ¡°Prepare for tomorrow¡¯s court session,¡± Beathan said.

    The person on the other end replied, ¡°Understood.¡±

    After hanging up, Beathan turned and walked away. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Ashley. We will have more children. Our children.¡±

    The news spread swiftly to Baliz.

    Jodie hung up the phone with a frown. After thinking for a moment, she headed to the backyard.

    Wesley had officially assigned her to Emelie. Meanwhile, thetter was practicing archery in the backyard.

    Jodie opened the door just as a crossbow bolt shot past her. It hit the red center of the target with a thud.

    Emelie, who was dressed in full protective gear, was seen standing straight with her eyes focused ahead. Her instructor praised her progress in Asteshese, but she felt indifferent.

    She was now handling the bow with easepared to her initial fear when she first started learning it.

    Emelie handed the crossbow to a servant and looked at Jodie. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Jodie reported thetest news she had just received.

    Emelie frowned in confusion. ¡°Beathan is in contact with someone whosest name is Ellis, you say?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The surveince team found this behavior unusual and reported it,¡± Jodie said.

    Emelie asked while removing the strap on her gloves, ¡°Is there anything special about this Mr. Ellis?¡±

    ¡°Not that we¡¯ve discovered so far,¡± Jodie reported.

    Emelie thought of a possibility. ¡°Could this be rted to the Xander Group?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not sure yet. The team is investigating and will provide an update tonight. Please hold on, Ms. Hoven.¡± Jodie reassured Emelie.

    A servant arrived with a tray of clean, warm towels. Emelie took one and wiped her hands. She recalled Beathan¡¯s eyes, which were hidden among the reeds in the wild field back then.

    ¡°I¡¯ve only met Beathan once, during the Weston event when Elena and I reconciled. Charles hosted the dinner. Beathan was there, but we didn¡¯t speak much. I don¡¯t know him well,¡± Emelie said.

    All she knew was that Beathan was Ashley¡¯s ex¨Cboyfriend as well as William¡¯s friend.

    At the time, she assumed they were just casual acquaintances. Later, she learned Beathan was a Collins, the family responsible for the downfall of the Pierce family.

    Jodie didn¡¯t know much either. ¡°Beathan is awyer.¡±

    Emelie said, ¡°The people who know Beathan the best are those who watch him daily. If they say there¡¯s a problem, there must be. Gather Mr. Ellis¡® information and bring it to me.¡±

    ¡°Understood,¡± Jodie said.

    The Filo family had extensive connections. Theypiled Roman¡¯s background and sent it to the estate in Baliz within six hours of discovering his contact with Beathan. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    It waste at night in Baliz. However, knowing that Emelie was concerned about the matter, the person delivering the documents knocked on her door. Emelie had just finished bathing. She expected it to be Jodie, so she opened the door.

    <b>To </b>her surprise, Wesley stood there. He stared at her in her nightgown dampened by her wet hair.

    Emelie was stunned. She hadn¡¯t expected to see him at this time. ¡°Wesley, when did you arrive?¡±

    Wesley had recently returned to Mercianna, but she didn¡¯t know he was now in Baliz.

    Wesley still had the <b>dusty</b><b>, </b>rugged air from his travels, but his voice held a warm, gentle tone. <b>¡°</b><b>I </b>came to Baliz on business and decided to drop by and see you.¡±

    Chapter 612 More Children to Come

    He gestured to the file in his hand. ¡°Jodie was on her way to deliver Roman¡¯s files to you. I decided to bring them myself.¡±

    His mention of dropping by and delivering it himself was casual. This easy¨Cgoing manner was typical of Wesley. Or rather, of Cronus.

 Chapter 613

    <b>Chapter </b>613 <b>Their </b>Rtionship

    Emelie tilted her head and looked at him. His fair, handsome face glowed warmly in the corridor light.

    Without saying anything, she reached for the file and opened it.

    Her tone was slightly somber as she said, ¡°I don¡¯t understand what Beathan¡¯s connection to Roman means.¡±

    She quickly scanned the documents inside.

    Meanwhile, Wesley watched as water droplets trickled from her damp hair and seeped into her cotton nightgown. The air carried a lingering scent of steam and shower gel from the bathroom.

    Wesley turned suddenly and headed for the study. ¡°Follow me.¡±

    Emelie followed him there and sat down on the sofa while still reviewing the documents.

    She frowned in confusion. She couldn¡¯t see any direct connection between Roman and Beathan. The only connection one could argue was that Roman¡¯s son, Theo, had been killed in a bullying incident, and the case was scheduled for trial the next day. However, Beathan wasn¡¯t Roman¡¯swyer.

    ¡°Are the people below being too suspicious?¡± Emelie wondered.

    Just then, she felt a hand grab her hair.

    Before she could turn around, Wesley said, ¡°Hold still.¡±

    Emelie stopped moving, and Wesley began to dry the excess water from her hair with a towel.

    ¡°You¡¯ll get a headache if you don¡¯t dry your hair properly after a shower. Is this how you usually take care of yourself? I¡¯ll have to ask Jodie to keep an eye on you,¡± Wesley said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t usually do this.¡± She was neither a child nor an ipetent princess. How could she not know that?

    ¡°I was in a hurry to review the documents. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t pay attention to my hair,¡± Emelie said.

    Wesley¡¯s tone remained calm and t. ¡°Next time, even if you¡¯re busy, ask a maid to help you dry your hair. Don¡¯t do anything with your hair wet. Your health is important too.¡±

    Emelie¡¯s eyes remained on the documents as she replied, ¡°I understand. You sound like an elder nagging at me.¡±

    Wesley looked at her while she was focused on the papers and smiled.

    After he helped Emelie wrung the water out of her hair, he continued to dry it. However, as he ran his fingers through her hair, he identally brushed the back of her neck.

    Emelie flinched slightly. A memory of Weston, a hotel, and a man meticulously drying her hair shed through her mind.

    Her expression changed abruptly. Her body reacted faster than her mind, and she moved to sit on another sofa.

    Wesley didn¡¯t question her but simply observed. His hazel eyes seemed to delve deep into her soul.

    After a slight pause, Emelie took the hairdryer from him and said with a forced smile, ¡°I can handle it myself. I wouldn¡¯t want to trouble you, Mr. Cronus.

    <b>¡°1 </b>

    Wesley let her dry her hair on her own while he walked over to the bar. He picked a bottle of wine at random, poured himself a ss, and took a sip. Only then was there a noticeable rxation in his expression.

    Emelie had a vague feeling that he might have noticed who she had just remembered, which was why he seemed upset.

    After a while, Emelie said amidst the sound of the hairdryer, ¡°Wesley, I didn¡¯t notice any problems with the document. Could you take a look and give me your perspective?<b>¡± </b>

    Wesley returned to her and quickly reviewed the files.

    Emelie continued to ponder the situation. ¡°The trial for Roman¡¯s son¡¯s case is tomorrow. Who¡¯s thewyer handling the case?¡± N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    Fortunately, the people investigating had been thorough and had gathered all the relevant information. Wesley flipped through the documents and mentioned a name that Emelie didn¡¯t recognize.

    <ul>

    <li></li>

    </ul>

    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re being overly cautious,¡± Wesley suggested.

    It wasn¡¯t entirely out of the question.

    Just as Emelie finished drying her hair, Wesley put the documents aside. ¡°Your nightgown is wet too. Go and change into a dry one and get some rest. It¡¯s quitete.¡±

    ¡°You too,¡± she said.

    Emelie put the documents away and headed back to her room.

    Just before she entered, a realization dawned on her.

    She realized that Wesley had been waiting outside her door earlier but had chosen to ask her into the study instead. Perhaps he felt it was inappropriate toe into her room at such ate hour.

    Chapter 613 Their Rtionship

    She wasn¡¯t an oblivious and naive girl. She could tell that Wesley looked at her differently.

    He clearly wanted more than just an ordinary friendship, but he also carefully managed the boundaries between them. He struck a bnce, maintaining a closeness that was intimate yet respectful.

    Emilie sighed and changed into a new nightgown. She climbed into bed and decided to put the matter aside for now.

    She had too many things to consider. She had the Pierce family, the Hoven family, and her own personal grievances to avenge. She had no time for personal feelings.

    Emelie closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep.

    Not long after, another sudden realization shed through her mind and jolted her awake. Her breathing grew rapid and uneven in the darkness.

 Chapter 614

    Chapter <b>614 </b><b>To </b>Stay Close and Keep Watch

    Though Jodie was slightly taken aback, she quickly agreed. ¡°Got it.¡±

    Emelie nced at the time. It was three in the morning.

    Although it was still early in the morning in Baliz<b>, </b>it was already nine in the morning in Capebatt City, the start of the trial.

    She bit her lip. Torned between emotion and rationality, she tightened her grip on her phone. It wasn¡¯t long before she decided to dial Ashley¡¯s number with a look of determination.

    However, just as the call was about to connect, Jodie, who had rushed over, hung up the phone.

    She said, ¡°Ms. Hoven, please think twice! Now is not the time to reveal that you are still alive. Making this call now could alert those at the Xanther Group!¡±

    If that happened, all their ns would go down the drain.

    She continued to say, ¡°Please, calm down. It¡¯s not toote for you to take action after our men find out what¡¯s going on!¡±

    In fact, Emelie had made up her mind to make the call.

    She said coldly, ¡°Ashley is my friend. If she¡¯s in trouble, I¡¯m not going to stand by and watch. Make sure our men handle this with discretion. If they fail, it¡¯s their fault.¡±

    Jodie looked at Emelie. She was increasingly showing the demeanor of someone in a position of authority now.

    Emelie said, ¡°Let go.¡±

    Jodie released her grip, and Emelie redialed Ashley¡¯s number. However, the call went unanswered even after the dial tone stopped.

    Though Emelie couldn¡¯t determine what might have happened, she felt it was important for Ashley to be aware of Beathan¡¯s connection with Roman. Just then, Jodie received an update from their men. ¡°Ms Hoven, Marco¡¯swyer is, in fact, Ms. Thornton.¡± N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    It all made sense now.

    ording to courtroom rules, all phones must be turned off or switched to airne mode once the trial starts. They had to be in session now, which exined why the call couldn¡¯t get through.

    ¡°Call Ashley¡¯s assistant,¡± said Emelie.

    Emelie tried calling Elias. However, he didn¡¯t pick up the phone either. He was probably in the courtroom too.

    Meanwhile, Jodie managed to get through to Ashley¡¯s assistant, who confirmed that the trial had indeed started at nine in the morning.

    Emelie threw off her covers and got out of bed. Her expression was grave.

    that the us

    Jodie said, ¡°Ms. Hoven, don¡¯t be too anxious. I¡¯ve already stationed our men in Capebatt City outside the courthouse. They¡¯ll be right by Ms. Thornton¡¯s side <b>as </b>soon as the trial ends.¡±

    Jodie believed that, even if Beathan and Roman had a n, they wouldn¡¯t dare to act it out in front of the courthouse. As such, Emelie didn¡¯t need to be so

    worried.

    Emelie paced back and forth on the carpet. By the time she looked at the time again, it was already three and a half in the morning.

    She stopped in her footsteps and suddenly lifted her head.

    She said, ¡°Get ready. I¡¯m going to Capebatt City.¡±

    Jodie was stunned.

    What did she just say? Now? To Capebatt City right now? How could she do that?

    Emelie didn¡¯t offer an exnation. Instead, she called Elias again.

    Ding ding dong dong.

    Elias¡¯s phone rang with the default ringtone. He didn¡¯t recognize the unfamiliar foreign number, so he quickly ended the call without hesitation. He thought it was probably a scam call.

    Ashley, who stood in front of him, said, ¡°Phones must be turned off <b>or </b>put on airne mode in the courtroom. It¡¯s a sign of respect for the court and thew,¡±

    Elias turned off his phone and put it back in his pocket.

    Ashley asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t <b>you </b>supposed to have a meeting at thepany today?¡±

    Elias raised his eyebrows. ¡°How did you know I had a meeting today?¡±

    ¡°Your assistant called me yesterday asking me <b>to </b>convince <b>you </b>to attend the meeting no matter what. Why haven¡¯t you been going to thepany these days?¡± Ashley said.

    eep Watch

    Chapter 614 To Stay Close and Keep

    Lately, Elias had been following Ashley closely.

    Elias nced over at Roman, who sat in the intiff¡¯s seat with a dark and threatening look.

    He replied coldly, ¡°I¡¯m concerned that he might cause trouble for you. Just look at how he¡¯s ring at you. It¡¯s as if he¡¯s ready to attack. I need to stay close and keep watch.¡±

 Chapter 615

    Chapter 615 The <b>Scene </b>

    ¡°This is <b>a </b>courthouse. Everyone must go through two security checks before entering. He can¡¯t bring in any weapons,¡± Ashley said.

    She wasn¡¯t too concerned about Roman. After years as awyer, she had encountered clients with even more extreme behavior.

    She added, ¡°You should go to the office for your meeting.¡±

    Elias didn¡¯t want to leave. He lowered his head and said, ¡°Since I¡¯m here, let¡¯s have a celebratory meal after the trial is over. You¡¯ve worked hard, Ms. Thornton.<b>¡± </b>

    Ashley looked up and saw her reflection in his eyes. ¡°The case isn¡¯t even over yet. How do you know I¡¯ll win?¡±

    Elias replied confidently, ¡°Because you¡¯re Ashley Thornton.¡± N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    Therefore, she would win.

    Ashley¡¯s expression remained unchanged, but a close observer would catch a subtle smile at the corners of her mouth.

    ¡°I almost forgot I have something for you.¡± Elias had been holding a tote bag, and Ashley had been wondering what was in it.

    As she looked down, she was surprised to see Elias take out a thermos.

    Elias started rambling. ¡°Inside is some tea, warm and ready to drink if you¡¯re thirsty. And here are some sour plum candies. If you feel nauseous, just have one. I heard trials canst for hours. If you get hungry, eat these. And also this¡­¡±

    Ashley was overwhelmed. She felt embarrassed. ¡°I¡¯m going to court, not a field trip.¡±

    Wasn¡¯t this a bit excessive?

    However, Elias didn¡¯t care about other people¡¯s opinions. After all, what was wrong with taking care of his wife?

    After handing all the items to Ashley, he added, ¡°There¡¯s now against drinking water in court.¡±

    He gently caressed her belly and said, with a tone of both persuasion and firmness, ¡°Be good, and don¡¯t make things difficult for your mother.¡±

    Their baby was active and would constantly kick as if they were doing military drills in Ashley¡¯s womb.

    Ashley pressed her lips together. Elias had promised to take care of her during her pregnancy, and he was indeed meticulous about it. She thought it wouldn¡¯t be so bad if they could stay together forever.

    Ashley said softly, ¡°I have a prenatal check¨Cup tomorrow. Come with me.¡±

    Elias raised his eyebrows. This seemed to be the first time she had ever reached out to him about their baby.

    With a smile, he said, ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll arrange for it.¡±

    As the trial was about to start, Ashley didn¡¯t say anything more. She handed the items back to Elias, keeping only the thermos, and took her ce at the defense table.

    Elias sat in the audience and watched as Ashley ced the thermos on the edge of the table.

    He was reminded of a time when he stayed at her house, and she was so busy with her studies that she stayed in the dorm for several days withouting home. He missed her, so he once went to her university to catch a glimpse of her.

    Back then, she had worn ck¨Cframed sses and had long, straight ck hair. Her ethereal presence was captivating.

    On her desk sat a thermos, and as she took notes from the ckboard, she drank from it. Her lips would glisten with moisture.

    Little did he know that the scene would stay with him for a long time.

    The trialsted a full four hours<b>. </b>

    The case might have seemed straightforward at first, but given the sensitive issues of juvenile crime, Ashley was not entirely confident of winning. The arguments, evidence, and debates were fiercely contested, and at times, the oue appeared uncertain.

    Finally, Ashley brought in the female ssmate involved in the case.

    She testified that Theo had ced his hand on her chest, which provoked Marco to react violently. Theo¡¯s fingerprints were also found on her shirt, which provided concrete evidence.

    Thus, the judge ruled that Marco acted in self¨Cdefense and acquitted him.

    As the gavel fell, the audience erupted in apuse. Marco¡¯s parents were so overwhelmed with joy that they wanted to get down on their knees and thank Ashley.

    Thetter quickly moved to support them. Meanwhile, Elias watched her from the audience with a smile widening with pride.

    Just as he was about to stand up and help Ashley with her belongings, Roman suddenly spiraled out of control.

 Winning Her Heart back Chapter 616

    <b>Chapter </b><b>616</b>: Elias It Hurts

    ¡°I refuse to ept this! This is unfair! Why isn¡¯t a murderer paying for his crimes? Is my son¡¯s life worthless to you all? You¡¯re all protecting the killer! <b>You¡¯re </b>all murderers!¡± Roman said as he broke free from hiswyer and family.

    The bailiffs sensed danger and rushed over to restrain him, but Roman was closer to Ashley. He grabbed a chair and swung it at her without hesitation. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    ¡°I want you dead!¡± he yelled.

    The trial had ended, and the audience was leaving. No one anticipated such a sudden outburst, and everyone was caught off guard.

    Elias¡¯s eyes widened in horror.

    ¡°Ash!¡± he yelled while frantically pushing through the crowd.

    Ashley was slow to react and turned just in time to see the chairing at her.

    Bang! Everything happened within three seconds.

    The impact sent Ashley sprawling. She hit the ground hard, and her head struck the sharp edge of a step.

    Elias felt his blood run cold. His vision turned achromatic, and time seemed to stop at that very moment.

    People were rushing to Ashley while shouting in panic.

    ¡°Ms. Thornton! Ms. Thornton!¡± The bailiffs subdued Roman, but he continued to roar.

    Elias¡¯s world turned dark as a frightening red began to seep in. It was Ashley¡¯s blood. She writhed on the ground in pain while clutching her abdomen. Ashley was always strong, but now Elias heard her cry out. ¡°It hurts¡­ It hurts so much¡­ Elias¡­ Elias¡­¡±

    Elias felt like his world was copsing. With a surge of adrenaline, he snapped back to reality and rushed to her side.

    An ambnce sped to the hospital with its sirens ring. Nurses rushed Ashley on a gurney into an emergency room.

    ¡°Family members, please wait outside!¡± The nurse closed the door, leaving Elias pale and covered in blood outside.

    His eyes were bloodshot, and his trembling hands were stained with Ashley¡¯s blood. He feltpletely lost, it was as if his soul had been scattered. Momentster, a nurse hurried by with a cart loaded with blood sma bags.

    He stepped aside to avoid blocking the medical staff. However, as he moved, his legs gave out. He copsed onto the floor with one knee.

    The scene from the courtroom reyed repeatedly in his mind.

    The chair¡­ The chair hitting Ashley¡¯s stomach¡­

    The shocking incident at the courthouse quickly spread online, and it went viral.

    Ashton was having lunch when she saw the news. She recognized Ashley and Elias in the video and dropped her fork in shock.

    Her colleague asked what was wrong, but Ashton didn¡¯t have time to exin. She hurried to the CEO¡¯s office to find William.

    ¡°Mr. Middleton! Something happened to Mr. Undvike!¡± Aston said.

    She showed William the video, and he frowned. He immediately called Elias, but there was no answer.

    Ashton had already gathered the details on her way up. She exined, ¡°Mr. Undvike is at the hospital. Ms. Thornton is still in surgery. He might not be able to answer right now. Do you want to go to the hospital?¡±

    Of course, William had to go. He quickly left the office.

    Two hours had passed since Ashley was taken into surgery.

    When William arrived at the hospital, he found Elias slumped on the floor outside the operating room. His head was bowed, and his messy hair hid his face, making him look utterly desperate.

    William knelt in front of him and asked, ¡°How is Ms. Thornton?¡±

    Elias¡¯s voice was hoarse and ragged. ¡°The baby¡¯s gone. They had to inducebor.¡±

    William frowned. The baby was nearly six months old.

    ¡°The doctor had me sign a critical condition notice. Her situation is terrible.¡± Elias¡® eyes were so red they seemed ready to bleed, making, his pale face even more harrowing.

 Chapter 617

    Chapter <b>617</b>: <b>She </b>Lost So Much Blood

    Ashton hurriedly said, ¡°Signing <b>a </b>critical condition notice is just a formality. Last year, my grandmother had a gastroscopy, and I had to sign one too.

    ¡°<b>Her </b>surgery was done in half an hour without any issues. Don¡¯t worry too much. Ms. Thornton is young and healthy. The doctors are very skilled, she¡¯ll be okay.¡±

    and

    Elias looked up and stared at her intently. ¡°Really? She¡¯s really going to be okay?¡±

    <b>His </b>eyes were filled with desperation and a plea for reassurance. Ashton had never seen him, or anyone of his status, show such fear and helplessness. Ashton was only trying tofort him and wasn¡¯t entirely sure. However, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to disappoint him with that look on his face. She replied firmly, ¡°Yes.

    Elias leaned his head against the wall and murmured, ¡°I just need her to be okay.¡±

    He no longer cared about the baby. His only fear was losing Ashley.

    It felt like a heavy weight was pressing down on his chest. Breathing became difficult, and his eyes grew redder.

    ¡°She lost so much blood¡­ so much blood¡­¡± he said.

    William and Elias were childhood friends. In the more than twenty years of their friendship, he had never seen him acting this way. Still, William, who was more rational by nature, knew that now was the time to deal with the person who was responsible for the incident.

    ¡°Who was that man? Does he have a grudge against Ms. Thornton? Or is it because of the case?¡± William asked.

    Elias gave a simple reply. ¡°The case.¡®

    Elias felt regret and hit his head against the wall. He had always seen Roman as dangerous and wanted to deal with him privately.

    However, Elias had refrained from doing so. He didn¡¯t want Ashley to see him as a vignte. Thus, he had held back. If he had acted instead, this wouldn¡¯t have happened.

    Elias hit his head against the wall again, harder. However, the physical pain couldn¡¯t match the agony felt in his heart. William stood up. ¡°Will self¨Charm solve anything?¡±

    Elias closed his eyes. His usually smiling mouth was now tightly pressed shut. The lines of his face were distorted with pain. William nced at Ashton, who understood his unspoken message about investigating the matter. She nodded and left. William stayed with Elias to wait for news.

    Later, when Jayden learned of the incident, he came as well. He had brought several renowned doctors from out of town to join the surgical team.

    From one in the afternoon until eight in the evening, seven hours passed before the lights in the operating room finally went out, and the doctor stepped

    out.

    Elias immediately stood up.

    The doctor said, ¡°Mr. Undvike, we did our best.¡±

    Those words struck Elias like a thunderbolt, and his vision went ck.

    William asked in a deep voice, ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡±

    The doctor exined in detail, ¡°Ms. Thornton¡¯s abdomen took a severe blow, which caused her uterus to shift and led to massive bleeding. We had to act immediately to save her life, so we performed a D&C surgery.¡®

    A D&C surgery? William knew this term well and recalled Emelie.

    He took a deep breath and said, ¡°Go on.¡±

    The doctor continued, ¡°The advanced stage of the pregnancy made the procedure extremely difficult, and we nearly lost her uterus. Fortunately, we managed to save it.

    ¡°However, the more pressing concern is that Ms. Thornton suffered a severe blow to the back of her head when she fell. It was a heavy impact. We removed as much of the blood clot from her brain as we could, but some of it is too close to her nerves to operate on safely.¡±

    Jayden¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°So, what does this mean for her?¡± All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    The doctor said, ¡°She needs to be in the ICU <b>for </b>48 hours of observations. If Ms. Thornton wakes up, we can breathe easier. If she doesn¡¯t¡­¡± Elias found it absurd andughed. ¡°Are you saying she might not wake up?¡±

    Chapter 6181 Beg You, Save Her

 Chapter 618

    Chapter <b>618 </b>I <b>Beg You</b><b>, </b>Save <b>Her </b>

    The doctor fell silent.

    Elias couldn¡¯t ept this result. He grabbed the doctor¡¯s cor and shouted, ¡°She was still holding my hand when she went in! She was conscious and calling my name! How could she not wake up? What kind of surgery did you perform on her? How could you leave her like this?¡±

    William and Jayden quickly moved to restrain Elias. He was falling apart emotionally, consumed by rage and despair. He struggled like a trapped animal and was trying to confront the doctor for answers.

    The doctor was upset. ¡°Mr. Undvike, we truly did everything we could¡­¡±

    <b>¡°</b><b>Get </b>out!¡± Jayden shouted at the doctor, who quickly left.

    Elias tried to lunge after him, but William grabbed his shoulder and mmed him against the wall.

    ¡°Calm down! You¡¯re no different from the person who took his hatred out on Ashley!¡± William said.

    Elias gulped, and tears streamed from his eyes.

    He struggled against William and said in anguish, ¡°My wife might not wake up! How can you expect me to stay calm? Not everyone is like you, indifferent to their wife¡¯s death! You don¡¯t love Emelie, but I love my wife! She¡¯s the woman I¡¯ve wanted to marry since I was seventeen!¡±

    William¡¯s expression changed drastically.

    Jayden stepped forward. ¡°This happened too suddenly. Even though these doctors are the best in Capebatt City, there¡¯s a limit to what they can do. I know some top neurosurgeons. I¡¯ll bring them here.¡±

    He continued, ¡°Elias, Ms. Thornton is still alive. As long as she is, there¡¯s hope. Medical technology is advanced. If we can rece a failing heart, there are still options for her.¡±

    Jayden¡¯s words sparked a flicker of hope in Elias, and he nodded heavily.

    Yes, there had to be a way. How could she be gone? Someone who had been nning to go for a check¨Cup with him just a few hours ago couldn¡¯t have just disappeared.

    It was impossible. No way.

    ¡°Call them now! Get those doctors here to save her! I beg you, save her¡­ save her¡­¡± Elias was willing to beg anyone in any way as long as it meant getting Ashley back.

    Jayden said, ¡°I¡¯ll make the call right away.¡±

    He then patted William on the shoulder to signal that Elias¡® angry outburst was not to be taken personally. Elias was overwhelmed by his emotions. He wouldsh out like a wild animal and would attack anyone who came too close.

    Jayden went to the window to make the call while Elias remained motionless against the wall.

    Ashton returned from her investigation but stayed at a distance. William noticed her troubled expression and approached her.

    He asked, ¡°What¡¯s the update?¡±

    Ashton shook her head. ¡°Mr. Middleton, Roman was incited by someone to do this.¡±

    William¡¯s jaw clenched. He turned to Elias and said, ¡°Someone deliberately targeted Ms. Thornton.¡±

    Elias¡® eyes, which had been dull and lifeless, suddenly lit up. All the rage and hate he felt finally had an outlet to be vented out.

    Another person who was anxiously waiting for Ashley¡¯s surgery results was Sadie, who was at the Undvike Residence.

    ¡°Arthur, is there any news from the hospital?¡± Sadie asked.

    ¡°Not yet,¡± Arthur Monroe, the butler, replied simply.

    Sadie was concerned. ¡°How can it be taking so long? She¡¯s not¡­ dead, is she?¡±

    Arthur couldn¡¯t bring himself to respond.

    Ashley¡¯s death would bring some relief for Sadie. However, ording to thew of session, Ashley¡¯s inheritance would go to Elias, herwful husband. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Gianna would be upset and might reveal everything if she felt cornered. Thus, Sadie needed to help Gianna secure the inheritance to prevent a disastrous revtion.

    Sadie ordered Arthur, ¡°Let me know as soon as you hear anything.¡±

    Arthur understood what she meant.

    Sadie turned and went upstairs. At three months pregnant, her belly wasn¡¯t very noticeable yet. Still, she walked carefully while keeping her head down.

    Just as she reached thest step and was about <b>to </b>reach second floor<b>, </b><b>a </b>dark shadow suddenly blocked her path.

    Sadie looked up in confusion and was shocked to find Elias¡¯s hollow, deathly gaze staring back at her.

 Chapter 619

    Chapter 619 I¡¯m Here to Kill <b>You </b>

    <b>The </b>lights on the second¨Cfloor corridor had gone out, and the lights from the living room barely reached the stairs, leaving Elias¡¯s towering figure to be engulfed in darkness.

    He wore the same clothes as before, with his white shirt stained by arge patch of dried blood. He looked like a blood¨Csoaked hand reaching out from hell, menacing and terrifying.

    Sadie was startled by his sudden appearance and instinctively stepped back, almost missing a step. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    She grasped the handrail for support and forced a smile. ¡°Elias, when did you get back? I¡¯ve been downstairs. Howe I didn¡¯t see youe in?¡±

    Elias remained silent as he stared down at her with cold, unreadable eyes.

    Sadie swallowed, her eyes couldn¡¯t help but twitch. His sudden appearance was unsettling.

    Could he have discovered the truth? No, it was impossible. She had been careful, so he couldn¡¯t possibly know.

    Sadie tightened her grip on the handrail. ¡°I¡­ I saw the news. Did something happen to Ashley? I was just about to put on a coat and head to the hospital to see her. If you¡¯re home now, she must be all right. Good people tend to be blessed, don¡¯t they?¡±

    However, Elias continued to stare at her, his face and eyes void of emotion.

    Elias usually acted rebellious, wild, and carefree. He would either defy his father, Rowan, making him back off or challenge his mother, Maya, driving her to fury. He had always disyed ferocity and had never been so calm.

    Elias gave Sadie the eerie impression of being unreal. A deep fear gripped her.

    ¡°Elias, why are you looking at me like that?¡± Sadie asked.

    No¡­ No, something was wrong. He must have learned the truth.

    Sadie stammered, ¡°Elias! Don¡¯t listen to other people! This has nothing to do with me! I wouldn¡¯t dare hurt Ashley or your baby even if I had the guts to! You must believe me! It really wasn¡¯t me! We¡¯re a family!¡±

    The corner of Elias¡® lip curled up, and he smiled. The smile was <b>so </b>cold that it made it hard for Sadie to breathe.

    Just then, several people entered through the front door. ¡°Elias? What are you doing on the stairs?¡±

    Rowan¡¯s appearance was like a lifeline for Sadie. She quickly turned away from Elias and ran down the stairs. ¡°Darling! Darling, help me! Elias is going to kill me!¡±

    Rowan looked stunned. ¡°What?¡±

    Maya scolded her immediately. ¡°Nonsense! Elias would never¡­¡±

    Elias finally spoke, ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m here to kill you.¡±

    As Sadie struggled to escape, Elias suddenly kicked her hard in the back.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Sadie yelled as she lost control.

    She tumbled down the stairs and crashed to the floor. Rowan and Maya stood in shock while the approaching maids froze in horror.

    Sadie clutched at her stomach as she rolled around on the floor, screaming. ¡°My stomach! My stomach!¡±

    Rowan witnessed what had just happened. ¡°Elias! What are you doing? Go check on Sadie!¡±

    ¡°Anyone who dares can try.¡± Elias slowly walked down the stairs as his voice made the maids freeze up.

    He grabbed a vase from a disy in the corner of the stairwell. ¡°Who gave you the nerve to team up with Gianna and harm Ashley?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­ I didn¡¯t¡­¡± Sadie struggled to speak. To Sadie, Elias seemed like a demon that had descended upon her.

    She struggled on the floor, crawling towards the door as she screamed, ¡°Darling! Darling, save me! I didn¡¯t do it! I really didn¡¯t!¡±

    Rowan yelled, ¡°Elias! Stop it!¡±

    Ruthless rage shed in Elias¡¯s eyes. He tightened his grip on the vase and brought it down on Sadie¡¯s head. The vase shattered on Sadie¡¯s face, and the shards tore through her skin.

    Sadie screamed in agony.

    Suddenly, Elias reached the bottom of the stairs and stomped down hard on her stomach.

    Blood pooled around Sadie as it flowed out from her body. Elias¡¯s terrifying demeanor made him appear monstrous.

    ¡°You¡¯d better pray that Ashley wakes <i>up</i>. Otherwise, I¡¯ll make sure you die,¡± he said.

 Chapter 620

    Chapter <b>620 </b>Ash<b>, </b>Don¡¯t Leave

    ¡°You bastard! Are you all dead? Get Sadie to the hospital now!¡± Rowan roared.

    It was only then that the maids rushed forward and carried the unconscious Sadie away from Elias.

    Elias made a beeline for the door. However, Rowan, seething with rage, was on the verge of pping him in the face.

    Elias turned to face him, and thetter found his hands trembling. He couldn¡¯ty a hand on Elias as he looked into his cold, dead eyes.

    Elias smirked. ¡°If anything happens to my wife, I¡¯ll take both her life and her child¡¯s life.¡±

    He knew Sadie orchestrated everything to protect her son from inheriting the Undvike family. They were all responsible for this, and he wanted them dead.

    Rowan was furious. ¡°Over my dead body!¡± Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    Elias pushed past him and left.

    Elias changed his clothes at home before heading to the hospital. He was worried that if Ash woke up and saw him covered in blood, it would scare her.

    As he entered the hospital, his phone rang.

    He nced at the screen, and it was another unknown call from abroad. Thus, he hung up the call immediately.

    Elias took the lift up. Meanwhile, his assistant was waiting at the entrance. ¡°Mr Undvike, the person has been brought here.¡±

    Elias showed no emotion as he walked toward the ICU, where his men were holding Ashley¡¯s aunt, Gianna, at the entrance.

    The moment Gianna saw him, she charged at him and yelled, ¡°Elias! Where have you taken my son? Have you no respect for thew? Do you think I won¡¯t call the police and have you arrested?¡±

    Elias¡® lips curled into a sarcastic smile. ¡°Gianna, you¡¯re so legalistic.¡±

    He grabbed her by the cor and mmed her against the wall. Anger red in his eyes as he said in a demanding tone, ¡°How dare you team up with Sadie to harm Ash?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about! I haven¡¯t done anything!¡± Gianna protested.

    Elias smiled. ¡°<b>If </b>you weren¡¯t involved, would I be here confronting you?¡±

    Gianna gritted her teeth. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°I heard they brought you from the church. Since you¡¯re so devout, kneel here and bow in front of the ICU door. You will kneel here as long as Ash is unconscious,¡± Elias said.

    Gianna came from a family ofwyers. She couldn¡¯t take this humiliation.

    ¡°Elias, you¡­¡± She tried to protest.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. If you don¡¯t kneel, don¡¯t expect to see your son again,¡± Elias said.

    Elias silenced Gianna¡¯s protests. She red at him in anger as his men forced her to kneel and bow.

    Elias didn¡¯t spare her another look. He changed into a sterile suit in the decontamination room before entering the ICU. He wanted to stay with Ashley and watch over her.

    He held her cold hand and called out, ¡°Honey, don¡¯t sleep. Wake up, honey. Ash¡­¡±

    Yet, Ashley continued toy still and unresponsive.

    48 hours passed, but no miracle happened. Ashley remained unconscious, and the <b>ICU¡¯s </bplex equipment continued to monitor Ashley¡¯s vitals. Suddenly, an rm went off at night, and Elias panicked. He didn¡¯t know what had gone wrong.

    He worriedly called out her name. ¡°Ash! Ash!¡±

    Doctors and nurses quickly arrived and rushed Ashley into the emergency room. Elias gripped Ashley¡¯s hand tightly and followed the stretcher. His eyes were bloodshot.

    ¡°Ash! Ash, don¡¯t leave me! Please don¡¯t leave me alone¡­¡± he said.

    The door to the emergency room mmed shut, and the nurses blocked his way. Elias released Ashley¡¯s hand before the door closed.

    Elias¡¯s expectations had reduced over time. Initially, he wanted both the mother and the child to be safe. Then, he only wished for Ashley to be <b>well</b>.

    <b>Now</b>, he just wanted her to stay alive. As long as she was alive<b>, </b>even if she never woke up, he could hold onto some hope. He was worried that she might not make it and leave him behind.

    Jayden¡¯s foreign specialist had just arrived. After the doctors had changed into their surgical attire, they entered the operating room.

    Elias waited outside the operating room. His eyes were empty and hollow.

    He numbingly wondered when thest time he waited outside an operating room for Ashley was.

 Chapter 621

    ?Chapter 621 The Real Culprit

    It happened during the month Ashley and Elias lived together.

    The previous night, Ashley had appeared unwell, and she continuously clutched onto her stomach. When Elias asked if she was alright, she said she was. She thought it was just her period.

    However, the next morning, Elias was woken up by Ashley''s groans from the adjacent room. He sensed that something was amiss, so he hadn''t been unable to fall into deep sleep. Upon hearing her cries, he immediately leapt out of bed and rushed to her.

    "Ash, what''s wrong?" he asked.

    Ashley was curled up in bed, clutching her stomach. "It hurts..."

    "I''ll take you to the hospital!" he shouted.

    "Call Beathan. He can take me," she instructed.

    At that time, in her eyes, Elias was merely a rebellious child who had run away from home. He was unreliable and not someone she could depend on. Meanwhile, Beathan was her boyfriend.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    But Elias pretended not to hear her. He secretly liked her and was jealous of Beathan. So, he grabbed a coat, draped it over her, and scooped her up in his arms.

    Ashley was taken aback. Even at his age, Elias was much stronger than she had expected.

    Elias took her to the hospital and brought her to the emergency room. He waited in line, consulted with a doctor, and took her for tests.

    Although he had once been a pampered child and was used to having others handle such matters, he managed everything himself that day. When he wasn''t sure about something, he would look it up on his phone.

    In the end, Ashley was diagnosed with appendicitis. It was rather severe, and she required surgery. Elias was only 17 years old back then. So, when he heard the term "surgery", he perceived it as a grave matter. As Ashley was wheeled into the operating room, he was on the verge of tears.

    Ashley, sensing his worry, held his hand and attempted tofort him. "Don''t worry, I''ll be fine." "Really?" he questioned her.

    "Of course, I''ll live to be a hundred," she replied.

    "Promise me," he insisted.

    "I promise," she said.

    Five hourster, the light above the operating room door was switched off, and two foreign doctors walked out.

    For a moment, Elias hesitated to approach them.

    Jayden, who had arranged for the doctors, had been waiting with him. He asked on Elias'' behalf, "How is she?"

    One of the foreign doctors said, "We have cleared the residual blood clots from the patient''s head, and she is now out of life-threatening danger."

    A glimmer of hope returned to Elias'' eyes, and he eagerly asked, "Does that mean she''ll wake up?" The doctor shook his head. "Whether she wakes up or not depends on her. You should visit often and talk to her. It''ll stimte her nerves and might be beneficial for her awakening."

    "What do you mean?" he asked.

    "The patient is in a vegetative state," he replied.

    Elias felt the world spinning around him, as if everything had copsed at that moment.

    Ashley remained in the ICU for another 24 hours. Once her vital signs stabilized, she was transferred to a regr ward. Now, apart from being unconscious, her condition was stable.

    Many people wanted to visit Ashley, including the Undvike family, the Thornton family, her friends, and her colleagues. Some mediapanies also wanted to interview her due to the news coverage.

    However, Elias refused all visitors. He wouldn''t allow anyone to disturb Ashley.

    He had already arranged for a room at home to be converted into a ward. He nned to bring her home since he knew Ashley disliked hospitals.

    A foreign doctor entered the ward with a team. "Mr. Undvike, we need to conduct some tests on Ms. Thornton."

    The doctor went ahead after seeing that Elias remained silent. His team recorded some data and discussed it among themselves quietly.

    The nurses left first. The foreign doctor, who was thest to leave, paused in his steps.

    He said in a low voice, "Mr. Undvike, even if you disfigured Sadie and made her lose her child, or demand Gianna to apologize at the door every day, they''re not the real culprits."

    Elias turned to face him. "What did you say?"

    The doctor continued in a low voice, "Thedy of our house has called you several times, but you did not answer. She has something to tell you."

    Then, the doctor left swiftly.

    Elias sat there, stunned. He clenched his fists slowly.

    Calls?

    He recalled the two missed calls from a foreign number and immediately checked his call log. Indeed, they were from the same number. Moreover, he had received the first call before the trial began, before any of these things had happened.

    Elias immediately returned the call.

    When the call was connected, he demanded, "Who are you? What do you know?"

    The moment the woman on the other end spoke, Elias'' eyes widened in shock.

    She was-

    William had asked his chef to prepare a meal. After he had finished his work, he personally delivered it to the hospital.

    Just as he was about to knock on the door of the ward, it suddenly opened, and Elias rushed out.

    William frowned. "Elias, where are you going?"

    Elias turned to face him, a strange look flickering in his eyes. Yet, he quickly suppressed it and calmly replied, "Will, I''m going out for a bit."

    William sensed that something was off. Elias should be focused solely on Ashley. He wouldn''t leave at such

    a time.

    "What is it?" he asked.

    Elias didn''t respond.

    He nced at Gianna, who was still kneeling and apologizing, before departing expressionlessly. William furrowed his brow. Elias looked like he was going to meet someone.

 Chapter 622

    ?Chapter 622 Part of Your n

    Night had descended, and Elias drove alone to the dock. The absence of any wind and waves created a stifling atmosphere.

    He had been here once before, so he was familiar with the ce. It was where he had "disposed of" Emelie''s body.

    There was a new container port in Capebatt City, so this one was abandoned and usually deserted. However, when Elias arrived, he noticed four or five cars already parked at the dock.

    Two bodyguards, d in ck suits, stood beside each vehicle. They were tall, strong, and expressionless. They had a menacing air of those who lived life on the edge. It was obvious that they weren''t putting on a show.

    Among them were two women. One woman was wearing a ck shawl, her back turned to everyone as she gazed out at the calm sea. The other woman had short hair, making her look neat and tidy.

    Elias recognized the woman with short hair-she worked for Wesley.

    Something dawned on him. He got out of his car and approached the figure in the ck shawl without hesitation.

    "Emelie, is it really you?" he asked.

    The figure in the ck shawl turned and raised her head.

    There were no streetlights at the dock, and the only light came from the moon and stars, which was reflected by the sea.

    The woman''s skin was as white as snow. If Elias was in a more lighthearted mood, he might have joked about seeing a ghost.

    Elias immediately started asking questions. "You didn''t die after all... Did Wesley rescue you? Did he take you abroad? If you managed to escape, why have you returned now?

    "You imed that Sadie and Gianna weren''t responsible for harming Ashley. Then who was it? You called me before the incident urred. Did you already know what was going to happen? Emelie, was this all part of your n?"

    Elias interrogated her, his tone growing increasingly sharp.

    Jodie, standing nearby, growled, "Mr. Undvike, watch what you say! Why would Ms. Hoven want to harm Ms. Thornton? They''re friends!"

    Elias sneered, "Who can be sure if they''re real friends or fake friends?"

    Jodie responded, "Before the incident, Ms. Hoven tried to contact you several times, taking significant risks. She wanted to warn you that Beathan had secretly been in touch with Roman, and that something might happen.

    "However, you were in court, and we were unable to reach you in time to prevent the tragedy. Ms. Hoven has been consumed by guilt ever since."

    This was news to Elias. "What about Beathan? Exin yourself."

    Jodie borated, "The men we sent to monitor Beathan discovered by chance that he had recently been in contact with a man named Roman. This was unusual, so Ms. Hoven instructed us to investigate further. "We found out that Roman''s son, Theo, had recently been killed, and Ms. Thornton was the defense

    attorney for the ''culprit''. Ms. Hoven suspected that Beathan might have targeted Ms. Thornton."

    As she spoke, Jodie handed Elias a folded piece of paper. "This is the phone number Beathan used to contact Roman. If you doubt us, you can verify it yourself."

    Elias gripped the paper tightly, his voice was hoarse. "Why would he do this? Will also helped me investigate this. Roman confessed that Sadie had instructed him and didn''t mention Beathan at all.

    "Will traced everything back to Sadie and Gianna. The former was going after the Undvike family''s inheritance, while thetter was pursuing the Thornton family''s estate. What is Beathan''s motive?"

    When Emelie heard Beathan''s name, she removed her hood and finally spoke. "Some pursue power, while others seek wealth. Beathan seeks a person."

    In other words, he was targeting Ashley.

    Jodie added, "Roman didn''t intentionally conceal Beathan''s involvement. Beathan had always contacted him using Sadie''s name. Beathan is awyer too. He knows how to cover his tracks and avoid leaving evidence."

    "Cover his tracks, avoid leaving evidence..." Elias sneered. "If he really is the culprit, regardless of how cautious he is, I''ll make sure he pays the price!"

    Elias turned to leave.

    Emelie took a deep breath and said from behind him, "You made a grand spectacle of punishing Sadie and Ashley, so Beathan already knows your intentions. He is prepared for you to find out that he''s the mastermind. He''s merely waiting for you to walk into his trap."Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    She continued, "Would you believe me if I say that, if you take action, you won''t even be able to step out of Beathan''s house before the police arrest you? He''ll use his legal expertise to send you to prison, and then no one can stop him from getting Ashley."

    Elias abruptly stopped in his tracks.

 Winning Her Heart back Chapter 621

    Chapter 621 The Real Culprit

    It happened during the month Ashley and Elias lived <b>together</b>.

    The previous night, Ashley had appeared unwell, and she continuously clutched onto her stomach. When Elias asked if she was alright, she said <b>she </b>was. She thought it was just her period.

    However, the next morning, Elias was woken up by Ashley¡¯s groans from the adjacent room. He sensed that something was amiss, so he hadn¡¯t been imable to fall into deep sleep. Upon hearing her cries<b>, </b>he immediately leapt out of bed and rushed to <b>her</b>.

    ¡°Ash, <b>what¡¯s </b>wrong?¡± <b>he </b>asked.

    Ashley was curled up in bed<b>, </b>clutching her stomach. ¡°It hurts¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the hospital!¡± he shouted<b>. </b>

    ¡°Call Beathan. He can take me,¡± she instructed.

    At that time, in her eyes, Elias <b>was </b>merely a rebellious child who had run away from home. He was unreliable and not someone she could depend on. Meanwhile, Beathan was her boyfriend.

    But Elies pretended not to hear her. He secretly liked her and was <b>jealous </b>of Beathan<b>. </b>So, he <b>grabbed </b><b>a </b>coat, draped it over her, and <b>scooped </b>her up in his

    Ashley was taken aback. Even at his age, Elias was much stronger than she had expected.

    d with a doctor, and took her for tests.

    Elias took her to the hospital and brought her to the emergency room. He waited in line, consulted

    Although <b>he </b>had once been a pampered child and was used to having others handle such matters, he managed everything himself that day. <b>When </b>he wasn¡¯t sure about something, he would look it up on his phone.

    In the end, Ashley was diagnosed with appendicitis. It was rather severe, and she required surgery.

    Elias was only 17 years old back then. So, when he beard the terms ¡°surgery¡°, he perceived it as a grave matter. As Ashley was wheeled into the operating room, he was on the verge of tears.

    Ashley, sensing his worry, held his hand and attempted tofort him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± he questioned her.

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll live to be a hundred,¡± she replied.

    ¡°Promise me,¡± he insisted.

    ¡°I promise,¡± she said.

    Five hourster, the light above the operating room door was switched off, and two foreign doctors walked out. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    For a moment, Es hesitated to approach them

    Jayden, who had arranged for the doctors, had been waiting with him. He asked on Elias¡® behalf, ¡°How is she?¡±

    One of the foreign doctors said, ¡°We have cleared the residual <b>blood </b>clots from the patient¡¯s head<b>, </b><b>and </b>she is now out of life¨Cthreatening danger.¡±

    A glimmer of hope returned to Elias¡± eyes, and he eagerly asked, ¡°Does that mean she¡¯ll wake up?¡±

    The doctor shook his head. ¡°Whether she wakes up or not depends on her. You should visit often and talk to her. I¡¯ll stimte her nerves and might be beneficial for her awakening<b>.</b>¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked.

    ¡°The patient is in a vegetative state,<b>¡± </b>he replied.

    Es felt the world spinning around him, as if everything had copsed at that moment

    Ashley remained in the ICU for another 24 <b>hours</b>. Once her vital signs stabilized, she was transferred to a regr ward. Now, apart from being unconscious, her condition was stable.

    Many people wanted to visit Ashley, Including the Undvike family, the <b>Thomton </b>family, her friends, and her colleagues. Some mediapanies also wanted to interview her due to the news coverage.

    However, Elias refused all visitors. He wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to disturb Ashley,

    He had already arranged for a room at home to be converted into a ward. He nned to bring her home since he knew Ashley disliked hospitals.

    A foreign doctor entered the ward with a team. ¡°Mr. Undvike, we need to conduct some tests on Ms.Thornton.¡±

    The doctor went ahead after seeing that Es remained silent. His team recorded some data and discussed it among themselves quietly.

    -The nurses left first. The foreign doctor, who was thest to leave, paused in his steps.

    Chapter 621 The Real Culprit

    He said in a low <b>voice</b>, ¡°Mr. Undvike, even if you disfigured Sadie and made her lose her child, or demand Gianna to apologize at the <b>door </b>every <b>day</b>, they¡¯re not the real culprits.¡±

    Elias turned to face him. ¡°What did you say?¡±

    The doctor continued in a low voice, ¡°Thedy of our house has called you several times, but you did not answer. She has something to

    o tell you!

    Then, the doctor left swiftly.

    Elias sat there, stunned. He clenched his fists slowly.

    Calls?

    He recalled the two missed calls from a foreign number and immediately checked his call log. Indeed, they were from the same number. Moreover, he had received the first call before the <b>trial </b>began, before any of these things had happened.

    Es immediately returned the call.

    When the call was connected, he demanded, ¡°Who are you? What do you know?¡±

    <b>The </b>moment the woman on the other end spoke, Es¡® eyes widened in shock. She was-

    William had asked his chef to prepare a meal. After he had finished his work, he personally delivered it to the hospital.

    Just as he was about to knock on the door of the ward, it suddenly opened, and Elias rushed out.

    William frowned. ¡°Elias, where are you going?

    Elias turned to face him, a strange look flickering in his eyes. Yet, he quickly suppressed it and calmly replied, ¡°Will, I¡¯m going out for a bit.¡±

    William sensed that something was off. <b>Elias </b>should be focused solely on Ashley. He wouldn¡¯t leave at such <b>a </b>time.

    ¡°What is it?¡± he asked.

    Elias didn¡¯t respond.

    He nced at nna, who was still kneeling and apologizing, before departing expressionlessly.

    William furrowed his brow. Elias looked like he was going <b>to </b>meet someone.

 Winning Her Heart back Chapter 622

    Chapter 622 Part of <b>Your </b>n

    Night had descended, and Elias drove alone to the dock. The absence of any wind and waves created a stifling atm

    He had been here once before, so he was familiar with the ce. It was where he had ¡°disposed of¡± Emelie¡¯s b

    There was a new centainer port in Capebatt City, so this one was abandoned and usually deserted. However, was arrived, he noticed four or five cars already parked at the dock.

    Two bodyguards, d in ck suits, stood beside each vehicle. They were tall, strong, and expressionless. They had a menacing air of those who lived Be on the edge It was obvious that they weren¡¯t putting on a show.

    Among them were two women. One woman was wearing a ck showl, her back turned to everyone as she pazed out at the calm sea. The other woman had short hair, making her look neat and tidy.

    Elias recognized the woman <b>with </b>short hair¨Cshe worked for Wesley.

    Something dawned on him. He got out of his car and approached the figure in the ck shawl without hesitation.

    ¡°Emelie, is it really you?¡± he asked.

    The figure in the ck shawl turned and raised her head.

    There were no streetlights at the <b>dock</b>, and the only light came from the moon and stars, which was reflected by the sea

    The women¡¯s skin was as white as snow. If Elias was in a more lighthearted mood, he might have joked about seeing a ghost.

    Elias immediately started asking questions. ¡°You didn¡¯t die after all¡­ Did Wesley rescue you? Did he take <b>you </b>abroad? If you managed to escape, why <b>have </b>you returned now?

    ¡°<b>You </b>imed that Sadie and Gianna weren¡¯t responsible for harming Ashley. Then who was it? You called me before the incident urred. Did <b>you </b>already know what was going to happen? Emelic, was this all part of your n?¡±

    Elies interrogated her, his tone growing increasingly sharp.

    <b>Jodie</b>, standing nearby, growled, ¡°Mr. Undvike, watch what you say! Why would Ms. Hoven want to harm Ms. Thornton? They¡¯re friends!¡± Elias sneered, ¡°Who can be sure if they¡¯re real friends or fake friends?¡±

    had

    Jodie responded, ¡°Before the incident, Ms. Hoven tried to contact you several times, taking significant risks. She wanted to warn you that Beathan h secretly been in touch with Roman, and that something might happen.

    ¡°However, you were in court, and we were unable to reach you in time to prevent the tragedy. Ms. Hoven has been consumed by guilt ever since.¡± This was news to Elias ¡°What about Beathan? Exin yourself.¡±

    Jodie borated, ¡°The men we sent to monitor <b>Beathan </b>discovered by chance that he had recently been in <b>contact </b>with a man named Roman. This was unusual, so Ms. Howen instructed us to investigate further.

    ¡°We found out that Roman¡¯s son, Theo, had recently been killed, and Ms. Thornton was the defense attorney for the ¡®culprit¡®. Ms. Hoven Beathan might have targeted Ms. Thornton.¡±

    suspected that

    As she spoke, Jodie handed Elias a folded piece of paper. ¡°This is the phone number Beathan used to contact Roman. If you doubt us, you can verify it

    yourself.¡±

    Elias gripped the paper tightly, his voice was hoarse ¡°Why would he do this? Will also helped me investigate this Roman confessed that Sadie had instructed him and didn¡¯t mention Beathan at all.

    ¡°Will traced everything back to Sadie and Gianna. The former was going after the Undvike family¡¯s in Thornton family¡¯s estate. What is Beathan¡¯s motive?¡±

    <b>inheritance</b><b>, </b>while thetter was pursuing the

    When Emelie heard Beathan¡¯s name, she removed her hood and finally spoke. <b>¡°</b>Some pursue power, while others seek wealth. Beathan seeks a person.¡± In other words, he was targeting Ashley,

    Jodie added, ¡°Roman didn¡¯t intentionally conceal Beathan¡¯s involvement. Beathan had always contacted him using Sadie¡¯s name. Beathan is awyer too, He knows how to cover his <b>tracks </b>and avoid leaving evidence.¡±

    ¡°Cover his tracks, avoid leaving evidence¡­¡± Elias snerred. ¡°If he really is the culprit, <b>regardless </b>of how cautious he is, I¡¯ll make sure he pays the price!¡±

    Elias turned to leave.

    <b>Emelie </b>took a deep breath and said from behind him, ¡°You made a grand spectacle of punishing Sadie and Ashley, so Beathan already knows your Intentions. He is prepared for you to find out that he¡¯s the mastermind. He¡¯s merely <b>waiting </b>for you to walk into his trap.¡±

    She continued, ¡°Would you believe me If I say that, if you take action, you won¡¯t even be able <b>to </b>step out of Beathan¡¯s house before the police arrest you? He¡¯ll use his legal expertise to send you to prison, and then no one can stop him from getting Ashley.¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    Elias abruptly stopped in his <b>tracks</b>.

 Chapter 623

    Chapter 623 Join Forces With Me?

    Fimelle continued coldly, ¡°Acting rashly won¡¯t solve anything. Although it might have felt gratifying to take revenge on <b>Sadie </b>and Gianna, <b>you </b>nearly destroyed yourself in the process.

    <b>¡°</b><b>Your </b>father never truly cared for you. He merely tolerated you causing Sadie¡¯s miscarriage and disfigure trouble again, he won¡¯t help you. And then there¡¯s nna.¡±

    r you are his son. If you run into

    Jodie chimed in, ¡°Ms. Thornton dislikes socializing, so the Thornton family¡¯s connections have been maintained by other family members throughout the years. You kidnapped Gianna¡¯s son and when on to torture lier.

    ¡°Had it not been for Ms. Howens ensuring that the Thornton family remained silent, your troubles would have caught up with you long ago.¡±

    Elias turned around and stared at Emelie intently.

    ¡°Beathan¡¯s original n was likely to use Sadie and nna to cause Ashley to miscarry and divorce you. In doing so, he could get Ashley. However, he hadn¡¯t anticipated Roman¡¯s extreme actions, loading to the current situation,¡± Emelic stated

    up, or kill

    She continued, ¡°If you end up getting thrown into prison as well, who will protect Ashley? And what exactly can you do to Beathan? Beat him up him? Is it worth sacrificing yourself for these despicable people?¡±

    Elias pressed his <b>tongue </b>against his inner check and chuckled sarcastically. ¡°And what about you? You faked your death and escaped, yet now you¡¯re willing to reveal yourself to me and tell me all of this. What¡¯s in it for you, Ms. Hoven? Or <b>should </b>I say, thedy of the Filo family?¡± Emelie took a few steps forward. ¡°Your enemy is Beathan, and so is mine. Why not join forces?¡±

    Elias narrowed his eyes sharply. ¡°You want to join forces with me?¡±

    Their conversationsted for a full hour. It wasn¡¯t until the wind started bowlingte at night that Elias finally left the dock.

    Before his departure, Emelie <b>said</b>, ¡°Dr. Seed is the best neurosurgeon I could find. I arranged for Jayden to send him to you because I want <b>to </b>save Ashley. ¡°Nevertheless, Dr. Saed mentioned having a junior colleague who possesses even greater skill Unfortunately, this colleague vanished from the world a few years ago after losing his wife and child. I¡¯m using the Filo family¡¯s connections to look for him. If I find him, he might be able to help Ashley.¡± Elias said in a low voice, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Then, he got in his car and left.

    Jodie walked up to Emelie from behind. She still didn¡¯t understand why Emelle had approached Elias.

    She asked, ¡°Miss, aren¡¯t you afraid that he might tell William about you?¡±

    The wind blew, causing waves to undte at sea.

    As she listened to the ominous roars of the waves that nearly killed her, Emelie quietly stated, ¡®Elias <b>and </b>Jayden are William¡¯s right¨Chand men Jodie was still puzzled ¡°So?¡±

    Emelle didn¡¯t exin further, instead pulling her hood back up. ¡°We¡¯re returning to Beliz tonight. Wesley still believes l¡¯in attending sses.¡± Jodle chuckled as she opened the car door. ¡°If Mr. Graham discovers you came to Capebatt City, he¡¯ll be angry.¡±

    ¡°This is my family¡¯s vendetta. I can¡¯t rely on him for everything. Whatever I can aplish myself, I must do it myself,¡± <b>Emelie </b>said Jodie wanted to say more. But in the end, she withheld her words and simply closed the car door.

    Emelie took one final nce out the car window.

    Back in the ward, William felt a sudden pang in his chest, as if he had sensed something. He abruptly looked up, gazing out the window.

    It waste at night<b>, </b><b>so </b>it was pitch ck <b>outside</b>. The wind rustled the treetops, the sound eerily simr to the rise <i>and </i>fall of ocean waves.

    ¡°Will, you¡¯re still here?¡± Es entered the <b>ward</b>, surprised to find William still there.

    William turned and sized up Elias. ¡°Who did you meet just now?¡±

    Es averted his gaze. ¡°No one.¡± Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    Elias went to the bathroom, filled a basin with warm water, <b>and </b>started gently wiping Ashley¡¯s hands.

    ¡°I heard there¡¯s a highly skilled neurosurgeon. I thought I <b>could </b>see him, but it turns out he disappeared years ago after losing his wife and child. What a Waste of time,¡± he <b>said </b>

    William inquired, ¡°Are you referring <b>to </b>Shane <b>Santiago</b>?¡±

    Elias was astonished. ¡°You know about him as well?¡±

    Willian replied, ¡°We learned about him while searching for a neurosurgeon, Jayden and have men looking for him all over the <b>globe</b>. Don¡¯t worry. If <b>he¡¯s </b>still alive, we¡¯ll find him.¡±

    Chapter 623 Join Forces With Me?

    Elias licked his lips and said, ¡°I was impulsive that day. Don¡¯t take what I said personally.¡±

 Chapter 624

    Chapter 624 Everyone Thinks He Doesn¡¯t Love Her

    <b>William </b>didn¡¯t take it personally. After all, they had been friends for a long time.

    ¡°There¡¯s no use caying over spilled milk. You need to pull yourself together. Ms. Thornton wouldn¡¯t want to see you like this,¡± William? said.

    Elias quietly wiped Ashley¡¯s fingers with a warm towel. Her skin was cold and pale.

    It waste, so William didn¡¯t stay for long. He reminded Elias to eat something before leaving

    Elias backed in Ashley¡¯s nket, then walked out of the ward to find nna outside with a bleeding head wound.

    Over the past few days, she had repeatedly passed out from the injury, only to be woken up using cold water and forced to <b>continue</b>. <b>She </b><b>seemed </b>like she was at her breaking point.

    Elias didn¡¯t even spare a look at her.

    ¡°Get her out of here,¡± beendered.

    ¡°Yes.¡± His men immediately dragged nna away.

    Elias gave his secretary the folded piece of paper he received from Emelie ¡°Verify this information.¡±

    The assistant looked at the phone number and call dates in puzzlement. ¡°What is this, Mr. Undrike?¡±

    Elias simply replied, ¡°Inform me of the results once you get them.¡±

    He¡¯ll decide whether to work with the ¡°resurrected woman after then.

    It didn¡¯t take long to verify the information. The next day, the assistant confirmed its uracy to Elias.

    Elias smirked and said, ¡°I got it¡±

    He returned to the Undvike Residence Two dayster, when Ashley¡¯s condition was stable, Elias brought her home.

    Meanwhile, Elias¡® father publicly announced he was disowning his son. Elias was also not entitled to the family¡¯s assers,

    When William and Jayden heard the news, they went to Pearl Bay together.

    as had transformed the master bedroom into a makeshift ward, filling it with medical equipment. Ashleyid quietly on the bed, seeming to be asleep.

    Jayden pinched the space between his eyes <b>and </b>said helplessly, ¡°Have <b>you </b>lost your <b>mind</b>? How did things get this bad with your family?¡±

    ¡°I broke Sadie¡¯s son¡¯s leg and angered my father,¡± Elias replied sarcastically. ¡°But he couldn¡¯t bring himself to send me to prison.¡±

    William said coldly, ¡°Did you <b>have </b>to do that?¡±

    In reality, the seemingly carefree and de Es was intelligent <b>and </b>capable William understood Elias¡® initial retation against Sadie and nna, but breaking Sadie¡¯s son¡¯s leg <b>a </b>few days after was too much.

    If Elias¡® father hadn¡¯t cared about their family ties, William and Jayden would be balling Elias <b>out </b>of jail right now. It was Impulsive and reckless Couldn¡¯t Elies have staged an ident instead?

    As s spoke, his eyes remained fixed <b>on </b>Ashley. ¡°I¡¯m filled with hatred every time I see Ashley. I had to do something.¡±

    Jayden thought that Elias was in a bad mental state. ¡°Dwelling on hatred will only destroy you!

    Elias numbingly asked, ¡°Then what should I do?¡±

    Jayden suggested, ¡°I¡¯m going mining in South Asm next week. Do you want toe? A change of scenery might help¡±

    ¡°How can I leave when Ashley is still in aa? But you¡¯re right, I need to keep myself busy.¡± Elias turned to William. ¡°<b>Will</b>, get me a job at the Xanther Group¡±

    After being disowned, Elias naturally lost <b>his </b>position at the Undvike Group

    William suggested<b>, </b>¡°Join Cloudex instead.¡± All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I¡¯d just be taking up space at Cloudex. The Xanther Group is new and has plenty to do. I need to stay busy,¡± Elias exined.

    That made sense <b>and </b>after pondering for a moment, William agreed.

    ¡°The project the Xander Group and the Aurora Group is working on is in progress, I¡¯m busy<b>, </b><b>so </b>you can help me oversee it,¡± he said

    <b>The </b>lights in the room were shining behind Elias, making his eyes appear dark and intense

    He said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry I¡¯ll <b>keep </b>a close watch.¡±

    leaving Elias¡® house

    house, William sat in <b>his </b>car and looked outside the window, lost in thought. He didn¡¯t even hear Ashton talking to him. Ashton had to call out to him several times before he snapped out of it.

    I was thinking about what Es said,¡± William replied, looking down at his ring

    Chapter 524Everyone Thinks He Doesn¡¯t Love Her

    What Es said? That William didn¡¯t love Emelle<b>, </b><b>so </b>he wasn¡¯t even saddened by her death?

    Ashtonforted him carefully. ¡°Mr. Undvike was overwhelmed by grief and anger. He didn¡¯t mean to insult you.

    It wasn¡¯t the insult that bothered William, but the general perception that he didn¡¯t love Emelie. How ironic.

    He clutched the ring, hiding his true emotions.

    ¡°Those three might not agree to Elias joining the Xanther Group, especially Beathan. Tell them that, if I can¡¯t even make this decision, I¡¯ll give the project I got from the Aurora Group to Cloudex instead. Let them decide,¡± William said.

    Enjoy Ad¨CFren

 Chapter 625

    Chapter 625 A Good Businessman

    At the end of June, the Xanther Group announced a long¨Cterm cooperative agreement with the Aurora Group from Faldoria.

    The twopanies would jointly build a total of 57boratories in Cedonia and Faldoria<b>, </b>focusing on coborative research and development within the realm of renewable energy. This represented thergest joint venture between private enterprises from the two nations in recent years.

    The moment the news was released, the industry went into an uproar

    No one had expected the Xanther Group¡¯s <b>first </b>project to be this huge, much less targeting the emerging field of renewable energy. Given the scale and ambition, it was clear that they aspired to be an industry leader.

    However, it wasn¡¯t that surprising for apany founded by The Great Four to naturally not settle for second ce. They would be the best in <b>everything </b>they did.

    And indeed, the Kanther Group proved everyone right in the following days, it wanted to be number

    It operated like a well¨Coiled machine, rapidly <b>forming </b>partnerships with majorpanies, both <b>domestically </b><b>and </b>internationally. Thepany¡¯s value soared by the second, reaching heights in <b>a </b>single month that mostpanies <b>could </b>only dream of achieving in a lifetime.

    Before the year ended, the Xanther Group had sessfully passed the review conducted by the Securities Commission and stock exchange. So, listed on the Ace Stock Market.

    they were

    It was only then that people realized that William wasn¡¯t joking when he mentioned in a seemingly casual manner during the Xanther Group¡¯s opening that he hoped the Xanther Group would be listed on the Ace Stock Market this year¡°, and that ¡°they would ring the bell at the Danasq¡±

    The night the Xanther Group was listed, many people in the industry couldn¡¯t sleep a wink

    Apany developing at such a rapid pace was <b>unprecedented</b>. With such a substantial portion of the market captured by the Xanther Group, what

    remained for the others?

    The more andous people became, the batter the Xanther Group looked.

    At the end of the year, they held <b>a </b>grand annual meeting and celebratory banquet. They invited friends and family, with the media covering the entire erent. Even Jayden felt it was too ostentatious

    roun. ¡°Who authorized the media¡¯s attendance?¡±

    He asked Es, who was now the CEO of Xanther Group,

    ¡°will,¡± Elias responded.

    Jayden was even more astonished. ¡°I thought it was Charles. Since when did William the such extravagance?¡±

    Elias shrugged, indicating that he didn¡¯t know.

    Jayden grabbed a cocktail <b>and </b>took a sip of it. ¡°It¡¯s as if we¡¯re deliberately seeking a attention.¡± Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    At that moment, a woman watching the grand disy on television quietly savored her tea. If they wanted fame, she would grant them their wish

    By the following April, 16bs, which were the first batch ofbs built by the Xanther Group and the Aurora Group, were officiallypleted and operational

    Shortly thereafter, they achieved a technological breakthrough.

    The news spread like wildfire for some reason, and with the exaggerated embellishments of online marketing ounts, It went viral.

    Now, not only was <b>the </b>industry closely monitoring the Xanther Group¡¯s every move, but the general public began paying attention to them as well.

    A blogger in the field seized the opportunity and created an entertaining two¨Cminute video exining the Xanther Group¡¯s rapid growth. It helpedizens realize the impressive nature of thispany, having dominated the market in less than a year.

    Alongside this, the Great Four, who owned thepany, were also brought to the forefront. Because the current heirs of the Middleton, Swanson, Davis. and Collins families were all young <b>and </b>handsome, the story gained an <b>additional </byer of intrigue.

    Someone evenpiled videos and photos of them from public events, adding filters, music, and perfectly timed edits, creating an atmosphere rivaling that of <b>a </b>drama. The video quickly trended online,

    Once something became entertainment, it would spread significantly. By the time the four families realized the situation, the official social media ounts of theirpanies were already inundated withments from <bizens</b>, urging the CEOs to make public appearances.

    Among them, William emerged as the most discussed figure due to his family background, appearance, and abilities. His wlessness was a major topic, with people digging up various past stories about him.

    As they delved deeper, people started to notice the wedding ring on his ring finger. They became curious about his wife.

    Regardless of how extensive the online search was, they couldn¡¯t find anything on the enviable CLO¡¯s wife.

    The only vague clue they uncovered was that something had urred on their wedding day, preventing itspletion. But the details of what happened varied widely.

    Some imed the bride had eloped, some imed a car ident had happened, and some even imed the bride hadmitted suicide.

    Chapter 625 A Good Businessman

    Regardless of the <b>story</b>, neither the Xanther Group, the Cloudex Corporation, nor William confirmed or denied any of it. These spections only intensified the mystery surrounding William, maintaining the public¡¯s interest in him.

    <b>In </b><b>a </b>cafe, Samuel skimmed through the rumors circting online, thinking that William was really a good businessman.

    He understood how to leverage every channel for profit. The recent buzz he had generated was driving up the stock prices of both the Cloudex Corporation and the Xanther Group.

 Chapter 626

    Chapter 626 <b>Fragrance </b>

    ¡°Why are you reading about him? He¡¯s just a scumbag!¡± A woman¡¯s voice sounded.

    Samuel¡¯s frusade teaching assistant, a former college of Emelie, was one of the few individuals <b>privy </b>to the truth.

    She walked over with a coffee and, upon seeing William¡¯s Image on Samuel¡¯s phone, felt disgusted.

    To her, William murdered his wife. It seemed grossly <b>unfair </b>that such a criminal was thriving. If she had evidence, she would have reported him without besitation.

    Samuel remarked, ¡°I happened to walk past the Cedoniannguage ssroom yesterday and overheard Mr. Landon¡¯s lecture. <b>Ancient </b>wisdom often holds profound relevance. There was a saying that resonated with me.¡±

    The teaching assistant pondered for a moment, ¡°Mr. Lanilon¡¯s lecture yesterday.. Are you referring to the saying, ¡®When the world wishes to destroy someone, it first drives them mad?¡°¡±

    Samoel smiled. ¡°<b>Doesn¡¯t </b>this seem like a case of making someonecent only to bring them down?¡±

    ¡°But who could possibly bring the Xanther Group and Cloudex down<b>, </b>considering their current standing?¡± she questioned

    Samuel replied nonchntly, ¡°I¡¯m in no rush, so why should you be?¡±

    The teaching assistant pursed her lips. ¡°It¡¯s nearly May, marking a year since Ms. Haven¡¯s departure¡±

    Samuel contemted this for a moment. Indeed, the hunt in the wild had urred in May of the previous year.

    He said, ¡°Once I finish this project, I¡¯ll get 15 days of vacation, right?¡±

    es,¡± the teaching assistant confirmed.

    Samuel nodded. ¡°In that case, I submit a report to request for a trip to Ballz.¡±

    The teaching assistant was surprised. ¡°Baliz? For a vacation?¡±

    Samuel picked up his coffee and blew on the steam. Then, he smiled. ¡°<b>To </b>visit family.¡±

    The teaching assistant was puzzled. Who could Samuel possibly be visiting?

    Samuel offered no further exnation. He walked to the window and gazed into the distance.

    He thought about what he said and wondered if there was anything he could help her with. If not, he would prepare diligently at home for her return.

    The

    he seasons changed, and it was spring again

    As the parmership between the Xanther Group and the Aurora Group entered its second year, their rtionship deepened<b>, </b>evolving from a purely business¨Coriented alliance to a friendship Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    They even received an invitation from the Aurora Group¡¯s elderly chairman to his daughter¡¯s wedding during the first snowfall of the year in Baliz Charles held the invitation close to his nose and inhaled deeply. ¡°It even snells good. No wonder the Aurora Group is one of Faldoria¡¯s biggestpanies. They have taste, but this scent seems vaguely familiar¡­¡±

    What was it? He felt as though he had smelled it somewhere before.

    William recognized the smell of citrus and lily of the valley, a fragrance that was all too familiar, like Emelie¡¯s..

    His eyes darkened abruptly.

    <b>However</b>, upon closer inspection, something was amiss. Emelie never wore such intense <b>floral </b>perfumes. The scent was undeniably familiar, but he

    ¡®t be sure.

    Bryan set the invitation aside. I¡¯ve heard that Mr. Renmad is childless. The daughter he mentioned is actually his niece. Although she was adopted, he afores her. As a birthday gift this year, he gave her a portion of the Aurora Group¡¯s shares. As a dowry, he reportedly granted her another substantial amount of shares.¡±

    Beathan was perceptive. He asked, ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡±

    Charles motioned with his chin. ¡°The Invitation states Themis, the goddess of justice in Greek mythology.¡±

    Beathan, unfamiliar with the name, nced at the invitation again. ¡°Typically, there would be photographs of the bride and groom. Why are there none?¡± Charles said jokingly, ¡°Maybe they wanted to appear mysterious.

    William¡¯s fingers traced the Faldorian name ¡°Themis¡± on the invitation, his brow furrowing slightly.

    Bryan said, ¡°50 of ourbs with the Aurora Group have beenpleted. The final six will be finished <b>before </b>this winter. We should attend this wedding to gauge the Aurora Group¡¯s interest in further coboration. Mr. <b>Middleton</b>, what are your thoughts?¡±

    Willian remained silent, his expression was dark.

    Bryan called out again, ¡°Mr. Middleton?

    Chapter 626 Fragrance

    William pursed his lips. He closed the invitation and ced it back on the table.

    Then, he said in a cold voice, ¡°Since we received an invitation, of course we have to attend.¡±

 Chapter 627

    Chapter 627 Familiarity

    The date of the wedding day was finally fixed. It would happen on Drember 24,11, on Christmas Eve,

    <b>As </b>the invitations <b>had </b>been sent out months in adheance by the Aurora Group, William and the rest had already cloured their schedules and were attending the welding

    They were scheduled to arrive in Italie on the attemoon of the 23rd, with the exception of Beathan, who was upied with work. He would be arriving on the morning of the wedding day.

    The three men were apanied by their respective secretaries and bodyguards when they exited the airport. Arsen¡¯s butler swiftly approached them, bowing respectfully

    Despite being Faldorian, he was also fluent in Cedonian. ¡°Mr. Middleton, Mr. Swanson, Mr. Davis, wee to Baliz. I hope you had a good flight. The <b>cars </b>are ready to bring you to the vi for some rest.¡±

    Charles smiled. ¡°Your Cedonian is exceptional. How long have you been studying?¡±

    ¡°Ten years, but I still feel I¡¯ve only scratched the surface. Please don¡¯t hesitate to correct any mistakes,¡± the burler replied, extending <b>a </b>hand to guide <b>the </b>group toward the waiting vehicles.

    The butler intentionally fell back to walk <b>beside </b>William. In a low velce, the butler said, ¡°Mr. Middleton, I heard you have trouble sleeping on nes. It¡¯ll take approximately an hour and a half to reach the vi by car. If you would like <b>to </b>nap in the car, I¡¯ve arranged a separate vehicle to ensure undisturbed

    William paused. ¡°Who told you th

    you this? Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    It was true that he wasn¡¯t able to sleep on flights, but he had never openly discussed it. Only those closest to him and exceptionally observant would know.

    Ashton, who w

    was trailing behind William, also <b>nced </b>at the butler alertly.

    The butler <b>merely </b>smiled. ¡®I¡¯m concerned about our guests¡® well¨Cbeing, so I make it a point to gather as much information as possible.¡±

    William held the butler¡¯s gaze for a few moments before averting his eyes. <b>¡°</b>That won¡¯t be necessary¡±

    The three men shared a car, which was a spacious limousine offering greatfort even with the inclusion of the butler. Meanwhile, the others followed in separate vehicles.

    <b>As </b>soon as the limousine started moving, the butler served refreshments and drinks. For William, it was grown tea; Bryan had a cold¨Cbrewed Darjeeling tea; and Charles got a cup of coffee.

    These were their preferred drinks, and the butler even knew <b>Bryan¡¯s </b>preference for cold¨Cbrewed tea. Such attention to detail could be either interpreted as thoughtful care for the quests or as a sign of meticulous research.

    remarked coolly, ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve had cold¨Cbrewed Darjeeling prepared by someone other than my secretary.¡±

    He was clearly <b>implying </b>that only his secretary knew this preference.

    Charles said with a smirk, ¡°Do all guests receive such personalized treatment? You must be exhausted from remembering everyone¡¯s preferences. Please remember to rest.¡±

    The butler replied humbly, ¡°Thank you for your concern, Mr. Davis. Thus far<b>, </b><b>I¡¯ve </b>been managing well. Mydy etten praises my memory¡± Charles was intrigued and repeated, ¡°Yourdy?¡±

    Meanwhile, William watched the tea leaves <b>dance </b>in his cup. The familiar yet distant scent from the invitation card seemed to linger in the air. His expression darkened.

    Charles, gazing out at the passing scenery, casually asked, ¡°Will the wedding be held at the vi?¡±

    The butler responded, ¡°Yes. The venue is decurated, and the ceremony will begin tomorrow morning

    After approximately an hour¡¯s drive, they arrived at the vi¡¯s main entrance.

    Coincidentally, a truck delivering flowers for the <b>wedding </b>decorations arrived at the same time.

    Workers were carefully unloading <b>fresh </b>blooms, tied to ensure they would be in perfect condition for the ceremony the following day. That was why they only delivered the flowers today.

    ¡°Are those hydrangeas?¡± Bryan squinted.

    The butler nodded. ¡°Yes. They were specifically requested by mydy and flown in this morning¡±

    Charles turned around and pared at William with a look.

    William was looking at the flowers, his expression seemingly neutral, though his tightly pressed lips hinted that he was thinking of something Charles suddenly asked, ¡°Mr. Middleton, you must be quite familiar with these flowers. Didn¡¯t you also use them for your wedding with Ms. Hoven?* William responded coldly, ¡°Hydrangeas are <bmonly </b>used in weddings. It¡¯s merely <b>a </b>coincidence.¡±

    Charles¡¯s tone was yful. ¡°But there are so many types of hydrangeas. It¡¯s intriguing that <b>she </b>chose the <b>same </b>type,

    a f f

    Chapter 627 Familiarity

    William turned to him, his voice growing colder. ¡°What exactly are you trying to say?¡±

 Chapter 628

    Chapter 628 Strange

    Charles shrugged

    The butler continued the conversation. ¡°Indeed, this flower is beautiful. It symbolizes good fortune andpleteness, making it a popr choice for a wedding

    He gestured with his <b>hand</b>. ¡°Please, follow me.¡±

    William remained immoved. He said to the butler, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t mind bringing us to look at the wedding venue now, would you?¡±

    The butler readily agreed <b>and </b>led them toward the banquet hall..

    As the owner of a prominent Faldorian conglomerate, the family naturally lived in opulence. The viprised several vintage¨Cstyle buildings, one housing guest amodations and another being the banquet hall

    The moment they entered the banquet hall, they abruptly stopped in their tracks. Charles and Bryan turned to nce at William simultaneously after recovering from their shock

    William¡¯s expression had hardened. The banquet hall was exquisitely adorned. It wasvish <b>and </b>magnificent, yet

    William¡¯s gaze slowly moved from the stage to the crystal chandeliers, the carpet to the dining tables, and then to the porcin and pastries on the table. The decorations resembled those in his wedding with Emelie. For a fleeting moment, he felt as though he had been transported back to that day. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    Suddenly, a sharp bang echoed through the <b>air</b>, causing William to jack his head up and look toward the second floor.

    However, the second floor was empty.

    The butler reprimanded, ¡°How careless! <b>You¡¯ve </b>broken a te! Clean it up quickly!¡±

    William looked toward <b>the </b>source of the nose and saw a staff who had identally shattered a te. The sound mirrored Jodie¡¯s gunshot from the second floor back then.

    William closed his eyes, frowning. He realized he <b>was </b>agitated because of the familiar surroundings.

    After he regained hisposure<b>, </b>he studied the wedding setup once more. He noticed subtle differences upon closer Inspection. It was understandable for wedding setups to share simrities.

    Charles asked, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t there be photographs of the bride and groom on disy at the wedding wense?¡±

    The butler nodded. ¡°That¡¯s the custom, yes. <b>However</b>, this is the youngdy¡¯s first public appearance. Mr. Renaud prefers to unveil her identity at the wedding for <b>a </b>more formal introduction.¡±

    Charles was <b>surprised</b>. ¡°A first appearance? She hasn¡¯t appeared in public before? She¡¯s been remarkably well¨Chidden¡±

    ined with a smile.

    ¡°The youngdy has dedicated herself to her studies and has maintained a low profile to avoid disturbances,¡± the butler exined

    The butler continued, ¡°But there will be ample opportunities for her to step into the limelight in the future. Mr. Renaud has mentioned that he will guide her in managing the Aurora <b>Group¡¯s </b>affairs.¡±

    So, they were grooming her to be the sessor?

    ¡°Does this mean we¡¯ll deal with the youngdy in the future for business?¡± Charles raised an eyebrow. ¡°By the way, I heard that she¡¯s Mr. Renaud¡¯s niece. Maternal or pateral?¡±

    His tone was friendly <b>and </b>inquisitive rather than intrusive.

    As it was not a secret, the butler responded honestly, ¡°The youngdy is <b>not </b>biologically rted to Mr. Benaud. There was an incident where Mr. Renaud and his wife were camping in the wild and encountered danger. The youngdy happened to be passing by and intervened, saving them in time. ¡°They were deeply touched by her actions. After finding out that she was an cephan and was studying in Baliz alone, they adopted her. The young I sensible and caring. She shares <b>a </b>strong bond with them.¡±

    Charles listened attentively, ¡°Quite remarkable. It sounds like something out of a movie¡±

    ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s a beartwarming tale,¡± the butler agreed.

    Just then, a staff member called out to him. He apologized before attending to the matter.

    youngdy is

    Charles adjusted his scarf, finding the situation somewhat amusing ¡°Are foreigners so callous to pass their inheritance, and one this huge, <b>to </b><b>an </b>outsider?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s notpletely surprising. There was <b>a </b>man in Bredal who left his entire fortune to his cat,¡± Bryan remarked casually.

    Charles <b>was </b><b>convinced</b>. ¡°The world is full of wonders. It makes Ms.Thornton¡¯s situation seem even more unfortunate. <b>She </b>has been confined to bed for two years because her rtives harmed her while fighting over the family¡¯s inheritance. Speaking of which, is Mr. Undvikeing?¡±

    Bryan replied, ¡°He¡¯s on a business trip in Mana. He should be here by tomorrow morning once he finishes his work¡±

    Their visit was not solely for the wedding Primarily, they were here to discuss further cooperation with the Aurora <b>Group </b>

    They had signed <b>ten</b>¨Cyear contracts with them, where the first three years would be used to build Laboratories. Now, theboratories had beenpleted ahead of schedule.

    Chapter 528 Sange

    ajes joj jou bes

    The results of their coboration over the past two years had exceeded expectations. Strengthening their partnership while the iron was hot would be advantageous for both the Xanther Group and the four families.

    Bryan wanted to <b>ask </b>for William¡¯s opinion, but <b>William¡¯s </b>attention was drawn to a figure passing through the corridor.

    He narrowed his eyes <b>sharply</b>.

 Chapter 629

    Chapter 629 Ghosts?

    It was Jodie.

    Why was she here<b>? </b>

    The vague suspicion William initially had <b>grew </b>stronger, and his Adam¡¯s apple bobbed beneath his turtleneck. His eyes darkened as he walked forward without hesitation, determined to get to the bottom of it

    However, a staff member stopped him when he reached the corridor.

    <b>The </b>staff member apologized in Faldorian, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir, but this area is the youngdy¡¯s dressing room and is off¨Climits. I hope you understand.¡±

    William stared at Jodie until she disappeared around the corner.

    His voice was low and tense. ¡°Why is that <b>woman </b>permitted to enter then?¡±

    The staff member nced over. ¡°<b>You </b>mean Ms. Noble? As the youngdy¡¯s assistant, she naturally has ess.¡±

    The youngdy¡¯s assistant?

    William¡¯s expression darkened further. ¡°Why did your youngdy hire a Cedonian assistant? Does she speak Cedonian?¡±

    The staff member smiled. ¡°You may not know, but our youngdy is actually Cedonian ¡±

    William¡¯s eyes grew more intense with each simrity. ¡°What is your youngdy¡¯s name?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you receive the invitation? Our youngdy¡¯s name, Themis, is on there,¡± the staff member replied.

    ¡°I mean her Cedonian name!¡± William snapped, scaring the staff member. ¡°She-¡±

    ¡°It appears you share my suspicions, Mr. Middleton, ¡°Charles interrupted the staff member as he arrived behind them.

    William¡¯s e

    expression was cold ¡°<b>What </b>do you suspect, Mr. Davis?¡±

    Charles recounted the events that had unfolded since their arrival in Baliz two hours ago. ¡°First, the butler knew our preferences and habits that are unknown to outsiders

    ¡°Then there¡¯s the identical type of hydrangeas, the strikingly simr wedding decor<b>, </b>and the fact that the youngdy is not the chairman¡¯s biological niece, but a Cedoniandy who was adopted

    ¡°There are so many simrities, Mr. Middleton. I wouldn¡¯t believe it if you had told me that you didn¡¯t harbor any suspicions whatsoever.¡± William turned to face Charles directly. ¡°Are you suggesting she is Em

    Emelie?¡±

    The mention of that name felt like a taboo being broken, freezing the already cold winter air in the corridor.

    Both men recalled the deste dockyard from years ago, the arrow that pierced through her heart, and the heartless act of discarding the body into the

    The vi was exquisitely decorated, with the second¨Cfloor balcony filled with ivy that grew <b>in </b>all directions. It made the ce look like a castle <b>from </b><b>a </b>fairytale.

    Behind these curtains of ivy, a woman watched the figures

    s in the corrid

    corridor, her gaze lingering on the man with l

    the cold demeanor.

    He was still the same All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Jodie approached from behind and draped a coat over her shoulders. The woman turned around and returned to her room, the hem of her dress brushing against the <b>leaves</b>,

    William heard the subtle noises and looked up to see the Carolina jasmines blooming silently in the winter night. The vine was poisonous but extremely fragrant, like a femme fatale.

    William¡¯s tone was devoid of emotions. ¡°She is dead, as you witnessed firsthand. Are you suggesting that she has been resurrected?¡± Charles licked his lips. ¡°If it¡¯s not her, then someone is pretending to be her to frighten us. She didn¡¯t finish her sentence earlier.¡±

    He turned to the staff <b>member </b>and asked in Faldorian, ¡°<b>What </b>is your youngdy¡¯s Cedonian name?¡±

    <b>The </b>staff member replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know her Cedonien name. We usually just refer to her as Ms. Hoven<b>.</b>¡±

    William¡¯s expression turned somber

    Charles said after a long while, ¡°It seems we¡¯ve truly

    truly encountered a ghost.¡±

 Chapter 630

    Chapter 630 The Wedding

    Arsen had gone out that day. When he reached the estate, he learned that William and the rest had arrived and were touring the wedding venue. He personally went to greet them <b>and </b>invited them to dine in the main building.

    The atmosphere during dinner was warm and cheerful<b>, </b><b>and </b>Charles casually <b>asked</b>, ¡°Will Ms. Themis be joining us for <b>dinner</b>?¡±

    ¡°Ms. Themis has a friend visiting, so she¡¯s dining with her,¡± the butler exined.

    Charles nced at William, who <b>took </b>a sip of red wine.

    Charles smiled and said, ¡°I see.¡±

    After they finished dinner, the butler escorted the three men to the guest rooms.

    As soon as the butler left, Charles and Bryan went to William¡¯s room.

    Temperatures in winter dipped as low as 40 degrees Fahrenheit in Baliz, but each room boasted a firece, creating a pleasantly warm ambiance.

    William removed his coat and scarf, revealing a <b>fitted </b>ck sweater. He appeared thinner, most probably because he was in ck

    ¡°No wonder the butler knew about my preference for cold¨Cbrewed tea. When she was my secretary, she would bring me a cup every morning when I arrived at the office. The tea she made was the second¨Cbest tea I¡¯ve ever tested,parable to the ones made by my previous secretaries,¡± Bryan said.

    Bryan, having heard about Themis from Charles, sounded indifferent.

    Charles looked up. ¡°Personally, I wish she were alive. But if she truly is alive, we¡¯re in serious trouble. Our cooperation with the Aurora Gro Counts for 70% of our profit.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure she won¡¯t let us continue partnering with the Aurora Group. Such a sudden loss of a major partner would be bad for the Xanther Group.¡± Bryan shook his head. ¡°Not necessarily. <b>I </b>asked my men to discreetly investigate just now. What the butler said was only partially true.

    ¡°What he didn¡¯t tell us was that the Aurora Group wanted an arranged marriage with the Sorrel family. However, the Sorrel family wished for Arsen¡¯s daughter to marry into their family. Arsen <b>was </b>in a dilemma,

    ¡°If he adopted his biological niece, her parents might attempt to im the Aurora Group¡¯s assets. Thus, he opted to adopt an orphan, solving his problems,¡± Bryan exined.

    Charles snapped his fingers. ¡°Ah, that makes sense. I didn¡¯t think there would be someone so kind. It¡¯s always about their own interests.

    ¡°It¡¯s akin to ancient times when a foreign country desired a princess as a bride. If the kingcked a daughter, he would simply crown a woman princess <b>and </b>send her off to get married.¡±

    Bryan nodded. ¡°Precisely. Therefore, Ms. Themis, despite being favored, is merely a tool<b>. </b>She¡¯s not as influential as she seems.¡±

    Charles felt relieved. ¡°And it¡¯s possible it isn¡¯t Emelle at all. We all saw the arrow pierce her chest. She couldn¡¯t possibly be alive. What do you think, <b>Mr. </b>Middleton?¡±

    William uncurled his fingers near the firece, warming his cold palms. The mes in the firece danced in his eyes, yet his gaze remained dark. He said. ¡°We¡¯ll know the truth at the wedding tomorrow.¡±

    The night passed quickly, and the highly anticipated wedding day arrived. The ceremony was scheduled for noon, with guests beginning to arrive at the vi in the <b>morning</b>.

    Elias and Beathan arrived at the <b>same </b>time, but they didn¡¯t exchange

    ords Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    Despite being sent to the Xanther Group by William, Elias had sessfullypleted several impressive projects since assuming his role. No one dared to question his capabilities after that, and his status was secure. Elias only greeted William before taking a seat.

    Beathan, having also heard from <b>Charles </b>about <b>the </b>suspicions surrounding Themis, had news to share.

    He took out a few photographs. ¡°This is the groom from the Sorrel family.¡±

 Chapter 631

    ?Chapter 631 The Bride

    Charles took the photographs and examined them. "Wow, he''s incredibly young. Is he even 20?"

    "21," Beathan replied.

    Charles roared withughter. "He''s too young. I doubt Ms. Hoven would like someone like him, even if she were reborn."

    Emelie was mature, aloof, and quite domineering. However, not all domineering women would date younger men. She seemed more suited to someone with a stronger presence.

    Beathan shook his head. "What''s strange is that we couldn''t find any photos of Ms. Themis no matter how hard we looked."Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    Charles nced at Elias. "Perhaps they''re afraid of being targeted by other Sorrel family members if she was exposed prematurely, so they''re waiting until the wedding to reveal everything."

    Elias took a sip of his drink. Over the years, he had be much quieter and didn''t joke around much anymore. It was understandable, given Ashley''s continued slumber.

    Beathan was also silent. The atmosphere turned inexplicably somber.

    After a long while, Bryan approached the subject again. "After the wedding, let''s find a time to discuss cooperation with the Aurora Group. We''ve invested heavily in the Xanther Group over the years. Our fates are intertwined with thepany''s. Hmm? Sam?"

    Bryan suddenly spotted his younger brother among the guests and was surprised. What was he doing there?

    Given Samuel''s current identity, he needed to report his travels. It was unlikely he would go through so much trouble just to attend a wedding, unless the bride or groom was someone he knew. His appearance reignited the previously waning suspicion that Themis might be Emelie.

    Bryan wanted to go after Samuel and question him. But at that moment, music began ying in the banquet hall. The ceremony was starting.

    The host on stage announced the bride and groom''s arrival, and the golden doors at the end of the red carpet slowly opened.

    The man they had mocked as a child emerged, dressed in a ck tailcoat. He was escorting a woman in a mint green wedding dress down the aisle.

    The woman''s wedding dress, which was a mint green gradient, was exquisite. The puffy skirt resembled a blooming lily of the valley, or one of hydrangeas in the hall. It was stunning.

    However, this dress was familiar to all five men at the table.

    While other simrities like preferences or hydrangeas could be attributed to coincidence, this identical wedding dress was concrete proof.

    It was the same dress Emelie had worn.

    The bride wore a veil on her face and another veil on her head. The twoyers of veils obscured her face, but her figure still resembled Emelie''s greatly.

    This was too much of a coincidence. There were too many simrities to simply dismiss it as mere chance

    urrences.

    Charles, Bryan, and Beathan all wore grim expressions.

    Only William remained expressionless. He was absolutely certain that the bride wasn''t Emelie. He knew her well enough to know she would never marry such an ordinary-looking man. Even with the mounting evidence, he still didn''t think it was her.

    His certainty stemmed from the belief that Emelie would never marry another man so easily. Therefore, it couldn''t be her.

    As the groom and bride approached the officiant, each step forward solidified their marriage. William, holding a wine ss, took a sip. He was still unconvinced that the bride was Emelie.

    When the bride passed by in front of him, William noticed the Eros ring on her ring finger. His certainty shattered like a river crushing a dam, and he stood up abruptly.

    Elias, seated beside him, was caught off guard. By the time he regained his senses, William had already climbed up the stage and grabbed the bride''s wrist.

    "How dare you!" William said.

 Chapter 632

    ?Chapter 632 The Veil

    No one had expected William to dash onto the stage.

    The music ying in the grand hall abruptly ceased, and the festiveness in the hall died away into silence. Though there were some hushed discussions going on.

    William didn''t care what the others thought of him. His focus was solely on the bride.

    Her veil was thick, obscuring her face even at close proximity. Moreover, she was wearing a face veil, a secondyer of concealment.

    He grasped her hand tightly and demanded, emphasizing each word, "Who are you?"

    Arsen, who was seated at the main table below, rose. "Will, what''s going on? Why did you dash onto the stage? Why are you holding onto my daughter''s hand?"

    Arsen was shocked and confused, displeased that William had disrupted the wedding, as evidenced by the frown on his face.

    Meanwhile, Charles and the rest exchanged nces.

    The host quickly stepped forward and intervened. "Sir, are you a friend of the bride? We wee you, but our wedding ceremony is not yet finished. Please return to your seat. After the ceremony, the bride and groom wille down to greet the guests."

    William remained unmoved and held on to the bride''s hand. She neither struggled nor spoke, her eyes were downcast behind the veil, avoiding his gaze.

    "Will!" Elias quickly got on the stage, grasping William''s wrist to calm him and defuse the situation. "I apologize. The bride resembles a deceased friend of his, which is why he''s so agitated. He means no harm."

    However, William didn''t back down. He was determined to find out if the bride was Emelie.

    "Remove the veil. I want to see your face," he said.

    The groom darted forward and shoved William aside. "Do you think I don''t know Cedonian? She''s my wife. Who are you to demand that she reveal her face? Let go of her and get off the stage immediately!"

    William ignored the groom. He continued to stare at the bride with his dark eyes that resembled a bottomless pit.

    William said, "First, you informed the butler of our preferences, revealing knowledge of our tastes. Then there were the hydrangeas and the wedding decorations. Now, you''re wearing a wedding dress identical to Emelie''s."

    He concluded, "You must want us to know you''re still alive, so why are you afraid to show me your face now?"

    Arsen was embarrassed as his guests of friends and family were witnessing this. Not only did William disrupt the wedding, but he was even tugging at his daughter. William must have simply wanted to humiliate him.

    "Ahhh!!" he yelled.

    Charles and the rest knew that if this went on, they would lose their cooperation with the Aurora Group. So, they went up on stage as well.

    "Mr. Middleton, please step down. We must show some respect to Arsen. We''ll discuss thister," Charles said.

    Beathan added, "Mr. Middleton, don''t be impulsive."

    William responded coldly, "She''s my wife. Am I supposed to watch her marry another man wearing the ring and wedding dress I bought for her?"

    The groom was enraged by William''s words and threw a punch at him, shouting, "Bastard!"

    Elias intercepted the punch, sneering, "Is violence really necessary?"

    The groom gritted his teeth. "Then get off the stage yourself!"

    William still refused to let go. The bride slowly lifted her gaze, looking at him through the white veil.

    When their eyes met, William was momentarily stunned.

    She looked familiar yet foreign at the same time. Was she Emelie, or was she not?Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    The groom was unable to bear it any longer. He shouted, "Remove them from the stage! Now!" Bodyguards in the banquet hall rushed onto the stage to forcibly remove the disruptors. Elias wasn''t willing to be touched, so he kicked one of the bodyguards away, starting a scuffle.

    Arsen flew into a rage.

    The aisle was the centerpiece, meticulously designed with lighting and decorations. Lush flowers dripped with freshness on either side, while South Asmn diamonds strung into a veil above created a dreamlike setting for the bride and groom to unite.

    Now, the flowers were trampled and the diamonds were scattered by fists. The guests gasped and retreated in shock.

    The groom shielded the bride, attempting to go backstage. However, William grabbed the bride''s other hand and ripped off her veil.

    "Emelie!" he yelled.

    The bride looked up. Her features were revealed to everyone.

    William was stunned. Charles, Elias, Bryan, and Beathan, who were caught in the fight, were also taken aback. The fighting abruptly ceased, as if someone had pressed the pause button.

    Arsen eximed angrily, "Will! You''ve gone too far! I will never forgive you for what you''ve done today!" William stared at the bride''s unfamiliar face, which bore no resemnce to Emelie. "Who are you? How did you get this ring?"

    The bride pulled her hand back and gave a sudden smile.

    Then, she used signnguage tomunicate. "My name is Ashlyn Hoven. I finally get to meet you, Mr. Middleton. My sister told me to ask you if this gift¡ª"

    Then, she pointed at William, Charles, Beathan, and Bryan. Although she didn''t physically touch them, her gesture sent an inexplicable shiver down their spines.

    "Is it to all of your liking?" she finished.

 Chapter 633

    ?Chapter 633 Came Back Alive

    After they caused such amotion, William and the others were ushered away from the wedding scene and directed to the living room.

    The butler wore a serious expression. "I''m sorry, but Mrs. Senior Renaud requested that you leave the estate immediately."

    Charles stood up from the couch, looking at the others. He had expected Arsen toe and ask about the situation. Instead, they were being shown the door out.

    Theirpanies were not just well-known nationally but were also ranked among the Fortune 500, yet Arsen directly requested them to leave. It was clear that he was enraged.

    Charles manufactured a smile. "This is a misunderstanding. Let us speak with Mr. Renaud. We''ll exin ourselves in person."

    The butler was devoid of his previous politeness. "Because of your ''misunderstanding'', Mrs. Senior Renaud''s blood pressure has spiked. She''s now being treated by a family doctor. Mr. Senior Renaud is by her side and cannot meet with guests.

    "However, he wanted me to let you know about this. When the first contract expires, it''ll mark the end of all cooperation between the Aurora Group and the Xanther Group."

    After he finished, the butler turned around and walked away.

    "Wait!" Charles called after the butler, but the man didn''t stop.

    Charles'' face fell, and he turned to William.

    William''s expression was heavy, cold and unreadable.

    "Mr. Middleton, don''t you think you acted a bit rashly this time?" Charles said.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Elias lifted an eyebrow. "What''s the matter? Trying to pin the me on him? Didn''t you all y a part in this earlier?"

    Elias could see through their intentions, but he chose not to expose them.

    He continued, "You all thought that if Emelie had trulye back from the dead, stopping the wedding would make Arsen abandon her, which was more beneficial to you all. That''s why you all acted together. But now that Arsen''s mad, you''re trying to pin the me on him? It doesn''t work like that."

    Elias had be sharper, and more dangerous than he was a few years ago.

    Bryan massaged his eyebrows. "Arguing about who''s to me is pointless. We''re all in this together. Fighting won''t do us any good. Obviously, we''ve been set up."

    Charles scoffed. "Ain''t that it? Ever since wended in Baliz, we''ve stepped right into her trap."

    She knew William struggled to sleep on nes. She also knew their individual preferences. The hydrangeas, the wedding venue, the wedding dress, and the ring were all carefully nned.

    She gradually deepened their doubts, making them believe that she was the bride. She provoked them to cause a scene at the wedding, infuriating Arsen. Ultimately, destroying their partnership with the Aurora Group.

    Her n worked perfectly, and everything unfolded just as she expected.

    Charles narrowed his eyes. "What did that bride say in signnguage at the end? I didn''t catch it, but it felt really unsettling."

    Beathan had studied signnguage, and he understood what she had gestured. He replied, "She said she was asking us on behalf of her sister if we liked the gift. She''s Ashlyn Hoven, the one daughter in the Hoven family who eloped with someone."

    They had been searching for Ashlyn but had found no leads. They never expected Emelie to have already gotten in touch with Ashlyn. Now that she has be Arsen''s adopted daughter, they couldn''t afford to make any hasty decisions with the status that she has.

    Being gone for two years, Emelie had indeed done a lot.

    Charles was amazed at Emelie. "Ms. Hoven is not only back from the dead, but she''s also more capable than ever. She''s made a statement without even showing herself."

    William was sitting on the couch, remaining silent with a cold expression on his face.

    Just then, Ashton rushed in from outside. "Mr. Middleton! We have a problem!"

    William lifted his gaze.

    "Mr. Middleton Senior... he might not make it," Ashton said, his voice strained and trembling.

 Chapter 634

    ?Chapter 634 Gone

    William''s eyes were lifeless. Though he seemed calm, a whirlwind of emotions churned inside him.

    He quickly stood up and strode out of the living room.

    "Let''s go back," he said.

    Henry''s health had been declining for the past two years. He had been relying on a cocktail of medications to stay alive, but his time had slowly arrived.

    Henryid in a hospital bed, constantly mumbling his greatest "achievement" in a slurred voice.

    "Will... Will..." Henry murmured,

    Normally, there were at least two nurses and two bodyguards on duty. However, the room was empty that day.

    A pair of pale, delicate hands slowly pushed the door open, and the sound of high heels echoed as a woman walked in.

    "Will... Will..." Henry continued to murmur.

    The woman approached the bed.

    Henry''s eyes were closed as he mumbled incoherently. It was hard to tell if it was simply a habit or if he was trying tomunicate something important.

    The woman spoke softly. "William blew off the partnership with the Aurora Group. He''ll be back soon. Don''t worry, Mr. Middleton Senior. Just hang in there a little longer."Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Henry''s frail body stiffened, and his lips twitched. "Blew... off?"

    The woman exined, "Over the past two years, the Cloudex Corporation has invested so much into the Xanther Group. If one prospers, so does the other; and if one suffers, so does the other.

    "Though losing the deal with Aurora won''t immediately bring down the Xanther Group and the Cloudex Corporation, it''s still a major setback."

    Henry''s breathing becamebored. His sickness had darkened hisplexion to a grim shade, making him look even closer to death''s door.

    He tried to open his eyes and turn his head to look at her. However, his body was no longer under his control. After a lengthy struggle, all he could manage was to bulge his eyes beneath his eyelid.

    "Who... who are you?" Henry asked.

    The woman chuckled softly and stepped closer, stooping down slightly.

    "Mr. Middleton Senior, or should I call you Uncle Henry? Didn''t you once say to treat me like your own daughter? How could you not even recognize my voice now?" the woman said.

    That voice. Henry found that voice familiar.

    Suddenly, a figure shed in Henry''s mind, and a palpable fear gripped his throat.

    Henry struggled to speak. "You... it''s you..."

    Emelie, she was alive.

    Henry gasped for breath panickingly, and his heart raced like a drum. The machines attached to him began beeping rmingly.

    He reached toward the woman with all his strength, desperate to grasp her. He wanted her to die. Emelie leaned in slightly. "That''s right. I was the one who destroyed the partnership with the Aurora Group. Also, let me tell you another secret. I''ve found the ount book."

    As Emelie slowly said thosest words, Henry''s fear peaked, and he tried to lift his upper body. However, he copsed back onto the bed from hisck of strength. His lips moved, but no sound escaped.

    As the rm grew increasingly loud, the medical staff would arrive at any moment. Emelie cast a mocking and indifferent nce at him, then turned around and left.

    A tall, well-built man wearing a mask was waiting for her at the elevator. He handed Emelie a mask, and they entered into the lift together. They calmly walked out of the hospital, blending in with other patients and families.

    At that moment, William emerged from his car, hurrying into the hospital. He had flown back from Baliz on a private jet without stopping and headed straight to the hospital.

    The three crossed paths, but Emelie didn''t spare him a nce.

    William lowered his head and coughed a few times from the difort in his lungs due to the rush. When he looked down, they missed each otherpletely, and he didn''t notice her.

    He took the elevator upstairs. As the doors opened, he sped his slightly aching chest and hastened his pace.

    Just before he reached the hospital ward, a long, piercing sound echoed down the hallway. The heartrate monitor emitted a t beep, buzzing in a steady line.

    Henry was gone.

 Chapter 635

    ?Chapter 635 The Father''s Death

    William froze in his tracks. For a few seconds, his mind went nk until he heard the urgent calls from the doctor from the ward.

    "Mr. Middleton Senior! Mr. Middleton Senior!" the doctor yelled.

    He closed his eyes briefly, then resumed walking and entered the ward.

    The doctor looked at William, his face heavy with sorrow. "Mr. Middleton Senior has... passed away."Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    As William silently approached Henry, he noticed that Henry''s eyes were still open. They were clouded, devoid of any light.

    Henry had dedicated most of his life to the Cloudex Corporation, doing everything in his power for its sess. Now, his time hase, yet he left the world in distress.

    The doctor feared that William might ce me on them and hurriedly exined, "Mr. Middleton Senior started suffering from multiple organ failure yesterday afternoon. We conducted several rounds of resuscitation, but his body was simply too far gone."

    William reached out and gently closed Henry''s eyelids with his hand.

    "I understand," William replied, his voice was hoarse.

    The doctor exchanged nces with his colleagues and offered a final condolence. "Please ept our deepest sympathies."

    The medical staff then left the room.

    Ashton and Fabian entered, waiting for instructions.

    William''s expression was t and impassive. "Notify the Middleton family and the shareholders. Have Uncle Gideon and Uncle Edmund handle the funeral arrangements. And direct the PR department to issue a public announcement."

    "Yes, sir," Ashton and Fabian both answered.

    "Dear! Dear!" Before Vanessa even entered the ward, her mournful cries echoed through the hallway.

    William lowered his gaze and exited the ward, uninterested in watching her put on a show.

    Vanessa copsed in front of the hospital bed as she wailed, "Dear, you said you wanted to eat the porridge I made, didn''t you? I went back home to make it for you. I just left for a while, and you''ve left us! How could you abandon us like this? What are we supposed to do now..."

    William walked to the window in the hallway. Moments ago, his visage appeared normal, but as the dusk light washed over him, his face turned pale.

    He pressed his hand against the window ledge in what seemed like a casual gesture. However, he might also be using it to steady himself if he was struggling to stand.

    William''s rtionship with Henry had always been strained. Despite that, he was still his father. Now that he was gone, William couldn''t remain indifferent.

    Ashton carefully said, "Mr. Middleton, I spoke with the doctor. Mr. Middleton Senior passed away quickly without much pain."

    William leaned on the ledge for a moment before withdrawing his hand. A man like him would never show weakness in front of others unless he truly couldn''t hold it together any longer. Even though this is hardly considered a sign of weakness.

    "Where were the nurses and bodyguards?" William asked, his voice was cold.

    Fabian paused for a moment and turned her head sharply. She had only just realized that those who were supposed to be watching over Henry weren''t around. On top of that, she was responsible for Henry''s ward. "I''ll look into it right away!" she said with a shiver.

    William nced out the window. Thest rays of sunlight faded below the horizon, and the night approaches.

    It didn''t take long to find out what happened. Soon, Fabian soon returned with an update. "Mr. Middleton, the nurse went to the restroom, and the bodyguard stepped out to grab some takeout. They thought it would only take a moment. They didn''t expect something would happen..."

    "They were distracted," William replied, his tone was t.

    "Distracted? Are you saying someone else was here? That Mr. Middleton Senior was... I''ll check the security footage right away!" Fabian clenched her teeth.

    William replied, "Fire the nurse and the bodyguard."

    "Yes, sir," Fabian said.

    As Fabian left to investigate, Vanessa walked over, sobbing. "Will, your father left us without a word. What are we going to do now?"

 Chapter 636

    ?Chapter 636 Evidence?Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    "We''ll set up a funeral hall at the manor for friends and family to pay their respects. The funeral will be in three days. The body will be cremated and buried in the Middleton family mausoleum," William stated.

    However, Vanessa wasn''t asking about the arrangements.

    She set down her handkerchief. "The funeralmittee can handle those standard procedures. What I mean is, your father didn''t leave any instructions for us. We don''t know how the Middletons'' inheritance should be divided now that he''s passed."

    "Of course, I''m not saying we should split everything right away. It''s just that when friends and familye, they''ll inevitably ask about it. We need a consistent story to avoid any confusion or gossip," Vanessa added.

    Henry''s body was still warm, and she was already discussing the inheritance. Yet she still had the galls to argue that she didn''t care about the inheritance.

    William fiddled with his ring. His face was half-lit by the hallway light and half-draped in the night outside.

    "I''ll continue to pay you your monthly allowance," he said.

    Vanessa quickly asked, "What about Xenia and Jordi?"

    William remained unfazed. "Who are they?"

    How could he not know them?

    Vanessa pressed her lips together. "Xenia is your sister, and Jordan is your nephew. They''re also part of the Middleton family. Don''t they deserve a share?"

    William smirked. "They''re not listed in the Middleton family records."

    "They may not be on paper, but they''re your family by blood. Legally, they have the right. Are you trying to strip away their inheritance?"

    William and Vanessa''s rtionship had soured years ago. Though William had never shown her any warmth, Vanessa yed nice, for Henry''s sake. Now that Henry was gone, and William wasn''t willing to share, Vanessa decided to confront him.

    "I''m also your father''s legal widow. Why can''t I get my share?" she questioned him.

    "If my father wanted to leave you anything, he would''ve done it already. Even in his confused state thesest two years, he never caved to your schemes. It''s clear he didn''t want to. I''m not taking anything away from you. You never had a im to begin with," William replied.

    William grew tired of the conversation and walked away.

    Vanessa looked green around the gills. She also hadn''t expected Henry to be so resolute. He had left Cloudex Corporation to William, leaving her with nothing. Even after all these years, she wasn''t able to get Henry to write a will.

    With the financial power of the Middleton family in William''s hands, she had no choice but to fight back. She called out to his retreating figure, "William! How could you be this ruthless?"

    William ignored herpletely.

    Vanessa gritted her teeth and raised her voice. "Aren''t you afraid I''ll expose everything? That I''ll tell everyone about your dirty secret? Your murder?"

    William halted in his steps and turned around, his dark eyes were cold as ice.

    His bodyguards received the signal and moved in swiftly to grab Vanessa, pinning her against the wall.

    "Let me go! Help! He''s going to kill me!" she frantically screamed.

    Vanessa''s loyal confidant tried to rush in to help her. However, the bodyguards quickly pinned her down on the ground as well.

    William approached Vanessa and said, "People like you are never satisfied. You take and take, always wanting more. For thest two years, I''ve turned a blind eye while you shifted my father''s assets as heid sick. But if you keep this up, I''ll make you give it all back."

    William scoffed as Vanessa red at him.

    "Murder? Do you have any evidence?" he asked.

    Vanessa broke free from the bodyguard''s grasp. "You think I wouldn''t do it?"

    Wiliam arched his brow. "Go ahead and try then."

 Chapter 637

    ?Chapter 637 Once and For All

    William walked away, uninterested in negotiating and unfazed by Vanessa''s threats.

    Ashton advised, "Mrs. Middleton, you should be cautious. Mr. Middleton is the backbone of both the Middleton family and the Cloudex Corporation. If something happens to him, you won''t get anything." Ashton briefly paused and added, "Also, Ms. Hoven is alive."

    What?

    "That''s impossible!" Vanessa blurted out.

    Ashton borate any more and followed William with the others.

    Vanessa stood there frozen as she pondered what Ashton had said. Alive? Emelie wasn''t dead?

    How could that be? She had seen it herself.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    "Mrs. Middleton..." Vanessa''s confidant steadied her wavering body.

    Vanessa clenched her teeth. "It can''t be true! I saw him throw Emelie''s body into the sea with my own eyes. He''s just bluffing!"

    He must be trying to frighten her.

    "But Ms. Jones is right. If something ever happens to Mr. Middleton, the Cloudex Corporation will be in chaos. The Middleton family will fall, and we''ll be worse off," her confidant tried to reason with Vanessa.

    However, a fierce glint crossed Vanessa''s eyes. "It''s better if the Cloudex Corporation falls into chaos. That''s the best way for me to reim everything that rightfully belongs to me and my daughter!"

    The confidant realized Vanessa was nning to go after William. "So, what should we do, Mrs. Middleton?

    Vanessa lifted her head, looked up at the hallway security cameras, and scoffed. "William, you''ll see what I''m capable of soon."

    Fabian got her hands on the security footage of the hospital room and hallway. To her surprise, the hallway cameras mysteriously lost power. It happened half an hour before Henry''s death, and the camera captured nothing.

    The ward camera also malfunctioned, showing only a ck screen with captured audio.

    In the car, Fabian yed the footage.

    The audio gradually became clear in the enclosed space. There were weak calls from Henry and beeping sounds from the medical equipment. Then, the sound of high heels clicking down the hallway was heard.

    William was sitting in the back seat, and his lips pressed into a thin line.

    Though the woman''s voice wasn''t audible, Henry''s breathing became noticeablybored, erratic, and fearful. The woman must''ve leaned in and said something to Henry.

    Then, beeping came from the rms of the machines. There were frantic noises of doctors and nurses attempting to resuscitate Henry. That went on for several minutes, and the rm continuously beeped.

    "Turn it off!" Williammanded, and Fabian immediately turned the footage off.

    Fabian and Ashton exchanged nces, then cautiously turned around to look at William. His eyes were tightly shut, and his brow furrowed deeply.

    Fabian said, "Mr. Middleton, someone must''ve gone in to see Mr. Middleton Senior. I can check the elevator footage..."

    However, William rejected Fabian''s offer. He already had an idea of who it was. His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard.

    "Let''s focus on the funeral arrangements for now," William said with a hoarse voice.

    "Yes, sir," they said as the car pulled away from the hospital.

    Capebatt City was already shrouded in the darkness of the night. As they drove, the streetlights casted fleeting patterns across William''s face.

    He kept his eyes closed, his fingers clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. When he finally released his grip and opened his eyes, his gaze was dark and cold.

    Alright. Since she had returned, it was time to settle everything once and for all.

    The next morning, the Cloudex Corporation announced the news on its social media ounts and website. They stated that Henry Middleton had passed away because of illness.

    Given the Cloudex Corporation''s prominence, their announcement garnered manyments once it was posted. People left candle emojis in thements to express their condolences.

    Initially, the news didn''t cause much of a stir. However,ter that day, a trending topic emerged: # HenryMiddletonPasses Away, StepdaughterAndStepmotherFight ForPower.

    The juicy, drama-filled nature of the headline quickly caught the public''s attention, and many people tapped into it to find out more.

    The thread was attached with several surveince photos. The pictures showed when William ordered the bodyguards to restrain Vanessa the previous day in the hospital hallway.

 Chapter 638

    ?Chapter 638 The Wife Murderer

    A few photos and short clips without any audio circted, leaving their conversation a mystery. Despite that, the ambiguity only fueled curiosity.

    Henry''s body was still warm in the ward, and yet his son and his wife were fighting for his inheritance outside of his ward. The situation sparked moral outrage and gossip, offering plenty to discuss.

    Given William''s prior notoriety, he was already known on social media. The news quickly went viral, sparking widespread online debate by the afternoon.

    The photos showed William confronting Vanessa with his bodyguards. Because of that, the public mostly sided with Vanessa. Many critics condemned William for bullying his stepmother and using force against her.

    The Cloudex Corporation''s PR department noticed the bacsh and quickly paid to suppress the trending topic.

    However, someone was pushing the story from behind the scenes. Whenever Cloudex suppressed the hastag, another quickly came up. Their attempt only fueled the public''s interest, making the bacsh more intense.

    William was oncebeled as the "business prince", but now he was seen to be worse than a beast.

    The Cloudex''s PR department was afraid of making any rash moves, so they called Ashton for guidance, William was at the Middleton family''s funeral hall when Ashton took the call. She said, "Mr. Middleton''s priority is Mr. Middleton Senior''s funeral. Everything else can wait."

    Everything else can wait? Were they supposed to let the public outrage spiral out of control?

    They could tell Vanessa was going after the family''s inheritance. It was obvious that it was her ploy to pressure William through public opinion. She was trying to ruin his reputation and potentially damage the Cloudex Corporation''s stock prices.

    If things continued, William''s reputation would be dragged through the mud. Thepany''s stock value would also be faced with a significant risk. It could potentially cost everyone their jobs.

    The PR team was practically in tears, begging Ashton for help. But what Ashton could do?

    She nced at William, who was dressed in a ck suit. As he stood there, his expression was cold and indifferent. Even the flickering candlelight beside him failed to warm his expression.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    William was too distant and unapproachable. Ashton wasn''t Emelie; she didn''t dare challenge him. The PR team was utterly helpless, not knowing what to do.

    It was unclear who stoked the mes, but the situation became even worse. Someone had spread the news that the Aurora Group had terminated its partnership with the Xanther Group.

    Everyone knew that Arsen was the first and most significant partner of the Xanther Group. So why did the coboration suddenly end?

    It was hard not to suspect that the Xanther Group was involved in something shady. The Cloudex Corporation was also caught among the spection too, since the topic of the power struggle between the son and the stepmother was still trending online.

    The investors were quick to react, and they started dumping their stocks. Before Henry''s funeral was over, the stock prices of both the Xanther Group and Cloudex had already dropped. This was unprecedented in thest three years.

    Charles, Beathan, and Bryan arrived at the Middleton family funeral hall. They paid their respects to Henry, then pulled William aside to talk.

    However, they weren''t here to discuss the stock price drop. "We managed to stop a news story that might have blown up. The headline was: "William Middleton Murdered His Wife,"

    William tugged at his lips.

    Beathan adjusted his sses. As he stood in the backlight, his eyes resembled a snake behind his lense. "Who do you think is behind that? Vanessa? Or Ms. Hoven?" he asked.

    As they stepped outside, the previously somber funeral hall suddenly turned chaotic. Vanessa had shown up with police and reporters.

    "It''s him! He killed his wife three years ago and threw her body into the sea! Arrest this murderer!" she announced, pointing at William.

 Chapter 639

    ?Chapter 639 Destroy Him

    The crowd erupted in shock.

    It was the third day since Henry''s passing. ording to Capebatt City''s customs, his funeral, the cremation, and the burial were scheduled to take ce on that day.

    Friends and family had gathered to bid Henry farewell. There were at least twenty to thirty people gathered at therge funeral hall.

    If anyone else had made such a im, they would''ve been seen as spouting nonsense. However, Vanessa was different. As William''s stepmother, her words carried a heavy weight. Countless skeptical eyes fell onto William. Yet he remained calm andposed, unfazed by the usations.

    "Mrs. Middleton must be too heartbroken over Mr. Middleton Senior''s passing," Charles said, siding with William.

    They have built the Xanther Group together. Having shared business interests, they have be allies. Charles continued, "How could Mr. Middleton kill his wife? He doesn''t even have one! Tossing a body into the sea? That sounds like something out of a movie. What was it called? ''Her Disappearance''?

    "Mr. Middleton is a wealthy bachelor, not some desperate man clinging onto a bad marriage. If he were unhappy, he could simply get a divorce. Why would he go to such extremes?"

    "Mrs. Middleton, such usations require proof!" Ashton warned with a firm tone.

    William''s second uncle, Gideon, stepped forward. "Vanessa, today is Henry''s funeral. If you have something to say, discuss them with Willter. We should let Henry rest in peace, not give outsiders a reason to mock our family."

    Edmund, William''s third uncle, waved his hand dismissively. "Let''s all calm down. There must be some misunderstanding here."

    Vanessa scoffed. "You''re all just hisp dogs, aren''t you? Even if he had killed someone right in front of you, your first instinct would be to help him cover it up! But me? I''ve never received even a single kind word from him. I''m going toy everything out here today!"

    Vanessa was determined to take William down.

    With Henry just passed away and the power dynamics uncertain, she still had a chance to fight back. Once William was recognized as the head of the Middleton family, toppling him would be impossible.

    For the past few days, Vanessa used the inte as her weapon. She publicly attacked William, aiming to tarnish his reputation.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    If she could stoke rumors about him killing his wife, it would be her chance to destroy himpletely. There might not be enough evidence to put William in prison. However, the investigation alone would send Cloudex into chaos.

    During the period of William''s investigation, Vanessa could secure her own financial future. Then, she could escape the country with her daughter and grandson. She could finally leave the Middelton family behind for good.

    Vanessa had spent over 20 years with the Middelton family, and she refused to walk away empty-handed. She lifted her chin, staring right at Henry''s portrait at the center of the hall. "Henry, you left me with nothing. So don''t me me for being ruthless!"

    The police officers felt apprehension around William. After all, William was a significant taxpayer in

    Capebatt City.

    "Mr. Middleton, can we have a word with you?" the police officer asked.

    Vanessa raised her voice. "Talk here! Do it here! William, if you have nothing to hide, why are you avoiding this? Who in Capebatt City doesn''t show you respect? Once you step out of our sight, who knows if the police will be in your pocket?"

    William''s cousin, Patricia, finally managed to push her way to the front. She forcefully shoved Vanessa aside.

    She said to Vanessa, "How dare you use Will? Do you think people didn''t know that you were the one publishing those articles online targeting Will!

    "Uncle Henry hasn''t even been cremated yet, and you''re ruining the Middleton family name. using Will like that. Aren''t you afraid Uncle Henry woulde to haunt you at night?"

    Patricia was known for her love of red dresses. It seemed that Patricia''s temper had only grown fiercer over the years.

    Vanessa was enraged. "How dare you!"

    William pulled Patricia to his side and shook his head lightly, signaling her to back off.

    Bryan interjected casually, "Mrs. Middleton, was that a challenge to the police? If you don''t trust the officers, why bring them here?"

    The gathering wasn''t just filled with prominent figures paying their respects to Henry. There were also reporters present. The officer couldn''t afford to be associated with such usations.

    "Mrs. Middleton, I''m afraid it''s not appropriate for you to say so," Bryan said.

    Vanessa suppressed her anger. Everything was right in her palm. She couldn''t let them provoke her into losing control.

    She calmly replied, "It''s not that I don''t trust them. I just believe there''s nothing new under the sun. If there''s something to discuss, it''s better to say it in front of family, friends, and the media. That way, things are clearer."

    Vanessa shot a look at the reporters she had brought with her.

    The reporters immediately turned their cameras on and started firing off questions. "Mr. Middleton, if you''re not married, why do you always wear a wedding ring on your left hand?"

 Chapter 640

    ?Chapter 640 The Truth

    Questions started piling up as the media began their questioning.

    "From what we know, you had a wedding three years ago. The venue was all set, and we found the invitations you sent out.

    "However, the wedding was canceledst minute because of some unknown incident. Mr. Middleton, do you mind sharing what had happened? Who was the bride? Where is she now?" the reporter questioned relentlessly.

    "Noment," William responded with three words.

    Vanessa chuckled. "Of course he won''tment! He can''t even bring himself to mention her name. Let me fill you in. The bride''s name was Emelie Hoven. Three years ago, she was his head secretary. She was always by his side at events. I''m sure you can find her picture if you look for it."

    The media''s cameras were live-streaming the scene. Soon, the story quickly shot to the top of the trending board.

    The social media tform saw a massive traffic surge and refused Cloudex''s PR Department''s request to suppress the trending topic. Instead, they actively promoted it with online viewers exceeding 10 million.

    Such a shocking high-society scandal had never happened within the city. There was an uproar at a funeral hall, the power struggle between a son and his stepmother, and also the usations of a wife''s murder. Each of the stories was sensational.

    Amidst the frenzy, Emelie''s picture quickly surfaced.

    Vanessa continued, "Three years ago, Emelie vanished without a trace. Not even her closest friend or sister can reach her. Why? It''s because she''s dead!"

    On camera, William''s features remained strikingly cold andposed. His expression was distant and indifferent as he looked at Vanessa like a clown.

    He replied, "It''s an interesting story. Just far too absurd."

    Vanessa smirked ironically. "Is it?"

    Ashton interjected, "Mrs. Middleton, I''ve already told you, Ms. Hoven is alive!"

    Vanessa pressed on, "Then why don''t you bring her out? She''s been William''s head secretary all those years. You can''t possibly not have her contact. If she''s alive, Just give her a call and bring her here. Why not do that?"

    Ashton clenched her teeth. Even if they were certain Emelie was alive, there was no way Emelie would appear to testify for them.

    Vanessa didn''t believe for a second that Emelie was still alive. After she saw Ashton at a loss for words, her belief in it solidified.

    She lifted her chin defiantly. "You can''t bring her out, but I can! I have witnesses. Here''s Emelie''s close friend, Mona Hardy. And this is her older sister, Eliana Hoven. They can testify that William is a murderer!

    With a nce, Vanessa signaled her confidant to bring in Mona and Eliana.

    "Go ahead. Tell everyone how William threatened you to keep quiet about Emelie. I''m right here. He can''t do anything to you now," she said.

    Mona and Eliana stared at William, their faces were a blend of anger and resentment.

    Beathan spoke up. "Did she file a police report? If a case has been filed, it''s currently in the investigation phase. The details shouldn''t be disclosed until the facts are clear."

    What Beathan said was true, and a police officer said, "Mrs. Middleton, you''re the one who filed theint. But if you continue to interfere with the investigation, we might have to take you in for questioning."

    Vanessa raised her voice. "Everyone heard that, right? In front of all these people, and with the cameras rolling, they openly threatened the police! Obviously, the police are on their side! If we don''t rify things here today, this will all be swept under the rug!"

    Within seconds, the shes from the cameras intensified.

    The online outrage exploded as Vanessa directed the narrative. Many live viewers demanded that William confess. The authorities were even alerted and sent reinforcements. However, the situation was spiraling out of control.

    A reporter urged, "Ladies, if you know anything, please speak up!"All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    "That''s right! Justice will speak for the deceased!" a second reporter said.

    Mona stiffly held her head up and took a heavy step forward. She red at William, her eyes filled with sorrow and rage.

 Chapter 641

    ?Chapter 641 Gunshot

    "Emelie and I were best friends. We''ve lived together for seven years since we were in college. We were like sisters. I swear, every word I''m saying is true! William killed Emelie at their wedding three years ago!" Mona said.

    William stood tall and unwavering.

    Mona pointed at him fiercely. "Eme was pregnant with his child, yet he was heartless and cruel! The person was right, it is just like in that movie. He killed her to keep his secrets safe. He murdered her and their child. Two lives lost!"

    Mona''s voice was shaking with anger.

    The media asked, "Why didn''t you report it to the police? Did Mr. Middleton threaten you?"

    Mona nodded. "Yes. he threatened me with my parents. I couldn''t fight him. If he could kill his wife and child, he could easily destroy my family too."

    Eliana trembled as she spoke. "He promoted my husband and raised his sry. He gave us a million dors to stay silent. He told me not to look for my sister.

    "For three years, I''ve been haunted by guilt. Every night, I can''t sleep. Whenever I close my eyes, I see my sister''s face. Before it happened, we had a fight. I told her that I never wanted to see her again. But I never imagined she would end up marrying a monster!"

    Eliana sobbed, her emotions boiled over as she spoke.

    She lunged at William, grabbing him by his clothes. "You monster! Give me my sister back!"

    Ashton quickly called for security, who rushed in to pull Eliana away. Eliana struggled and tried to hit William despite being restrained.

    "My father saw through you! He jumped to his death rather than trust my sister with you! I don''t know how you made her fall for you, but you deceived her. You destroyed my family! You owe us for their lives!" Eliana said.

    Eliana''s outburst pushed the chaos to its peak. The cameras zoomed in on William, and questions flew at him like a blizzard.

    "Mr. Middleton, do you have anything to say?" a reporter said.

    Another reporter chimed in, "Mr. Middleton, did you really kill your wife, Emelie?"

    William''s bodyguards were shielding him. As he retreated, the microphones were thrust forward. "Mr. Middleton! Mr. Middleton! Mr. Middleton..."

    Vanessa signaled for her confidant to free Eliana and Mona from the bodyguards amidst the frenzy.

    The two women charged ahead, demanding justice for Emelie. "William, you should die! You owe Emelie your life!"

    The outnumbered police officers struggled to restore order at the scene. "Calm down! Everybody, please calm down! We need to conduct a proper investigation to find out the truth. If there''s any wrongdoing, we will..."

    The police''s pleas fell on deaf ears, and the funeral hall devolved intoplete chaos.

    In the havoc, someone identally knocked over a candle stand, and the white drapery was instantly set on fire.

    "Fire! There''s a fire!" someone yelled.

    The absurd turmoil was being live-streamed across various tforms. The situation was dragging the prestigious Middleton family through the mud.

    William''s dark eyes reflected the mes. A subtle smirk ying on his lips,ced with a hint of irony.

    On the other hand, Charles and the others weren''t amused at all. There wasn''t concrete evidence yet. However, Vanessa''s usations and the testimonies from Mona and Eliana were enough. Public opinion had sharply turned against William.

    The three of them didn''t need to check the online reactions or the stock market to know that everything was heading downhill fast.

    In this situation, it didn''t matter if William wasn''t arrested or convicted. As long as Emelie remained missing, he would forever bebeled a "suspected wife killer". If the Cloudex Corporation continued to be associated with him, thepany would be tainted. The same fate awaited the Xanther Group.

    Charles, Beathan, and Bryan exchanged nces. They were all contemting cutting ties with William. They needed to salvage the situation for themselves.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Their alliance had been about mutual benefit. But now, William had be the liability. Naturally, they would want to cut him off to save themselves. After all, it was impossible for Emelie toe forward and clear his name.

    Just as the situation reached a boiling point, a gunshot rang from outside the hall.

 Chapter 642

    ?Chapter 642 Her AppearanceContent property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    The sound of the gunshot broke everyone''s train of thoughts. They were all startled, and the cowardly ones even squatted down with their heads covered.

    Everyone looked towards the entrance. "What was that?"

    It was the arrival of reinforcements, with the police firing a shot into the air to deter the crowd. But more importantly, there were others who had arrived as well.

    It was a bright sunny day outside. The sunlight was so dazzling that it was almost blinding.

    Against bright sunlight, around eight people walked up the stage. The group was led by a tall, slender woman dressed in light colors, with the cold breeze lifting the hem of her coat. She carried herself with a cold air of aloofness, giving people the impression that she hailed from a snowy country.

    As soon as she spoke, her familiar voice jolted many awake. "Why is it that I don''t know that I''m already dead?"

    William stared at her, her face bing increasingly clearer as she stepped inside.

    Those who knew her were stunned. "Emelie?"

    They could hardly believe it.

    Eliana murmured, "Eme..."

    Mona was the first to react, breaking the stunned silence. She ran over and hugged her tightly. "Eme!"

    It was indeed Emelie.

    Mona looked at Emelie with tears streaming down her face. "Eme! It really is you. You''re still in one piece! You''re fine"

    Emelie gently patted her hand, giving her a reassuring smile, and whispered, "We''ll talkter."

    Mona nodded repeatedly, covering her mouth to hold back her sobs.

    Emelie''s gaze swept over the familiar faces in the funeral hall, with it finally resting on William. They finally met again after two years and seven months.

    William''s expression had barely changed even when Vanessa had used him. It didn''t waver when he was berated by Mona and Eliana or questioned by the media. However, his defenses came crashing down when he locked eyes with Emelie.

    He murmured, "You''re here."

    Instead of saying "You''re alive" or "You''re back", he said "You''re here."

    Just when one storm was subsiding, another one arose, with twists more dramatic than a movie.

    Netizens searched for Emelie''s photos to match them to the identical woman who appeared out of nowhere and began to discuss it.

    "Is she really Emelie?"onement wrote.

    "It has to be. Unless Emelie has a twin sister, that''s definitely her!" another concurred.

    A third person chimed in. "So she wasn''t dead?"

    "I knew it. Mr. Middleton doesn''t seem like that kind of person. If he had really killed his wife, why would he wear his wedding ring all these years?" a fourth person added.

    The media turned their cameras towards Emelie. "Ms. Hoven? What exactly is going on? Why did they say you were dead? What''s your rtionship with Mr. Middleton?

    "Ms. Hoven, what happened three years ago? Why was your wedding suddenly canceled? Where have you been all these years? Ms. Hoven? Ms. Hoven-"

    Emelie stood there calmly. Although she was silent, she seemed a little amused.

    Just one look was clear enough to everyone that she had changed. She was no longer the cautious, quiet, and reserved secretary she had been. Currently, she seemed more like a high-ranking person with power over life and death.

    Charles and the others felt relieved when they saw Emelie appear, thinking that the negative news about William killing his wife would be automatically dispelled. However, they suddenly came to their senses and realized that they were no longer on the same side.

    She wouldn''t help them smooth things over. If she spoke out about what William did to her in the wilderness years ago, wouldn''t they all be in even more trouble? It would be worse if she took the opportunity to reveal what had happened to the Pierce family and the Xander Group.

    No matter how carefully nned something could be, it could always still be thrown off by unexpected events.

    No wonder she looked at them with that yful gaze. It was as if she wasughing at them for feeling relieved earlier.

 Chapter 643

    ?Chapter 643 The One Who Knows Me Best

    Emelie started speaking. "Regarding my rtionship with Mr. Middleton..."

    Emelie looked at the men across from her, noticing their eagerness to stop her from speaking. However, they hesitated. They were too afraid of being obvious in front of the cameras.

    With a small smile, she said, "Yes, we were indeed in love."

    Her admission was straightforward, and William remembered the fireworks in a square in Weston that resembled a meteor shower.

    "And we almost walked down the aisle," she continued.

    As he recalled the love letters of his youth, the wedding ring that couldn''t be taken off, and the wedding dress he designed himself, William''s gaze grew darker.

    "However "Emelie paused at that crucial moment. Charles andpany visibly tensed up.

    However, she merely smiled calmly and moved on. "Well, we broke up in the end. I''ve been working abroad for the past few years, and today I''m here representing the Filo Group to pay my respects to Mr. Middleton Senior."

    With that, she was done talking. She didn''t mention the wilderness incident from three years ago, nor the Pierce family incident from 28 years ago.

    Charles was momentarily stunned before he forced augh. "This just goes to show that timing is everything! Ms. Hoven, thank goodness you showed up to clear things up. Otherwise, we''d be dealing with a mess far worse than a missing person case."

    Although Emelie smiled, no one could tell what she was thinking.

    "That''s impossible!" Vanessa yelled out.

    She couldn''t ept being defeated when she was so close to winning. She pushed past the people in her way and rushed towards Emelie, but her bodyguards blocked her before she could get close.

    She stared intently at Emelie. "That''s impossible! I saw you getting struck by the crossbow with my own eyes. I get it! You were saved back then. That''s how you survived."

    When Emelie looked at her, Vanessa took out her phone, muttering, "That must be it. I have other evidence. I filmed a video. Look! Attempted murder is still a crime, right?"

    She showed everyone the screen, revealing the old footage in the wilderness. To be exact, it was footage from a dashcam. It was a tiny oversight by William and his team. They had cleared all the witnesses and evidence back then, but they missed this.

    It was no wonder Vanessa dared to use William with just two witnesses. After all, she was waiting to y this card.

    The video was solid evidence. If Emelie hadn''t appeared, William would have definitely been taken away by the police. However, since Emelie had appeared, the video evidence became questionable.

    Logically, if Emelie had survived after William had tried to kill her, she would consider him an enemy and wouldn''t clear his name. However, she didn''t mention their deep-seated grudge.

    What exactly was going on?

    The media tried to make sense of the confusing truth. "Ms. Hoven, can you rify what you said? What were you about to say when you said ''however''? What exactly happened between you and Mr. Middleton?

    Is that video real?"

    While Emelie didn''t answer, she didn''t seem unwilling to. She merely adjusted her gloves.

    William spoke softly, "Ashton and Fabian, please bring everyone to rest in the east parlor."

    His two secretariesplied with his instructions.

    William gestured for Emelie to go inside. "You''vee a long way, Ms. Hoven. Please rest in the east parlor."Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    She grinned and replied, "Mr. Middleton, you know me the best."

    He knew she hadn''t immediately answered the media because she wanted to negotiate with him first. The oue of the negotiation would determine what she told the media.

    She gestured for her bodyguards to stay back, taking only Jodie with her to the east parlor.

    As she passed him, William caught a whiff of an unfamiliar perfume on her. His throat bobbed as he turned to follow her.

    The media were reluctant to let such a hot scoop slip past their fingers. "Mr. Middleton! Mr. Middleton However, the bodyguards blocked them, preventing them from getting through.

    In the sparse western hills, the sunlight casted shadows across the zed tiles of the roof of the west hall and the courtyard.

    There were a woman and four men inside the hall, with one seated and four standing. The maids, afraid to watch them, quickly retreated after setting down the drinks.

    As Emelie picked up an intricate cup, Charles looked at her and chuckled. "Ms. Hoven, it really is you. You truly are..."

    She was resourceful and unpredictable. It was impossible to guess her next move.

 Chapter 644

    ?Chapter 644 How Did You Take It Off?

    Emelie calmly said, "Let''s save the reminiscing for another day. Let''s get down to business. I can help Mr. Middleton rify to the media that the video is fake. On top of that, I can also give all four of you a big gift that would solve your urgent problem, turning your dire situation into a blessing,"

    "Huh?" Charles wondered how she was about to bless them.

    Emelie didn''t take a sip of her drink. She merely yed with the cup for a moment before setting it down. Meanwhile, Jodie took a contract out of her briefcase and ced it on the tiny table.

    Emelie said, "The Xanther Group''s coboration with the Aurora Group has fallen through. If you can''t find a capital of the Aurora Group''s scale to continue funding the Xanther Group, your burden will be heavier."

    With a grin that didn''t reach his eyes, Charles replied, "No one knows better than you why the Aurora Group stopped cooperating with the Xanther Group."

    Emelie looked up, her calm demeanor giving an air ofposure. "The Filo Group is also interested in the newable energy sector. We can help the Xanther Group with this."

    "What are you saying?" Bryan stared at her. "The Filo Group wants to cooperate with the Xanther Group to rece the Aurora Group?"

    Emelie nodded.

    Beathan adjusted his sses. "Ms. Hoven, you''re too obvious with your intentions."

    Emelie was their sworn enemy and had sabotaged their cooperation with the Aurora Group. Yet she was offering to invest in them. Who would ept such an offer? She had to be scheming against them.

    Emelie didn''t try to hide it or pretend.

    She picked up the contract and tossed it in front of them. "Do you have any other choice?"

    She was employing an open strategy, one where they knew she was setting a trap, and she knew they knew she had set a trap. However, they had no other choice but to take the bait.

    If what had transpired at the funeral hall hadn''t happened, they could have taken their time. They could possibly find another investor of the Aurora Group''s scale.

    However, public opinion was driving the Xanther Group''s stock price down, affecting the Cloudex Corporation, the Swanson Corporation, the Davis Group, and the Collins Corporation.

    They needed to announce some good news immediately to regain investor confidence, and a partnership with the Faldorian Filo Group was the best PR move.

    William''s gaze was fixated on Emelie, while the other three exchanged nces.

    Beathan, who was rarely ever cornered by others, had a cold look in his eyes. "The online uproar was partly fueled by your efforts, wasn''t it?"

    Emelie replied, "As awyer, you should know that you need evidence for such ims."

    As they spoke, William picked up the contract, noticing the name on thest page.

    He said, "Mandy Pierce doesn''t sound as good as Emelie."

    Emelie said, "What I admire most about you is that you can remain calm no matter what. You''re truly worthy of being the sole heir of the Middleton family, Mr. Middleton."

    She shook her head and added, "Vanessa and that sister of yours, Xenia, can''tpare to you."

    William gently replied, "You''ve changed a lot over the years."

    "Is that so?" Emelie was intrigued. Like old friends who hadn''t seen each other in years, they started chatting casually. "Have I grown older or gained weight?"

    William shook his head. "The worry between your brows is gone."

    Emelie raised an eyebrow. "I don''t understand what that means, but I''ll take it as apliment, Mr. Middleton."

    For some reason, William suddenly cleared his throat. Charles handed him a drink, but he reached for a pen instead. With that, he signed his name on the document.

    The other three men were stunned, especially Charles. "Mr. Middleton!"Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    William pursed his lips and extended his hand to Emelie. "I look forward to working with you."

    Emelie looked at his hand. With a small smile, she shook it. "It will be a pleasure working together." However, when she was about to withdraw her hand, William suddenly tightened his grip.

    He asked with a hoarse voice, "How did you take the ring off?"

    It was absolutely impossible to remove an Eros ring while she was still alive. That was why he thought the bride wearing the ring that day was her. William pondered about how she took it off for days.

    The weather was cold, and Emelie''s hands were gloved, hiding her fingers. She shot a small smile at William.

    As their gazes met, William''s eyes turned a little bloodshot. "Tell me. How did you take it off?"

 Chapter 645

    ?Chapter 645 Different from Before

    William had a suspicion. He held Emelie''s hand, feeling and counting each of her fingers hidden beneath the gloves.

    All five fingers were intact. He closed his eyes, relieved that it wasn''t as he feared.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie watched him with a cold gaze, mocking his feigned concern with a sneer. She reached out with her other hand, and Jodie ced an envelope on it.

    As Emelie withdrew her hand from William''s, she handed him the envelope. "As I said, let''s save the small talk for another day. Let''s focus on business now. Since you signed the contract so swiftly, here''s another gift for you, Mr. Middleton. It''ll help you turn things around in style."

    The envelope was heavy, and its contents were substantial.

    However, instead of checking its contents, William asked, "When would that day be?"

    "Don''t worry, Mr. Middleton. I''ll be staying in Capebatt City for quite a while. We''ll have plenty of time." Emelie stood up, having put away the contract. "I''ll go help you rify things now."

    With that, she left the east parlor with Jodie.

    Charles and the others wore grim expressions. Although their exchange had been brief, they could all sense one thing: Emelie was no longer the same.

    She was tooposed, it was as if everything was within her calctions. The fact that she was certain of her victory while they were clueless unsettled them.

    Charles was about to speak to William. However, after William saw the contents of the envelope, his expression turned unusually dark, and he left without a word. The others could only follow him out of the east parlor.

    True to the Middleton family''s efficiency, the once chaotic funeral parlor had been restored to a solemn and respectful state within a mere ten minutes.

    The fire had been put out, the linens had been changed, candles were relit, and mourning hymns were being yed. The Middleton family members were all bowing in respect.

    However, with Emelie''s appearance, the media swarmed around her again. "Ms. Hoven! Ms. Hoven, what exactly happened? Can you exin the video?"

    Emelie replied, "I''m standing here alive and well. Isn''t that enough to exin the situation?"

    "So, you mean the video is fake?" a reporter asked.

    Emelie merely smiled as if she tacitly confirmed it.

    Vanessa, who had tried multiple times to break into the east parlor but was stopped each time, couldn''t believe what she was hearing.

    "Emelie! Are you crazy! You barely survived. Don''t you want revenge? Have you forgotten how William killed your mother? Now that you have such a good opportunity to tell the truth, what are you waiting for? "she questioned Emelie.

    Emelie smiled in response. "I don''t quite understand what you mean, Mrs. Middleton."

    Vanessa looked at Emelie as if she had seen a ghost.

    Why would she help William cover-up? Didn''t she hate him? Vanessa couldn''tprehend it. The feeling of having her victory snatched away was so unbearable that she wanted to scream.

    The media also had a hundred questions, but Emelie tilted her head slightly. "You should interview Mr. Middleton instead. He has bigger news for you. You won''t be disappointed."

    William had already handed the contents of the envelope to the police present at the scene. After they reviewed it, the police turned their attention to Vanessa.

    "Pleasee with us to the station, Mrs. Middleton," one of the police officers said.

    The situation took a dramatic turn. The police, originally targeting William, arrested the person who had reported him instead.

    The media were baffled as Vanessa struggled wildly. "What crime have Imitted? Why are you arresting me?"

    William simply replied, "You poisoned a person."

    "What?" Everyone was shocked.

    As he approached Vanessa, William tossed a stack of photos at her and said coldly, "I promise you that you''ll never get out of prison."

    The cameras zoomed in on the photos scattered on the ground. They showed Vanessa and her confidant adding some unknown powder into Henry''s medicine.

    William was using Vanessa of poisoning Henry.

 Chapter 646

    ?Chapter 646 Her Revenge

    Patrice finally understood what had happened. "So it was you. I knew it! Aside from having hypertension, Uncle Henry was always healthy. He must have suddenly fallen so ill because you poisoned him!

    "Vanessa, how dare you cause a scene at my uncle''s funeral after killing him. Aren''t you afraid he''ll haunt you because you''ve disturbed his final journey to heaven?"

    Vanessa looked at the photos, shaking her head in terror. She didn''t know when they had been taken." These aren''t real! I didn''t do it!"

    She had always feared that William would suspect the cause of Henry''s illness and investigate the medicine residue. Hence, she would mix the poison into the medicine she prepared. Once Henry drank it, all the evidence would be gone, and William wouldn''t be able to hold it against her.

    Given the rity and proximity of the photos, they must have been taken by a maid. A traitorous spy was among them.

    A bone-chilling cold crept up her back. She sensed she was about to take a huge fall. Her mind raced as she pointed at William in a desperate struggle. "It''s you! William, you forged these photos to divert attention from yourself. Do you think a few photos can convict me?"

    "Aside from photos, we also have video evidence," William replied.

    Vanessa''s legs nearly gave out, and she began to retreat as she lost strength.

    "We have the unwashed medicine bowls, your poison procurement channels, and witness testimonies," William continued.

    Vanessa turned pale and began trembling, wondering how they got hold of even the medicine bowls. Where and how did he get all this evidence?

    Vanessa looked around the funeral hall and locked eyes with Emelie, who met her gaze calmly.

    Vanessaughed abruptly. It was Emelie who provided William with this evidence.

    William was supposed to be her enemy, yet she helped him against someone who also hated him and wanted to destroy him. Vanessa felt the world had gone mad.

    William said, "My father''s body hasn''t been cremated yet, so it can still be examined. All of this is more than enough to arrest you. If you have anything else to say, save it for the police during your interrogation.

    With that, the police officers gave the instruction to take her away. "Take her away!"

    Vanessa didn''t struggle when she was handcuffed by two female officers. She only screamed hoarsely, " William Middleton! Emelie Hoven!"

    Her voice was filled with hatred. It was as if she wanted to tear them apart.

    The drama ended when William said, "Can all the reporters please leave? Uncle Gideon and Uncle Edmund, please carry on with the funeral."

    Emelie had already left the funeral at some point, leaving behind a bouquet for William. It wasn''t a bouquet of white chrysanthemums or carnations, but bright pink lilies.

    Late at night, the Middleton family''s manor returned to its usual quietness. Henry''s body had been taken away for a forensic examination. Hence, it couldn''t be cremated or buried yet.

    The funeral hall remained intact. As the night''s wind howled, the white banners fluttered eerily.

    In the east parlor, the four families gathered to talk.

    Charles, with his legs crossed, spoke first. "Vanessa kept saying during her interrogation that Ms. Hoven was her aplice."

    Ashton couldn''t help but say, "She wants to drag Ms. Hoven down with her even in death."

    Charles smirked. "She imed Ms. Hoven knew that she was poisoning Mr. Middleton Senior but did nothing about it except collect evidence. Essentially, she let her do the dirty work, keeping her own hands clean while Vanessa took the fall."

    That wasn''t entirely untrue. Vanessa had been poisoning Henry for over two years, and Emelie had known all along but didn''t stop her.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    That was because she wanted Henry dead too. Henry was one of those responsible for the death of Xander back then. This was her revenge.

    Charles straightened up and said, "Mr. Middleton, wasn''t agreeing to Emelie''s proposal today a bit hasty?

    William chuckled. "Should I have waited for you to agree to her proposal after you all threw me under the bus to save yourselves instead?"

    Charles paused, then said, "Mr. Middleton, that''s a bit harsh. When Vanessa used you, didn''t we stand by your side?"

 Chapter 647

    ?Chapter 647 Where Does She Live?

    William sneered.

    Profit brought businessmen together, but it was the same thing that would drive them apart. It was human nature. There was no point disputing it. Everyone already knew.

    "Are you saying you have another way to save the Xanther Group''s stock price instead of cooperating with the Filo Group, Mr. Davis?" William asked.

    Of course, he didn''t. Charles was unable to form a response, so he turned his attention to his phone.

    The events of that day at the Middleton family became trending topics as it was an unprecedented spectacle. If there had to be a winner, it would be William.

    The most objective evidence of that was the real-time stock prices of the Cloudex Corporation and the Xanther Group, which had undergone roller-coaster-like fluctuations in the span of a few hours. By the time the market closed, their stock prices had risen by more than 128%.

    On top of that, William''s previously tarnished image and reputation had dramatically improved. He was no longer seen as the beast who bullied his stepmother, but as the poor victim who had been falsely used of killing his wife and nearly condemned forever by his wicked stepmother.

    After all, his father had been poisoned by his malicious stepmother. When he came out of the east parlor and used her, his eyes were red, surely from the pain and anguish of learning the truth about his father''s death.

    The Cedonians, who loved a good spectacle, wouldn''t stop buzzing online about this unprecedented real- life drama for half a month.

    The greater the positive sentiment, the better for the Xanther Group. They could already imagine how well their stocks would sell when they announced their cooperation with the Filo Group.

    Although Charles didn''t want to admit it, he knew that the contract with the Filo Group was their lifeline and a godsend.

    He flung his phone away. "I just worry that Ms. Hoven might be secretly setting a trap for us. She''s no longer the helpless little secretary she used to be. I had someone look into her new identity.

    "Mandy Pierce is the fianc¨¦e of Kronos. Although she''s still his fiancee in name, she''s already the madam of the Filo family. She''s part of their board ofmittees and has also taken on real responsibilities and gained significant influence.

    "When Kronos was in a car ident and in aa for over a monthst year, she managed the family affairs, and everyone in the Filo family obeyed her."

    He added with a coy smile, "Some even praise her for being exactly like Mrs. Denning from back in the day.

    ||

    She was no longer the helpless secretary who couldn''t find a good job. She no longer had to curry favor with William to get an artificial heart for her mother.

    She was the person who made Vanessa weave her own trap. Through that, she took revenge without staining her hands and walked away unscathed.

    It was terrifying how meticulous she was. William didn''t even know Vanessa was poisoning his father. Yet, from all the way in Faldoria, Emelie knew it all. She waited until Henry died before revealing the evidence and taking down Vanessa, killing two birds with one stone.

    Aplishing this required brains, patience, a powerfulwork of intel, and substantial financial resources to bribe insiders.

    Vanessa was utterly shocked when she discovered the betrayal. This showed how much she trusted her own people. It also showed how extraordinary Emelie''s tactics were.

    However, Charles couldn''t figure out why Emelie chose to help them take down Vanessa and save William instead of revealing the truth ording to Vanessa''s intentions when the rare opportunity came upon Emelie. She made a move they couldn''t predict, leaving them clueless about her intentions.

    Beathan seemed much moreposedpared to the anxious Charles. "It''s better to have an opponent that we know of than a secret one."

    That made sense to Charles, who rxed into his chair. "Then we''ll see how it goes."

    As there wasn''t much else to discuss, the three men eventually left the Middleton family''s manor. Ashton saw them out.

    When she returned to the east parlor, she found William sitting in a chair. He rested his head on his hand. His eyes were closed as if he had fallen asleep.

    She knew he hadn''t had much rest due to the funeral arrangements for his father, so she didn''t want to disturb him and was about to leave.

    However, William opened his eyes. "Have they all left?"

    Ashton stopped in her tracks. "Yes, Mr. Davis and Mr. Collins got into the same car. It looks like they n to continue their discussion elsewhere."

    William said nothing and lowered his hand, still looking a bit tired.

    Ashton offered, "Mr. Middleton, let me take you back to Sunnington Hill.''

    Since he stopped living at Eastbay, he had been staying at Sunnington Hill. However, William asked, "Where is she staying?"Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 648

    ?Chapter 648 Waiting for Her All Night

    "You mean Ms. Hov-Ms. Pierce?" Ashton was unsure how to address her. "She''s staying at the Penins Hotel."

    William stared into space. She couldn''t tell if he was lost in thought or perhaps simply dazed.

    After a long pause, he said, "I want to see her."Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    "Right now?" Ashton thought to herself as she nced at her watch. It was already half past midnight.

    This was hardly an appropriate time for a visit. However, William was already on his feet, heading out the door.

    It seemed like his suppressed emotions were growing like wildfire on the night of their long-awaited reunion. He walked quickly, almost hastily, forcing Ashton to jog to keep up with him.

    As expected, they didn''t get to see Emelie.

    Jodie politely said, "I''m sorry, Mr. Middleton. She isn''t feeling well and has already gone to bed. It''s not convenient for her to meet guests now. If you have any messages for her, please tell me, and I will pass them on to her when she wakes up."

    William closed his eyes, recalling Emelie''s appearance from earlier that day.

    He said, "It''s already 1:00 am. There are only a few hours until morning. I''ll wait here until she wakes up." Jodie smiled and said, "No one can predict her temperament. I''m afraid you might wait all night in vain. You should go back. If she wants to see you, I will call your secretary."

    However, William had already sat down on the sofa.

    The high-end hotel lobby had a chessboard set up as a leisure activity. He picked up a piece and said, " ying chess under the light of amplight is a refined activity. I have nothing else to do, so I''ll wait."

    Jodie let him be. "As you wish."

    With that, she turned and left.

    William began ying a game of chess by himself.

    Seeing that he was really going to wait all night, Ashton couldn''t help but say, "Mr. Middleton, you haven''t had much rest these past few days. If you stay up any longer, it will take a toll on your health."

    William replied, "You can go home first."

    Ashton tried to persuade him again. "Mr. Middleton¡ª"

    However, William looked away, unmoved. Ashton had no choice but to leave. "Alright, Mr. Middleton."

    If one slept well, a few hours of sleep would pass by in just a blink of an eye.

    Emelie got up and washed up.

    Jodie fetched her breakfast, which was an English breakfast with a few small pastries. While she was doing that, Jodie said, "Mr. Middleton has been waiting for you downstairs all night."

    Emelie smirked, deciding not to be bothered with it. "Prepare some flowers for me. I''m going to Alderbrook to visit my parents. Remember to buy pink lilies."

    Jodie replied, "Alright."

    After breakfast, Emelie and her entourage took the elevator to the underground garage and drove away from the hotel.

    Meanwhile, William was still waiting for her in the hotel lobby.

    After Emelie left the Middleton family''s manor yesterday, she had a reunion with Mona and Eliana. When she expressed her wish to visit her parents, Eliana gave her the keys to their old home in Alderbrook.

    The old house was just as it had been when Emelie left, except for the addition of a memorial shelf in the living room with portraits of her parents.

    Emelie ced the flowers on the table, arranging the lilies in a vase. Finally, she paid her respects to her parents.

    She looked at her mother''s portrait and softly said, "Mom, I''m back."

    Emelie spent a long time with her parents. In the afternoon, she prepared to leave.

    While she was wiping the portraits, she said, "Jodie, hire someone from the town to take care of the house and rece the four stalks of lilies every two days."

    A male voice answered instead, asking, "Why four stalks of lilies?"

 Chapter 649

    ?Chapter 649 I Want to See You

    Emelie turned around and saw a man dressed in ck entering.

    She raised an eyebrow, "How did you get in here, Mr. Middleton? Where are the people I stationed at the door?"

    William replied calmly, "They''re currently having a sparring session with their peers."

    Emelie sneered. "It seems they''re not skilled enough. Otherwise, you wouldn''t have gotten in."

    William said nothing, merely cing some flowers on the memorial shelf. Emelie watched as her eyes grew colder.

    Then, William paid his respects to her parents. However, Emelie snatched his flowers and flung them on the ground.

    William was taken aback and looked at Emelie.

    Emelie said coldly, "Were you inspired by Vanessa? Do you also get a kick out of being a murderer and unting it at your victims'' memorial shelf?"

    William remained calm. "I was just paying my respects. If you don''t like it, I won''t do it. They were your foster parents. I don''t have such evil intentions."

    Emelie smirked. "I heard you wanted to see me sincest night. Since you even followed me to Alderbrook, what do you want?"

    William stared at her, watching the warm light of the candles reflected on her beautiful face. It had been two years and seven months. She was only 29, which was not old by any means.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    However, time had honed her cold and sharp attributes even further, making her even more fearless. Like a well-sharpened de, even touching her would result in a deep cut.

    William spoke softly, "Nothing much. I just haven''t seen you for many years. I wanted to see you."

    Emelieughed. "For some reason, I''m not surprised by your deep affection, Mr. Middleton. I guess I''ve seen it too many times before. This is your favorite trick."

    William asked, "So, you came back to seek revenge on us for what happened back then."

    Emelie raised an eyebrow. "Oh, is that so?"

    "You chose Vanessa as your first target because she bribed your mother''s caregiver back then, nearly scaring her to death," William said.

    At that time, Greta hadn''t yet received her artificial heart, and Ronan almost got a harsher sentence for fighting in prison.

    The caregiver, who had been bought off by Vanessa, deliberately told Greta about this, worsening her condition, andnding her in the ICU on ECMO. Emelie had to agree to William''s conditions, promising to return to his side in exchange for the best medical care for her mother.

    That was Emelie''s grudge against Vanessa.

    However, Vanessa probably forgot that. Hence, even when she was arrested, she couldn''t understand why Emelie wanted to harm her.

    William said softly, "If you''re willing to dig up even this old grudge, nothing good awaits those of us who ruined your family."

    Emelie shrugged it off. "Maybe I''ve stayed abroad for too long. I''ve grown rusty in my nativenguage. I can''t quite understand your Cedonian."

    She didn''t admit to it. She wouldn''t give anyone leverage over her.

    However, William didn''t care whether she admitted it or not. He just wanted to talk to her.

    "No, I was wrong. Vanessa was your second target. Your first target was my father. Not only did you allow Vanessa to poison him, but you also personally sent him off to the hospital," William said.

    Emelie frowned, asking, "Did I?"

    "You did," William affirmed. "You erased the footage from the hospital room but deliberately left the audio intact. You wanted me to hear the rms from the medical devices and the doctors and nurses trying to save him."

    Otherwise, she could have simply cut off the surveince. Why did she have to go to such lengths? "Those sounds are just like what Charles yed in the wilderness years ago. I''m talking about the recording of me forcing your mother to reveal the whereabouts of the ount book, triggering her heart attack," William said.

    Back then, Charles had tried to provoke Emelie by ying a recording on his car''s sound system of William interrogating Greta. It revealed how he pushed her into aa. Those rm sounds must have haunted her every day.

    Although Emelie''s smile never faded, her gaze was cold.

    William ought to praise her for that. "An eye for an eye. Very well done."

    Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!

    ? 1 1 0 1 ? *

    im

 Chapter 650

    ?Chapter 650 I''m in Perfect Health

    Emelie took a step toward William and said suddenly, "Did you hear how he kept calling your name before he died?"

    William pursed his lips.

    She continued, "Even though your rtionship with your father was always strained, he truly loved you and was very proud of you.

    "When he saw that I was still alive, he was terrified. Mainly because he was afraid I would harm his beloved son, you. Although he was paralyzed, he still tried to get up to strangle me."

    Emelie described slowly, "He couldn''t speak. He could only call out ''Will, Will, Will'', just like my mother used to call out ''Eme, Eme, Eme'', begging you to spare me."

    Up close, William''splexion didn''t look good. However, the warm glow of the candles hid it. He must have been exhausted from staying up all night.

    Emelie reached out and patted his shoulder. "My condolences on your father''s passing, Mr. Middleton. The vast empires of the Cloudex Corporation and the Xanther Group still depend on you. You can''t break down now."

    William felt his throat constricting. He looked down at her and said in a deep voice, "Don''t worry, I won''t. I''m in perfect health."

    His gaze fell on her gloved hand on his shoulder, "It''s not cold inside, and your gloves are dirty. Take them off."

    Emelie replied indifferently, "I''m about to leave. I''ll change them when I get back."

    William swiftly grabbed her hand. "You''re now someone of great importance in the Filo Group. Wearing dirty gloves doesn''t suit your status."

    Emelie, disgusted by his touch, red coldly at him. "Let go of me!"

    William tried to pull off her glove, but it was fastened at the wrist with velcro, making it impossible to remove easily.

    In their struggle, Emelie quickly yanked her hand back and retreated a few steps, looking at him mockingly. "Can''t keep up the act anymore, William? Aren''t you curious how I took off the Eros ring?"

    "I''m not curious." William''s denial came too quickly, making it rather unbelievable.

    His rejection of the idea that she used unconventional methods to remove the ring was evident. His words were as much for her as they were for himself.

    "Legend says that the Eros ring can''t be removed, but maybe it''s exaggerated. You''re the director of the jewelry and leather goods division at the Filo Group. You interact with many jewelry designers regrly. Surely one of the experts told you the trick." William gave a possible exnation.

    Emelie scoffed at him, amused to see that there was something William was afraid of.

    She adjusted her gloves andughed curtly, walking away without turning back.

    "If you set foot in my parents'' house again, I''ll chop your legs off," Emelie warned him.

    As she stepped outside, she found their bodyguards engaged in a brawl. Even Jodie was held up.

    With a nce from Emelie, everyone stopped fighting. Emelie got into the car nonchntly. "Let''s go."

    Jodie signaled the bodyguards, and they left Alderbrook together.

    In the car, Emelie was lost in thought, unconsciously rubbing her ring finger.

    Jodie noticed this and quickly asked, "Is your finger hurting again, Miss?"

    Emelie released her hand and looked at her. "Jodie."

    "Yes?" Jodie said.

    "If you had to choose between a venomous snake, an eagle, a ck panther, or a lion, which one would you hate the most?" Emelie asked.

    Jodie thought for a moment. "The eagle, I guess."

    Emelie chuckled. "Why?"

    Jodie was a little frustrated and replied, "Well, despite my excellent sharpshooting skills, I had a tough time during training."

    That seemed to get Emelie''s attention.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    "The final test before graduation was for us to shoot birds. There were eight birds, and I had to hit them with ten bullets. Every bullet had to hit a bird. To pass, I practiced day and night until a stye grew in my eye. That''s why I grew to hate birds."

    Emelie asked, "How did you shoot eight birds with ten bullets? Did you shoot two of them twice?"

    It wasn''t that simple. Jodie exined, "One of the birds had to be hit ten times."

    The other seven birds were meant to obscure her vision, making it more difficult.

    Emelieughed while shaking her head. "What did the poor bird do wrong? Did the World Bird Association sue you?"

    Jodieughed.

    Emelie rested her chin on her hand. "Eagles... Well, to take down a beast like an eagle, you have to remove its ws first."

    Jodie didn''t understand what she meant. "What do you mean when you say eagle?"

    Emelie merely replied, "I''m referring to my first prey."

    Just then, her phone rang. It was a call from Wesley.

    She smiled and said, "The gentleman who taught me how to hunt is checking in on me again."

 Chapter 651

    ?Chapter 651 The Will is Yours

    "Hello."

    As soon as Wesley spoke, Emelie felt as if she could smell the faint scent of pine that always seemed to linger in the air around him.

    "I saw the news."

    "I haven''t seen it yet." Emelie chuckled. "Did the media cameras use a beauty filter? Did they manage to make me look pretty?"

    Her response left Wesley speechless, but he found her amusing. "Is that really the point?" He paused, then asked, "You saw him, didn''t you?"

    He was obviously talking about William.

    Emelie rolled down the car window. It was December, and the wind was biting in Capebatt City. "We just caught up with each other."

    "All the members of the Filo family, inside and outside of Cedonia, are at your disposal. If you need any more men, you can always ask the Grahams for help. Take care. I''ll head to Cedonia to help you once I''m done here."

    Wesley couldn''t rest easy knowing that Emelie had to face the four families alone. If it hadn''t been for the problems with the Filo Group, he would have gone back to Cedonia with her.

    Emelie said, "You should take care of yourself instead. Are you standing by the window in your study again? It''s raining in Mercianna today. Be careful not to catch a cold."

    Caught in the act, Wesley, or rather Mr. Cronus, smiled wryly and moved away from the window. Still, he countered, "Aren''t you out in the cold too? I can hear the wind."

    "I''m fine."

    But Wesley wasn''t. The car ident a year ago had left him with permanent injuries, and even after a year, he still hadn''t fully recovered from them.

    Emelie couldn''t help but say, "If you can''t handle your workload, send the work to me, and I''ll take care of it. You need to get more rest."

    Wesley chuckled. "Is someone thinking of taking over already?"

    Before Emelie could answer, he added, "Just go ahead and take over. Apart from you, there''s no one else to whom I can entrust the Filo family. You know that I''ve already written my will."

    He had called awyer into the ICU to draw up his will during his most critical moments a year ago. This had rmed the members of the Filo family, who had rushed in to stop him.

    However, with Wesley being Wesley, no one could influence his decisions, even on his deathbed.

    In fact, the will remained intact even after he had recovered.

    Emelie didn''t like hearing him talk like that. She said coldly, "If you bring that up again, I won''t answer your calls next time."

    "I was just joking."

    Emelie didn''t feel like chatting anymore. She checked the time and said, "It''s night in Baliz. You should rest."

    "Alright."

    Just as Emelie was about to end the call, she heard him say, "The cameras didn''t have any beauty filters, but you looked great."

    "What?" Emelie asked. Just as she realized that the statement was his answer to her earlier question, he had already hung up.

    Emelie stared at her phone. Even though he had given her a sweetpliment at the end, she was still upset about him talking that way.

    In Baliz, Marcel overheard their conversation and thought it was bad that Wesley kept mentioning his will.

    "Cedonians have always been superstitious about death, yet you keep bringing it up and upsetting Ms. Hoven."Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Wesley, draped in his coat, left the study and headed to his bedroom. The smile on his face had not faded at all. "She''ll worry about me every time I mention it. I''m teasing her."

    What had Wesley just said?

    Marcel blurted out, "Are you flirting with Ms. Hoven?"

    Wesley turned around and shot him an indifferent look.

    Marcel quickly shut up and then smacked his own mouth. As he helped Wesley close the door to the bedroom, he said, "Have a good rest, sir."

    Wesley took off his coat and hung it on the rack. He looked less rxed and more worried now.

    He knew very well that the hatred between Emelie and William was impossible to resolve. It was a gulf that could never be bridged, a rift that could never be filled.

    Yet, he couldn''t help but worry that they had met.

    Was he flirting with her? No, it was his way of trying to keep her close because he was afraid of losing her.

    The car arrived at the Penins Hotel. After Emelie and Jodie had gone upstairs, Emelie asked, "Still no progress on the car ident?"

    Jodie shook her head. "The trail went cold in Lablos."

    Emelie pressed the elevator button hard.

    Jodie said, "We all know it was the Filo family who wanted to bring Mr. Graham down, but we don''t know exactly who. They''ve been trying to hurt Mr. Graham for a long time, but they''ve never had the chance. They almost got away with it this time.

    The elevator arrived. "Still no sign of Shane, aka Dr. Santiago?" asked Emelie as she took off her gloves and headed for her room.

 Chapter 652

    ?Chapter 652 Against Will

    Jodie replied, "There''s news that he appeared in Glenfield earlier this year. Apparently, the head of the Collymore family in Glenfield fell ill and called him in for treatment.

    "The Collymore family might know where he went, but we''ve never had any dealings with them. We tried contacting them directly, but they refused to disclose anything."

    Emelie hadn''t given up on finding Shane over the past two years. He was the only hope for Ashley, who remained in aa.

    "Did you say the Collymore family in Glenfield? Let me think about how to establish a connection with them."

    After entering her room, Emelie took off her gloves.

    Jodie knew she needed rest. Thus, she closed the door for Emelie and shut out everything from view.

    Emelie went to Pearl Bay to visit Ashley the next day.

    She arrived just as Elias and a carer were putting Ashley on a walking machine.

    The giant machine was humanoid in appearance. They used straps to secure Ashley, with her hands and feet attached to the machine.

    When the switch was pressed, the arms and legs of the machine would start to move and drive Ashley along.

    This was done to help her cirction and keep her muscles active.

    Otherwise, her muscles would have atrophied after so many years of inactivity, and even if she did wake up one day, she would be disabled.

    The machine was specially designed by a foreign medical equipment team at Elias''s request.

    Emelie couldn''t help but frown as she watched Ashley move while her eyes remained tightly shut. "Is there still no sign of her waking up?"

    Elias smiled bitterly. "It was about six months ago that I thought. I saw her finger move, but it could have just been my imagination. I haven''t seen anything since."

    Emelie said, "Dr Santiago was in Glenfield earlier this year with the Collymore family."

    Elias immediately turned to face her. His eyes, which had been dull before, suddenly lit up as if a match had been struck.

    Emelie continued, "The Collymore family probably know where he went. However, Shane has always been reclusive and reluctant to meet people. He made an exception for the Collymore family. Hence, they wouldn''t give up his whereabouts easily. The Collymore family won''t tell us where Shane has gone if we approach them without any connection."

    "However, I did a lot of rtionship mapping yesterday. Charles should know Benjamin Collymore. His distant cousin is Benjamin''s wife, La Gray."

    "Charles." Elias sneered. This was truly a small world. It had always been the same people over and over." I''ll go find him now," he said before turning to leave.

    Emelie frowned. "Charles and Beathan are good friends. If you go to him just like that, he''s not going to help you. He''ll just pass on Beathan''s demand that he''ll only help you find Shane if you agree to divorce

    Ashley."

    Elias stopped and gritted his teeth.

    Emelie came up behind him with her hands in the pockets of her coat and said, "But I do have another way of making sure that Charles is going to be fullymitted to helping us."

    Ashley''s training couldn''t go on for too long. Ten minutes every three days was all she needed. Any more than that would be damaging to her body.

    Emelie finished exining her n just as the carers helped Ashley back to the bed.

    Elias leaned against the back of the couch and stared at Emelie for a long time.

    Emelie asked, "Mr. Undvike, do you have a different idea?"

    "No, I don''t. I''m just impressed by you, Ms. Hoven."

    Elias smirked. "It is no wonder that Vanessa ended up in prison because of you. I used to think that she would have been a worthy opponent for Will and that she was not so easy to deal with. But you took her down in one fell swoop."

    Emelie replied, "To have absolute control is to have everything you want. Whoever has more leverage at the negotiating table always wins."

    "As for Charles, I''ll follow your lead, but I have another question." Elias leaned forward and rested his elbows on his thighs. There was a smile on his face and a hint of dimples, but there was little genuine warmth in that smile.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    "Are you going to use those wits of yours against Will in the future?"

    Emelie stood up with her hands in her pockets and looked down at him. "You needn''t worry about that, Mr. Undvike. I have other matters to attend to, so I''ll be leaving now."

    She took onest look at Ashley before leaving Pearl Bay.

    As she was about to get into her car, she heard a car horn in the distance. Emelie looked over and saw William''s car pulling up in front of her.

 Chapter 653

    ?Chapter 653 Wearing an Extra Layer Before Going Out

    Emelie had brought only her driver that day. She stood casually by the side of the car, waiting for William to get out, and greeted him with a smile. "Mr. Middleton."

    William was dressed in dark colors, as usual. He had on a ck jumper and a long coat. His expression was stern and serious, but there was a slight softening of his demeanor when his eyes met hers.

    "Are you here to see Ms. Thornton?" William asked.

    "Are you here to see Mr. Undvike, Mr. Middleton?" Emelie asked in return.

    William replied, "I was just passing by Pearl Bay and thought I''d stop by to see Ms. Thornton."

    His eyes then wandered over her somewhat thin clothing. "It should be colder in Capebatt City than it is in Baliz. You should wear an extrayer if you are going out."

    Emelie smiled but didn''t respond to hisment. Instead, she said, "I won''t keep you then, Mr. Middleton. I''ll be on my way."

    And with that, she got into the car. Just as the door closed, she heard William cough twice.

    She turned to look back, but William was already walking toward the vi. As always, he stood straight and tall. He seemed to have no sign of difort.

    If there was one thing that was different, it was the fact that he was dressed more warmly.

    Although it was a bit chilly, she remembered that William used to dislike wearing scarves. He thought they were suffocating and made it hard to breathe. It hadn''t even snowed in Capebatt City, and he was already wearing one.

    Emelie tapped her knee contemtively before instructing the driver to start the car and drive away.

    After giving the public two days to adjust, Xanther Group officially announced its partnership with Filo Group on Thursday morning.

    From then on, Filo Group would rece Aurora Group and continue to support Xanther Group financially. Xanther Group and Filo Group even held a signing ceremony. This time, Xanther Group live streamed the event on its official social media ount, away from the intense scrutiny of the media.

    As expected, the event quickly became a hot topic.

    The viewers noticed that the representative of the Filo Group was none other than the woman in the case of the murdered woman, Emelie Hoven.

    Now, of course, she was known as Mandy Pierce.

    Still, there was no doubt in anyone''s mind that they were one and the same person. Her presence as a representative of the Filo Group signing the agreement with the Xanther Group further confirmed that there was no animosity between her and William. They seemed to have parted amicably as former lovers. Wait a minute.

    Speaking of which, where was William?

    The audience scanned the screen for him. William used to be the one to represent the Xanther Group when public events were held. Why wasn''t he there this time?

    There was a banquet after the signing ceremony.

    Emelie wore a Faldoria-style velvet dress. Cool, elegant, and sophisticated, the deep blue vintage design was a perfect match for her current aura.

    The dress had a square neckline that was decorated with a circle of precious stones. The back of the dress was open, draped only with strands of gemstone beads, which gave the design a slender and sensual appeal.

    With so many precious stones on her dress, she kept her hair in a simple style, pinned up and without any additional essories, to achieve the perfect bnce.

    She already had what was universally recognized as a beautiful face. Three years on, she had matured into a beauty that gave off an air of nobility meant tomand respect and distance.

    Although she represented the Filo Group, one of Faldoria''s leading conglomerates, few people dared to approach her and strike up a conversation.

    Meanwhile, she took the initiative to ask Charles, "Why isn''t Mr. Middleton here today?"

    "s, he''s been busy with his father''s affairstely and hasn''t gotten any rest. After the funeral, the strength he had been holding on to finally gave way, and he copsed. But it''s nothing serious. He just needs to stay at home for a couple of days and get some rest," Charles exined.

    "I see." Emelie smiled.

    Charles asked out of curiosity, "Ms. Pierce, is there anything you need from Mr. Middleton?"

    Emelie looked around at the blossoming banquet around her. Her lips curved into a gentle smile as she spoke slowly.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    "Mr. Davis, you may know that I didn''t have the happiest of childhoods. My family wasn''t well off. It is through my studies that I have had the opportunity to change my fate. After all, without a certain level of knowledge, I wouldn''t have been able to serve as Chief Secretary of the Cloudex Corporation.

    Charles wondered why she was bringing this up out of the blue. Still, he kept a serious, attentive expression on his face. "Mm-hmm."

    "Recently, due to the trending news of Mr. Middleton and the Xanther Group, the attention of the public has been drawn away from another important event that took ce at the same time. There was andslide in Veloria that not only left over a hundred households homeless but also crushed the town''s only elementary school."

    Emelie sighed. "The children who attend this school are all abandoned children. There aren''t many of them, just a dozen or twenty. It was their only source of education during their elementary and secondary school years. Now that the school is in ruins, they have no ce to do their studies.

    Charles interjected, "Is that so? But there will be funds for its reconstruction, won''t there?"

    "The amount of money is limited, and it goes to the most urgent needs, such as mountain protection, road construction, and house reconstruction. A small school with only a dozen pupils isn''t a priority, so it might not be rebuilt." Emelie shook her head.

    "But if the school isn''t rebuilt, these children will have nowhere to study. They may end up having to stay at home to help on the farm and grow up with only the basics before they have to go out to work or get married. If they had ess to education, maybe even a college education, their lives could be very different."

    Charles couldn''t see her point. "It''s true that they''re pitiful. So, Ms. Pierce, what are you trying to say?"

 Chapter 654

    ?Chapter 654 Her Smiling Face

    Emelie said softly, "I believe that there are many simr situations across the country. I wanted to ask Mr. Middleton if he would be interested in spearheading a project to fund the rebuilding of this school as a starting point, with the aim of targeting aid toward impoverished and remote elementary and secondary schools across the country."

    Atst, Charles understood her intention. "Ms. Pierce, are you proposing a charity?"

    Emelie smiled faintly. "The Filo Group needs the Cedonia market, Mr. Middleton needs his reputation restored, and the children need benefactors. Isn''t this a win-win situation for all parties involved?"

    The Filo Group''s ambition to enter the Cedonia market would require a gesture of goodwill, and there was no better way to win favor than through charity.

    After all the talk, Emelie''s real aim was to secure a foothold that wouldter facilitate profitable ventures. It was often said, however, that noble deeds were judged by what they achieved, not by how they came about. Regardless of her intentions, this initiative would indeed benefit those in need.

    Emelie went on to say, "Filo Group is a foreign enterprise. If we could partner with apany based in Cedonia, it would make things much easier."

    Charles lowered his head and gave the idea some careful thought.

    Investing in charity was almost a mandatory annual KPI for any business.

    Not only was it a legal way of iming tax deductions, but it was also good public rtions. It could lead to des such as the Cedonia Charity Award or recognition as a phnthropicpany.

    The Davis Group already donated a substantial amount to such initiatives each year. So, why shouldn''t they invest in this cause?

    Given the current media spotlight on the Filo Group, any coboration would only increase attention on them. This could lead to more positive influence and exposure.

    Charles quickly made up his mind. He looked up at Emelie with a smile and said, "Ms. Pierce, it seems that you are holding on to old feelings. You''re only proposing the involvement of your ex-boyfriend in such a noble endeavor. Could it be that you haven''t quite gotten over Mr. Middleton?"

    Emelie took no offense. She looked at him calmly and replied, "Mr. Davis, are you interested in joining this initiative?"

    "How could I not be interested in something that could improve thepany''s image? Cloudex Corporation has been recognized several times as a responsible corporate citizen, but the Davis Group has yet to receive that distinction." Charles shrugged.

    Emelie thought for a moment before nodding. She took a ss of wine from the tray of a passing waiter and raised it to Charles.

    "Mr. Davis, are you suggesting that I have old ties with Mr. Middleton but none with you? I remember you sending me flowers several times in the past."

    Charles looked at her attentively.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    He wondered if she had really put the past behind her to be able to talk about it so easily now.

    She seemed more rxed and carefree than before. That calmness usually came from a sense of security.

    Charles clinked his ss against hers and said, "I''m someone who values old ties. So, shall we discuss this further?"

    Emelie replied, "Let''s meet tomorrow at Westward Club."

    They exchanged smiles and downed their drinks in one go.

    As Emelie turned to put her ss down, a fleeting glint of icy sharpness passed through her eyes.

    The following evening, Emelie and Charles arrived at the Westward Club at the same time. Their cars were parked next to each other.

    It was a great coincidence, and they were happily chatting as they made their way inside.

    Unexpectedly, a voice called out from behind them, "Ms. Pierce, Mr. Davis."

    They both stopped in their tracks and turned around.

    William got out of his car and walked toward them.

    A sh of surprise crossed Emelie''s eyes. She asked calmly, "Mr. Middleton, weren''t you unwell? What brings you here? Drinking would only worsen your condition."

    William''s eyes were fixed on her. His dark eyes were like mirrors, reflecting her unspoken intentions.

    "It''s just a cold, but I''m feeling much better now. Ms. Pierce, I heard that you were discussing a charity with Mr. Davis. I thought I''d join in, as I''m interested. Am I not wee?"

    Emelie replied with amusement, "Of course, you are wee to listen in, but you''re not so wee if you''re here to reprimand Mr. Davis for cutting in. We believe in making money peacefully."

    William replied indifferently, "Cloudex Corporation doesn''t need this particr charity. If Mr. Davis is interested, we''ll let him take the lead."

    Charles, who was unaware of the subtle tension between the two of them,ughed and said, "Mr. Middleton, you''re so generous."

    And so the three of them entered the Westward Club together.

    They opted for a private room.

    Before the meal was served, they engaged in some light-hearted conversation. When the dishes were brought out, Emelie took a file from Jodie.

    She handed it to Charles. "I''ve drawn up a proposal. Mr. Davis, please have a look."

    Then, she handed another copy to William. "Mr. Middleton, if you''re interested, you can have a look at it too. Your input would be much appreciated."

    William took a look at her smiling face for three seconds before finally epting the document.

 Chapter 655

    ?Chapter 655 Mr. Davis, Do You Know This Waitress?

    Emelie leaned back in her chair and signaled for the waitress to pour her more wine.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    Charles stroked his lips and nodded as he studied the document. "Ms. Hoven, as expected of you. Your work is always thorough."

    Then, as if it dawned on him, he raised his head and said, "Oh, I forgot you''re Ms. Pierce now."

    Emelie''s expression remained calm.

    Behind her, Jodie''s face was devoid of emotion. It was clear that Charles'' repeated references to her past were meant to test Emelie, to see if she would be thrown off bnce.

    "It''s fine. I did spend many years as a secretary. I worked for Mr. Middleton and Mr. Swanson, and when I first joined the Filo Group, I was also Mr. Cronus'' secretary. It''s normal to be stereotyped as a secretary."

    Emelie took it all in stride with a calm demeanor.

    William, with a cold look on his face, threw the document on the table and picked up his ss of wine. He seemed to be the one who had been thrown off bnce instead.

    Just as the ss touched his lips, he stopped, as if suddenly remembering something, and put it down. Then he motioned for Ashton to bring him tea instead.

    Emelie nced over at William. He didn''t seem to have fully recovered, for his lips seemed a little pale.

    "Ms. Pierce, while we''re on the subject, I can''t help but be curious about something." Charles rested his chin on his hand. "How did your sister, Ashlyn,e to be Arsen Sorrel''s adopted daughter? Of course, if you''d rather not discuss that, we can change the subject."

    Emelie replied in a friendly tone as if they were old friends, "This is something I wouldn''t discuss with others, but it''s all right to share it with Mr. Middleton and you."

    In fact, they were old friends, and their rtionship had once been quite close.

    If it had not been for the things that had happened, her attitude now would be seen as perfectly normal.

    However, Emelie''sposure after their falling out was somewhat unsettling, as if she was hiding something.

    Charles had his suspicions but chose not to voice them. He continued to y along. "So, how did it happen?"

    "Ashlyn ran away with a man a few years ago, and it turned out that he was a scoundrel who had sold her. By the time I found her in the human market, she was poisoned and unable to speak."

    Emelie sighed. "The only thing I could do was take her to live with me in Baliz. One day, while she was out for a walk, she came across the Sorrel couple in danger and saved them. The rest is history. Arsen took her in as his adopted daughter."

    Charles fell into a moment of thought before he came up with a conclusion. "Arsen''s decision to adopt her was probably because he knew that she was the younger sister of the futuredy of the Filo family. In other words, your sister has a certain status, but not a high one. By adopting her, he could benefit from the Filo family connection without infringing on their core interests. Arsen is a very clever man."

    Emelie picked up her wine ss with a teasing expression. "Romanee-Conti. It''s an excellent wine. Mr. Davis, Mr. Middleton, you must taste this."

    Charles took the opportunity to take a sip. He said, "Ms. Pierce, we haven''t apologized for interrupting

    your sister''s wedding. I should drink to atone."

    Charles downed the wine in one gulp. Emelie signaled for the waitress to refill his ss, and she said, " You didn''t disrupt it. The wedding was a sess after all."

    The waitress, who had been standing in the corner with her head bowed, approached Charles with a bottle of wine at Emelie''s signal.

    Just as Charles was about to say something to Emelie, he was suddenly distracted when he caught a glimpse of the waitress'' profile.

    Emelie called out, "Mr. Davis?"

    William nced over as well and frowned slightly when he saw the waitress. Then, he moved his gaze back to Emelie.

    Charles snapped out of his reverie. Emelie asked curiously, "Mr. Davis, do you know this waitress?"

    The waitress kept her head down and remained silent. Charles'' eyes shed for a moment before he forced a smile and replied, "I don''t know her."

    Emelie didn''t press further. She continued to discuss the matter of charity with him. Charles, however, was clearly distracted.

    The dinner went on for two hours before it was over. As the three of them left Westward Club, a ss suddenly flew out of a private room they were walking by.

    The ss shattered into a million pieces at their feet.

 Chapter 656

    ?Chapter 656 My Name Is Simr to Hers

    The three froze in ce.

    Jodie immediately stepped forward to shield Emelie.

    From the private room came the sounds of a woman crying and pleading for help, mixed with a man''s foul curses and the tearing of fabric.

    It was obvious what was going on in there without having to look.

    Emelie''s expression remained cold as she said, "The Westward Club didn''t seem so chaotic when Mr. Inning was in charge. Don''t you agree, Mr. Middleton?"

    William''s face was grim as well. He nced back and Ashton quickly led the bodyguards in.

    The man inside was shocked at the sudden appearance of so many people. "What are you doing? Why are you all here? Do you have any idea who I am?"

    Emelie adjusted her gloves, and William''s gaze fell on her. She chose to ignore him and nced at Charles instead.

    Charles had a dark expression on his face.

    Ashton had probably revealed her identity, for the man inside suddenly became quiet, not daring to speak again.

    The woman who had been harassed was then escorted out by Ashton.

    Thetter took off his jacket and put it over her. The woman was wearing a waitress uniform from the Westward Club.

    Emelie asked worriedly, "Are you alright?"

    The woman, who was clearly frightened, trembled as she clutched her cor tightly and shook her head repeatedly.

    However, Emelie noticed the p marks on her face and the fresh cuts from broken ss that were still bleeding.

    "You were the waitress who served us earlier, weren''t you?" Emelie recognized her.

    The woman looked up at her quickly, then lowered her head and said, "Yes, but I''m fine. Thank you, Mr. Middleton. Thank you... Mr. Davis. And thank you, Ms. Pierce."

    Emelie crossed her arms. "Change your clothes, and go get a checkup at the hospital. Make sure you keep the evidence. Since Mr. Middleton and Mr. Davis have witnessed the whole thing, they''ll make sure that you get justice for this."

    The woman panicked. She waved her hands as if she was afraid of making a big deal out of this. "No, no. He was just drunk. I''m fine. There''s no need to make a fuss."

    Emelie understood that she was afraid of retaliation. "Don''t you realize that the more you put up with them, the worse they''re going to get?"

    The woman, however, continued to shake her head.

    Emelie wasn''t the type to keep pushing. Since the woman had made her choice, she left it at that and led Jodie and the bodyguards out of the Westward Club.

    She nodded to William and Charles. "That''s all for today. I''ll be leaving now."

    William watched her in silence while Charles replied distractedly, "Very well, Ms. Pierce. Take care. We''ll be in touch."

    Emelie got into the car and pulled out onto the road.

    As fate would have it, rain started falling.

    Jodie, who was in the passenger seat, nced in the rear-view mirror. "Ms. Pierce, it looks like William''s car is following us."

    A smile yed on Emelie''s lips. She wasn''t surprised. William hadn''t said much during dinner, but his eyes had been on her all the time. He must have noticed something.

    After all, he was William. What could possibly have escaped his eyes?

    Emelie calmly instructed, "Pull over."

    After Emelie and William had left, Charles didn''t get into his car straight away. Instead, he stormed back into the Westward Club and headed straight for the staff room.

    He barged in just as the woman who had been harassed was changing and using a wet wipe to clean the cuts on her face in front of the mirror.

    Charles grabbed her hand and yanked her out of the chair.

    The woman was startled and tried to struggle, but when she saw it was him, she bit her lip and stopped resisting, "Mr. Davis, is there anything you need?"

    Charles questioned, "What are you doing here?"Material ? N?velDrama.Org.

    The woman replied, "I work here."

    The smile on Charles'' face was cold. "I gave you a lot of money back then. It''s only been a year, and you''re already so broke you have to work as a waitress? Where did all that money go?"

    There was a flicker in the woman''s eyes, and she turned to look away. "That''s my business. Mr. Davis, I haven''t interfered with your life. Why are you being so harsh?"

    Charles pushed her onto the bed, where shended on the nkets. The memory of her being with other men while they were together filled him with disgust.

    "I''ve been with a lot of women, but Emmie Gatlin, you''re the most despicable one of them all. You im that you haven''t interfered with my life, yet your mere presence is already one."

    Emmie''s eyes reddened at the insult. She gulped before saying, "I will do my best to avoid you in the future, Mr. Davis. I won''t let you see me again."

    Charles stared coldly at her pitiful expression, then let out a short, bitterugh. "You''d better keep that promise."

    With that, he turned to leave.

    Suddenly, Emmie asked, "That Ms. Pierce just now... Is she the Ms. Emelie who made you quit smoking? Did you take me in because my name is simr to hers?"

 Chapter 657

    ?Chapter 657 You''ll Have to Come To Me

    Charles halted his steps, but without a reply to her question, he mmed the door behind him and left.

    He walked quickly out of the Westward Club, stopping once he reached the entrance.

    Agitated, he pulled a piece of candy from his pocket, unwrapped it, and popped it into his mouth.

    It was a hard candy, but he bit into it nheless. The sharp edges of the crushed candy pricked the inside of his mouth a little.

    Letting the cold wind settle him down, he stood in it for a while. Then he instructed his secretary, "Find out why Emmie Gatlin is here."

    The secretary couldn''t help but ask, "Do you suspect that she isn''t just here by coincidence but was arranged to be here by someone?"

    Charles was no fool. He sneered. "There''s no such thing as coincidence. There''s definitely something going on."

    "Got it."

    Jodie held an umbre and opened the car door.

    As Emelie got out of the car, she noticed that William''s car had also stopped by the side of the road.

    He was driving a Lamborghini. When the driver reached out for an umbre to shield him from the rain, William took the umbre himself and walked up to her on his own instead.

    He coughed a couple of times on his way.

    His cold was aggravated by the cold wind mixed with rain. By the time he was in front of her, he was still coughing.

    Emelie said, "Mr. Middleton, if you''re not feeling well, why did you bother toe here today?"

    She thought he was here to question her about her intentions toward Charles, but instead, after lowering his hand from his lips, he asked, "Are you hungry?"

    Emelie narrowed her eyes. "Haven''t we just finished eating? Mr. Middleton, do you digest that quickly?"

    William replied calmly, "You spent the entire meal plotting and spinning lies, hardly touching your food. Instead of ordering cold room service at the hotel, why don''t we find a ce where you can get something warm to eat?"

    Emelie smiled. "What was I plotting?"

    "Emmie was once Charles'' woman. I don''t think it was a coincidence that she appeared today. Neither do I, and I do not think that Charles does either. It''s too obvious that you arranged this." William exposed her.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie frowned as if troubled. "Mr. Middleton, I''ve noticed that after a few years of not seeing each other, you''ve developed a habit of ndering me. You are always saying things that I don''t understand. I feel unjustly treated."

    She gave a feigned sigh of regret, then turned back to the car. "Well, Mr. Middleton, if you find me so unpleasant, let''s not bother going on with dinner. Goodbye and goodbye."

    Suddenly, William grabbed her arm, and before Emelie could react, he pulled her out from under Jodie''s umbre and into his.

    Emelie, who was wearing high heels, stumbled at his unexpected tug. Nevertheless, she managed to steady herself before falling into his arms.

    Startled, Jodie immediately shouted, "Let go of Ms. Pierce!"

    Raindrops began to fall on the umbre with a rhythmic pattern. Emelie''s expression turned cold as she stared at him. "Mr. Middleton, when are you going to stop this habit of being so handsy with me?"

    William lowered his eyes and stared at her face.

    After a few seconds, he asked in a low voice, "I heard you''ve been trying to buy something recently," EEmelie remained silent while he went on to say, "Are you trying to purchase the original house of the Pierce family?"

    Indeed, she had been.

    Emelie had been trying to buy the original house of the Pierce family.

    After the Pierce family went bankrupt, their house was auctioned off to pay off their debts.

    When she returned to Alderbrook that day for a visit to Ronan and Greta''s graves, she realized that her birth parents no longer even had a home. It was then that she had the idea of repurchasing the house of the Pierce family.

    However, the house had been in and out of hands several times over the years, and Emelie was still in the process of researching who the current owner was.

    "I just want to buy the house that belonged to my family. Does that bother you too, Mr. Middleton?"

    The rain had turned the sky a dark blue-ck, and the downpour blurred the streetlights. William''s presence remained as it always had. Cold and aloof, like snow. "The house of the Pierce family is in my hands. If you want it, you''ll have toe to me."

    Emelie''s expression instantly turned icy as she retorted, "How amusing."

    The Middleton family not only caused the Pierce family''s bankruptcy, but they were also the Pierce family''s creditors. When the Pierce family home was auctioned off, the Middleton family bought it. The proceeds from the auction went back to the Middleton family as debt repayment.

    In the end, the Middleton family got their money back in full and also acquired the Pierce family''s ancestral home.

    However, what right did they have to touch the home that had belonged to the Pierce family for generations?

    Emelie could feel the fire burning in her chest, and not even the torrential rain could extinguish it.

    William noticed the anger in her eyes, but his expression remained unchanged as he let her gaze at him.

    The rain poured down harder, with every drop sshing back up from the ground. Emelie was wearing a pair of ck trousers. The wetness spread and darkened the fabric as it absorbed more water. "Mr. Middleton, I doubt you''ll sell it to me that easily. What is it that you want?"

 Chapter 658

    ?Chapter 658 Ms. Pierce, You Really Care About Mr. Graham

    William did indeed have terms.

    "Have dinner with me."

    Emelie took a moment to think before asking, "Is it just dinner?" She then agreed without hesitation," When? Sure, but where shall we go?"

    William''s eyes showed a trace of a smile. As he was about to reach out to brush the raindrops from her shoulder, Emelie stood still with a cold expression on her face.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    "Mr. Middleton, please keep your distance," Jodie''s voice was firm as she warned.

    William''s hand paused in mid-air. He nced at the increasing rain and said, "The rain''s getting worse. Let''s postpone dinner. We don''t need to rush. There''s no rush, and the house is not for sale to anyone else."

    "Once you have decided on a time and ce, send it to my secretary, and I will be there on time. My only hope is that after the meal, you will keep your promise and sell me the house of the Pierce family, Mr. Middleton."

    With that, Emelie walked back to Jodie''s umbre, got into the car and drove off.

    William stood alone in the rain before returning to his car.

    The rainsted for three days.

    Emelie decided to stay in and concentrate on working.

    When she had finished her tasks, she called Marcel to forward the emails that Wesley hadn''t read yet, so that she could check them.

    Marcel chuckled. "Ms. Pierce, you really care about Mr. Graham."

    Of course, Emelie cared about Wesley. She owed her current sess to him.

    If a person didn''t have an understanding of the importance of gratitude, what difference was there between them and an animal?

    Soon, Emelie''s phone rang again.

    It was Wesley calling.

    Thinking that he might be calling to reprimand her for taking his ce, she found it amusing. She answered, "Are you calling to scold me, Mr. Cronus?"

    There was something unusually subdued about Wesley''s tone. Instead of beginning with pleasantries, he asked bluntly: "Are you trying to buy the original house of the Pierce family?"

    "Did Jodie tell you?"

    Wesley''s mood seemed off. "Why do you want to buy it?"

    Emelie was taken aback by his question. "It''s the Pierce residence. Now that I have the means, why shouldn''t I buy it back?"

    "I heard from the neighbors that although the house has had several owners, no one has lived there or cleaned it. I thought that maybe some of what my parents used to own might still be there. Buying it back and preserving it seems like a good way to honor them."

    Wesley replied, "There is no such need."

    Emelie frowned and went to the window. The rain had begun to ease. "Why not?"

    Probably realizing he sounded harsh, Wesley''s tone softened as he exined, "Although the Middleton, Davis, Swanson, and Collins families know your background and may suspect that you''re here for revenge, don''t make it too obvious. If you buy the Pierce family''s house, it might make them wary of you and hinder your ns."

    Emelie shook her head. "That''s not your real reason for stopping me. I want the truth, Wesley. Why can''t I buy the Pierce family''s old house?"

    Wesley sighed. "The house belongs to William. Can''t you see that he''s using it to lure you? It''s not just about dinner."

    Emelie had already guessed that. "He won''t be able to touch me now. I''ll deal with whatever it is when ites,"

    Wesley''s tone rose in urgency. "Eme."

    Emelie pursed her lips as she stared at the rain streaming down the window. "Are you against me buying the Pierce family''s house, or are you against me having any contact with William?"

    She was perplexed as to the purpose of his call.

    "As a descendant of the Pierce family, it''s only right that I should buy the house back. Contact with William is inevitable now that I''ve returned to Capebatt City to settle old scores. I don''t understand you."

    Wesley''s breathing was audible over the phone, and Emelie''s hearing was sensitive enough to hear it. She asked, "Are you afraid of something?"

    However, Wesley didn''t answer her question. She went on to ask, "Are you angry?"

    The next thing she knew, Wesley hung up.

    Emelie stared at her phone screen and muttered, "He seems really angry."

 Chapter 659

    ?Chapter 659 He Lowered His Head and Kissed Her Hand

    Emelie stood by the window with her arms crossed and pondered over Wesley''s opposition to her wanting to buy the house of the Pierce family. However, she couldn''t think of a reason for his reluctance.

    She remembered that Wesley had always seemed ufortable when she mentioned anything about the Pierce family.

    Two years ago, when he had first taken her to meet Yennifer, Yennifer had called her Mandy. Wesley had corrected her, saying, "Call her Eme. She prefers the name Emelie."

    In truth, Emelie didn''t mind how she was addressed.

    In fact, since Yennifer was a close friend of her mother, Julianna, she wanted to ask Yennifer about the Pierce family. Surely, Yennifer would know a lot about the Pierce family. However, before she could ask much, Wesley insisted that they leave.

    He even pulled her away before she could get any information.

    She found it strange that Wesley was unwilling to let her know about the Pierce family.

    Wesley exined that he had some disagreements with Yennifer and didn''t want to stay at the Filo residence any longer.

    Emelie pinched her nose and walked away from the window. "Jodie."

    Jodie appeared. "Ms. Pierce."

    Emelie instructed her, "Book me a flight to Mercianna."

    Jodie looked surprised. "Now?"

    Emelie checked the time, and it was 4.30 pm. "Yes, the earliest flight."

    The earliest flight was at 8.30 pm.

    The following day, Emelie arrived at the Denning Residence in Mercianna at 9:30 am.

    The household staff were already at work, and Emelie happened to run into a maid who was carrying Wesley''s breakfast upstairs.

    The maid was surprised to see her. "Ms. Pierce, you''re back?"

    Emelie simply smiled and asked, "Where''s Mr. Cronus?"

    The maid replied softly, "Mr. Cronus is in the study."

    "I''ll bring it up."

    "Alright."

    Emelie took the breakfast and went upstairs.

    The study door was ajar. As she pushed the door open, Wesley, who was sitting behind his desk, asked in a low voice, "Who said you could enter without knocking... Eme?"

    Emelie blinked twice at what he said. She raised her hand and knocked twice on the door before walking over. "Who has upset you? Why are you in such a sour mood this morning?"

    Wesley came to his senses and asked, "When did you get back?"

    Emelie put the breakfast down. "I bought a ne ticket and flew back as soon as you stopped answering

    my calls."

    It was a 15-hour flight from Capebatt City to Mercianna, and she hade back solely for that reason. Wesley looked at her, and it was as if something had struck a chord in his heart.

    He said softly after a moment, "I''m not going to ignore your calls forever. Isn''t it exhausting to fly such a long distance for such a small matter?"

    "For more than two years, you''ve never objected to anything I''ve done. This is the first time we''ve had a disagreement. If we''re going to disagree, it''s better to discuss it face to face. Ignoring them won''t help, will it?"

    Wesley had always been indulgent with her, and this was the first time he hadn''t answered her calls. Given the way he acted, she was worried about what was wrong.

    Then again, humans could never fully understand each other. Since she couldn''t figure out the reason, no matter how hard she thought, she decided it would be better to use the time to ask him in person.

    There had indeed been a change in Emelie''s approach to problems.

    She used to be more patient, but now she preferred to tackle problems head on.

    She didn''t like unexined conflicts, especially not with him.

    Wesley smiled. "You make me sound like an immature child." He gestured for her toe closer. "Come here."

    Emelie walked around the desk and stood in front of him.

    Wesley had just gotten up, for he was still in his pajamas. The house was warm enough. His pajamas were thin and unbuttoned at the top. They revealed his long neck and throat.

    Wesley took her left hand and undid the strap on her glove to remove it.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    Her hand was warm from the gloves. Wesley held her hand and rubbed her knuckles gently with his thumb. Then, he lowered his head and kissed her hand.

 Chapter 660

    ?Chapter 660 The Boundary Between Them

    Emelie was momentarily stunned by the touch of Wesley''s soft, cool lips.

    Although they were engaged, he rarely showed such affectionate gestures. Still, she did not pull her hand away.

    Wesley sighed and said softly, "If you want to buy it, then go ahead and buy it."

    Emelie was not pleased even after hearing that.

    "You oppose me without giving a reason and then agree without telling me why." She pulled her hand away and tapped his forehead. "Since when have you been like a child, making unreasonable demands?" Wesley looked up at her with his brown eyes warmer than the sun in Mercianna. "From the moment you arrived, I''ve agreed with everything you''ve wanted."

    Emelie remained frowning.

    She hade to understand why he had been against her buying the Pierce Residence. Even though he agreed now, she still did not know the reasons for his initial opposition.

    Wesley thought the topic was closed. He stood up, took her hand, and asked, "Have you had breakfast?"

    Emelie replied, "I had some on the ne."

    "Have some more with me. Since you''re here, stay for two days before going back. There''s no rush in Capebatt City, is there?"

    "Okay."

    Meanwhile, Jodie received a phone call from Ashton. "Ms. Noble, is Ms. Pierce free tonight? Mr. Middleton would like to take her to dinner."

    Jodie nced toward the restaurant. "I''m sorry, but Ms. Pierce is busy. She''s not in Capebatt City at the moment and won''t be back for a few days."

    Ashton pursed her lips. "Very well. Then, we won''t disturb her."

    Half an hourter, Ashton entered the CEO''s office with tea and noticed a small cake on William''s desk.

    William seemed to be in a good mood that day. It was the first time in half a month since Henry''s death that he had seemed cheerful.

    Sipping his tea, he asked Ashton, "Is it pretty?"

    The cake was small but delicate, with a tiny card that read, "Happy Birthday, Emelie Hoven".

    "It''s lovely. But Mr. Middleton, Ms. Hoven isn''t in Capebatt City at the moment," Ashton said hesitantly. William looked up. "Where did she go?"

    Ashton replied slowly, "I did a check on her whereabouts. She flew to Merciannast night and went to the Denning residence."

    The expression on William''s face faded. "Is something wrong with Wesley?"

    Ashton shook her head. "We haven''t heard anything wrong with him."

    Maybe she just missed him and wanted to visit.

    After all, they were engaged. Rumor had it that their rtionship had always been good. This had been

    proven when, while Wesley was in aa after his ident, he trusted her with all the affairs of the Filo family.

    William stared at the cake for several seconds before smiling wryly. "I see."

    After Ashton left, William sat in his chair for a long time. Eventually, he decided to pick up his phone and type out a birthday message for Emelie.

    Just as he was about to add her contact, he realized that he did not have her current phone number.

    Ashton and Jodie were the ones who had managed all their previous contacts. He did not have her WhatsApp or phone number.

    Of course, he could easily obtain the number if he wanted. But in that moment, he felt that the boundary between them had be strikingly clear, so much so that it was somewhat absurd.

    After breakfast with Wesley, Emelie went back to her room to get over her jetg. She told him not to call her for dinner.

    By the time she woke up, it was alreadyte in the evening. She nced down at her mobile phone and noticed the date looked familiar.

    What day was it again?

    As she went to wash up in the bathroom, it urred to her that it was her actual birthday.

    After Ronan and Greta had adopted her, they changed her date of birth, and she got used to celebrating her birthday as Emelie Hoven. That day, however, was her birthday as Mandy Pierce.

    She happened to see the butler when she opened her door. Therefore, she asked, "Where is he?"

    The butler smiled. "Mr. Cronus is in the garden. It''s windy and a little cold. I''m fetching him a coat. Ms. Pierce, if you''re going out, you might want to wear an extrayer too."

    "Okay. Give me the coat. I''ll take it to him."Material ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie took Wesley''s coat and went downstairs to the front garden. When she saw Wesley on the phone, she slowly walked over to him.

    "I already celebrated her birthday for this year in July, so there''s no need to celebrate it again today. Nobody celebrates their birthday in the middle of the year and again at the end of the year."

    July was Emelie''s birthday.

    Emelie''s eyes flickered. Had someone informed him that it was her actual birthday? Did he not want to acknowledge her birthday as Mandy Pierce?

    After hearing the response on the other end, Wesley suddenly sneered. "You don''t need to remind me of who she is. I''m determined to have her. What can you do about it?"

 Chapter 661

    ?Chapter 661 Shouldn''t Have

    Emelie remained silent. Just as she was about to eavesdrop on their conversation, Wesley noticed her presence and calmly told the person on the other end, "That''s all. I''m hanging up."

    He ended the call, put the phone down, and walked straight toward Emelie.

    His figure grew clearer in her line of sight. When he reached her, he said, "I''ve been boiling soup for you since the morning. Have a little to tide you over. We''ll have dinner togetherter."

    Emelie handed him his coat. "Who were you talking to? You mentioned something about my birthday earlier, didn''t you?"

    Wesley dodged her question and changed the topic. "Your brother-inw dropped off a box of things a few days ago. He said they were things from your sister. Since they figured you''d rathere here than go to Baliz, they left the box with me. I''ll have someone bring it to youter."

    He casually draped his coat over his arm. "Even if Arsen had his ns when he arranged their marriage, it''s good that they actually like each other. Anthony Sorrel even learned Cedonian and signnguage for Ashlyn. I''m sure they''ll be happy together."

    Emelie never liked pushing him for answers. Since he didn''t want to talk about it, she let it go at that.

    She followed his lead. "Ashlyn has suffered a lot over the years. Now, atst, her hardships have paid off." Wesley lowered his eyes and looked at her as he said, "Yes."

    They chatted as they walked back into the house. The entrance had three steps. Emelie was the first to go up, with Wesley following behind her.

    She had only taken two steps when Wesley suddenly wrapped his arms around her from behind.

    Emelie froze. Instinctively, she wanted to turn around to see what was wrong with him.

    However, Wesley tightened his grip around her waist and refused to let her look back.

    There seemed to be a great shift in his emotions at that moment. He buried his head in her neck, and Emelie noticed that his breathing was heavier than usual.

    "Wesley, what''s wrong?"

    Wesley didn''t answer. He moved from burying his face in her neck to kissing the area behind her ear gently.

    It felt as if his lips were brushing against her skin. Yet there was still a distance as if only his breath was touching her.

    Emelie couldn''t understand why he was so hesitant. His teasing, neither close nor distant, made her ufortable.

    Thus, she decided to turn around, wrap her arms around his neck, and tiptoe over to kiss his lips. However, just as they were about to do so, Jodie came out of the house. "Ms. Pierce, you have a phone call... "Jodie was quite startled to see them hugging at the door. "Ms. Pierce!"

    It was only then that Wesley snapped back to reality and released Emelie. He said with a faint smile. "Well, we''ve given the maids something to gossip about."

    Emelie felt a little embarrassed as well. She cleared her throat and turned round. "Jodie, is there anything you need?"

    Jodie, however, kept her eyes fixed on Wesley. She had a mixed expression on her face.

    Wesley seemed to understand why she was staring at him. He met her gaze, but there was cold in his eyes. Jodie lowered her head. "You have a phone call."Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie took the call. It was work-rted, and she answered it as she walked into the house.

    Wesley walked up the stairs as well. At that moment, Jodie couldn''t help but ask softly, "Mr. Graham, what were you and Ms. Pierce up to just now?"

    Wesley kept his cool. "Do we have to tell you what we''re doing?"

    Jodie felt ufortable and hesitated before saying, "I just don''t think it''s appropriate, Mr. Graham."

    Wesley gave a light chuckle. "What wasn''t appropriate?"

    Jodie gathered her courage and went on to say, "Given your status, it really wasn''t appropriate to do so." The expression on Wesley''s face turned cold in an instant. He looked down at Jodie and said gently, "Have I spoiled you all so much that you''ve forgotten who your master is?"

    Both Jodie and Marcel had been on the brink of death when Wesley had rescued them. He had given them food and shelter and taught them skills. They owed him their lives.

    Jodie dropped to her knees at once. "That''s not what I meant."

    Wesley didn''t even look at her. "If you know you''re wrong, get on your knees by the door."

    With that, he turned and walked into the house.

    Emelie had just ended her call. As she was about to give Jodie some instructions, Wesley took her hand and led her into the dining room for some soup. "If it''s not urgent, leave the work for tomorrow. Let''s eat first.

    11

 Chapter 662

    ?Chapter 662 Disgust

    Emelie thought about it and realized that it wasn''t an urgent matter. Thus, she decided not to call Jodie.

    The sky outside was gradually getting darker. The butlers and maids went in and out. They were careful not to look at Jodie, who remained kneeling at the door. No one dared to mention her to Emelie.

    After dinner, Emelie yed a few rounds of chess with Wesley. Eventually, she grew tired and went to bed. Wesley sat on the couch and sipped his coffee. After checking the time, he told the butler to bring Jodie in. Jodie had been kneeling for several hours, and her knees were swollen. She walked slowly and quietly to where Wesley was sitting. "Mr. Graham," she addressed him in a low voice.

    Wesley calmly ced the chess pieces back into the box. The pieces were made of emerald. This made his hands look even more elegant as he held them.

    His tone was indifferent as he asked, "Do you now understand what can and cannot be said in her presence?"

    "Mr. Graham, I know you''re not going to like what I''m about to say, but I have to say it," Jodie replied. "If you insist on continuing, you should at least tell Ms. Pierce the truth and let her decide whether to keep making the same mistake."

    "You act as you please because she doesn''t know the truth, but what if she finds outter? What if she cares? Mr. Graham, Mr. Cronus, I''m afraid you''ll end up hurting both her and yourself."

    Wesley sneered suddenly. He turned to look at Jodie, his eyes filled with both obsession and malice. "Do you care more about her than I do? Do you think what I''m doing is despicable and disgusting?"

    "That''s not what I meant."

    Wesley threw the chess pieces he had picked up back onto the board. They scattered with a tter. It didn''t interest him anymore to listen to Jodie, so he''d just say, "Get back on your knees."

    With that, he left the study.

    Jodie quietly knelt again.

    Marcel approached her and said, "Why are you doing this? You know that''s the one thing Mr. Graham won''t tolerate."

    Jodie replied, "I grew up with Mr. Graham, and it''s my duty to correct his mistakes. Besides, Ms. Pierce has been kind to me. I can''t let one situation hurt two people."

    Marcel said, "But Mr. Graham truly cares about Ms. Pierce."

    It was an unsolvable problem.

    The clock showed that it was 11.45 pm, just 15 minutes before the end of the day.

    Emelie had been sleeping soundly. Suddenly, she felt someone grabbing her hand.

    She immediately opened her eyes and saw Wesley sitting on the edge of her bed, holding her hand as he prepared to press her thumb onto an ink pad and then onto a document.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.

    "Wesley, what are you doing?"

    Emelie tried to pull her hand back, but Wesley held on tight. He then pressed her hand onto the document

    without even looking at her.

    Emelie immediately sat up and tried to grab the document, but Wesley had already stepped back and held it out of reach.

    He looked at the document in his hand and smiled with satisfaction. "Now that your fingerprint is on it, this document is legally binding."

    "What is that?" Emelie thought of a possibility. "Is it your will?"

    Wesleyughed. "My will only require my fingerprint, not yours. This is a share transfer agreement for the Filo Group, your birthday present."

    Emelie grabbed a tissue to wipe her fingers. "Did you really have to ambush me in the middle of the night for that?"

    Wesley replied, "If I had given it to you directly, would you have epted it? Anyway, it''s yours now. It doesn''t matter what happens in the future.

    "As long as the Filo Group exists, you will always have a way out. If you ever fail, you can alwayse back and live luxuriously."

    Emelie would receive huge dividends every year for as long as the Filo Group existed. It was the kind of life she had always imagined and found quite attractive.

    The contract was in duplicate. Wesley gave Emelie one copy and kept the other for himself.

    Emelie nced at the document. He had celebrated her birthday as Mandy, after all.

    Emelie stayed in Mercianna for three days. As soon as she was sure that things in Capebatt City had progressed sufficiently, she took Jodie back with her to wrap things up.

    Emelie hadn''t seen much of Jodie over the past few days. She noticed something about Jodie''s walk when she saw her. "Did you hurt your leg?"

    There was no change in Jodie''s expression as she said, "It''s nothing. I just missed a step and fell down the stairs the other day."

    "Have you seen a doctor?"

    "I did, but it''s not a serious injury. I''ll be fine in a couple of days."

    Emelie asked no more.

    Their nended in Capebatt City at 6:00 pm, and they arrived at the hotel half an hourter.

    Emelie was hungry and ordered room service. While she was eating her meal, Jodie came up to her with the mobile phone in her hand. "Ms. Pierce, William has sent a message."

    It seemed as if he was always keeping an eye on her. She had only just arrived, and his invitation had already been sent.

    Emelie took a look at the message. It read, "Meet me tomorrow at 7:30 pm in Eastbay."

 Chapter 663

    ?Chapter 663 Torn Apart

    At Eastbay, William had actually invited Emelie to eat there.

    Emelie, who held a fork in one hand and a knife in the other, cut into the steak in front of her with a nk expression.

    She didn''t like eating raw meat and didn''t care about the taste. The steak had been cooked to a medium well, with the crispy edges making a satisfying crunch when the knife sliced through them.

    Jodie was also ufortable with William''s choice of meeting ce. "I''lle with you." Emelie chewed slowly. "Don''t tell Wesley. I don''t want him to overthink things."

    After a moment of hesitation, Jodie decided to follow her orders. "Understood."

    The next evening, Emelie went to Eastbay with Jodie and two bodyguards.

    Three years had passed since she hadst set foot in this ce. Emelie still remembered the days before she left Capebatt City when William had kept her here.

    During that time, William had been acting strangely.

    He had insisted on ying the role of a devoted lover. They didn''t just go to the hospital together, they went to work together. He even made up a story that she was pregnant and hired several cooks and nannies to wait on her at home.

    Pregnant? A sarcastic smile yed around the corner of Emelie''s mouth.

    Jodie stepped forward and rang the doorbell. The door opened before she finished ringing it twice. William had answered the door himself. The coldness in his dark eyes softened as his gaze fell on Emelie.

    He stepped aside and gestured for her to enter. "You''re here."

    He wasn''t wearing a suit but a ck turtleneck and ck trousers. The fitted sweater entuated his broad shoulders and narrow waist.

    "Mr. Middleton, how could I note when you''ve extended such a gracious invitation?" Emelie entered, with Jodie following close behind.

    William said indifferently, "You know I don''t like strangers in my house."

    What he said clearly implied that Jodie and the bodyguards weren''t wee inside.

    Emelie turned to face him, she didn''t think he would dare to hurt her. "Jodie, wait outside."

    Jodie gave William a wary look before nodding. "If you need anything, just call for me."

    William held the door open without closing it so that Jodie could have a view of Emelie from the outside.

    He said, in a calm tone, "No need to be so tense. When have I ever really hurt you?"

    Emelie found thement so ridiculous that she didn''t even bother to reply.

    She started to look around the vi. "Mr. Middleton, I heard you don''t live here anymore, but it still looks exactly the same."

    She wasn''t shy about mentioning the past.

    William was watching her from behind. "I''ve had the ce cleaned regrly. It''s just as it was when you

    left."

    Their conversation flowed so naturally that it was as if Emelie had simply gone abroad for a few years, not that she had almost drowned in the ocean, never to return.

    William led her into the dining room and pulled out a chair for her. "Come, see if these dishes are to your liking."

    "They''re fine," she replied.

    In truth, Emelie hadn''t really looked at them. She sat down and went straight to the point. "Mr. Middleton, what price do you want for the old house of the Pierce family?"

    William picked up a bowl and adle, poured out a bowl of creamy white soup, and handed it to her. "It''s cold outside. Have somemb soup to warm you up. I''ve added pepper. It should taste good."

    Emelie took the bowl but put it on the table. "Dinner can wait. Let''s talk business first. The house is a historic building from the past. Obviously, it''s not going to be valued ording to the market price.

    "I''ve had a professional estimate a fair market value, and I''m prepared to add 30 percent to that price. Now, Mr. Middleton, is that satisfactory to you?"

    William didn''t answer her question. Instead, he concentrated on her calm face and repeated, "Drink it while it''s hot."

    Emelie''s expression remained unchanged, though a trace of displeasure appeared at the corners of her lips.

    William met her gaze and said in a low voice, "My main concern is food. As for the house, I can give it to you as a gift if you want it."

    "That''s not a gift." Emelie sneered. "It''s called returning stolen property."

    "You can call it whatever you like. I only invited you here for dinner," he said.

    William noticed that, even though she was wearing a sweater and coat, she still looked thin and frail.

    He couldn''t help but frown. "Has he not taken good care of you thesest few years? How did you lose so much weight?"

    Emelie suddenly burst intoughter.

    She had always maintained a peaceful and natural demeanor towards William and the other three families from the minute she appeared at Henry''s memorial.

    As the media had "rified", it was as if there was no deep-rooted enmity between them, no talk of murder and body dumping. Until now, that was.

    His worried tone of questioning shattered the facade that she had maintained for so long.

    How could he have the nerve to me other people for not looking after her? No, how could he have the nerve to care about her at all?

    Emelie stared at him in disbelief as she leaned back in her chair.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    As the seconds ticked by, her gaze grew colder and colder, until it felt like the entire world had frozen over. It was the kind of reaction one would have when they meet their enemies.

 Chapter 664

    ?Chapter 664 Shattered

    Emelie said softly, "It''s mainly because the arrow that you shot years ago took away almost half of my life. It left me severely weakened, and it''s been hard to recover. If it weren''t for his attentive care, I would be even more haggard right now."

    William swallowed. The warm light didn''t even manage to hide the paleness of his face. They finally brought up their old grudge and mentioned the arrow after all.

    Emelie rested her elbow on the table. Her hand supported her chin as she said in a mocking and sarcastic tone, "You said you never really hurt me. So, did you shoot that arrow at me as a joke?"

    William remained silent, but he swallowed again.

    Emelie pretended to reflect, "It was my fault, Mr. Middleton. I didn''t understand your true intentions. Still, Mr. Middleton, the joke was a bit too much."

    William stared at her as his thin lips pressed together in a line.

    Emelie continued, "The arrow missed my heart by just a hair. The operation to remove it took ten hours. It involved three different surgeons and two admissions of critical condition. I was in aa for half a month after the operation, and I barely made it."

    "Stop!" William suddenly shouted.

    Emelieughed. "Weren''t you the one who insisted on talking about the past? Why can''t you handle it now when I''m talking about it?"

    William gripped the empty wine ss. He held it tightly as if he was trying to control his emotions.

    The fragile ss couldn''t withstand his force and shattered with a sudden crack. The shards cut his palm, and blood stained the ss.

    Emelie watched him mockingly. It was rare to see William so out of control.

    She said, "If you can''t handle it, let''s get back to business and stop dragging things out. Mr. Middleton, you used to be the most cold-hearted person. Why are you acting emotional and pitiful now? Isn''t this a bit pathetic?"

    William shut his eyes. His eyelid was wrinkled.

    He said in a suppressed tone, "Whether you believe it or not, what I did back then was actually..."

    However, he stopped talking halfway.

    Emelie pressed him and asked, "What?"

    He didn''t continue. Instead, he sighed and opened his eyes with a deep, unfathomable gaze. "Nothing. Let''s talk about business." He took a first-aid kit from the cupboard. He remained expressionless and emotionless as he used tweezers to remove the broken ss from his hand.

    He said, "I can return the Pierce family house to you free of charge. You just have to exchange it for one thing."

    It wasn''t hard for Emelie to know what he wanted. "The ount book."This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    William looked up, not denying it. "You found Ashlyn and the ount book, didn''t you? That should be the situation if I''m correct.

    "After the Hoven family came under pressure from creditors, and after I took you away, Edward foresaw

    that the Middleton, Davis, Swanson, and Collins families might go after him. Thus, he entrusted the ount book to Ashlyn and sent her away with it, iming in public that she had eloped.

    "Ashlyn, though clever, was still young at the time. While she was alone in the world, she faced countless dangers. Eventually, she was kidnapped, made mute, sold, and ended up in a human marketce until you found her.

    "Despite all the hardships she has endured over the years, she has kept the ount book carefully. Upon reuniting with you, she gave you everything, and you arranged for her to meet the Sorrel couple. Is that right?"

    They sat across the table, neither too close or too far, but just enough for them to see each other''s faces. As for the reason why Emelie''s had Ashlyn approach the Sorrel couple? William had a hunch.

    It was because the Xanther Group was working with Arsen. She wanted to destroy their partnership and rece Arsen to get closer to the Xanther Group.

    As long as Ashlyn was in Arsen''s house, Emelie had a hundred ways to achieve this goal. It didn''t have to be the wedding, it was just one of many ways.

    Emelie apuded him. He hadn''t been wrong at all.

    William threw away the tweezers, grabbed a piece of gauze, and wrapped it around his hand twice before he thought the bandage was done.

    He said calmly, "Give me the ount book and the house is yours."

 Chapter 665

    ?Chapter 665 Spilled

    Emelie smiled faintly. "Mr. Middleton, you really haven''t changed."

    Three years ago, he had driven Ronan and Greta to their deaths over this very issue. And now, three yearster, after having spent so long pretending to care for her, he proved that he was still after the same thing.

    The corners of Emelie''s mouth turned upward. But if one looked closely, they could see that her eyes were devoid of warmth. It was as cold as the bone-chilling, incessant winter rain that had fallen on Capebatt City just days ago.

    William ignored her re and met her eyes squarely. "Do you not want to?"

    "It''s not that I don''t want to." Emelie picked up a silverdle and casually stirred the soup in her bowl." It''s just that you don''t think it''s a bitte to ask me for the ount book now?"

    Thedle tapped lightly on the side of the bowl, sounding like a warning bell.

    "I''ve had the ount book for years. Do you really think I haven''t made backups? Copies, scans, digital versions- I''ve got so many that I''ve lost count.

    "Even if I give you the original, I still have enough evidence against you. The backups can be used as evidence if we end up in court. Therefore, don''t you understand it''s a bit toote to ask for the ount book now?"

    William remained silent as Emelie took a spoonful of soup and brought it to her lips, carefully blowing away the steam.

    Emelie continued, "No, everyone understands. That''s why you targeted my adoptive parents and me. Over the years, you''ve been on the lookout for Ashlyn and me in an attempt to tie up loose ends.

    "You even watched Eliana for a long time and only spared her life when you were sure that she knew nothing. For only the dead can keep secrets, and only the dead are truly safe."

    Although they spared Eliana, her husband worked for one of William''s subsidiaries, and her daughter attended a preschool funded by the Davis family. They had her entirely under their control.

    This showed that, although Vanessa might appear weak in front of Emelie, she was actually quite clever. After all, she was able to convince someone like Eliana to step forward and use William, regardless of the consequences.

    William said calmly, "You''re right. There is no point in asking for the ount book now. That is why I have to make another request."

    Emelie put down her spoon and picked up a fork with the intention of choosing something else to eat. William appeared to be calm, but the next thing she knew, he suddenly grabbed Emelie''s wrist.

    Jodie, who had been keeping a close eye on the situation inside the room, immediately sprang to her feet at the sight of what William had done.

    Emelie gestured with her free hand for Jodie to stand back.

    William held her hand tightly, and his voice was deep as he asked, "Answer me. Are you and Wesley really engaged?"

    Emelie narrowed her eyes. "That''s my private matter."

    William tightened his grip. "You don''t want the old Pierce family house anymore?"

    Emelie was amused by what he said. "Mr. Middleton, do you really think you can control me with just theThis content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    old Pierce family house as you did with my mother''s artificial heart?"

    Unfortunately for him, she was no longer the same Emelie.

    She yanked her hand back forcefully. Then, as she stood up, grabbed the tablecloth and pulled it with all her might.

    Ssh! Following the loud crash, the entire table of food, which neither of them had touched, spilled onto the floor!

    Although William stepped back in time, his trousers and slippers were sshed with soup. He looked utterly disheveled.

    Emelie let go of the tablecloth without a hint of guilt and said, "Sorry, my hand slipped. But even if it hadn''t, all this food would have ended up in the rubbish anyway. I really tried, Mr. Middleton, but I just couldn''t swallow anything while looking at your face."

    William looked down at the mess on the floor and gulped. He said in a low tone, "I made the soup."

    Emelie let out a casual "Oh."

    Then, she added, "It''s a good thing I didn''t drink it then."

 Chapter 666

    ?Chapter 666 A Gentle Knife

    Emelie took a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped the dirtied gloves that she had always been wearing. "If you want to keep the house, keep it. I''m just worried that you won''t be able to hold on to it."

    She tossed the handkerchief aside and left with Jodie and her bodyguards.

    The moment she left Eastbay and got into the car, her expression turned cold.

    Jodie said, "Ms. Pierce, don''t be upset."

    "I''m not upset. This isn''t the first time I''ve seen him go back on his word. I suffered a lot for it back then." Emelie scoffed.

    Jodie asked, "Do we still want the Pierce Residence?"

    Emelie took off her dirty gloves and tossed them aside.

    Jodie handed her a clean pair, and after she put it on, said coolly, "If someone from the Pierce family can''t have the property of the Pierce family, then I''d rather see it destroyed than in the hands of the Middleton family."

    After she got used to the new gloves, she smiled. "Jodie, I need you to do something for me."

    That night, the old Pierce family house on Brookside Road caught on fire. Fortunately, neighbors noticed it in time and called the fire department. The ze was extinguished before it caused any serious damage. William wore a long ck coat as he stood outside the Pierce Residence in the early morning. A fog had hung over the area.

    The fire trucks had just left. The ground was still wet from putting out the fire, and the air smelled of burnt wood.

    Just then, a car pulled up by the side of the road.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    William turned his head to see Emelie get out of the car, wearing brown ankle boots and a long, caramel- colored coat.

    As she walked toward him, she adjusted her scarf and said with a smile, "It seems colder than thest few days, Mr. Middleton. You were the one who advised me to dress warmly, and yet you''re wearing something so light?"

    William waited until she was close to him before he asked, "Why are you acting in such an extreme manner now? If I don''t give you the house, will you burn it down instead of leaving it?"

    "Mr. Middleton, what do you mean?" Emelie said, "I just heard that my old family house caught fire, so I came to have a look."

    William said in a low tone, "You''re being too extreme."

    Emelie shushed him. "I''m not extreme enough. I would''ve set fire to the whole row of houses if I was any more extreme.

    "Do you think that would make it on the news? Would there be a discussion about the owner of this house, maybe they would even name Xander and the Xander Group? Would that kind of curiosity lead them to dig up all the old stories about the Pierce family?"

    William chuckled softly, finally understanding what she meant.

    The fire wasn''t meant to destroy the Pierce Residence but to warn him that, if he didn''t return the house to her, it could be the spark that reignited the past scandals about the Pierce family. She was sure that William wouldn''t allow the affairs of Xander and the Xander Group to be revived.

    He hadn''t expected Emelie to act so decisively and without hesitation. She must have given the order to start the fire as soon as she left Eastbay the previous night. She didn''t even consider negotiating. The action she took was decisive and final.

    "You do things very differently from how I taught you. You''ve also be very good at manipting public opinion," William said.

    Emelie hummed in agreement. "I am responsible for the jewels and leather lines of the Filo Group. You see, you can''t promote luxury goods without marketing."

    It was only 7.30 in the morning. If it hadn''t been for the fire, there might not have been anyone driving at this time in the winter.

    However, just then, another car pulled up by the side of the road.

    Charles''s head popped out as the rear window rolled down. "Mr. Middleton, Ms. Pierce, what''s going on?"

    Emelie ignored how out of ce it was for Charles to show up so early. She sighed and answered, "I heard that it was an electrical short circuit that caused the fire. Mr. Middleton, if you''d agreed to sell me the house a few days ago, I''d have had it renovated and perhaps the disaster wouldn''t have happened."

    Charles looked around and said, "Ms. Pierce, why are you so interested in this old house anyways? It''s not veryfortable to live in. Why don''t you pick out a new ce in town, and I''ll give it to you as a gift? What do you say?"

    "Mr. Davis, I appreciate the gesture, but I really like this one." Emelie slipped her hands into her coat pockets with a faint smile. "Mr. Middleton, are you still unwilling to let it go at this stage?"

    The air still smelled of burning wood. William took a deep breath and then coughed. "It''s just a house, and if you want it, I''ll give it to you."

    Emelie asked, "No conditions?"

    William coughed a few more times, and his voice was a little hoarse now. "What am I supposed to do if you don''t want to answer my question?"

    "Then don''t mind if I do." Emelie watched as he continued to cough.

    She took a handkerchief from her pocket, walked over to him, and offered it. "Your cold seems to be getting worse. Are you sure you''re alright?"

    "I''m almost better," he replied.

    Just as William reached for the handkerchief, Emelie suddenly said coldly, "Nothinges for free, Mr. Middleton. I''d feel guilty taking a house from you for nothing. Very well, I''ll answer your question. About Wesley and I..."

    She smiled gently. "We are, of course, legally married."

 Chapter 667

    ?Chapter 667 The First I''ve Loved

    The sun had begun to rise, and the fog slowly started to dissipate.

    William stared at Emelie attentively.

    Emelie said, "He''s been the one I''ve loved for many years. You''ve known that all along, haven''t you? How can we possibly be a fake couple?"

    Suddenly, William grabbed her hand that was holding the handkerchief. His expression remained calm, but the strength of his grip continued to increase. This showed that he wasn''t as indifferent as he seemed.

    Emelie tried to struggle, but she couldn''t break free. She decided to stop moving and said softly, "Mr. Middleton, this is quite rude of you."

    A storm of emotion raged in William''s dark eyes. He gripped her hand so tightly that he left red marks and almost crushed it.

    Emelie frowned. In the end, William let go of her hand.

    He took the handkerchief, covered his mouth and coughed. Then, he turned his head away and closed his eyes as if he didn''t want to see her anymore.

    "I''ll have someone send the cleaned handkerchief and thepleted property transfer contract to you at the Penins Hotel tomorrow, Ms. Pierce," he said.

    Emelie smiled faintly. "Thank you, Mr. Middleton."

    Just as she was about to turn and leave, William suppressed his cough and said in a hoarse voice, "Ms. Pierce, I don''t have your contact details yet. Why don''t we add each other so we can keep in touch?"

    Emelieughed in surprise. As she took out her phone, she said, "Mr. Middleton, you''ve gotten pretty polite, haven''t you?"

    A word from him could easily bring her detailed information to his desk, and yet he was actually asking her in person to exchange contact details.

    William didn''t say anything back.

    After they exchanged contact details, Emelie said gently, "I have other matters to attend to, so I''ll be leaving now. Mr. Davis, I''ll see you this afternoon to discuss the charity event."

    Charles waved. "Sure thing!"

    William was still standing in the same ce after Emelie got into her car and drove off. Although he had stopped coughing, hisplexion didn''t look good.

    Even Charles noticed. "Mr. Middleton, are you all right? Shall I take you to the hospital?"

    William squeezed the handkerchief in his hand. "I''m fine."

    He was only heartbroken.

    Charles looked at the house. "The Pierce family once owned this old house, didn''t they?"

    William let out a soft sigh. "She seems to think the ount book is still hidden in the Pierce Residence, so she wants it back. She set the fire to justify ransacking the ceter."

    Charles narrowed his eyes. "You mean she still hasn''t found the ount book?"

    William replied indifferently, "If she had the ount book, she''d have made a big fuss about it by now.

    She doesn''t have it. That''s why she''s trying to intimidate us into making a wrong move."

    Charles thought his argument made sense. "I thought it was her doing too, thest time Emmie turned up at the Westward Club. But after investigating, it turned out she had nothing to do with it. You know what? Maybe we''ve overestimated her. She''s not that powerful, after all."

    William made noment on this. Instead, he asked, "Mr. Davis, why are you here so early?"

    Charles pointed in a direction. "Emmie lives in the slum over there. I wanted to see what she''s really up to.

    The slum area was like the countryside. Roads were bumpy, and cars were haphazardly parked. Charles'' car couldn''t even get through. He had to walk along the muddy and gravelly path until he got to the house where Emmie was staying.

    Emmie rented the first floor, and there was a small open space in front of the door. Charles immediately noticed a little girl ying with a toy car in the doorway.

    At first, Charles thought she was someone else''s child. However, after he closely inspected, she looked familiar.

    He paused for a moment, then he walked quickly over to her. He crouched and lifted the girl''s chin while examining her face carefully.

    The girl looked to be about two years old, and she wasn''t afraid of strangers. Instead, she blinked her eyes and smiled at him.

    "Unkie," she called out in an unclear pronunciation.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    Charles was stunned.

    Emmie came out of the house when she heard the noise. "Mia, what are you... Mia!"

    When Emmie saw Charles with the child, her face turned pale. She quickly ran over, picked up the child, and tried to flee back into the house.

    Charles snapped out of his shock and grabbed Emmie''s hand. "Who is she?"

    Emmie looked panicked. She struggled helplessly as she held onto the child. "Let me go!"

    Charles'' voice grew cold. "I''m asking you, who is she?"

    Emmie bit her lip. "She''s my daughter. So what? Isn''t that allowed? Mr. Davis, just because I was with you for six months doesn''t mean I have to be single for life, does it? Am I not allowed to get on with my own

    life?"

    "Don''t give me that nonsense." Charles pressed his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "Whose

    daughter is she?"

    "That is my own business and has nothing to do with you, Mr. Davis," Emmie said.

    Charles let out a short, coldugh before dragging her inside.

    The house was tiny. A bed and a set of tables and chairs took up most of the space, and there was very little room to walk.

    Charles threw Emmie onto the bed with a flick.

 Chapter 668

    ?Chapter 668 Biological Daughter

    Emmie quickly pushed herself to her feet, afraid she might crush her child.

    She red at him in anger. "What exactly do you

    u want?"

    Charles red back at her. "Emmie, don''t think I don''t know that you intentionally took a job at the Westward Club, purposely ran into me, and deliberately showed me your pitiful situation."

    Emmie sat up straight. "Believe it or not, I only took the job at the Westward Club because the money is good. I need the money. I''m not asplicated as you think I am."

    After she caught her breath, she said, "Mr. Davis... Mr. Davis, years ago, you took me in because my name was simr to Emelie''s.

    "I was with you for six months, fullymitted, but you chose to believe the lies of other women who used me of cheating rather than trust my innocence. That is why you kicked me out."

    "I have been away from you for over two years and have never appeared before you again. I thought that was more than enough, but why do you do this to me all the time? If I had known that it woulde to this, I would have preferred never to have met you or crossed your path."

    Charles narrowed his eyes. After a few seconds, he stepped forward and pulled a few strands of hair from the child.

    Mia cried out in pain. She covered her head and burst into tears.

    Emmie rushed forward and tried to grab the hair back. "What are you doing?"

    Charles raised his hand, holding the strands of hair out of her reach.

    He stared at her. "You better not have done something stupid."

    He didn''t continue to argue with her and strode out the door with an order to his men. "Keep an eye on her. Don''t let her get away until I''ve got the results."

    "Yes, sir!" his men replied.

    Charles took the hair to the hospital for a paternity test, and the results came out quickly, in just two hours.

    "Mr. Davis." His secretary rushed over and handed him the freshly printed results.

    Charles quickly took the documents and skimmed through them. The DNA paternity test report clearly stated that Mia was his daughter.

    Charles crumpled the paper up into a ball and clenched his teeth as he let out a bitterugh. "She actually dared to do this!"

    He was about to rush off to confront Emmie when his phone rang, and his subordinate reported, "Mr. Davis! Emmie has escaped with the child!"

    Charles was furious. "Are all of you useless? How could you let a woman and a child escape?"

    His subordinate exined nervously, "She started a fire and took the opportunity to escape while we were putting it out."

    Charles was about to explode with anger. "Then why are you wasting time talking to me? Go after them!" His subordinate hastily ended the call.

    Charles was on the brink of smashing his phone.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    The only thing on his mind at that moment was the fact that Emmie had boldly hidden his child from him and had the nerve to not tell him. He was determined to find her and make her pay for what she''d done!

    Charles couldn''t calm down throughout the morning and afternoon. He was still processing the fact that he had a two-year-old daughter.

    A daughter... A daughter who could walk, talk, and even smile.

    His emotions were mixed. He felt a strange sense of joy after his initial anger.

    Charles was an only child, and his parents were divorced, so they lived far apart. He never had many rtives around him. That was why he cared so much for his cousin Elena, who was one of his few family members.

    But now, he had a child of his own, a child who was truly his blood. The more Charles thought about it, the more heughed.

    However, that happiness didn''tst long.

    His subordinate reported that they had searched every nook and cranny of the slum but still hadn''t found Emmie.

    The subordinate sensed the impending wrath from Charles and hurriedly made amends by saying," However, she hasn''t collected her wages from the Westward Club yet! If she really needs money, she won''t miss out on her sry! We can keep an eye on the Westward Club! She''s bound to turn up!"

    Charles'' expression remained grim. Just as he was about to say something, his phone rang again.

    He pulled out his phone, annoyed.

    However, when he saw the caller ID reading "Emelie," he gathered himself before answering. "Ms. Pierce, what''s the matter?"

    Emelie smiled. "Mr. Davis, did you forget that we had a tea appointment at 3:30?"

    Charles paused as he finally remembered. He patted his forehead and quickly apologized. "I''m sorry, I''m so sorry. Something urgent came up, and Ipletely forgot about this. I''ll be right there. Ms. Pierce, please give me another fifteen minutes."

    Emelie replied, "Alright."

    After he hung up, Charles sighed and ordered his men. "Alert the Westward Club that if she shows up, they''re to detain her immediately! Keep searching! Don''t let her leave Capebatt City!"

    "Yes, sir!" his men replied.

 Chapter 669

    ?Chapter 669 His Health

    Charles ordered a bouquet on his way to the restaurant. By the time he arrived, the flowers had been delivered there at the same time.

    He held the bouquet, entered the restaurant, and instantly spotted Emelie sitting by the window. He quickly walked over with a smile. "Ms. Pierce, I apologize for being sote. Please ept my apologies."

    Emelie epted the bouquet and took a look at it. "The flowers are beautiful, but do you think a bouquet is enough to make me forgive you, Mr. Davis?"

    Charles replied with a serious look on his face, "Ms. Pierce, tell me how you''d like me to apologize. Whatever it is, I''ll make it happen if it''s within my power."

    Emelie put the bouquet aside and said, "In that case, Mr. Davis, I''d like you to find me an office in Capebatt City."

    "An office?" Charles looked puzzled.

    "The Filo Group doesn''t have an office in Capebatt City. With all our coborations, not having an office is rather inconvenient," Emelie replied.

    Charles nodded but was still a little confused.

    He said, "Ms. Pierce, it''s not that I don''t want to, but you were born in Capebatt City and have worked here for many years. Finding an office should be easy. Why do you ask for my help? I''m from Calmcrest, and I don''t know Capebatt City as well as you do."

    "Thendscape changes every few months in a busy city like Capebatt City. I''ve been gone for three years and noticed that a lot of the streets have changed, they''re different from what I remember.

    "Mr. Davis, you probably know the city better than I do now. That''s why I''d like to trouble you with this task," she replied.

    Emelie went on to say with a smile, "And weren''t you just saying that you would be giving me a property?" Charles couldn''t help butugh. "Ms. Pierce, didn''t you just get a house from Mr. Middleton? And now you''re asking me for an office? Are you nning to get freebies from both sides?"

    Emelie poured him a cup of tea as she said, "What can I say? You''re both bosses, and I''m just an employee. My budget is limited, so I have to take what I can get."

    After some thought, Charles generously agreed. "No problem! Leave it to me!"

    Emelie smiled and signaled for him to drink his tea. Then, she picked up the documents on the table and handed them to him as they moved on to the real purpose of their meeting.

    "I''ve named this charity fund ''Soar''. This is the final n from my end. Mr. Davis, I would like you to review it and let me know if you have any objections. If not, we''ll proceed with the n," she said.

    Charles sipped his tea as he scanned through the documents. His eyebrow raised at the reading of one particr line. "Ms. Pierce, you want to encourage public donations?"

    "The more people involved, the greater the impact," Emelie exined.

    Charles nodded in agreement.

    However, he was rather distracted. Emmie and Mia kept returning to his mind.

    "Yes, I don''t have any objections. Let''s go ahead with the n. I''ll take care of the formalities, and we should have results by next week," Charles said.

    Emelie smiled. "Then, we can organize a charity horse race in the field to raise the initial funds."

    Charles'' eyes lit up with excitement. "Great idea."

    Emelie lifted her teacup. "Let''s toast with tea for now. We''ll have something proper to drink when all is said and done."

    Charles watched as she raised her cup. They both clinked their cups together, satisfied with their ns. After Charles left, Emelie picked up a delicately made pastry and began to eat it in small bites.

    Jodie poured her tea and asked in confusion, "Ms. Pierce, why did you ask him to help you find an office? Aren''t you afraid he''ll set up spies?"

    Emelie said, "If I were to open an office, they would definitely put in their spies. Instead, I can lower their guard by having them help me."

    Then, she recalled another matter. "By the way, check on William''s health. I feel his cold is no ordinary cold."

    Before Jodie could answer, a male voice interrupted. "I didn''t know you cared about his health."

    Emelie looked up. To her surprise, she saw Samuel, who had been teaching at Eprand, walking up to her. She was taken aback.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    As usual, Samuel radiated a gentle aura. He wore a pair of gold-rimmed sses, the chains of which hung over his shoulders and swung gently in sync with the curve of his smile.

    Emelie stood to her feet. "Mr. Swanson."

    Samuel stopped in front of her with a deep smile.

    Emelie was surprised. "When did you return to Capebatt City?"

 Chapter 670

    ?Chapter 670 A Better Match

    "Justst night." Samuel didn''t bother with formalities and sat down, then invited Emelie to do the same. "The moment the school announced its winter break, I bought a flight ticket and came back. I was eager to see the renowned Ms. Pierce."

    Emelie was ttered and amused. She requested Jodie to ask for another pot of tea from the waiter.

    She said, "Previously, to make the charade convincing, I asked you to go to Baliz to put on a show with me. I meant to thank you properly, but you left early."

    Samuel exined, "I don''t have much of a choice. That''s the nature of my work."

    "Your presence was crucial," Emelie emphasized. "Only with you there would William and the others believe I was the bride. William wouldn''t have lost hisposure and dashed up the stage otherwise. He ruined the wedding and the partnership between Arsen and Xanther Group himself."

    Samuel dismissed the concern with a shake of his head. "He asked, but I med you. I imed that I misunderstood the invitation and believed it was your wedding. I told him I wasn''t aware of your intentions."

    Emelie felt guilty. "I ced you in a difficult position."

    She had basically asked Samuel to plot against his brother.

    Samuel said, "I make my own decisions, so you don''t have to feel guilty."

    He noticed the unfinished cake on the te in front of her and shifted the topic casually. "Is it good?" Emelie shrugged. "It''s quite tasty, just too sweet. I don''t really like sweets, so I couldn''t finish it."

    Samuel simply said, "If you want to thank me, you can treat me to a meal."Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie readily agreed. "Your choice. Order whatever you want. I''m no longer the teaching assistant who has to rely on Mr. Swanson to survive."

    Samuel yfully responded, "Then I''ll order myself a feast."

    Emelie couldn''t help butugh.

    The waiter brought the hot tea over.

    Emelie wanted to take it, but Samuel was a step ahead. He swiftly poured it for Emelie. The aroma was rich andforting.

    As old friends reunited, there was much to discuss. They spent two hours at the tea house, enjoying two pots of tea before sharing dinner. It was well past nine in the evening when they parted ways.

    After Emelie bathed, she sat down on the tatami in her bathrobe and dried her hair.

    Jodie entered and put some essential oil into the diffuser. It was used to help Emelie sleep easily, considering how much tea she drank in the afternoon.

    Then, Jodie said, "William has a personal doctor, making his medical records inessible to outsiders. However, after some probing, I''m sure it''s not the flu. It seems like his health has declined over the past two years."

    Emelie watched the mist spray out of the diffuser, filling the room with the scent of orange blossom. She stated calmly, "Whether his health is sound or not will be evident with further investigation."

    Charles was an efficient person. Three dayster, he reported the sessful establishment of the charity foundation after passing the relevant departmental reviews.

    Hence, Emelie started distributing invitations, inviting business allies to a charity horse race at the Capebatt City Meadow that weekend.

    Emelie was trying on riding attire. Her top was white while her jacket was ck.

    She turned around and asked Jodie, "How does this look?"

    Jodie responded sincerely, "Ma''am, you would look good in anything, given your tall and slender figure."

    Emelie handed her phone to Jodie. "Take a picture for me to send to Mr. Cronus."

    Jodie was taken aback. Even though she epted the phone, she didn''t raise her hand to take a picture even after some time.

    Emelie was puzzled. "What''s wrong?"

    Jodie struggled to speak, and Emelie pressed, "What''s wrong? You can tell me."

    Jodie lowered her head. "Ma''am... do you really like Mr. Graham that much?"

    Emelie didn''t know why she asked this question. "Hmm?"

    ||

    Jodie continued, "Mrs. Filo mentioned you and Mr. Inning being a better match. Mr. Inning cares about you as much as Mr. Graham. Back then, Mr. Inning even..."

    Emelie interrupted sternly, "Jodie. Why are you telling me this?"

    "I..." Jodie was at a loss for words.

    Emelie found the situation perplexing. "You were brought to the Filo family by Wesley. You''re his confidant, and I trust that you''re loyal to him. I don''t understand why you''re helping other people undermine him."

    After she gave it some thought, Emelie could only identify two possible reasons. "Do you think I''m unsuitable for Wesley? Or... do you like Wesley?"

    Terror consumed Jodie as she knelt down. "Ma''am! I wouldn''t dare!"

 Chapter 671

    ?Chapter 671 Why Did His Heart Hurt

    What kind of events did businessmen like to attend the most? Charity events were definitely one of their top three choices.

    Whether it was driven by a desire for recognition or genuinepassion, their attendance was amon urrence. When Emelie sent out the invitations, most people who were avable epted.

    Winter, with its bleakness, was hardly ideal for horseback riding. Yet, the exhration of galloping through the cold wind offered a unique thrill.

    Charles had just finished ap when he spotted Emelie, elegantly dressed in a red shirt and white pants, leisurely riding her ck horse.

    He called out cheerfully, "Ms. Pierce! Let''s race!"

    Emelie responded with a yful raise of an eyebrow, and she tightened her grip on the reins.

    "With pleasure!" she replied.

    She turned her house around and squeezed the horse''s body with her legs. "Giddy up!"

    The horse galloped without restraint, obeying only its rider.

    Temporary stands had been erected at the side, offering shelter from the wind and sand. Avish buffet, prepared by Michelin-starred chefs, had been prepared for the guests.

    This arrangement was far more engaging than the traditional ballroom events, where people had to be cramped into a hall, and the only activities were listening to music and dancing.

    From the tform, William observed the two horses, one ck and one white,pete with each other. The race was close.

    "Mr. Middleton, remember when she couldn''t even ride a horse? She was proficient at everything else." A voice remarked beside him.

    William turned to see Samuel also looking at Emelie. "Previously, when I brought her here to ride, she didn''t even know how to urge the horse forward."

    Of course, William remembered. He had gone to the racecourse with Bryan.

    Emelie didn''t know how to ride, and he had forced her to learn. She had been so angry that she pulled the reins back hard, not caring whether it would hurt her or not.

    In the end, the horse was agitated, and it raised its front legs. The two of them almost fell off the horse.

    "It''s only been three years, but look at her now," Samuelmented with a smile. "In fact, Wesley is a great teacher. I heard she''s even learning archery from him. When I called her previously, I heard her speak to Wesley like how a student would speak to their teacher."

    William responded coldly, "Didn''t you like her as well? What happened to that? You gave up so easily, huh?"

    Samuel shrugged nonchntly. "I know my ce. They go way back. Plus, Wesley saved her life three years ago. Their bond is special."

    Samuel, who wasn''t wearing his sses today, turned to look at William with a sharp gaze." No one else canpare."

    William scoffed. He couldn''t determine if he was amused by Samuel''s apparent magnanimity or by his own predicament. Samuel could evenpliment his rival in love.

    As for himself, he was the one who caused this. He deserved this, but why was his heart hurting?

    Emelie and Charles finished the race in a tie.

    As they returned to camp, they rode at a leisurely ce.

    Emelie smiled. "Mr. Davis, do you want to make a bet?"

    Charles was intrigued as he asked, "What kind of bet?"

    Her leather gloves were still on, and Emelie wound the reins around her hand. "Let''s bet on the final amount raised today. Whoever''s guess is the closest wins, and they get to hold the encryption key,"

    Each bank ount had an encryption key. With it, one could ess the money in the ount at will. Naturally, the encryption key mentioned by Emelie was the one to their charity fund.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Charles''s eyes lit up.

    He had been wondering who would be responsible for managing such a substantial fund. Unexpectedly, Emelie had used this as a wager.

    After Charles reflected on it, he thought a bet was actually the fairest way to make decisions. Otherwise, no matter which one of them got the encryption key for safekeeping, the other person would feel ufortable.

    However, if they relied on their own abilities to get the encryption key, no one would have any hard feelings.

    Charles had always thought that Emelie was smart, and he was once again proven right. He agreed immediately, "Very well,dies first. What''s your guess?"

    Emelie considered her answer.

    "100 million," she dered.

    Charles confidently countered, "150 million!"

    Emelie nodded with a smile.

    After they returned to the camp, Emelie pped her hands, gathering everyone''s attention." Ladies and gentlemen..."

 Chapter 672

    ?Chapter 672 Don''t You Hate Him?

    Emelie sat proudly on her horse, a gentle smile gracing her face.

    "I just ced a wager with Mr. Davis," she announced. "We''re betting on how much we can raise by the end of the day. Anyone interested in joining and making things more exciting?"

    Samuel responded with a smile, "We''re already here, so why not have some fun? Ms. Pierce, what are the rules? We''re ready."

    Emelie exined, "Those who can ride can choose to join my team or Mr. Davis'' team. The team of the first rider to cross that forest wins."

    She continued, "For those who can''t ride, you can bet on which team you think will win. The bets will be added to the charity fund, while the winner can pick a prize from the antique shelf."

    Charles, being a seasoned socialite, also found the idea intriguing. "That sounds like fun!" The guests echoed his sentiment, eximing, "It''s innovative andpetitive. We get to have fun while doing good.. It''s a win-win!"

    Jodie had the disy shelf brought out. It was a tall, multipartment shelf filled with various items. There were luxury bags, vintage wines, renowned paintings, handcrafted ceramics, and rare book collections.

    While the guests could easily buy these things themselves, offering them as gifts made the organizer of the event seem more thoughtful.

    Then, someone noticed a small box on the top shelf. "That ring... isn''t that an Eros?!"

    His exmation drew everyone''s attention, and soon the crowd was buzzing with excitement. "My God! It really is Eros!"

    "Eros is priceless! Wasn''t it auctioned at me Craft for 300 million?" someone said.

    A second person asked, "Is this a prize too? Ms. Pierce, are you sure it''s not a mistake?"

    Emelie smirked. "There''s no mistake. It''s one of the prizes."

    The guests were already excited to participate because the game seemed fun. They didn''t expect more surprises. Winning an Eros would be a huge win.

    Emelie said slowly, "Winners pick their prizes in order of their wager amounts, from highest to lowest."

    After she pondered for a while, she added a twist. "The first rider to emerge from the forest gets first pick."

    This meant that, if someone wanted to guarantee them winning the Eros, they would have to win the race. Otherwise, they had to pray that the first rider wouldn''t pick the Eros. Then, the next highest bidder, the person who donated the most money, would have the chance to pick it.

    A guest, still unable to believe that Emelie would offer an Eros as a prize, asked, "Ms. Pierce, are you serious?"

    Emelie''s voice was soft yet firm. "It''s all for the children."

    "Excellent!" The crowd responded with cheers. They eagerly signed up for the race and chose their teams before changing into their riding gear and selecting their horses.

    Emelie felt rather pleased and lightly tapped her toes against the stirrups.

    Then, her gaze finally met William''s, who had been standing there, waiting for her to look his way.

    His tone had no trace of emotions. "You''re really going to treat my gift so carelessly? You used it as bait, and now, as a mere gift."

    Emelie had lent it to Ashlyn to bait them. Now, she was putting it on a shelf and letting people fight for it. After all, the wedding ring was a gift from him to her.

    Emelie leaned down, her voice lowered as she spoke. "Aren''t you curious about how I

    managed to take off an Eros? If you win the ring and study it carefully, maybe you''ll find out.

    "1

    William''s voice turned cold. "If you don''t want the things I gave you, I''ll take them back. I won''t let anyone else have them."

    Emelie raised an eyebrow and asked, "So, will you be joining the race, or cing a bet from the sidelines?"

    "If it''s something I want back, I''ll get it myself." William had made his decision.

    He wouldn''t rely on the chance that the first rider might not choose the ring. He wouldn''t

    leave it up to chance. If he wanted something, he would make sure he got it.

    Emelie stared at him before finally saying, "Alright then, I wish you luck."

    William went off to change into his riding attire.

    With the race yet to begin, Emelie led her horse to get some feed.

    Jodie came to her side and muttered, "William is entering the race, just as expected."

    Emelie wasn''t surprised, she knew he would participate. His participation was necessary for her to test his physical condition and to see if there was indeed anything wrong.

    A sudden thought crossed Jodie''s mind. After she nced around to ensure no one was

    watching them, she whispered, "Ma''am, should we perhaps... tamper with William''s horse?

    ||

    Emelie turned to face her instantly.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Jodie''s eyes narrowed as she continued, "Horse racing is inherently dangerous. Falling from

    a horse can lead to injury or even death, and it would all be seen as just an ''ident''."

    "Jodie," Emelie said calmly. "If you dare to go behind my back, I''ll send you back to Mercianna. You won''t be working for me anymore."

    Jodie was taken aback. She didn''t understand. "Ma''am, don''t you... hate him?"

 Chapter 673

    ?Chapter 673 The Same Pain

    Emelie tightened the reins, leading the horse away from the feed trough, and turned to face Jodie. "My methods may not be honorable, but I would never resort to such despicable tactics."

    Jodie didn''t understand. She didn''t subscribe to the idea that "Discretion is the better part of valor". Therefore, she thought that shortcuts were simply tools for aplishing tasks.

    Tampering with William''s horse to kill him seemed like a perfectly logical strategy, and an easy one too. Why wouldn''t she do it?

    Emelie dismounted from her horse and walked up to Jodie. "Do you truly believe eliminating William would bring my revenge to an end?"

    Jodie frowned, confused. Wasn''t that the goal?This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    Emelie was amused. "If it were that simple, I would''ve hired mercenaries to eliminate the venomous snake, the eagle, the ck panther, and the lion."

    Why would she go through all the trouble of aplex scheme if her grudge could be resolved so easily?

    "Even if he was removed, the Middleton family and the Cloudex Corporation would still exist. They have a solid foundation, the resources, and the talent to quickly rece William and stabilize thepany. It''s like when I took over the Filo family during Wesley''sa," Emelie exined.

    Jodie slowly began to understand as she processed Emelie''s words. "You mean...."

    Emelie''s gaze shifted to William, who had already changed into his riding attire. He looked striking in his white shirt and trousers, in contrast to his usual dark clothing.

    "I want them to experience the same pain we endured. Only then can I consider it an apology," she said. A shiver ran down Jodie''s spine. She bowed slightly, saying, "I understand. I won''t take any actions without your orders."

    Emelie grabbed the saddle, stepped on the stirrup, and mounted her horse. "Just you wait, they should too. They will pay for their betrayal, right under their noses."

    She tugged on the reins, and her horse walked toward William. "Which team will you be joining, Mr. Middleton?"

    Riding attires were usually fitted. From the shoulders to the waist to the thighs, the fabric clung close to the body, showing off a person''s figure.

    William had broad shoulders and long legs, so he looked dashing in his white shirt, white trousers and ck boots. No matter how bad his character was, William always looked handsome.

    He wore a pair ck leather gloves and held a riding crop. He raised his head to look at her. "There are enough people on your team, Ms. Pierce. I''ll join Mr. Davis."

    Charles was in high spirits. "With you on my team, it seems I will definitely win today!"

    Emelie replied, "Mr. Davis, don''t boast now. It would be embarrassing if you lostter."

    Charlesughed. "We''ll see!"

    The stableman brought William''s horse over. It was a maroon mixed-breed horse. He stepped on the stirrup and mounted the horse in one swift motion.

    Emelie rode up to William, who looked at her.

    William said, "Your riding skills are quite impressive."

    Emelie forced a smile. "You tter me, Mr. Middleton."

    The participants lined up for the start of the race. With the referee''s whistle blow, the riders spurred their horses forward, sending a cloud of dust into the air.

    "Giddy up!"

    The forest was huge, so once the horses entered, they disappeared like sands trickling through marbles. Emelie and Jodie were the first to enter the forest, but the dense trees quickly disoriented them. However, they were in no hurry to win the race since they had another goal in mind.

    As they continued their journey, an unsettling silence enveloped the forest. The absence of other riders was unusual.

    Emelie smirked. "It seems I overestimated the integrity of ourpetitors. Just because I wouldn''t stoop to their level doesn''t mean they wouldn''t. As the saying goes, ''Nobility will only inhibit you, while despicableness allows you to do as you please"."

    Right after saying that, four masked men jumped down from the trees and surrounded Emelie and Jodie.

 Chapter 674

    Chapter 674 Pressed Together

    Emelie drew a small dagger that she had hidden in her boot.

    Her mind was racing. Who were these people, and what were their motives? Were they here to kill her?

    It seemed too early for the four families to kill her now, as she hadn''t confronted them yet. Perhaps they intended to warn her by hurting her, or even kidnap her to force a confession of her ns.

    Jodie positioned her horse defensively in front of Emelie. "Be careful, Ma''am."

    Emelie nodded.

    The four menunched themselves at them without hesitation. Jodie fought back fiercely, gaining the upper hand even though she was outnumbered.

    She delivered a powerful kick that could easily break ribs, sending one attacker reeling. The other attackers couldn''t get up either after being hit to the ground.

    With a swift movement, Jodie used her whip to ensnare another man''s neck. Then, she yanked over the man who was struggling to breathe.

    Jodie growled, "Who sent you?"

    The man refused to answer.

    The other attackers whistled, and a rustling sound echoed through the forest. They probably had reinforcements.

    "Ms. Hoven, you should leave now," Jodie urged. "I can handle them."

    Emelie knew that she would burden Jodie if she stayed, so she didn''t hesitate.

    "Be careful," she warned before galloping away on her horse.

    But very soon, Emelie heard the sound of hooves hitting the ground behind her. She nced back and saw a few masked ridersing after her. They were obviously her attackers and not the other contestants.

    She changed her direction decisively, guiding her horse into a dense thicket. Then, she dismounted and struck her horse hard with her whip, sending it bolting away from the pain.

    Emelie hid in a bush and watched as the pursuers chased after her horse. She turned and began walking in the opposite direction, nning to escape from the forest.

    Just as she took a few steps, the sound of approaching hooves alerted her. Had her n of leading them on a wild goose chase failed?

    Emelie''s hand tightened around her dagger as she spun around.

    To her astonishment, it was William.

    A wave of surprise washed over her before she narrowed her eyes. "If I recall correctly, Mr. Middleton, you were ahead of me. How is it that you are behind me now?"

    William''s expression remained impassive as he looked at her, revealing nothing. His gaze was unfathomable as well.

    Emelie smirked. "Mr. Middleton, don''t tell me that you sent those men to attack me. If that''s the case, I would find myself quiteughable."

    She had spared him only to be met with treachery.

    William offered no exnation or denial. Instead, he urged his horse closer, towering over her.

    Emelie stood her ground. He stopped his horse a short distance away, his shadow looming over her.

    William asked in a low voice, "You''ve lost your horse in this race. How will you continue?"

    Emelie''s expression remained unchanged. "A bet is a bet. Even though something unexpected happened, I ept that I lost."

    William extended his hand. "Want to ride with me? I can take you out of here."

    Emelie let out a coldugh.

    "There''s no need," she declined, turning to leave.

    William watched her leave and dismounted from his horse. Then, he tied the reins to a nearby tree and followed her.

    He walked and stopped whenever she did, his presence was a constant shadow. The proximity was unsettling, despite theck of physical contact.

    Emelie pursed her lips.

    Suddenly, she broke into a run. The forest was supposed to be crowded as many people and horses had entered it, but it was eerily quiet.

    Emelie continued running, but William''s footsteps didn''t show signs of letting up.

    Her face fell. Right after she jumped over a fallen tree, she turned and aimed her dagger at William. William was startled, but he reacted swiftly. He stepped back and evaded the deadly strike. However, his heel caught on a fallen tree, and he stumbled.

    In that brief moment of vulnerability, the dagger sliced through his sleeve and across his arm. His blood dripped onto the decaying forest floor, disappearing into the ground.

    William nced at the wound but showed no sign of pain. Instead, he reached out to grab Emelie''s wrist. Without hesitation, she kicked him.

    They were engaged in closebat. In just a few moments, they had already made more than ten moves against each other.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie had only started learning how to fight two years ago. She couldn''tpare to William, who had years of training. Moreover, he was stronger than her.

    In a matter of seconds, he had disarmed her and grabbed both her hands. Then, he pinned her against a tree, his leg up against her crotch. She waspletely helpless now.

    Every part of their body-chest, waist, and hip-were pressed together intimately for the first time since their reunion.

 Chapter 675 Angel

    ?Chapter 675 Angel

    The scent of William, a familiar fragrance reminiscent of fresh snow, filled Emelie''s senses for the first time in many years. It triggered memories of intimate moments with him, and her expression darkened.

    William lowered his head. "Your grappling skills have improved. I heard you learned what you know now from Wesley. Did he teach you in positions like this?"

    They were so close that she could feel his breath on her neck when he spoke. She fought to hold her breath.

    Even after three years apart, she knew him well enough to sense his displeasure. But why was he angry? She didn''t know, and she didn''t want to know either.

    She hated the feeling of being controlled the most, as it reminded her of her helplessness during Ronan''s tragic death.

    Her usually clear eyes were clouded with bloodlust. She raised her head and locked eyes with William.

    "Let go!" she demanded, her voice low and dangerous.

    Instead of releasing her, William tightened his grip.

    "Angel," he said, his voice deepening.

    The single word sent a shockwave through Emelie, freezing her in ce. At the same time, she seethed. William pinched her chin.

    "Angel, I allow you to do as you please only because you belong to me," he dered in a low voice. "Who gave you permission to be with Wesley?"Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    It was only then that Emelie knew why he was angry. A mocking smile curled on Emelie''s lips.

    "I should have known why you''re doing this to me, Mr. Middleton. It seems like you''re jealous," she retorted. He was just too possessive.

    She freed her chin from his grasp and scanned the surroundings. "I remember this field. You once told me that in this life, I would either die alone or get back together with you."

    "That hasn''t changed," William replied.

    She belonged to him, regardless of the fact that he caused her parents'' death, that he was the Pierce family''s enemy, and that he shot her with a crossbow. She could only be his despite having survived.

    A surge of anger ignited within Emelie.

    "Then prove you still have what it takes!" she challenged, and with a swift movement, she pushed William away.

    Before William could stop her, she raised her hand and aimed something at him. It was a crossbow instead of a dagger.

    William''s eyes narrowed.

    "A pocket crossbow," Emelie said while aiming the crossbow at him.

    It was just like that year on the vast field. The only difference was that they had switched positions. Now, she was the one wielding the crossbow.

    "I had an artisan design it for me. I haverger ones, but unfortunately, I didn''t bring them with me today. This will have to suffice. Don''t worry, my aim is better than yours. I won''t miss. The arrow will pierce

    right through your heart," she said.

    There seemed to be a storm forming in William''s eyes. However, for some reason, he chuckled.

    Her aim was better? He doubted it.

    Jodie arrived at this moment. "Ma''am!"

    She saw William and immediately shielded Emelie behind her.

    Emelie really wanted to pull the trigger. She wanted William to pay a hundredfold for what he did to her. She didn''t see any reason to not do it.

    She narrowed her eyes, raised the crossbow, and pulled the trigger.

    The arrow flew through the air, but William didn''t move. It brushed past William''s cheek and cut off a few strands of his hair. Then, it struck the tree trunk.

    William felt a faint sting on his cheek and blood trickling down his face slowly.

    Emelie lowered the crossbow. "That was a warning. If you touch me again, it won''t just be a scratch the next time."

    She nced at the sky, a faint smile ying on her lips. "Time is running out for you to im the ring, Mr. Middleton. How unfortunate, but you lost."

    With that, Emelie turned and walked away. Jodie only followed after Emelie after making sure that William was far enough to not be a threat to her.

    William remained rooted to the spot for some time. Then, he shifted his gaze to the dagger that he had taken from Emelie.

    He walked back to his horse, which was still tied to a tree, and stopped a few feet away. With a swift movement, he threw the dagger. The de sunk perfectly into the tree trunk, severing the reins.

    The horse approached him calmly, and William patted the horse''s head, his expression had a mask of indifference. How could his aim be anything less than perfect?

 Chapter 676

    ?Chapter 676 You''re my Wife

    Emelie and Jodie emerged from the forest. It was obvious who had won the horse race today.

    Charles, standing at the finish line, was grinning widely. "Ms. Pierce, you''rete! Were you trying to let us win? From what I saw just now, your riding skills aren''t that bad."

    Emelie returned his smile. "The horse stumbled. These things happen. Seems like your team was the first out of the forest, given how happy you are."

    "You''re right!" Charles eximed. "And even ''worse'' news, Ms. Pierce. We''ve raised 140 million so far. Whether it climbs higher or not, we''re already close to my prediction. It''s a double loss for you!"

    Emelie chuckled. "Quite the loss. Mr. Davis, you owe me dinner tonight to soothe my wounded pride."

    Charles readily agreed.

    As the event concluded, it was time to hand out the prizes. The first person out of the forest got to choose a gift.

    Emelie watched as an unfamiliar man walked up to the antique shelf and imed the Eros ring. It was no surprise. He held it up triumphantly, and the crowd apuded.

    Emelie observed the scene passively.

    By nightfall, the total amount of money raised had reached exactly 150 million, perfectly matching Charles'' prediction. It marked the highest amount raised in a single-day charity event in Capebatt City''s recent history.

    The funds were transferred to the "Soar "foundation ount, with the encryption key handed over to Charles.

    That evening, Emelie joined Charles and other donors for dinner. The atmosphere was jovial, with several bottles of wine shared. By the time they finished, it was well past eleven.

    Jodie helped the slightly tipsy Emelie back to the hotel.

    As Jodie swiped her card and opened the door, she announced, "Ma''am, I''ll make you some honey for the hangover."

    Emelie reached for the light switch and spotted a pair of men''s dress shoes by the entrance. Someone had entered her room in her absence.

    Emelie said calmly, "There''s no need. I''m fine now."Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Jodie had also noticed the shoes and tensed. "I''ll call security."

    Emelie studied the shoes before walking into the living room. "You don''t need to do that either. This is his favorite brand."

    "Mr. Middleton, why do you always barge into my room like this? It''s quite rude," Emelie said. Thest part was directed at the man sitting on the living room sofa.

    William looked up.

    He had been there for some time. He had changed back into a ck suit and dark blue overcoat. As always, he appeared cold yet distinguished, but the crossbow wound added an unusual touch of disarray.

    William opened a small box, ced it on the coffee table, and slid it toward her. "I came to return something."

    Emelie''s eyes fell on the box, revealing the Eros ring inside.

    It was unexpected, yet not entirely surprising. While the first person out of the forest wasn''t William, he wouldn''t let the Eros ring end up in someone else''s hands.

    Emelie sat on the sofa across from him, poured herself some water, and asked casually," Didn''t you say you were taking it back, Mr. Middleton?"

    "You''re my wife, and that will never change," William stated.

    Emelie raised an eyebrow. "I''ll count to three. If you don''t put it away, I''ll throw it out the window."

    William remained unmoved, and Emelie began counting, "One, two, three"

    As she finished counting, Emelie mmed down her ss, grabbed the ring, and tossed it out the open window.

    Jodie gasped. This was the twenty-first floor.

    William remainedposed and continued to watch her intently.

    Emelie suddenly smiled, leaned back on the sofa, and opened her hand. The Eros ring was still in her hand. "Just kidding. It''s worth 300 million. I couldn''t bear to throw it away."

    She tossed it back to him. "Put it away, Mr. Middleton."

    William caught the ring deftly and put it back into the box. He pushed it toward her again." I''ll trade it for an answer. If you answer me, it''s yours."

    Emelie, feeling slightly disoriented from the alcohol, rested her head in her hand and saidzily, "Did I say I wanted it? If I did, I wouldn''t have used it as a bet today."

    William regarded her intently and said softly, "A few words for a ring worth 300 million. Ms. Pierce, don''t you think it''s worth it?"

    Emelie lifted her head. After they stared at each other in silence for three minutes, she nodded. "Yes, it''s worth it. So, what do you want to ask, Mr. Middleton?"

    William swallowed as his tone grew serious. "I examined the ring. It wasn''t damaged, meaning it wasn''t forcibly removed, but there are bloodstains... How did you remove it?"

    Emelie curled her fingers, remembering the pain. She smiled coolly. "Didn''t you already guess?"

 Chapter 677

    ?Chapter 677 Do You Hate Me That Much?This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    William reached out and took Emelie''s hand.

    Jodie immediately stepped forward, ready to object, but Emelie didn''t pull away. After a moment of hesitation, Jodie quietly stepped back behind Emelie.

    William started to undo the Velcro on Emelie''s glove. Since she arrived in Capebatt City, Emelie had always worn gloves in public. Because it was winter now, no one questioned it.

    Only William was concerned. He had wanted to take off her gloves multiple times and find out what happened to her hand. Now, he was carefully removing the glove, finally revealing the truth.

    Her skin was as white as snow, and her hands were delicate. Her nails were neatly trimmed and painted with a natural pink.

    If it weren''t for the scar on her ring finger, her hands could rival those of the hand models in jewelry stores.

    William frowned as he gently touched Emelie''s ring finger. The scar was jagged, a sign of stitches. He had suspected this, but even now, he found it hard to believe. He swallowed, his heart aching.

    Emelie said slowly, "I manage the Filo Group''s jewelry line, and the jewelry designers exined the design principles of Eros to me.

    "They im that it''s impossible to remove the ring alive because of its special design. Once it''s on, it gets trapped by the finger joints and can only be removed after death when the body dposes."

    She continued, "In other words, as long as the ring doesn''t have to pass through the finger joints, you can remove it while alive."

    William said softly, "It''s not possible to remove it without passing through the joints."

    Emelie smirked. "You don''t need to go through the joints if you cut off the finger and remove it."

    William felt his heart squeeze. He had considered this possibility but couldn''t believe it was the actual method she had used.

    He was holding her hand, so Emelie could feel him trembling slightly. She felt a strange sense of vindictive satisfaction.

    She teased him, "Don''t worry, I had surgery to reattach it before the nerves died. It''s fully functional now, though it hurts a bit when the weather changes. Though I would rather go through the pain than wear that ring for life."

    William lowered his head and rested his forehead on the back of her hand. After a long while, he finally managed to force out the words, "Do you really hate me that much?"

    Emelie replied, "Of course."

    It was as if a sledgehammer had struck William. Strength drained from his body, and his usually upright shoulders slumped.

    The night was cold. In the silent room, only the word "angel" said with pain and in a hoarse voice could be heard. Unfortunately, there was no response.

    Long after William had left, Emelie was still lying on the living room sofa and staring nkly at the ceiling. She seemed to be in a daze, or perhaps she was just thinking.

    Jodie warmed up a cup of milk for her. When she noticed her darkened expression, Jodie couldn''t help but ask, "Ma''am, are you okay?"

    Emelie sat up and smiled slightly. "I''m fine."

    She picked up the ss of milk and took a sip. Some honey had been added into the milk, making it sweet. She didn''t like sweets, but she drank it anyway.

    Jodie said, "I understand what you told me in the forest, but I still think that you should teach him a lesson. If it weren''t for him, you wouldn''t have those two scars."

    One scar was on her chest while the other one was on her finger. Both of them were because of William.

    Emelie remained silent, her gaze appearing hazy behind the steaming from the milk. Jodie continued, "You also suffered from such severe mental..."

    "Jodie," Emelie interrupted her as she put down her ss of milk. She had calmed down now.

    Emelie continued, "The encryption key is already with Charles. Follow the instructions I gave you. He has a choice to make, the consequences of which he has to bear. We just need to wait and see."

    Jodie moved her lips, wanting to say something. In the end, she just acknowledged Emelie''s orders. "Yes."

    "You may rest." Emelie picked up the ring box from the table, went into the bedroom, and ced it on the dressing table.

    While she undressed for a bath, she nced at the ring. It sparkled under the light. There were still traces of blood on the main stone and the band of the ring that she had deliberately left there.

    After she "removed" the Eros ring, she had a replica made by a craftsman. Ashlyn had worn the replica on her wedding day. If she had worn the real one, removing itter would have been just as difficult for her.

    Emelie looked away. She tossed her clothes onto the sofa and turned to enter the bathroom.

 Chapter 679

    ?Chapter 679 Clean Her Up

    Charles had drunk even more than Emelie, and he was now lying passed out on his bed. However, a sudden phone call from his subordinate jolted him awake. "Mr. Davis, we''ve found Emmie!"

    Charles sprang out of bed. "Where is she?"

    The subordinate replied, "She bribed a sailor to let her board his ship, intending to escape Capebatt City. Our men surveying the area caught her. We''ve locked her up."

    Charles asked, "Is the child with her?"

    "Yes!" the subordinate said.

    Charles let out a low chuckle and opened the closet, choosing a set of clothes to change into.

    "That woman is cunning. Keep the child in another room. As long as we have the child, she won''t dare to run. I''m going there right now!" Charles said.

    At a cheap hotel near the dock, Emmie was guarded by several burly bodyguards. She tried to make a run for it multiple times, but she was stopped each time.

    When Charles arrived with his men, Emmie lunged at him and grabbed his cor.

    She yelled anxiously, "Charles! Give me back Mia! Give her back to me!"

    Charles sneered. "Aren''t you the clever one? With two burly men guarding you, you still managed to slip away."

    Emmie''s hair was disheveled and her clothes were dirty because she hadin down in the boat. She looked pathetic, a stark contrast to the impably dressed Charles.

    She stared at him in despair. "What do you want from me?"

    Charles'' voice was cold. "I want answers."

    Emmie took a deep breath. "I don''t know what you''re talking about. We haven''t seen each other in two years. There''s nothing left to say."

    "Still ying innocent, are we? I had a DNA test done. Mia is my daughter." Emmie let go of his cor, the color draining from her face.

    Charles looked at her intently. "If I remember correctly, I was always careful during our time together. So how did you get pregnant with this child? Did you set me up?"

    Emmie denied it immediately. "No, I didn''t!"

    Charles mocked, "Oh, so it was an ident? If you were carrying my child, why didn''t you tell me? You said you were struggling financially. Surely you knew I could give you more than what you make if you brought her to me?

    He continued, "But you didn''t. Is it because you''ve been with too many men that you

    weren''t even sure if the child was mine?"

    Before he could finish speaking, Emmie pped him hard across the face. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she said behind gritted teeth, "You bastard, Charles!"This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    Charles'' head was turned to the side due to the impact. He turned back around slowly, noticing the grievance and anger in Emmie''s eyes.

    He touched the inside of his cheek with his tongue, his voice cold. "This is a new experience for me. Someone actually dared to hit me."

    He reached out and roughly gripped her chin.

    Emmie, who was around 26 years old, was unremarkable by his standards. Yet, a striking red mole on her forehead made her enchanting, adding a unique charm to her otherwise nd features.

    Back then, it was this mark that had first drawn his attention to her. He had asked for her

    name.

    His grip tightened. "Do you think having my child gives you the right to treat me this way? Huh?"

    Emmie said stubbornly, "Give me back Mia."

    Charles released her with a sneer. "You,e here!"

    The bodyguards appeared, scaring Emmie so much that she retreated. "What are you going to do?"

    Charles smoothed the wrinkles on his clothes caused by Emmie grabbing it. His tone was indifferent as he said, "Take her and clean her up. I can''t stand the smell of fish when I dig in."

    The bodyguards replied, "Yes, sir!"

    They advance toward Emmie, dragging her away. Naturally, she couldn''t win a fight against a few burly men. She could only shout, "Charles, you bastard! Let me go! You''re a monster! Mia! Mia!"

 Chapter 680

    ?Chapter 680 I''ll Marry You

    Charles wasn''t a man who would force himself on a woman. Those who dated him had

    chosen to be with him willingly. But with Emmie, he seemed to have always been harsher.

    Charles felt aplicated mix of emotions. He scratched the back of his head and asked, " So, you got pregnant during that time?"

    Emmie stayed silent.

    Charles asked again, "We had broken up by then. Why did you decide to keep the baby?"

    Emmie sneered, "You guessed right. At first, I nned to have the baby secretly and then eithere to you or your parents for money."

    She looked up at him. There were still teardrops on her eyshes, but her gaze was icy cold.

    She said, "You slept with me and treated me as a recement. Then, you got bored and found someone new. When your new girlfriend told you I betrayed you, you believed her and pushed me away.

    "When you wanted me again, you barged into my home and forced yourself on me. Why? Charles, why do you treat me so poorly?"

    She wiped away her tears. "I know you. Even though you''re a jerk, you''re notpletely without hope. You wouldn''t ignore your own child. I thought that if I had your child, you would never forget me. That was the best way I could think of to get revenge on you."Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    In the end, she was just a young woman who had recently graduated from college. She didn''t have any power or influence, and she wasn''t very clever.

    The only way she could think of to get back at Charles was to have a baby so that he would remember her forever. How foolish.

    Emmie choked up. "Butter...ter, as Mia grew inside me day by day, I started to feel her moving. I could hear her heartbeat and see her little hands and feet. She''s my child. I love her. I couldn''t bear to give her up to you."

    She continued, "Mia was born prematurely and almost didn''t survive. I spent all my savings on her and barely managed to keep her alive."

    She suddenly jumped off the bed, grabbed a fruit knife, and pointed it at him. "Charles, if you dare take her away from me, I''ll take you down with me!"

    Charles wasn''t afraid that she would use the knife. Instead, he was more troubled by her tears and usations. "Did you really not betray me back then?"

    Emmie scoffed. "You didn''tpletely believe X''s lies, right? You were just tired of me. It just so happened that she gave you an excuse, and you used it to break up with me. Isn''t that right?"

    It turned out that she wasn''t so foolish after all.

    Charles didn''t deny it.

    Emmie continued, "Charles, I know everything. I was never your type. When we were together, you wouldn''t even have paid attention to me. You only started dating me because Ms. Emelie died.

    "Since my name is simr to hers, you epted me. After six months, you moved on, and so you became tired of me as well."

    She shook her head. "You hurt me once, and I got revenge. We''re even now. Give Mia back to me, and my daughter and I will never appear in your life ever again."

    Charles admitted that, after hearing what she said, he felt a little guilty toward her.

    Indeed, he had been quite cruel to her in the past. He didn''t have much integrity, as evidenced by how he had relentlessly pursued Emelie.

    As he got older, he became less yful. He wasn''t that interested in women anymore, and he hadn''t had a girlfriend for a long time.

    Knowing he had a daughter made him happier than anything else. So, he would never let Emmie take Mia away.

    "I can''t let you take Mia. She''s my daughter, and she must stay with me," Charles said directly.

    Emmie felt her heart shatter.

    Charles continued, "Don''t think that you''ll win the custody either. The court will also consider the financial situation of both parents and who can provide better care for the child.

    "If Mia stays with you, she''ll have to move around a lot. And when you go to work, who will take care of her? She''s still young. When she starts getting older, she''ll need a good education and tons of other things. Can you afford it?"

    Emmie bit her lip.

    Charles walked up to her and held her trembling hand. He took the knife away from her." I''m giving you two choices. First, I''ll give you ten million. You can go wherever you want, but you''ll no longer have any ties with either me or Mia.

    "Second, stay and help me take care of Mia."

    Charles turned and put the fruit knife on the table, speaking casually. "I don''t have any girlfriends right now, so you can think of it as us getting back together. Maybe in the future, I''ll even marry you."

    Emmie closed her eyes.

    Did she have a choice? She didn''t. She couldn''t give up Mia.

    After all that, Charles didn''t sleep well that night.

    Yet, early the next morning, his secretary knocked on his door and said, "Mr. Davis, Ms.

    Pierce is here."

 Chapter 681

    ?Chapter 681 Follow Me

    Charles was momentarily puzzled. He wondered why Emelie would visit him at such an hour.

    He turned around and nced at Emmie, who had shared a room with himst night. He had spent the night on the couch while she took the bed.

    After a brief pause, he said to Emmie, "Mia is in the room next door. You should go check on her."

    Then, he headed downstairs with his secretary to meet Emelie in the living room.

    Meanwhile, Emelie was admiring the painting hanging on his wall. It was "The Last Judgment" by Michngelo.

    "Ms. Pierce, you came by without a word. I just woke up. How inconsiderate." Charles descended the stairs, watching Emelie from behind.

    Emelie was dressed in a raspberry-colored long coat with a structured fit. She had a leather belt cinched at her waist, and she wore a pair of ankle boots. Her outfit seemed to have a bnced style and warmth.

    Charles recalled Emmie''s usations from the night before. She said that he was treating her as a stand- in for Emelie.

    Emelie''s sudden "death" years ago had Charles struggling to move on. However, the truth was they never really had a deep rtionship. Over the years, his feelings for Emelie had faded. Now, his thoughts were centered around Emmie.

    Emelie turned to him with a smile. "I''m heading to the airport and thought I''d drop by to say hello. Mr. Davis, this painting... Is it an original?"

    "Of course not. The original is in the Vanti Celestine Chapel. But this piece is a high-quality replica. It cost me six figures back then," Charles replied.

    He walked over to Emelie, feeling curious. "The airport? Where are you headed, Ms. Pierce?"

    Emelie raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps you forgot, Mr. Davis. After the Filo Group and Xanther secured the partnership, the Filo Group became involved in the Renewable Energy Project. I need to inspect the newbs and check on the project''s progress."

    "Ah, yeah, of course. I drank too muchst night. My brain''s a bit foggy," Charles said as he knocked his forehead. "So, you''re going to be away for a while?"

    Emelie nodded. "At least half a month. If time permits, I might also visit the kids in Veloria. The charity fund work will be in your hands for the time being, Mr. Davis."

    Charles readily assured her, "Don''t worry. We''ll stay in touch if anythinges up."

    "Alright," Emelie replied.

    With that, Emelie turned to leave, her gaze briefly sweeping over the second floor.

    Emmie was standing by the railing with Mia in her hands. At that instant, their eyes met.

    Emmie nodded slightly, and Emelie curved her lips into a faint smile.

    After Emelie left Charles''s mansion, she boarded a private jet with her team.

    They were on a tight schedule, having to inspect a few renewable energy stations across three locations in just two days.

    On the seventh day, they finally arrived in Borealis City. The city was located in the north, and the ce had been nketed in snow for the past two days.

    The station was located on the outskirts. As they drove out, the snowfall unexpectedly intensified. It grew worse by the minute, forcing them to slow down. Eventually, the driver hesitated to go any further.

    Jodie called the relevant authorities to check on the situation. Her expression became serious, and she turned to Emelie.

    "Ma''am, the snow is too heavy. The roads ahead hadpletely iced over. The highway is temporarily closed too. We can''t get through," Jodie informed.

    Emelie furrowed her brows.

    There wasn''t much snow when they had set out. Who could have predicted that, within just an hour, the storm would worsen so badly? It was clear they had underestimated the northern weather.

    "Let''s look for a nearby hotel for now," Emelie suggested.

    As Jodie checked the map on her tablet, a heaviness settled in her heart.

    She said, "The nearest hotel is 50 kilometers away. At our current speed, it''ll be dark before we even get there. It won''t be safe."

    With poor visibility and the icy roads, there could be high risks of getting into an ident. Skidding, drifting, collisions, or even rollovers could happen. Clearly, the danger would only increase after dark.

    They were now stuck in the middle of nowhere, with no clear way forward or back.

    While Jodie and the driver discussed the road conditions, Emelie''s phone suddenly rang.

    She retrieved her phone and nced at the screen.

    William was calling.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie frowned and picked up the call. "Mr. Middleton, can I help you?"

    William''s voice came through the speaker. "See the hazard lights?"

    Emelie paused briefly. "What?"

    She instinctively looked ahead.

    Through the thick snowfall, all Emelie saw was a wall of gray and white. There was nothing.

    However, as she turned around, she saw two blinking headlights through the blinding snow. It resembled

    a beast blinking its eyes.

    William continued, "That''s my car. Follow me."

 Chapter 682

    ?Chapter 682 Dropping The Pretense

    Emelie tightened her grip on her phone. After a few seconds, she spoke up.

    "Follow the car behind us," she instructed the driver in a low voice.

    With William''s car leading the way, Emelie''s team cautiously advanced through the heavy snowfall.

    The three vehicles slowly exited the highway and drove about five or six hundred meters. Finally, they arrived at a two-story house with front and back yards.

    William parked his car in front of the house.

    As everyone got out, Emelie noticed that William was alone. He hadn''t brought his secretaries or bodyguards.

    He was dressed in a ck puffer jacket, white mist escaped his mouth and nose as he breathed. Under the freezing weather, his features looked even sharper.

    William went to check on Emelie first. After he made sure that she was unharmed, he entered the ess code at the front door.

    Emelie narrowed her eyes. Did that house belong to him? Why would he own a ce in such a remote location?

    It was as if William could read her thoughts.

    "I passed by here thest time I came to check on the station. I saw this house and thought the view was beautiful, so I decided to buy it. I was hoping to bring you here for a vacation someday," he softly exined.

    Emelie dismissed his words, her expression was cold.

    The station had been built over the past three years when Emelie was believed to be "dead". He couldn''t possibly know she was alive after such a near-fatal experience. Was he going to bring her ashes on a vacation with him?

    William opened the door and then went to turn on the main power and water valves.

    The house was decorated in a Vereios style with a closedbustion firece in the living room. Then, William instructed Emelie''s bodyguard to light the fire.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    The bodyguard who only took Emelie''s orders nced at her questioningly. As Emelie nodded, the bodyguard headed to the fuel room.

    The firece quickly burned, radiating a warm sensation. Those caught in the snow instantly felt as if the blood in their veins was flowing again.

    William turned to Emelie. "The air flow isn''t great with so many people here. Let''s go to the living room upstairs."

    Emelie pondered for a moment and nodded, following him upstairs with Jodie.

    It was clear that the house was regrly maintained as there was little dust. Another firece was ced on the second floor as well. The fire there was already lit.

    Emelie sat down on the couch and smiled as she looked at William. "Mr. Middleton, what brings you here? Or should I say, how did you know my exact location?"

    William opened a bottle of water and poured it into the electric kettle to boil.

    "When I arrived at your hotel, I happened to see you driving away. I guessed you were heading to Station 66, so I followed you," he rified softly.

    Emelie came to a sudden realization. "Oh, I get it now. I thought that after a few days apart, you had picked up some new skill I didn''t know about. Like a hero appearing out of nowhere."

    William looked at Emelie as she gave a polite smile.

    After three years, the most notable change in Emelie was her frequent smiles. She had be gracious and kind to everyone. Yet, her eyes bore no genuine emotion upon closer inspection.

    "There''s no one else here. You don''t have to force a smile. You don''t even want to smile at me anyway,'' William said.

    Emelie looked at him, her expression gradually turned nk.

    "Are you cold?" William asked as he gazed at Emelie.

    Emelie was engrossed in her phone, her demeanor as cold as the icy weather.

    "I said you don''t have to pretend, and now you don''t even bother to talk to me?" William asked.

    It was true.

    Emelie turned off her phone. She looked out the window, growing irritated at the heavy snowfall.

    Suddenly, William stood up and unzipped his puffer jacket. And Emelie nced at him upon hearing the sound.

    William removed his coat, revealing a turtleneck sweater underneath. Then, he handed his puffer jacket to Emelie.

    "Your jacket is wet. You should take it off for now," he said.

    Emelie didn''t respond.

    William added, "After the snow stops, we''ll have to wait for the ice on the roads to melt before we can leave. It could take three to five days. There''s no medicine to help if you get sick here."

    Emelie''s jacket wasn''t waterproof, and it was damp from the snow.

    Despite that, she held her ground. "Mr. Middleton, your health is worse than mine. There''s no need to push yourself. Keep it for yourself."

    "I''m in good health. Change out of your wet jacket. I''ll help you dry it," William simply replied and held out his jacket again.

 Chapter 683

    ?Chapter 683 Would Never Want You To Hate Me

    Emelie remained expressionless.

    After all, there was no point in risking her health by staying in wet clothes. Since William wanted to y the hero, Emelie would let him.

    Even if he ended up falling ill, it would be his own doing. Emelie felt no guilt or gratitude towards him. She took off her wet jacket and changed into William''s.

    The moment Emelie put on his jacket, she instantly regretted it, the jacket carried his scent. She frowned in annoyance.

    Emelie had to spend the next few days with William in the same house. At the thought of that, she grew even more frustrated.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    What a nightmare. How could they have found themselves in this situation?

    William pulled a chair to the firece and spread out Emelie''s damp jacket, using the heat to dry it.

    "Is there any food here?" Emelie asked as a realization dawned upon her. They would be stuck there for several days. No way they could survive on water alone.

    William grabbed three disposable cups and added some tea leaves to each. "I have some instant food in my car. It was meant for theb staff. Looks like we''ll have to make do for ourselves."

    Emelie was skeptical upon hearing William''s words. "Mr. Middleton, you brought in supplies for a work inspection?"

    William exined, "Theb is on the outskirts. There are no grocery stores or markets nearby, and it''s a hassle to get food. I brought a lot of supplies and kept them in the fridge. Thest time I visited, I noticed the staff were eating poorly. So I decided to prepare some for them this time."

    Emelie scanned him silently, her face clearly disying her doubt.

    Was it really just a coincidence? What were the odds that a heavy snowstorm would block the roads? That they would cross paths, that he would have a house nearby, and that he would bring food?

    Was it really just a coincidence?

    William sensed her scrutiny as he poured hot water from the kettle into the cups. The tea leaves swirled at the bottom.

    "Are you suspecting me? You think I knew about the snowstorm and the roadblocks but didn''t tell you so I can keep you here with me? You think that''s why I had the house and food ready?" William asked.

    Emelie indeed had her doubts.

    William lifted his gaze, the steam blurring his eyes. "Angel, if I were that crafty, then I wouldn''t have let things fall to this point. I would never want you to hate me so much."

    Emelie''s voice turned sharp. "Call me ''angel'' again and I''ll cut out your tongue. You''re here alone, Mr. Middleton. No one''s going to know if you''re dead."

    William ced a cup of tea in front of Emelie. "Here. Use it to warm up."

    Then, he handed the other cup to Jodie, who was unsure whether or not to thank him. Ultimately, she remained silent.

    Emelie utterly disliked unexpected situations. Being trapped for no reason had made her increasingly agitated.

    "Jodie," Emelie said.

    Jodie responded immediately, "Yes, ma''am."

    "Keep an eye on the road conditions. As soon as it''s clear, we''re leaving," Emelie instructed.

    "Got it," Jodie replied.

    Emelie didn''t want to continue the conversation with William. Shey down on the couch and closed her eyes to rest.

    With Jodie keeping watch, Emelie knew that even if she fell asleep, William wouldn''t be able to get close to

    her.

    William understood how much Emelie dislikes him, seeing her fall asleep with a furrow.

    He remained silent as he checked her jacket. He noticed that the front was already dry, so he flipped it over to dry the back.

    The living room was quiet, with only the asional crackling of the firece. Emelie soon drifted into a deep sleep.

    William sat in silence for two hours. After he felt the jacket was dried, he walked over, intending to cover Emelie with it.

    However, before he could get close, Jodie stepped in and blocked his way.

    "Mr. Middleton, ma''am has been traveling between several cities over the past few days. She''s exhausted and finally can get some rest. Please don''t disturb her," she said in a low voice.

    William spoke softly as well, not wanting to wake Emelie. "I know you''re skilled and well-trained. With you by her side, she''s probably safe from harm these past few years, right?"

    Jodie wasn''t entirely sure what William meant by his words. "As long as I''m with ma''am, nothing will happen to her."

    William gave a faint smile. "That''s good to hear."

    He handed the jacket to Jodie and returned to the couch across from her.

    Jodie touched the jacket, which was now warm and dried. She nced at William and then gently ced it over Emelie.

    Emelie slept for three hours, eventually waking to the sound of wind howling outside.

    She blinked groggily, feeling hazy.

    "You''re up?" William asked.

    Emelie looked at him and saw the tablet in his hand. She thought he must be dealing with work.

    She scanned the surroundings and couldn''t find the third person in the room. She instantly sat up.

    "Where''s Jodie?" she questioned.

    William knew Emelie was being cautious of him.

    "She must''ve gone to the bathroom," he exined.

    Emelie took off William''s jacket without hesitation after seeing her jacketpletely dried. She tossed William''s jacket back to him and changed into her own.

    William caught the jacket and chuckled with a hint of amusement. "Using me and then casting me aside, I

    See."

 Chapter 684

    ?Chapter 684 If It Weren''t For You

    Emelie ignored him and took out her phone to check the time. Then, she noticed that the battery was low.

    As she was about to call for Jodie to bring her a charger, William unplugged his phone and handed her the cord.

    Emelie slightly furrowed her brow.

    He always knew her needs before she even spoke and that had somehow made her irritated.

    Emelie epted it, nning to ask Jodie for a charger when she returned.

    William casually asked, "Hungry? I have some self-heating hot pots in the car."

    Emelie was starving. After all, it was already half past seven.

    Emelie didn''t refuse, and William went downstairs to grab some instant meals from the trunk. He left two boxes for the bodyguards and brought one upstairs.

    Emelie smiled, "If it weren''t for you, we''d all be lost, Mr. Middleton."

    William has grown ustomed to her sarcasm and began going through the vors in the box. "I remember that you don''t like spicy food. How about a tomato-vored one?"

    Emelie brushed his hand aside and simply grabbed a meal. "No need to trouble yourself, Mr. Middleton. I can manage on my own."

    She opened the packaging and sauce packets.

    "Oh, by the way, what brings you to inspect theb, Mr. Middleton? I didn''t hear about this on your schedule," Emelie asked while preparing her food.

    "It was ast-minute n. Mainly just needed an excuse to leave Capebatt City for a bit," William said.

    "Oh? And why''s that? Is there something in Capebatt City that scares you, Mr. Middleton?" Emelie was curious.

    William took the kettle and poured hot water into Emelie''s food container.

    "The same reason you left Capebatt City is why I left as well," he replied.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie''s eyes flickered, and she smiled softly.

    After a couple of minutes, the self-heating hot pots were ready.

    Emelie used the disposable utensil to stir the food. She picked up a piece of carrot, blew on it, and then took a bite.

    "I don''t understand what you mean, Mr. Middleton," she said.

    William gave a brief, muffled cough. To his surprise, Emelie immediately started coughing as well.

    William turned and looked at her. "Did I pass my cold to you?"

    Emelie choked on her food.

    She coughed as she nced at the packaging. She read thebel that clearly stated: "Hot and Spicy, Cedonian''s pick."

    Emelie took a deep breath. "Can''t you read? How is this tomato vor?"

    William couldn''t help but chuckle as he saw her watery eyes from the spice. "You picked it yourself. Didn''t you notice whether it was spicy or tomato vored by the smell? ming me for that, huh?"

    Emelie had only noticed the red packaging and assumed it was the tomato vor that he had mentioned. She didn''t pay much attention as she was lost in thought. But who could''ve known it was so spicy?

    She quickly poured herself a ss of water to ease the burn. However, her tongue was still stinging.

    William shook his head. "Let''s switch..."

    It turned out that his meal had a spicy peppercorn vor.

    He looked through the remaining meals in the box. "Seems like there''s no tomato vor. The suppliers up north prefer spicier options, so that''s all they have."

    Emelie tossed her utensils aside, frustrated. "Forget it, I''m not eating. I''m not even hungry, anyway."

    She got up and walked over to the window.

    William felt that Emelie''s temper had grown over the years.

    Oh, wait. That wasn''t quite right.

    When she left Capebatt City and was under his forced confinement, her temper was just as fiery. Back then, she had even smashed things back in Eastbay.

    Nevertheless, this version of her felt more authentic than her forced smiles.

    William pondered for a moment, stood up, and went downstairs. He returned with two ss bowls, filling one with hot water.

    Emelie remained at the window, staring out at the snow.

    "Doesn''t it snow like this in Baliz?" William asked.

    Emelie replied indifferently, "It does, but I hate the cold. Whenever it snows, I go back to Mercianna. The weather''s better there, and the Denning Residence has a good heating system. It always feels like spring,"

    Back to Mercianna, back to the Denning Residence, back to Wesley.

    Mercianna felt warm, the Denning Residence was warm, and so did Wesley.

    William fell silent for a moment before saying, "I heard that Mrs. Filo likes you a lot. She even passed down the Filo Residence to you?"

    "She did want to, but it''s the Filo family''s old home, their main residence. How could I ept that?" Emelie replied casually.

    "Well, you''re Wesley''s fianc¨¦e, right? And he''s the heir to the Filo family. It wouldn''t be a

    big deal to ept Filo Residence. Why the formality? Seems like your rtionship isn''t as close as it seems," William remarked.

 Chapter 685

    ?

    Chapter 685 Desperate

    Emelie found his words unbearably harsh. She furrowed her brows and turned around.

    William smiled at her. "Your food''s ready. Come, eat."

    Only then did Emelie notice that William took out the food from the self-heating hot pot. He rinsed it all in a ss bowl to tone down the spice.

    "It shouldn''t be too spicy now. I''ll warm up some milk for you. It helps with the spice," he added.

    Emelie stared at him.

    William was never attentive nor caring. He was an authority figure, a CEO, a privileged rich man. He wouldn''t bother eating if the food was overcooked, undercooked, or just not to his taste. Yet there he was, making a meal for her.

    Emelie walked back to the couch. "Mr. Middleton, it''s unsettling to see you so considerate."

    William ced her portion in front of her. "I owe you that much; isn''t it only right to treat you better?"

    Emelie gave a cool, faint, and insincere smile. "Oh, I see. So lending me a jacket, helping me rinse some veggies, and warming up milk is your way of making amends?"

    Her sarcasm hung in the air.

    "Then tell me whatever you need me to do," William countered.

    Emelie wondered what game he was ying. She picked up a pair of unused disposable utensils and tilted his chin up.

    "Mr. Middleton, don''t be so desperate. It doesn''t suit you," she said.

    William remained unfazed. "Well, how do you see me?"

    "You know..." Emelie let the utensil glide from his chin down to his throat. There was no intimacy, just a cold detachment.

    "You''re one of those types of people who want everyone to follow you. And if someone dares go against you, you''ll make them pay the price. You''re the one to make a move first, not the other way around.

    "And if anyone challenges you, you make you beg for forgiveness, giving them what they'' deserve''. That''s who you are," Emelie said.

    William swallowed hard.

    "So that''s how you see me," he said in a low voice.

    "Isn''t that exactly what you''ve done? It has only been three years. You think I''ve forgotten?" Emelie withdrew her hand. She was done with the conversation.

    Suddenly, William sped her wrist, his gaze intense beneath his single eyelid. "I regret how things went down back then. But I did the best I could."

    Emelie''s expression was t. "Sure. I believe in you. Killing me to cover up your secrets was definitely your best option."

    William was at a loss for words.

    The conversation ended, and they both settled into their meals. Afterward, they found separate spots in the living room to work, and the roompsed into silence.

    Around 10 o''clock, William left the living room. Emelie wondered where he went.

    Jodie made a few calls and then returned to Emelie.

    "Ma''am, the weather bureau says the snow willst until midnight. It''s still going to snow tomorrow and the day after. It''s not safe to go outside," she informed.

    Emelie furrowed her brows. "Don''t you usually check the weather forecast?"

    When Emelie was a secretary, she always kept track of those things.

    Jodie apologized, "Sorry, ma''am. It''s my mistake."

    Just then, William returned. "Your room is ready. You can go take a rest. There''s hot water if you want to take a shower. I also put some disposable toiletries in the cab."

    Emelie didn''t expect that he left to tidy up her room. Who knew he could actually clean?

    Emelie had known William for many years. She found it hard to believe that he would serve someone else.

    She walked over in disbelief, wanting to take a look.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    In the bedroom, the sheets and pillows were neatly arranged. The desk and chairs were clean as well. They had just been wiped down, leaving some water marks behind.

    Emelie looked back at William.

    His sleeves were rolled up to his forearms. His watch was missing, and his fingers were slightly red. It seemed that he was handling cold water. He had actually been cleaning on a wintery day.

 Chapter 686

    ?

    Chapter 686 Suppressing Himself

    Emelie gestured for Jodie to check the area thoroughly. Then, she turned to William, putting on an act of gratitude.

    She said, "With so many of us here, we must''ve been a nuisance, Mr. Middleton. Once we leave, we''ll pay you back for any supplies we''ve used."

    William didn''t argue. Instead, he pulled a watch from his pocket and put it on. "Whatever you say."

    "Well, we won''t keep you from resting, Mr. Middleton," Emelie said.

    William knew that she was implying for him to leave. So, he retreated to his room next door.

    Once Jodie finished inspecting, she reported, "Ma''am, there are no pinhole cameras or listening devices found."

    Emelie opened the cab beneath the bathroom mirror. She found towels, toothpaste, toothbrush, and disposable underwear.

    As she took a pack of the disposable underwear out and examined the packaging, she noticed the production date. It was from three years ago.

    William bought the house three years ago, and the items were likely ced here at the same time. Since no one had lived here, they hadn''t been reced.

    ording to the date, William didn''t seem to be lying.

    Emelie closed the cab and straightened up, scanning the room. Her eyesnded on a painting on the wall-"The Snowy Road in Argenteuil" by M. It struck a familiar chord that she couldn''t quite ce.

    She turned to Jodie and asked, "Are there any attractions nearby?"

    Jodie retrieved her phone to look it up. Soon, she got an answer.

    "Yes, there''s thergest ski resort in Borealis City, just three kilometers from here," she replied.

    Emelie remembered and nced back at the painting, realizing why it felt so familiar.

    William found a pair of cotton slippers in his drawer. He remembered that Emelie was wearing a pair of short boots that weren''tfortable, so he decided to bring them to her. William walked to Emelie''s door.

    As he was about to knock, he heard a man''s voiceing from inside. "Where are you at?" The voice sounded familiar, and William paused for a moment.

    Emelie replied, "Still in Serdantia."

    Wesley was confused. "Didn''t you sayst night that you''ve finished up in Serdantia and are heading to Borealis City?"

    "Well, it''s snowing heavily in Borealis City. If we head over there now, we might get stuck in the storm. So, we''re staying in Serdantia for a bit. The view here is nice, and I''m taking some time to explore," Emelie replied.

    Wesley wasn''t suspicious.

    "You hate the cold. Make sure to stay warm when you go out," he said.

    "Got it. You''ve been telling me that every day. Aren''t you worried people will think you''re just an old chatterbox, Mr. Cronus?" Emelie said.

    Wesley chuckled. "Am I old? Hmm?"

    From their daily banter, it was clear how close they were. They spoke casually and with ease, even teasing each other a little from time to time.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    William heard everything clearly with a nk expression on his face.

    Emelie wasn''t beingpletely honest. She probably didn''t want to worry Wesley, who was away in another country. And Wesley knew her routine so well from their nightly phone calls. Just what a sweet couple they made.

    Suddenly, William felt a coughing on.

    He pressed his lips together and turned around, leaning against the wall. He sped his chest with one hand and covered his mouth with another. He fought the urge to cough, and the sensation burned from his throat to his lungs.

    It was said that there were three things in the world that couldn''t be hidden: poverty, a cough, and love.

    But he hid it all away, didn''t he?

    The conversation in the room continued with light chatter. There was no specific topic, just a desire to share their day''s experiences.

    That was right. The desire to share was often called the highest form of romance. William recalled his past memories. He and Emelie had shared moments like that too.

 Chapter 687

    ?Chapter 687 Never Truly Been In Love

    When Emelie worked as William''s secretary for three years, she had the strongest desire to share things with him.

    In her first six months on the job, Emelie would tell William everything that happened to her. Quirky clients she had met, interesting gossip she had heard, and even funny videos she found online. She often shared them with him during lunch or when they were alone.

    However, he hardly ever responded. He couldn''t understand her fascination in such things. Eventually, Emelie stopped sharing those "boring" tidbits with him.

    After that, she took on the role of a chief secretary. She becameposed, calm, unfazed, and adept at handling everything that came her way.

    In contrast, William''s desire to share arose when Emelie started working in Weston at the Swanson Corporation. He pursued her, eager to rekindle their rtionship.

    During that time, he was unusually clingy. He texted her frequently. He would tell her about his meals, the weather, and the audacity of new clients. He even ranted about the careless mistakes his old subordinates made.

    He would tell her he missed her and call her sweet names. He even asked her to call him by his nickname," Liam". However, Emelie didn''t bother him much back then.

    They had loved each other, but had never truly been in love. At their most affectionate, both of them thought their rtionship was optional.

    William chuckled ironically at himself. Suddenly, the pain in his lungs shifted into heartache. It felt like a heavy weight was pressing down on him, making it hard for him to breathe.

    Before the call ended, William reached out and knocked on Emelie''s door.

    In the past, he would''ve stormed in if he knew Emelie was being affectionate to another man. She belonged to him, and no one coulde close.

    However, William didn''t want to make her angry. Thest thing he wanted was for her to dislike him even more. Interrupting them was the worst he could do.

    Emelie assumed it was Jodie, and she casually called out, "Come in."

    William didn''t enter but knocked on the door twice more.

    Emelie quickly caught on, realizing the person outside wasn''t Jodie.

    "It sounds like work. I''ll handle some things first," she said to Wesley.

    "Okay. It''s gettingte. Quickly finish up and get some rest," Wesley replied. "Got it," she said.

    After she ended the call, Emelie went to open the door.

    William straightened his posture, his expression neutral.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    "Mr. Middleton, is there something you need?" Emelie asked, looking at him.

    He handed her the cotton slippers. "Found these somewhere. I thought you might want them." "Thank you," Emelie replied, her tone devoid of emotion.

    "Goodnight," William said.

    Emelie didn''t give a response and simply shut the door.

    William stood outside her door for a minute before finally walked away.

    The snowsted longer than they had all expected. It continued for three days with no sign of stopping. The inte even called it the worst snowstorm that Borealis City had ever seen in thest decade.

    At that rate, they would be stuck there for quite some time.

    Before eight in the morning, Emelie got out of bed.

    After she freshened up, she poured herself a ss of warm water. She stood by the window, sipping it as she looked at the scenery outside.

    William''s voice sounded from behind. "Am I really that hard to be around? You keep frowning at the snow every day."

    The reflection of the ss betrayed Emelie''s expression, and she also saw William from it.

    "Mr. Middleton, you know what your greatest strength is? Your self-awareness," she replied indifferently. William took out a chessboard from the drawer beneath the coffee table. "Want to y? It''ll help pass the time."

    Emelie turned around to see theid-out chess pieces. The models of the ck-and-white pieces were in various shapes and sizes.

    "Chess?" she said.

    "Know how to y?" William replied.

    Since Emelie had nothing else to do, she set her cup down and walked over. "He taught me before. I know a bit."

    Of course, she was referring to Wesley.

    William silently set up the board and made the first move.

    "Being stuck here might actually be a blessing in disguise for you," he remarked out of the blue.

    Emelie lifted her gaze. "What do you mean?"

    "Why did you leave Capebatt City around this time? Isn''t it because the Davis Group is about to go down?" William moved another piece, his tone t and serious.

 Chapter 688

    ?Chapter 688 Breaking His Limbs

    Emelie lifted her head, looked at him, and then moved her rook one square over.

    "Mr. Middleton, you''re Mr. Davis''s closest friend. Isn''t it inappropriate to curse him like that?" she said.

    They were ying international chess. The game had a board with 64 squares, with each yer controlling 16 pieces that move in different ways. The goal was to checkmate the opponent''s king.

    "In the past three years, three-fifths of the Davis Group''s funds have gone to Xanther. One-fifth has been keeping the Davis Group running. And thest fifth? He''s been using it to expand thepany''s business. "William''s voice was neutral.

    He continued, "But who would''ve known the market would tank over thest two years? Nearly all the industries were going down. His investments didn''t just fail, it was bad timing and luck. Now, he''s facing a major cash deficit, especiallytely."

    William moved a pawn.

    In the game of chess, pawns can only move forward, and never backward.

    William''s gaze darkened. "By the end of the year, he''ll need to settle his ounts. He''s already taken out a bunch of loans from the bank and can''t get any more. Even so, the deficit is still there, putting him in a tough spot."

    Emelie listened, a slight smirk forming on her lips as she moved her piece. "Mr. Middleton, you seem to know a lot about Mr. Davis'' finances. It''s a bit intrusive, don''t you think? But since we''re here, care to share just how big that deficit is?"

    "About 100 million," William responded, clearly well-informed.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    Emelie lifted her gaze. "Mr. Davis has a good reputation in the field. Just look at you, Mr. Middleton, and Mr. Swanson and Mr. Collins. With such connections, you think he won''t get through this if you all lend him the money?"

    William suddenly smirked. "Just as I said, by the end of the year, everyone needs to settle their ounts. 100 million is a nine-digit number. There''s eight zeros. Even with our capital size, it''s difficult to gather that kind of money in a short time."

    He swiftly moved his knight, skipping over Emelie''s piece.

    "Besides, I''m on a business trip here, stuck in a snowstorm. Even if he wanted to reach out to me, he wouldn''t be able to," William said.

    Emelie felt that his smile was genuine. Was he actually happy about the Davis Group on the brink of copse? Its downfall would be nothing but trouble for him considering William''s close ties with the Davis Group.

    Emelieposedly moved her piece to one square. "Oh? And then?"

    Instead of answering, William posed a question. "If he''s really that desperate, and suddenly he has over 100 million in his hands, what do you think he''ll do?"

    "Mr. Middleton, are you saying that the Davis Group might dip into Soar''s charity fund to cover their debts?" Emelie took his piece with her rook.

    "It''s impossible. Mr. Davis isn''t that kind of person. I trust his character," she defended Charles, her tone firm.

    William looked at her. She was the mastermind here, yet she was ying the good guy.

    He moved another piece, capturing one of hers.

    Emelie held her chin with her hand. "Mr. Middleton, it seems like you have less faith in Mr. Davis than I do?"

    William replied, "Human nature is fragile. When someone''s back is against the wall, they''ll do whatever it takes to survive. You gave him the encryption key, making it easy for him to get that money. Aren''t you practically pushing him to take it?"

    Emelie simply smiled as she advanced her pieces, closing in on his king.

    William also made his move. "And let''s not forget, you''ve nted two ticking time bombs by his side. Even if he holds himself back from temptation, he won''t see iting when someone stabs him in the back."

    Emelie stayed silent.

    Meanwhile, the game was heating up. William assessed the board, castled, and moved his king to safety. He traded ces with his rook, evading Emelie''s attack.

    "In this game, he''s undoubtedly doomed. So, you, the schemer, and I, the so-called aplice, need to get out of Capebatt City before it all goes down," he said.

    Emelie gave a scoff. "Don''t tter yourself too much."

    She had designed the n from the beginning. What role did he think he yed? Did he really believe that by saying that, he could be on the same boat as her?

    Emelie was unable to capture his king, so she took his queen instead, cutting off his key support.

    Unfortunately for William, she saw him as nothing more than an enemy.

    Just then, Jodie walked over. "Ma''am, you have a call.

    Emelie put her piece down. "Game over. I''ve got something better to do now. Things are about to get interesting."

 Chapter 689

    ?Chapter 689 Truly Unable to Help

    Emelie went back to her room to answer the phone. The caller was Charles.

    Her voice was soft and gentle when she picked up the call. "How can I help you, Mr. Davis?"

    Charles''s voice was hoarse, either from staying up for too many nights or smoking too much. "Ms. Pierce, are you still in Borealis City?"

    Emelie sighed with worry. "Yes, we chose the worst time toe to Borealis City. The snow hasn''t

    stopped since we arrived, the roads are still iced over, and the cars can''t move.

    "I''ve heard that most ces here have suspended work and school. We don''t know when things will return to normal. It''s really dying our work."

    "Indeed. We''re from the south, so we can''t even imagine such heavy snow." Charles''s tone was

    perfunctory, clearly not in the mood for idle chatter.

    He got straight to the point. "Ms. Pierce, I have a bold request."

    Jodie made her a cup of ck tea. It was rich and aromatic.

    Emelie nodded in thanks, then took a sip. She asked in a more uplifting tone, "I see. What is it?"

    Charles''s voice grew serious. "I was wondering if you have any liquid assets avable at the moment. I''m encountering a bit of trouble and could use some emergency funds. I can write an IOU note and pay you an interest. I''ll make sure to repay you as soon as I sort things out after the New Year."

    "Oh, I see." Emelie raised an eyebrow. "How much do you need, Mr. Davis? I should have 15 million in my ount. I can transfer that to you for the emergency. Given our rtionship, we don''t need to discuss interest."

    Her generous offer left Charles silent.

    After a two-minute pause, he said, "Is 15 million the only amount you can spare, Ms. Pierce?"

    Emelie asked in a surprised tone, "Is 15 million not enough? Mr. Davis, you didn''tmit a crime, did you?"

    "You''re funny, Ms. Pierce. I''m just having a minor cash flow issue. I''ll resolve it soon," Charles said. Emelie shook her head. "Although I''m a director at the Filo Group, I don''t have that many shares, and the dividends I receive are limited. If you need more, I''m truly unable to help."

    She put down her cup and said, "You might want to ask Mr. Middleton, Mr. Swanson, or Mr. Collins. Given your rtionship with them, they could probably offer you at least 30 million."

    Charles fell silent again. That was all he could do.

    If he could borrow money elsewhere, he wouldn''t have approached her. They both knew their rtionship well enough to understand that their apparent friendliness was just a fa?ade.

    Emelie still remembered the wrongs they did to the Pierce family and the Hoven family. They were the main culprits. If Charles wasn''tpletely out of options, he wouldn''t have sought help from her.

    Emelie casually asked, "So, do you still need the 15 million, Mr. Davis?"

    A drop in the bucket was better than nothing.

    Charles sighed. "Yes, I do. I appreciate your help, Ms. Pierce. When you return to Capebatt City, I''ll thank you in person."

    "No need for that. By the way, the 15 million is actually thepensation I received after your cousin, Elena, framed me back then."

    Then, Emelie hung up, leaving Charles stunned.

    She went to the window and leaned against it, enjoying the sight of the snow.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie told Jodie, "Call Charles in an hour and tell him that the bank''s client manager requires in-person verification for such arge transfer, but I can''t leave right now. So, the money can''t be transferred for the time being."

    Jodie smiled. "Alright."

    An hourter, Charles received the disappointing news.

    He was incredulous. "Is there such a regtion?"

    "Yes, Mr. Davis. If you don''t believe it, you can check with the bank yourself." Jodie replied calmly. "Ms. Pierce truly wants to help, but she is genuinely unable to assist."

    Charles began to speak. "You"

    Jodie interrupted him. "We were just informed that the power would be cut off soon, so further contact might be difficult. Let''s leave it at that. I hope you can get through this difficulty. Goodbye."

    Charles shouted, "Hello? Hello!"

    However, the call was already disconnected. When he tried calling back, the system said the phone was turned off.

    Charles threw his phone onto his desk in frustration.

 Chapter 690

    ?Chapter 690 Falling into Irreparable Ruin

    Charles slumped back into his office chair, his hands propping up his head. He closed his eyes and furrowed his brows.

    There was a knock on his office door, and his secretary entered the room. He saw Charles in his disheveled state and knew that things weren''t going well on his end either.

    The secretary hesitated before speaking. "Mr. Davis, Cedonia Construction Bank has also said that our fiscal deficit is toorge and doesn''t meet their lending standards. They can''t extend any more credit to us.

    When Charles looked up, his eyes were bloodshot.

    Since this financial crisis had hit the Davis Group, he had barely slept over ten hours in the past week.

    He said in a deadpan tone, "That 15 million from Emelie is gone too."

    The secretary exchanged nces with the managers. "So, does that mean we only have Mr. Collins''s 20 million and Mr. Swanson''s 20 million?"

    One manager nodded. "Yes. Originally, Mr. Middleton was supposed to lend us some, but he''s stuck in Borealis City due to the snowstorm. We haven''t been able to reach him.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    "Without him, the Cloudex Corporation doesn''t have anyone who can authorizerge fund transfers. We can''t even get 100 thousand."

    Charles closed his eyes.

    While he had a goodwork of rtionships, there weren''t many true friends in business. Most were just surface-level acquaintances.

    In recent years, the Xanther Group''s rapid growth sparked jealousy and envy. With the Davis Group in trouble, it was only to be expected that they wouldn''te to his aid.

    Even those who were willing to help were too busy with their own end-of-year ounting and couldn''t spare much liquid funds to help him.

    Bryan and Beathan, who each offered 20 million, were already at their limit.

    The secretary stated, "The real problem is that our deficit is enormous-200 million..."

    That was even more than William''s estimate of over 100 million.

    The office fell into silence.

    The problem with the Davis Group''s cash flow didn''t happen overnight. It had been building up over the past six months, and they hadn''t been able to patch the holes, causing it to snowball. Finally, the issue imploded.

    The secretary had been hesitating over a thought, but with things reaching this point, he had to speak up. He signaled for the managers to leave, and when they were alone, he said, "Mr. Davis."

    Charles opened his eyes. "What now?"

    The secretary deliberated his words before saying, "We''re not entirely without options. You still have that 150 million, right?"

    Charles looked at him sharply.

    The secretary braced himself. "With that 150 million, plus the 40 million, it would be 190 million. That would cover most of the deficit and ease our situation."

    As soon as he said that, Charles grabbed his secretary by his cor. "That money is for charity!"

    The secretary believed, given the dire situation, it was justifiable to make exceptions. "But it''s not needed right now! We''re just borrowing it temporarily. We can return it once we''re back on track, or when they need it. It''s the same thing!"

    It was definitely not the same thing.

    Charles sneered coldly. "If it''s discovered that I''ve misappropriated public funds, then the Davis Group and the Davis family are finished! Are you trying to get me killed?"

    The secretary said urgently, "Mr. Davis! I''m considering the bigger picture here! If we can''t fill this deficit, the Davis Group will truly be finished!

    "The encryption key is with you. If neither of us mentions it, who would know the money was transferred? The money doesn''t have a name on it. We can use it first and replenish itter. No one will know it was taken out!"

    Charles''s grip tightened around his secretary''s cor. His fingers turned white, indicating his emotional struggle and wavering thoughts.

    The secretary continued, "Mr. Davis, have you forgotten how much you''ve sacrificed to keep the Davis Group afloat? Borrowing some funds in this situation is a minor actpared to everything you''ve done. What are you hesitating about?"

    Yes, that was true. For the Davis Group and the Davis family, he even dared to kill. What was a little embezzlementpared to that? Charles had never imed to be a paragon of virtue.

    He released his secretary, feeling as though he was staring into an abyss. One more step, and he''d fall into the depths of irreparable ruin.

    He forced a cruel smile. "Let''s do it."

 Chapter 691

    ?Chapter 691

    Charles hadn''t returned to his mansion for an entire week. However, on that day, not only did he return, but he also arrived earlier than usual.

    When he entered the house, the maid took his winter coat.

    After he changed into his house slippers, he entered the living room, where he saw the nanny ying with Mia on the carpet.

    His face immediately softened into a gentle smile. "Mia."

    Mia blinked at the somewhat familiar man without showing any sign of rejection.

    Charles picked up his little daughter and sat on the carpet, leaning back against the sofa, letting Mia sit on hisp.

    He held her tiny hands and coaxed her. "Call me Daddy. Daddy. Daddy."

    Mia only responded with a series of meaningless ahs.

    Charles, not giving up, slowed his speech. He said while enunciating each syble, "Dad-dy

    Mia responded with, "Ah! Ah!"

    He tried again. "No, Mia, watch my mouth. Dad-dy-"

    "Ah! Mommy!" Mia yelled.

    Charles froze and turned to see Emmie walking over.

    Mia only knew how to properly say "Mommy". When she saw Emmie, she cried out for her while reaching out.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Emmie, who had gone to prepare baby form for Mia, said in a t tone, "She''s only a year and a half old. She can''t talk yet. Don''t make things hard for her."

    Charles looked at her, his lips curling up into that familiar, charming smirk that once marked him as the infamous yboy of Calmcrest.

    "Well, could I trouble you instead? Can you call me honey?" he said.

    Emmie stiffened for a moment before bending down to take the child from him.

    She replied expressionlessly, "Charles, if it weren''t for you using Mia to pressure me, I wouldn''t stay with you at all

    So, how could she possibly call him "honey"? Intimacy and affection didn''t exist between them.

    Charles remained seated on the floor, one leg bent, his hands resting on his knee. As he watched her skillfully feed the child, his gaze grew wistful.

    He didn''t want to blink, wanting to savor the moment and engrain the scene in his memory.

    Emmie felt ufortable under his gaze and turned her back against him.

    He suddenly said, "That day when we went for lobster, and we passed by the city hall, I really had the impulse to take you in there and get a marriage certificate. Now that I think about it, I''m d I didn''t."

    Emmie turned back and forced a smile. "Why? Is it because you think I''m still unworthy?"

    Charles shook his head and lowered his gaze. "If you became my wife and something happened to me, you''d be dragged into it too. Your assets would be joint property and could be seized."

    A flicker of something passed through Emmie''s eyes.

    She frowned, clearly confused by his sudden statement. "What?"

    Charles gestured. "This house... I''ve had it transferred into your name. No matter what

    happens in the future, at least you and Mia will have a ce to live."

    Emmie looked at him in bewilderment, notprehending his words.

    Charles''s smile was tinged with mncholy. "Emmie, I want to make it up to you, but this is all I can do."

    Emmie held her breath. "If you truly want to make it up to me, then let us go."

    Charles smiled. "That may happen soon."

    Emmie''s eyes twitched. Something was very off about him that day. "Charles, what''s wrong with you?"

    Instead of answering, Charles took on a lighter tone. "Since I''m back early today, why don''t you cook us a meal? I remember your cooking is quite good."

    Emmie studied him for a moment, seeing the deep exhaustion on his face. She handed Mia back to the nanny and went to the kitchen.

    An hourter, the food was ready.

    Emmie put the dishes on the table before calling for Charles, who was in the living room.

    She found him asleep on the sofa. As she approached, she saw the dark circles under his eyes, evidence of his unrest. Yet, his features remained as handsome and charming as ever.

    She remembered when she first entered the working world right out of college. He was her boss, always looking out for her and taking care of her.

    When she encountered a pervertedndlord who pretended to be drunk and opened her door in the middle of the night, she was terrified and called him by mistake.

    At three in the morning, he showed up. He beat thendlord up, and took her to his home.

    He made her a warm ss of milk and brought his cat to y with her, saying, "Don''t be afraid, Emmie. I''m here."

 Chapter 692

    ?

    Chapter 692 Lack of Love

    Emmie fell for him very quickly. Charles was her first man and her first love. She had naively fantasized about their future, from wedding dresses to growing old together.

    However, itsted only six months, just half a year.

    Sheter realized that the only reason the rich and wealthy Charles had ever put effort into their rtionship was because her name sounded like another person''s.

    When he got bored of her, he started seeing other women and believed her to be unfaithful based on a baseless usation from another woman. It was only natural that he ended their rtionship.

    What she had thought was true love turned out to be a lie. Only God knew how she survived those hellish days.

    A flicker of hatred crossed Emmie''s eyes, but she quickly suppressed it.

    Charles was sleeping heavily, and even after she called his name a few times, he didn''t wake. She had no choice but to gently shake his shoulder.

    "Charles? Charles," she said.

    Charles, who had been peacefully sleeping, suddenly grabbed her wrist. Before she could react, he pulled her into his arms.

    Emmie instinctively struggled. "Let go of me!"

    Charles said hoarsely, "Let me hold you for a moment."

    For some reason, despite her initial strong aversion, Emmie found herself momentarily disoriented by his tone of voice. She clung to his shirt and stopped resisting.

    Charles held her close, resting his chin on the top of her head.

    He spoke softly, "Believe it or not, I''m not seeing you as anyone else''s substitute right now. I know exactly who you are."

    Emmie''s throat constricted.

    Charles chuckled softly. "But I''ll admit, I don''t like you that much. After all, we only shared six months together. If I said now that I''m madly in love with you, you wouldn''t believe it."

    Emmie didn''t respond. Shey against his chest, listening to his heartbeat.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    He continued, "I feel more guilt towards you. Back then, I carelessly hurt you. You gave birth to Mia, and I''m grateful for that. Finally, there''s someone in this world connected to me by blood."

    Charles was a sentimental person, but hecked love. It was truly ironic.

    Charles said softly, "No matter what happens in the future, you and Mia are the most

    important to me. If I have a future, I will do everything that I can to provide the best life for both of you."

    Emmie felt that Charles seemed to have a premonition of his dire situation. She remained silent, afraid of revealing any cracks in her facade.

    Charles held her for a while longer before releasing her. "That''s all I wanted to say."

    Emmie got up from him, but she couldn''t tear her gaze away.

    Charles sat up and traced the red birthmark on her forehead. He suddenly regretted his earlier words. He actually liked her a lot. However, he didn''t say that out loud.

    Instead, he smiled and asked, "Is it time to eat now?"

    "Yes." Emmie avoided his hand and headed toward the dining room.

    She cooked a simple,forting dinner with three dishes and a soup, all easy-to-make homestyle recipes BBQ chicken, macaroni and cheese, green beans with bacon, and a chicken noodle soup.

    Charles hadn''t had a proper meal in a while and hadn''t felt much appetite, but seeing the food made him hungry.

    When Emmie had eaten her fill, Charles finished the remaining food. After the meal, he made a banana split and handed some to Emmie.

    "I remember you mentioned that your parents are still around. Why haven''t you talked about them?" he asked.

    Sharing a banana split had an unpleasant connotation, as it could be interpreted as a pun on "splitting up."

    After she ate it silently, she responded calmly, "When I decided to have Mia, they cut ties with me."

    Charles said, "Parents can be stubborn but soft-hearted. It''s been a while, so they must have calmed down. In the future, you should take Mia and go back to them."

    Emmie looked up. "In what future?"

 Chapter 693

    ?Chapter 693 Charles Davis

    Charles shook his head and, after finishing the banana split, went upstairs to y with Mia in the nursery.

    Emmie felt a strong sense of unease and decided to check the news on her phone.

    She searched for "the Davis Group" and quickly found several articles reporting that the Davis Group was facing a major crisis.

    She skimmed through a few of them, which all pointed to a financial supply chain crisis that had put the Davis Group in a precarious situation.

    She gripped her phone tightly and headed upstairs.

    Mia, who had napped earlier in the afternoon, was currently wide awake and lively. Charles was ying a game with her¡ªa whack-a-mole style toy where a little squirrel popped up randomly from one of twelve squares.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    He held Mia''s hands and used a small hammer to hit the squirrels. "Oops! You missed it! Let''s try again. Hit this one! You got it! You''re the best, Mia!"

    Mia was delighted, giggling nonstop. Emmie had anticipated that Charles wouldn''t neglect his child, but she hadn''t expected him to enjoy spending time with her so much.

    Emmie didn''t want to interrupt their rare bonding time, so she retreated to their bedroom to take a shower. As she opened the closet to fetch her pajamas, her gaze fell on the storage box at the bottom shelf.

    She frowned as she found it strange.

    She was a meticulous person, always organizing off-season clothes neatly in storage boxes, sealing them with mothballs to keep out dust and insects. However, it was oddly ajar that day, as if someone had opened it.

    She squatted down to open the box and found that the clothes inside were a bit disheveled.

    When she rummaged through it, she felt something hard and cold inside. It was like stones.

    When she pulled them out, her eyes widened in shock. They weren''t stones. They were gold bars.

    Heavy gold bars the size of bricks, each weighing several pounds. Emmie''s mind raced as these weren''t hers. She emptied the box and found five gold bars in total.

    Her first thought was that she had been framed. Just as she was about to call the police, she remembered Charles''s earlierment that the house was already under her name.

    Could it be Charles?

    At that moment, Charles appeared in the doorway. He was looking at Emmie crouching on the floor with the gold bars in her hands and didn''t seem surprised.

    It was then she knew for sure that it was he who ced the gold bars there.

    Emmie stood up and looked at him intently. "What''s the meaning of this?"

    Charles shrugged. "These are for you and Mia. As long as you don''t spend extravagantly, this house and these gold bars should be enough for your daily needs for the rest of your lives."

    Emmie asked bluntly, "Charles, are you in trouble? Are you preparing for the worst?"

    Charles smiled. "I''m not going to die. If something happens, the worst that can happen is prison and confiscation of my assets. Since these things are now in your name, they can''t be seized even if they raid

    the ce."

    Emmie clenched her fists. "If you know that what you''re doing could lead to your ruin, why are you still insisting on it?"

    "Because I''m a member of the Davis family." Charles continued to smile. "The Davis family and the Davis Group are my responsibility, so I have to keep going. Even if taking this step means a 99% chance of falling into a pit of no return, I''m willing to risk it for that 1% chance of survival."

    Emmie shook her head. "I can''t understand."

    She moved closer to him. "Is it that hard to avoid making mistakes and taking the wrong path? If a family or a career relies on wrongdoings to sustain itself, does it still have any reason to exist?"

    Charles only replied, "You wouldn''t understand."

    "But I understand what it feels like to do something wrong-how it torments you, making it hard to sleep at night and eat during the day. Do you think it''s worth it to trade that for a so-called future?" Emmie said. Despite her words, she was also confused.

    Why was she saying this to him? She hade to his side to push him further down at the critical moment so that his ruin would arrive sooner.

    Yet, she continued, "First and foremost, you are a person, an individual, before being the Davis family''s heir or the president of Davis Group. What''s the point of sacrificing yourself for material possessions?"

    Charles sighed with a rueful smile.

    Emmie thought he was being stubborn and said bitterly, "At least Mia won''t grow up with your mistakes and misguided beliefs."

    She turned around and squatted down, putting the gold bars away. "Since you gave me these. I''ll ept them and make sure to take good care of Mia. As for you, take care of yourself."

    She walked past him.

    Charles grabbed her hand. He swallowed hard and said softly, "It''s toote for me to turn back now." Emmie''s brow twitched.

    He looked at her. "If I still have a future, I''ll try to be the person you''ve described."

    However, it was already toote. The embezzlement scandal came to light faster than Charles had anticipated.

 Chapter 694

    ?Chapter 694 Health

    Charles was taken away for investigation, causing chaos at the Davis Group. Thepany''s stock plummeted even faster than the Cloudex Corporation did in the past.

    There were no secrets in the business world. It was clear to everyone that the Davis Group, which was heavily in debt and facingwsuits, had lost its credibility and had no chance of recovery.

    However, what puzzled people was how Charles and the Davis Group had fallen so much. After all, they were once one of the powerful top four giants of the business world.

    Wasn''t the Xanther Group doing well? People still remembered the legendary tale of how the Xanther Group''s Initial Public Offering was done in just three months. How could the Davis Group copse so suddenly when the Xanther Group still existed?

    This question quickly led to analyses and discussions by self-proimed online experts and influencers. Some spected that Charles''s series of poor decisions, such as investing in a failing real estate market, had led to the losses.

    Others suggested that he was betrayed by his peers, citing the fact that the Middleton, Swanson, and Beathan families had acquired his shares in Xanther Group at a low price during the Davis Group''s troubles.

    There were even theories about his key staff being poached, shareholders fleeing with their investments, or Charles moving assets overseas.

    Those were the ones that were considered as reasonable spections. The most outrageous im was that Charles had be addicted to gambling, losing hundreds of millions in a single night.

    Emelieughed at that theory. "That reminds me of when I first met Charles on a business cruise. We yed a few rounds of poker together."

    The Charles from back then who had arrogantly asked her if she deserved a seat at the table would''ve never imagined that he would end up in prison.

    Jodie was sitting across from Emelie and was sorting through documents. "What do you think caused his downfall?"

    "The Xanther Group," Emelie replied.

    She put down her phone and stopped looking at the sensational articles that were published online. She picked up a deck of cards and began building a tower of cards on the table.

    She slowly said, "The Xanther Group has indeed developed very rapidly in recent years, but that also means the investment required is enormous. The Davis Group invested three-fifths of its earnings into Xanther Group, which hasn''t yet achieved profitability. It''s like paying out without receiving returns." Jodie understood what she meant. "The Xanther Group is like a money ckhole."

    Emelie smiled slightly. "Charles wasn''t a fool. He had a n and was trying to bnce the Xanther Group and the Davis Group.

    "If that bnce hadn''t been disrupted, with another six months of investment and all of the Xanther Group''sbspleted, it would''ve started generating profits. Charles could''ve escaped his financial struggles."

    Emelie paused. "But he made the wrong move."

    She had built a three-tier tower. She picked up two more cards and ced them down carefully.

    "His margin for error was too small. That was the first domino that fell. After the first card falls, the rest would follow," she said.

    The tower couldn''t bear the additional weight. As soon as the two cards were ced, the whole structure copsed.

    Emelie shook her head regretfully. "This is why he started umting debt in the first half of the year, which grew and grew until he could no longer repay it."

    What did Emelie do?

    The wrong move Charles had made was part of her design. There was no way she would allow him tost another six months.

    The Davis Group was bleeding resources to support the Xanther Group. In six months, they would start to benefit from the Xanther Group. And if they flourished, taking them down would be much harder.

    She had set up his downfall to prison with that charity fund of 150 million dors and the encryption key. All these were arranged by Emelie, and she had nned it carefully.

    Charles the eagle was her first prey, the first step in her revenge.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    She looked out the window. "The snow has stopped."

    In about three days, once the ice on the roads melts, they could return to Capebatt City to review their achievements.

    At that moment, a stifled cough came from the next room. Emelie got up and went over.

    William had been coughing more frequently since the previous night. She pushed the door knocking and entered.

    open

    without

    William was sitting on the sofa, hisputer screen illuminating his figure as he coughed into his hand. Emelie asked, "Is it really fine that you''re coughing this badly?"

    "It''s "Before he could finish, he broke into another fit of coughing, his face turning pale.

    Emelie watched him and poured him a ss of warm water from the kettle. "Did you bring medication?" William looked up.

    Emelie''s expression was unreadable. "Don''t you need medication to control the growth of your lung tumor?"

    William pursed his pale lips. "You know about it?"

    "You hid it well, but my intelligencework is good too." Emelie grinned. "Where''s the medication?"

    William''s voice was hoarse. "I''ve used it all up these past few days."

    Emelie turned away. "Jodie, contact the rescue team. Tell them that we have a critically ill patient and see

    if they can arrange for his transfer."

    William suddenlyughed. "Aren''t you wishing for my death? Why bother saving me?"

 Chapter 695

    ?Chapter 695 An Obligation of Favor

    Emelie found it amusing and shook her head.

    She said seriously, "Mr. Middleton, if you think that way about me, you''re underestimating me. In fact, I hope for your good health the most."

    It was the truth. She had no interest in killing a sick lion. He had to stay alive so she could make him pay for his past actions. Otherwise, all her hard work over the past two years would lose much of its appeal.

    Jodie returned after making the call. "The rescue team said that they''re on their way."

    Emelie grunted in acknowledgment and opened William''s wardrobe. She grabbed the thickest coat and tossed it to him. "Mr. Middleton, hang in there a little longer."

    William caught the coat and observed her rxed and pleased expression. "Are you in a good mood because your n is working out?"

    "I''m stuck here, unable to carry out my daily tasks. How could any n be working out?" Emelie refused to admit anything while maintaining a nonchnt attitude.

    She continued, "Don''t you have anyone in Borealis City, Mr. Middleton? When you go to the hospital, you''ll need someone to help you around. If not, you might have to hire a caregiver. However, in this weather, finding one might be tough."

    William''s throat hurt from coughing. Although he drank half of the ss of water she had poured him, his voice was still raspy,

    William said, "You always help a person all the way, from start to finish. So, I can only trouble you further, Ms. Pierce."

    Emelie squinted. "I thought lung tumors only affected the bronchi. Why does it seem like it''s affecting your brain too, Mr. Middleton?"

    What a joke. Imagine her sending him to the hospital and helping him with his hospital errands.

    William nced at the bodyguards staying on the first floor. "There''s so many of you. You''ve been using my ce, my resources, and my food for so many days. Don''t you think you should repay me?"

    Emelie sneered. "Jodie, transfer five million dors to Mr. Middleton''s ount, and make a note that it''s to cover our expenses for food and lodging during this time."

    Jodie was about toply when William said, "I won''t ept the money."

    He held the cup in his hand, the warmth of the water burning him slightly.

    He spoke softly but firmly, "Ms. Pierce, do you think my help in such extreme weather conditions, where even a small mistake could cost lives, is only worth five million dors?"

    Emelie''s patience wore thin. "So how much do you want?"

    "I know you have money now, but some things can''t be bought even with money," William said.

    "For example, in the situation a few days ago, if you were stuck on the highway, no amount of money would get someone to guide you. Even if you risked leaving the highway, you''d have trouble finding a hotel. You can say I practically saved your lives," he argued.

    He stared at Emelie and said each word slowly. "What you owe me this time is an obligation of favor, not money."

    Emelie wasn''t a naive child who could be ckmailed by such words. "If I called 911, I''m sure someone

    woulde to rescue us. Don''t think of yourself as someone so irreceable."This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    She couldn''t be bothered to argue further. "Jodie, choose someone from our team who can take care of things and have them apany Mr. Middleton to the hospital, following his instructions."

    Jodie replied, "Yes."

    Emelie used William''s logic against him. "Mr. Middleton, you''re in a foreign ce, suffering from a severe illness, and facing bad weather. Even money might not guarantee you''ll be able to receive the care you need. I''m practically saving your life. We''re even now."

    William coughed heavily.

    Emelie was no longer as easily appeased as before.

    Correction: she was never an easy person to appease, now she was even more difficult to cate.

    She had no interest in wasting more time, so she he turned to leave.

    William looked up and suddenly asked, "Do you want to know who was behind the car ident that happened to Wesleyst year?"

 Chapter 696

    ?Chapter 696 What You Deserve

    Emelie''s steps faltered when she heard that, and she turned her head sharply to look at William.

    William''s gaze was dark as he waited.

    Emelie clenched her jaw slightly. "You really know who it is?"

    William answered inly, "I do."

    Emelie stared at him.

    Wesley was in aa for a month because of that car ident and had been injured. She had vowed to find out who was behind it and make them pay. Unfortunately, there had been no leads.

    However, William was saying he knew.

    She knew without asking that the price for this information was her apanying him to the hospital.

    Emelie asked aloud, "Why do you insist on having me take you to the hospital, Mr. Middleton?"

    William raised his hand to cover his mouth as he coughed. Although the wedding ring on his ring finger caught her eye, Emelie''s expression remained unchanged.

    He said, "Rather than saying I want you to go to the hospital with me, it''s more urate to say that I want to spend a little more time with you."

    Emelie stood while he sat. She looked down at him from above.

    From his prominent brow ridge to his sharp nose, he was clearly someone with a cold, indifferent, and heartless demeanor. Yet, he looked utterly weary and deste.

    "The snow has stopped, the ice is melting, and the roads will soon be clear. You''ll be heading back to Capebatt City, and I''ll return to a situation where I might not even see you after waiting all night. So, I''m reluctant to part ways with you," he said.

    He was reluctant to part ways so he wanted her to be by his side a little longer. It was such a humble and heartfelt sentiment.

    However, Emelie felt absolutely nothing. She wasn''t even stirred by that.

    She wasn''t new to his tendency to y the emotionally maniptive card. She would agree only because he imed to know the identity of the true culprit behind Wesley''s ident. "You better tell me something I don''t know. If you try to trick me, Mr. Middleton, you might just get to experience being broke, stranded in Borealis City, with no contacts and no way to reach your trusted men," she said.

    She would confiscate all his electronic devices and dump him on the streets of Borealis City to see how he would survive.

    William smiled instead. "Even the most ruthless man pales inparison to the most venomous woman''s heart. We are indeed a perfect match."

    Emelie merelyughed.

    The rescue team arrived two hourster.

    Their transportation was a sled dog team. There were no other tools avable for travel given the thick snow.

    Because the sled dogs could only carry a limited number of people, the team said they could only bring one person along. Emelie was unable to bring Jodie along, so she went alone with William to the hospital.

    Perhaps due to being out in the freezing weather, William''s cough worsened. The young doctor, unfamiliar with such cases, was at a loss.

    Eventually, William had to tell the doctor the medications that he normally took, and the doctor prescribed them to him. Once his cough eased, they would proceed with the examination.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    The doctor saw his paleplexion and worried that he might not hold up.

    He spoke to Emelie, "You should get a wheelchair for him."

    Emelie replied nonchntly, "His illness is in his lungs, not his legs. He can walk."

    The doctor found that inappropriate. "He was coughing so hard that he could barely stand and almost coughed up blood. If there''s internal damage to his organs, he should avoid moving too much. A wheelchair would be safer. Aren''t you his wife? Why do you not care about your husband''s condition?"

    Emelie''s smile didn''t reach her eyes. "Just because a man and a woman are together doesn''t mean they''re married. You might be better suited as a matchmaker since you seem to be so out of touch that you need patients to teach you what to prescribe."

    The doctor was unable to refute and muttered, "Aren''t you a coupleing to the hospital together?"

    Emelie crossed her arms and said to William, "Can you walk? If you can''t, I''ll call a nurse to wheel you around."

    William pursed his lips together and stood up on his own, one hand pressed to his aching chest and the other steadying himself against the hospital wall as he walked to the CT room.

    After the examination was done and they received the report, they returned to find the doctor frowning at the results.

    Before the doctor could speak, William said to Emelie, "I''m thirsty. Can you get me a ss of water?"

    Emelie smirked. "If you don''t want me to hear your condition, just say so. I''ll leave right away. I''m not interested anyway."

    She turned and walked out, closing the door behind her.

    Before the door shutpletely, Emelie heard the young doctor ask William in disbelief, " Who exactly is she to you? In this heavy snow, someone who apanies a patient to the hospital is usually very close. I''ve never seen someone with such a terrible attitude towards a

    patient."

    Despite her beautiful appearance, her personality left a lot to be desired.

    William grinned. "She''s my creditor. I owe her a lot. Whatever she does to me, I deserve it."

 Chapter 697

    ?Chapter 697 Everything Has Changed

    Emelie stood in the hallway, leaning against the wall as she waited. It wasn''t long before William emerged.

    Emelie remained where she was. "Will you need surgery?"

    William replied gently, "No, just an IV drip will suffice."

    Emelie nodded. "I''ve apanied you to the hospital, and you''ve had your examination. Your illness is being treated. Now, can you tell me what I want to know?"

    William took a few steps towards her until he was right in front of her.

    He wore a ck puffer jacket that reached his calves, with a ck fur-lined cor that made his pale skin and thin jawline even more pronounced. He looked like one of those dashing vampires from an animated series.

    "Before we proceed, can I ask you a question?" he asked.

    "No." Emelie''s expression grew even colder. "William, when will you stop going back on your words?"

    William said, "I never said that I wouldn''t tell you."

    Emelie snapped, "Then say what you need to say, and stop wasting time!"

    William traced her features with his gaze.

    She used to be someone who rarely lost her temper. She was always the most reserved and humble Ms. Hoven. Of course, it wasn''t to say that she was currently someone who got upset easily.

    The reason she had snapped earlier at the stranger was because the doctor had

    presumptuously guessed their rtionship. It was also because she didn''t want to be at the hospital with him, but had endured it because she cared about the truth.

    William began speaking again, but the information was still not what Emelie was waiting to hear.

    He said, "I also know about the time when prohibited drugs suddenly appeared in the shipment when youpleted the SAM acquisition and became the director of the leather goods at the Filo Group.

    "It led to your detention and investigation by the Baliz police for three days and nights. I know who plotted that."

    Emelie frowned. "I want to know who orchestrated Wesley''s car ident."

    William ignored her and continued, "And when you went to Mazia to mine gold, someone broke into your roo room at the Beierde Hotel in the middle of the night, attempting to harm you. I know the real culprit behind these incidents. I can tell you, with no conditions

    attached."

    Emelie had no idea why he was discussing irrelevant matters.

    She raised her voice, "I don''t need to hear that. I want the information about Wesley."

    William hesitated and took a step back. "I''ll tell you about these two matters first, and then I''ll tell you about Wesley. How about that?"

    Emelie''s patience was wearing thin. "No, thank you!"

    William took a deep breath, feeling a burning pain in his lungs. "Are you really that concerned about him? Despite your disdain for me, you still apanied me to the hospital for an examination. The other two matters are about you and even threaten your safety, but you care more about Wesley."

    Emelie''s face remained expressionless.

    William held his chest and leaned against the wall. He looked down before raising his head again.

    "Then if I tell you that someone is secretly nning to kill Wesley, how much are you willing to pay for this information?" he said.

    Emelie looked at him, her brow rxing as sheughed. "Oh? So, what will it take? What do you want in exchange?"

    William'' pressed his dry lips together.

    Emelie finally moved closer, her voice slow. "Do you want me to stay with you in the hospital until you recover, or do you want me to lie down naked in bed waiting for you? Hmm?"This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    William''s face seemed to turn even paler. Emelie''s toes nearly touched his as they stood close together.

    "What? Are these demands too much for you to voice? They shouldn''t be. Didn''t you make simr demands before?" she said.

    Emelie suddenly sneered, grabbing his cor and pulling him close.

    In a whisper only they could hear, she said, "William, you''ve changed, and so have I. I won''t obediently follow your orders. Instead, I''ll find a way to capture you discreetly, put you in a basement, and torture you until you confess the truth."

 Chapter 698

    ?Chapter 698 A p

    At this close distance, William could smell the faint fragrance on Emelie and instinctively turned his head to inhale more of it.

    Emelie didn''t see any hint of fear on his face and tightened her grip on his cor. "You don''t believe me?"

    Just then, to her surprise, someone grabbed her arm and warned her, "Ms. Pierce, please don''t offend Mr. Middleton like this."

    Emelie turned to see it was Ashton. How could she be there?

    At the same time, she noticed someone else behind her.

    Emelie immediately turned around and saw four bodyguards in ck, clearly William''s men. If she dared to harm William further, they would act immediately.

    Emelie narrowed her eyes and looked back at William.

    He let her hold his cor, slightly bent forward, showing no sign of resistance. His expression was calm andposed. It was clear he wasn''t being controlled by her.

    Emelie''s lips curled into a cold smile. "Your people have been in Borealis City all along? You''re not alone

    after all?"

    William didn''t deny it.

    Emelie nodded. She should have expected that someone of his status and level wouldn''t be out alone.

    She sneered. "Were you pretending to be weak just to make me lower my guard, Mr. Middleton?"

    "No, just to make you less hostile toward me," William said softly.

    Emelie red at him.

    Ashton said again, "Ms. Pierce, please let go of Mr. Middleton."

    He was William, the president of the Cloudex Corporation and the only son of the Middleton family. No one had ever dared to grab him by the cor. It was a tant insult.

    Emelie ignored her.

    Ashton was unable to hold back any longer and started to move forward. However, a cold nce from William made her stop, and her hands clenched into fists.

    Emelie expressionlessly said, "Tell me what I want to know."

    William wore a self-deprecating smile. It was clear that no matter what, she was determined to find out who had harmed Wesley.

    Despite the fatigue he felt, he finally said, "It''s Wesley''s aunt, Natalia Filo."

    Emelie quickly pictured the noblewoman''s face.

    Natalia had always been a suspect. Now that it was confirmed, she wasn''t very surprised.

    Emelie finally released William''s cor and he added, "If you need evidence, I''ll provide it when I return to Capebatt City."

    Emelie asked, "How did you know it was her?"

    William simply replied, "I investigated the matter."

    "And why did you investigate it?" she asked. It had nothing to do with him, after all.

    William said, "I know that you want to know. I''ll give you whatever you want."

    Emelie admired his ability to turn every sentence into a romantic line.

    She raised an eyebrow. "So, you must have had someone watching me to know what I was investigating." William coughed quietly.

    Emelie said firmly, "Immediately remove your people from around me."

    William replied softly, "I ced them around you only to protect you. I have no other intentions."

    "Mr. Middleton, I appreciate your good intentions, but it''s unnecessary," Emelie said with a smirk. "Since you have someone taking care of you, I''ll leave now."

    She turned to leave without waiting for a response.

    They were initially standing toe to toe. As she walked away, the distance between them grew.

    William leaned against the hospital wall. He watched her walk down the hallway and her figure gradually disappearing.

    Memories of her turning away from him shed before his eyes both from three years ago and the present. Like frames from a video, each showed her indifferent, resolute departure.

    After ten seconds, William couldn''t hold back any longer and suddenly ran after her.

    Ashton watched in surprise as William grabbed Emelie''s arm.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    He tried to say, "Angel-"

    However, the moment Emelie was yanked back, she pped him hard across the face without hesitation.

 Chapter 699

    ?Chapter 699 He Knows

    The sharp sound echoed in the room.

    Ashton stared in shock, her eyes wide.

    William''s personal bodyguards, whose top priority was his safety, immediately rushed forward.

    Jodie, who had been worried about Emelie and William being alone, managed to get to the hospital just in time to witness the scene. Without a second thought, she quickly moved behind Emelie, watching the other party cautiously.

    The two groups faced off, forming a tense standoff.

    A sudden flush of red appeared on William''s already pale face. However, he remained calm, his eyes fixed on Emelie.

    Emelie said coldly, "I warned you not to touch me recklessly, and I also warned you not to call me that, Mr. Middleton. If you have a poor memory, I hope this p will make asting impression."

    William didn''t seem to care about the p. He asked her, "Do you really not remember why I bought that mansion at that location?"

    Emelie''s expression was impassive. "I don''t remember."

    William saw the jealousy and rejection flicker in her eyes and shook his head, not believing her denial." You remember perfectly."

    He exined, "When we visited Moten''s exhibition and saw that ''Carriage in the Snow'' painting, you mentioned that once you saved up enough for an early retirement, you would buy a small house with a firece in a snowy town.

    "You wanted to wake up to the sound of branches snapping under the snow, drink tea in the afternoon while gazing at the snowyndscape, and spend your time skiing, building snowmen, and having snowball fights. You said that such a life would never grow old for you, even after 10 years.

    "Because of that, three years ago, I came to Borealis City. One reason was to inspect theboratory, and the other was to find a house that matched your dream. That duplex mansion originally had an owner, but I paid them three times its value to buy it."

    William''s voice was low. "I really wanted to bring you here for a vacation in the future."

    Emelie remembered it. When she saw the replica of the ''Carriage in the Snow'' in the room, she recalled what she had said in jest.

    The fact that he actually bought a house there because of that didn''t touch her. Instead, she only found it ridiculous. "Were you nning to take my memorial tablet here for a vacation?"

    Emelie shook her head. "No, you don''t make a memorial tablet for me. It was set up by Mr. Gleamfield." She found it strange and asked, "William, I don''t understand. What are you trying to dotely? Are you trying to tell me you have feelings for me, or even that you love me?"

    William''s lips seemed to be forming a "yes", but Emelie added a sarcastic question. "Do you think I would believe that?"

    William remained silent.

    "Even if I did believe it, so what?" Emelie said, smoothing out the wrinkle in his cor that she had made with her p.

    She moved closer again and spoke softly, yet mockingly, "Do you expect me to reconcile with you?"

    William swallowed heavily, and the light in his dark eyes seemed to shatter.

    Emelie chuckled softly. "Wake up, Mr. Middleton."

    This time, she really left.

    William closed his eyes.

    Though the windows in the corridor were sealed, he could still hear the howling north wind outside, wailing as if it was singing a mournful song for someone who couldn''t cry aloud.

    Ashton waited for a long while, but he didn''t move.

    She was unable to contain herself and called out, "Mr. Middleton."

    William opened his eyes, his gaze clear and his expression returned to normal.

    He said, "I''ve always been clear-headed. I''ve always known what I wanted to do. I''ve known for three years."This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    Emelie went downstairs and stood at the hospital entrance.

    She had tucked the hand that she had used to p him into her coat pocket.

    She stared at the snowstorm outside with a nk expression. Yet, his words echoed in her mind.

    She thought about the house that he bought three years ago for his whimsical n to vacation together and wondered if he always knew that she was still alive over those three years.

 Chapter 700

    ?Chapter 700 Time Is Past

    That was impossible.

    William was the one who had killed Emelie with his own hands and ordered her body to be thrown into the sea. He should be the person who was most certain that she was dead.

    Even though he had bought that house, it was only to ease his own guilt and to give his conscience some rest. That was all.

    Jodie noticed that Emelie had been standing there for too long and called out to her.

    Emelie replied coldly, "Find us a hotel to stay in. We''ll return to Capebatt City in three days."

    "Alright," Jodie said.

    As Emelie turned, she pushed William and his wordspletely out of her mind. "Jodie, I have William''s spies around me. Find out who they are."

    "What?" The fact that they had William''s spies around them was serious.

    Jodie quicklyplied. "Yes, I''ll do that!"

    Three dayster, traffic in Borealis City had mostly returned to normal, and Emelie and her team took a ne back to Capebatt City after being away for more than half a month.

    Capebatt City had also entered deep winter. It had snowed the previous night, and frost was clinging to the bare branches of trees.

    Emelie went straight to the prison to see Charles instead of returning to the hotel to rest.

    Charles had been officially detained, so he was brought out by the prison guards. When they met, there was an iron bar barrier between them.

    When she saw him, Emelie slowly recited a poem, "The wind has stilled, and the dust has cleared. The flowers fade as day appears.

    "The world remains, yet all has changed. Time''s passed by, and tears have ranged.

    "Everything''s ended, time is past. Tears fall first, wordsest."

    "That''s ''The Late Spring'', a poem by Quill Leonard. The next lines are: ''I''ve heard the spring at Twin Creeks is still so fine;

    "I nned to drift in a boat of mine. But I fear that the craft, with my sorrows in tow, might not bear the weight of my grief and woe," Charles continued the poem with a rxed tone.

    It was as if he were still the suave and sophisticated Mr. Davis from the four wealthiest families in the business circle.

    Emelie smiled slightly. "Mr. Davis, I''ve only been away on a business trip for half a month. How did you end up like this?"

    Charles sat down on the iron chair. "That''s why the poem says, "The world remains, yet all has changed.'' You arrived just in time, Ms. Pierce. If you had been a few dayster, I might have already been sentenced."Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie smiled. "Embezzlement, though it''s a massive amount, will probably only get you five to seven years. It won''t be the death penalty. Even if you''re in prison, I can still apply for a visit."

    Charlesughed softly. "Ms. Pierce, you''re so righteous. I''m really touched. Thank you."

    He thanked her again. "Thank you for setting up this situation just for me. You really hold me in high regard."

    Emelie remainedposed. "What do you mean by that, Mr. Davis?"

    Charles spread his hands. He was wearing an orange jumpsuit from the detention center and had handcuffs on.

    "I''m already in this state, so there''s no need for you to pretend anymore, Ms. Pierce," he said.

    "Are you saying that I caused your current situation, Mr. Davis?" Emelie feigned innocence.

    She exined, "You''re wrongfully using me, Mr. Davis. During this period, I was trapped in Borealis City by the snowstorm and couldn''t even leave the house. My phone was unreliable, so how could I have orchestrated such a big affair?"

    Charles looked at her, not blinking.

    Emelie leaned back in her chair and began to ask, "Did I cut off the Davis Group''s funding?"

    "No," Charles replied.

    "Did I stop banks or your friends from lending money to you?" she asked.

    "No," he replied.

    "Did I encourage you to use the charity funds?" she asked.

    "No," he replied.

    "Did I report your embezzlement or incite public opinion online to attack the Davis Group?" she asked.

    Charles answered, "No, you did nothing. But that''s the brilliance of your methods-achieving your goals without direct confrontation."

    Emelie smoothed the wrinkles in her coat as she smirked.

    Charles suddenly called out to her. "Ms. Hoven."

    Emelie looked up.

    Charles said, "We all know you came back to take revenge for the Pierce and Hoven families. We were prepared for you to take action, but you were so brilliant that every step you took left us with no choice."

    He began to recount her actions in detail. "First, you cut off the cooperation between the Xanther Group and the Aurora Group, then forced the death of Mr. Middleton Senior.

    "Mrs. Middleton and William already had conflicts over the distribution of assets. With his death, the conflicts exploded.

    "While Mrs. Middleton started a public opinion campaign online, you stirred the pot, mixing everything together. This brought chaos to William, the Cloudex Corporation, and the Xanther Group.

    "Then, you made your appearance, rifying the situation and proposing a partnership with Filo Group. Under those circumstances, we had no choice but to agree to you, or we would have sunk deeper and deeper into the mire of public opinion. Our situation would only worsen."

    They didn''t let their guard down and invite the wolf in. However, she had still been able to pushed them into a dead end.

    It was only when Charles was arrested and taken to the detention center that he gradually realized all of that .

 Chapter 701

    ?Chapter 701 Please, I''m Begging You

    "You casually suggested setting up a charitable fund as if it were a trivial matter, so I didn''t think much of it or raise my guard. Then, you created a buzz around a horse race, raising the funds to an unexpected 15 million dors."

    Charles smiled as he looked at Emelie, who was sitting across from him. She was a woman who wasn''t even 30 yet.

    "Let me guess. At least 10 million dors of that was contributed by your own people, right?"

    Emelie smiled but said nothing.

    Charles nodded. "And then, you used the excuse of losing the horse race to me as a way to hand over the encryption key."

    Instead of giving him the encryption key straight away, losing the race and then handing it over seemned more natural, and that had eased his suspicions.

    Every step that Emelie had taken was so seamless and unexpected that it left Charles defenseless.

    He sighed. "What''s the difference between giving the key to me for safekeeping and handing some cheese to a mouse? You know that I''m already drowning in debt. I''m desperate and out of options, so I was bound to touch the charity funds."

    She had left Capebatt City before the bomb had gone off to avoid suspicion. She wanted to ensure that when he needed to borrow money, he wouldn''t be able to find her.

    Charles admitted defeat. "I''ve been caught red-handed with the stolen goods at the crime scene. I have nothing to say."Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie listened to him without denying a word. This proved that his assumptions were entirely correct.

    She said, "During the horse race, I also took the opportunity to assess William''s health. It turns out that he really isn''t doing well."

    Charlesughed even more. "So, it was a double win for you."

    Emelie whispered, "Do you want to know who reported your embezzlement?"

    Charles, who had been speaking so confidently just moments ago, hesitated for a second and then said, "I don''t want to know."

    Emelie frowned as if she was troubled. "But she insisted that I tell you after everything was done."

    Since Emelie had said "she", it had to be a woman.

    Charles froze for a few seconds before lowering his head with a defeated smile. His tears suddenly fell onto the iron chair.

    "Please, I''m begging you. Don''t tell me."

    Emelie gazed at him. His reaction meant that he had already figured out who it was.

    Her expression gradually faded until it was entirely nk. Then, she asked calmly, "Does it hurt?"

    Charles looked up at her, and Emelie went on to ask, "Does it hurt to be betrayed by someone so close to you?"

    "Your father was my father''s secretary, just like how Zoe is to you, how Ashton is to William, and how Jodie is to me. They''re the people we are closest to and the ones we trust the most. But it was your father who wrote the letter reporting my father.

    "The deadliest blow usuallyes from behind. The pain you''re feeling now was probably what my father felt back then."

    Charles swallowed painfully. He lowered his head in despair. "An eye for an eye, I suppose."

    Seeing him like this should have made Emelie feel satisfied. She had shot down the eagle, winning the first step of the hunt effortlessly.

    Yet, she didn''t feel much joy because nothing she did now could reverse the tragedies that had already happened.

    After all, her biological parents and her adoptive parents...

    They were all gone.

    Thus, she spoke in a t, straightforward tone.

    "I''ve had someone inform your father in detail about your imprisonment and the bankruptcy of the Davis Group due to insolvency. All movable and immovable assets will be auctioned off to pay the debts. I heard his heart hasn''t been good these past two years, and I hope he can bear the bad news."

    Charles'' face stiffened as he abruptly stood up and shouted in anger, "Emelie!"

    But the next second, the prison guard yelled at him, "Sit down!"

    "What''s wrong? Did you think I wouldn''t go after your father after you atoned for his sins?" Emelie sneered. "This is just the beginning, Charles. We''re far from done."

    Charles stared at Emelie, who met his gaze without flinching.

    Her eyes have always been beautiful. They were once cool but now cold-hearted.

    Her eyes were like a mirror of the sins they hadmitted, thinking they could escape justice.

    Charles'' expression shifted from anger to confusion and finally to dejection.

    He sat back in the iron chair, rested his head on the small table, and let out a long breath.

    His voice was hoarse as he said, "Do you really think I''m so blind to right and wrong that I wouldn''t realize what my father and I did to the Pierce family and the Hoven family was

    wrong?"

    What did he just say?

    Emelie suddenly got up and ran to the iron bars. She shouted angrily, "You knew it was wrong, but you did it anyway. Do you want me to praise you for it?"

 Chapter 702

    ?

    Chapter 702 He Loved You

    Charles raised his head. "But people are selfish, aren''t they? What could I do? He''s my biological father. Was I supposed to report him?

    "Turning against your own family is considered noble because it goes against human instinct. But I''m no saint. I couldn''t do it."

    Emelie was starting to lose herposure. She couldn''t help it.

    What he had said was just too shameless!

    "So, you chose to go along with him, to help your father destroy the evidence and cause the deaths of my adoptive parents!"

    "I told you, people are selfish. If I hadn''t found the ount book and continued down the wrong path, the ones facing imprisonment and bankruptcy would have been the Davis family and my father. I was just protecting myself."

    Charles found it ironic. "When the Pierce family fell, I was only three years old, but from that moment on, I was destined to be an aplice. My entire life, I could only continue making mistakes."

    It was almostical to hear him im he was only protecting himself.

    It was almostughable to hear him say he could only keep making mistakes.

    Emelieughed. "You''re shameless. You warm yourself with the blood of others. You''re vicious, in and simple. Don''t pretend you were forced into this. It''s disgusting to hear!"

    "Disgusting, did you say?" Charles lowered his head. "I think so too."

    He suddenly understood why criminals on the run for years often said that when they were finally caught, it was like a weight was lifted off their chest, and they could finally sleep well again.

    Sure, some might be trying to save face by saying that, but there was probably some truth to it too.

    At least, that was how he felt.

    He no longer had to carry the burden of these sins.

    Emelie suppressed the anger boiling inside her. She didn''t need to be this angry.

    As she had said earlier, this was just the beginning. She would make sure they, like her father Xander, stood in court and admitted to their crimes with their own mouths.

    Emelie turned around to sit back in the chair. There were still things she wanted to ask Charles.

    Meanwhile, Charles thought that she was about to leave, so he called out to her and asked, "

    Ms. Hoven, may I ask you one more favor?"

    Emelie turned and asked, "What is it?"

    "Take care of Emmie and her daughter for me."

    They were the only ones he couldn''t let go of. "Since she''s one of your people, surely you won''t just abandon her once she''s served her purpose, right?"

    Emelie was genuinely surprised to hear him say that.

    He wasn''t begging her to spare his father. Instead, he was asking her to look after Emmie.

    She crossed her arms and asked, "Aren''t you at all curious about how we met and why she helped me bring you down?"

    Charles maintained his attitude. "I''m not curious, and I don''t want to know. I just want you to promise to take care of them."Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie''s gaze sharpened as she replied coolly, "Emmie and I aren''t bound by any employer- employee ties. We merely used each other when it suited us. Once you''re behind bars, our alliance ends. I have no obligation to look after her and her daughter."

    She then added, "Unless you have something to trade."

    Something to trade, did she say? Charles pursed his lips. "Ms. Hoven, I liked you back then. You might not remember, but years ago, at a restaurant in Eastania, I promised you I''d quit smoking. And I haven''t touched a cigarette since."

    Emelie scoffed. "What''s this? Mr. Davis, are you trying to y the same emotional card that Mr. Middleton did?"

    "William?" Charles nodded in agreement. "He liked you more than I did."

    "Liked" wasn''t the right word, so he corrected himself.

    "He loved you. He went to great lengths to protect you, putting on a show for us time and time again. I wanted to protect you too, so I yed along with him."

    Emelie paused. "What show?"

    Charles sighed. "Do you remember that time when he was always showing you off? Kissing you in front of the hospital, proudly introducing you as his wife at thepany, hiring all those nannies and chefs to care for you while you were pregnant, and even personally taking you to visit your mother, who was still in aa, in the hospital?"

    Emelie narrowed her eyes slightly.

    She remembered those things. She had always found it strange how William suddenly started behaving like an over-the-top romantic and making a scene every day.

    Charles exined, "He did all of that for us to see."

    By "us", he mainly meant Charles and Beathan.

    "He wanted us to believe that you two were deeply in love and that you chose him over the Pierce family. That you and he were a united front, and therefore, you weren''t a threat to us, and we wouldn''t need to silence you."

 Chapter 703

    ?Chapter 703 They Are Still Deserving of Death

    Emelie was hearing all this for the first time.

    She stared at Charles with gleaming eyes, and her fingers clenched tightly in her pocket. But she remained silent.

    "Back then, you were our biggest threat. I knew he might be pretending, but I still backed him up in front of Beathan, saying that you two were truly in love."

    There was a reason why Charles had said all these things. He asked with all sincerity, "In return for the help I once gave you, will you promise to take good care of Emmie and her daughter?"

    Emelie took a long time before she finally answered, "I''m not interested in that offer."

    Charles grew anxious. "Then, what do you want?"

    Emelie sat back in her chair and crossed her legs. "You know Benjamin Collymore, the head of the Collymore family in Glenfield, right?"

    Charles quickly recalled him and said, "Yes, I know him. A distant cousin of mine is married to him." Emelie nodded and continued, "Benjamin knows a neurologist named Shane Santiago. Shane has retired, and his whereabouts are unknown to outsiders, but Benjamin had consulted him earlier this year to treat his cousin. If you could use your connections to get Shane to agree to treat Ashley, I''ll ensure that Emmie and her daughter will receive the best care."

    Charles pursed his lips and nodded. "Okay."

    Emelie added, "And you mustn''t tell Beathan anything about our conversation today."

    Charles sighed. "Alright. I agree to everything."

    Emelie took out her phone. "Call him now."

    Charles made the call, whichsted an hour and a half, while Emelie listened the whole time. As expected, Benjamin provided Shane''s contact information.

    Shane owed Benjamin a favor, so he agreed to help anyone Benjamin asked for.

    Emelie then walked out of the detention center.

    Elias and Jodie were waiting by the car. Elias immediately looked at her, and Emelie gave him a nod.

    Elias finally got a slight smile on his face.

    Emelie approached him and said, "I''ll send you the contact information on WhatsApp soon. Just mention Benjamin''s name. He''s already given a heads-up."

    "Got it." Elias'' Adam''s apple bobbed. "Thank you."

    Emelie shook her head. "No need to thank me. We''re partners. Without your connections, that charity? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    fund wouldn''t have been established so quickly, and Charles wouldn''t have fallen into the trap so easily."

    Elias hurried off to contact Shane, not saying much more to Emelie. He gave a nod and left.

    Meanwhile, Emelie remained by the car. She was lost in thought until the snow started to fall again.

    Of course, the snow wasn''t as heavy as it had been in Borealis City.

    Jodie noticed Emelie''s ring finger trembling slightly. It was almost unnoticeable. She called out, "Ma''am".

    Emelie looked at Jodie, who frowned. "Ma''am, are you cold? Your finger is shaking quite a lot."

    Emelie nced down at her ring finger. Pressing her lips together, she suddenly said, "Charles just told me something."

    Jodie asked, "What is it?"

    Emelie forced a smile. "He said that William did everything he could to save me back then."

    Jodie opened her mouth to say something but was unsure of what to say.

    Emelie chuckled softly, but her voice was as cold as melted ice water.

    "No wonder... Before he killed me, he said that he had done everything in his power to save me, but in the end, he failed and had no choice but to end my life."

    Jodie called out, "Ma''am."

    Emelie turned her gaze back to the detention center''s gate. "So what if Charles'' revtion was meant to show me William''s good intentions? All it proves is that he wasn''t entirely heartless. But deep down, he''s no different from Charles.

    "People are selfish. In the end, he chose to protect himself. For Cloudex Corporation and the Middleton family, he had no choice but to keep making mistakes and to kill me to silence me."

    Selfishness, self-preservation,ck of choice, and continued wrongdoing were just excuses for Charles, and they were the same excuses William used.

    Charles was shameless, despicable, and disgusting. William was no different.

    A cold aura surrounded Emelie. "Does saying a prayer to absolve the victim before killing them make the killer a good person? Should they not die?"

    "No, they are still deserving of death."

 Chapter 704

    ?Chapter 704 Do You Regret It?

    After leaving the detention center, Emelie didn''t return to the hotel to rest.

    Instead, she went to a shopping mall. Inside the mall was an authentic Lathrian-style restaurant where she would be meeting Emmie.

    Emmie had arrived a little early. The dishes she had ordered were already on the table, but she hadn''t touched them. She had only sipped half a ss of her water.

    Emelie was very hungry after having traveled back from Borealis City to Capebatt City and running around all day. She sat down without hesitation and started eating.

    She quickly finished a Caesar chicken sd, a whole pasta, and a chicken wing to fill her stomach before saying, "I just visited him at the detention center."

    Emmie asked softly, "Did he know that it was me?"

    Emelie took another piece of chicken wing before replying, "He asked me not to tell him who the

    informant was, but he clearly suspected that it was you, though he didn''t want to hear your name directly.

    "

    Emmie closed her eyes for a moment before taking out a small jewelry box from her bag. "I found this in a drawer while cleaning the room."

    The jewelry box was small and clearly contained a ring.

    Emelie didn''t open it but watched her instead. Emmie''s face looked somewhat pale, and the small red mole on her forehead seemed to have faded.

    "He once told me that he had the urge to take me to the city hall to get a marriage certificate when we passed by, but he didn''t. I thought it was because he thought I wasn''t worthy of being his wife."

    Emelie didn''t gloat but said fairly, "He probably believed that if you were his wife and he ended up in prison, you and the child would end up suffering too."

    A child with a criminal record for a father would face a bleak future.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    Although Charles didn''t officially marry Emmie, giving her a wedding ring was his way of acknowledging her as his wife.

    As Emelie nced at the small box, her ring finger twitched slightly again. She tightened her grip on the fork and continued eating. "It seems men ce a lot of importance on wedding rings."

    Emmie remained silent.

    Emelie then asked, "Do you regret it?"

    Emmie smiled faintly. "A little, but not much. After all, he had hurt me."

    Emelie recalled the first time she had met this woman.

    Back then, Emmie was holding her feverish daughter and carrying a heavy baby bag while running back and forth in the maternity ward.

    It was the rainy season. Patients areing in and out of the hospital. The relentless downpour outside had turned the hospital floor slippery with rainwater. Emmie slipped and fell hard.

    The dull thud from the fall sounded painful even for Emelie, who was watching from afar.

    Despite the pain, Emmie''s first instinct was to protect her daughter. While Mia remained unharmed,

    Emmie ended up with a fractured ankle.

    The subsequent year and a half were incredibly tough for her.

    Emmie''s hardships couldn''t be entirely med on Charles. After all, she was the one who chose to have the child.

    However, during each challenging moment, she couldn''t help but remember how Charles had deceived her, grown tired of her, abandoned her, and forced himself on her while drunk.

    These umted grievances and hatred were the reasons she agreed to team up with Emelie.

    In truth, even if Charles had never made the request, Emelie would still have looked after Emmie and her daughter.

    "I know you want to return to your hometown, so I bought a school district property there. It will be convenient for your daughter''s future schooling. Tomorrow, I''ll have someone deliver the property deed to you."

    Emmie didn''t refuse. "Thank you."

    After finishing their afternoon tea, Emmie prepared to leave.

    Emelie looked up at Emmie from her chair. "Before I left the detention center, he asked me to pass a message to you. Do you want to hear it?"

 Chapter 705

    ?Chapter 705 Anxious

    Emmie''s eyshes fluttered. She said, despite gulping, "No."

    After that, she quickly left.

    Emelie took a sip of her tea. Charles'' message was likely asking whether Emmie would still be willing to see him after he served his sentence and if they had a future together.

    Emmie might have guessed that, and her refusal was an answer of "no" and "no future".

    The one who harmed others would eventually get hurt in return. That was probably just how things were.

    "Why do I always run into you right after your meal?" A cheerful male voice suddenly sounded above Emelie.

    She turned around in surprise and smiled. "Mr. Swanson, what brings you here?"

    She quickly signaled the waiter to clear the tes and bring a fresh pot of tea.

    Samuel sat down and said with a smile, "Do you remember my little sister, Mnie Swanson?"

    "Of course I do."

    "She''s getting married."This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    Emelie eximed, "That sudden?"

    Samuel chuckled. "It''s no sudden. It''s just that you haven''t heard from her in a while. She and her fiance have been together for two years, and they''ve been nning their wedding for over half a year. The wedding is set for after the New Year. I want to give her a set of gold jewelry as a wedding gift. Since I have some free time today, I came to the store to pick some out."

    As he spoke, he opened arge jewelry box containing about thirteen pieces of jewelry. "Choose one." Emelie frowned. "Are you serious? It''s your sister''s wedding. Why am I the one choosing?"

    Samuel looked a bit taken aback. "I have difficulty making decisions. I thought you could help me decide which piece would be best. Did you think I''m going to give you one? Ms. Pierce, you''re wealthier than I am. You''re the one who should be giving me something."

    Oh.

    It turned out Emelie misunderstood. She brushed her nose and carefully looked at the options before selecting a hairpin.

    "This is a bat. In foreign cultures, bats symbolize vampires and have ominous meanings, but in Cedonia''s ancient times, bats were considered symbols of blessings. I saw some of our artifacts in the Bredal museum, and the ancient noblewomen''s hair essories often featured bat designs."

    Samuel examined the hairpin. Its craftsmanship was outstanding. Mnie had a vintage-style dress, and this hairpin would suit her well. "Then, I''ll give her this one and use the rest as her dowry."

    So, in the end, all this jewelry was going to be given to Mnie?

    What was the point of her choosing then?

    Emelie looked at him with a mixture of annoyance and amusement.

    "I noticed you didn''t seem very happy, so I thought I''d try to make you smile." Behind Samuel''s sses was a pair of gentle eyes. He then picked up the teapot.

    Emelie couldn''t say she was unhappy. She was just weighed down with many concerns. She suddenly said, "Help me choose something too."

    "What is it?"

    "Between a snake, leopard, and lion, which would you choose?"

    "Snake." Samuel handed her a cup of tea. "I dislike the rest."

    Jodie was waiting for Emelie in the car.

    She recalled what Emelie had said at the detention center gate and, after some hesitation, decided that she should inform Wesley about it. She called Wesley, who was far away in Mercianna, and told him everything in detail.

    Wesley''s only question was, "Is her mood affected?"

    "She seems a bit unhappy and hasn''t said much."

    Wesley''s lips pressed into a thin line. "I understand. Take good care of her."

    "I will."

    Wesley hung up the phone. It was evening for Mercianna. He walked to the window. His brown eyes reflected the night outside, and his face carried a troubled, indecipherable expression.

    He had been feeling anxious ever since Emelie went to Capebatt City.

    Even though Emelie still strongly resented William and wasn''t swayed by Charles'' word, Wesley no longer

    wanted to wait. Ten years had been long enough. He was tired of staying in the shadows.

    Emelie was already his fiancee, and it was only natural for him to be by her side.

    Wesley left the study to call Marcel.

    "Make the arrangements. I''m going to Capebatt City."

 Chapter 706

    ?Chapter 706 Five Times the Price

    Charles had just returned to his cell when a guard opened the door again, announcing that someone wanted to see him.

    "People who know me might understand I''m being detained, but those who don''t might think I''m on vacation, with all these visitors dropping by every day," Charles quipped as he got to his feet.

    The guard scolded him, "Less talking. Move."

    Charles walked out and was escorted by the guard to the visitation room again.

    Charles exited his cell and was escorted by the guard back to the visitation room.

    As he walked in, he wondered who it could be this time. When he saw Beathan standing by the iron bars, he paused. "It''s you."

    Since Charles'' trouble began, Beathan had been quite dedicated to helping him.

    At first, Beathan had helped Charles secure loans and then sought out potential solutions. Even when rumors started spreading that Charles was facing arrest, Beathan had tried to use his connections to protect him.

    However, the amount involved was too enormous, and the consequences were too severe. Even Beathan couldn''t shield Charles anymore. Eventually, he had no choice but to step back.

    Beathan got straight to the point and said, "Authorize me to be your defense attorney. I''ll do my best to get you a lighter sentence."

    Charles nodded. "Thank you."

    Beathan then asked, "Did Emeliee to see you earlier? What did she say?"

    Charles licked his lips and exhaled a breath of cold air. Even with all the walls sealed in the jail, he could still feel the wind creeping in.

    "Beathan, we''ve known each other our whole lives. I want to give you some advice."

    Beathan asked, "What advice?"

    "Emelie isn''t the same as before."

    Beathan took off his sses and gently wiped the lenses with a cloth taken out from his coat pocket.

    "I know. From the moment she ruined the coboration between Xanther Group and Aurora Group, I knew she was different. I just didn''t expect her to act so quickly. She caught us off guard and suddenly brought you down."

    He put his sses back on. The light created a diagonal reflection on the lenses, and for a moment, his deep brown eyes gave the illusion of vertical pupils, like a snake''s.

    A woman like her, relying on the power of the Filo Group, actually believes she can do whatever she wants in Capebatt City."This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    His voice was as icy and vicious as a serpent''s hiss.

    Charles clenched his fists on the small table and said in a low voice, "Beathan, let''s just stop.

    Beathan narrowed his eyes. "What did you say?"

    "Let''s stop making the same mistakes. This has nothing to do with us. Our fathers were the ones who made those choices. Why should we continue to bear the burden of their errors? We can choose to walk away..."

    Beathan let out augh. "Charles, if you had said this three years ago, maybe it would have been possible. But can we really walk away from our family now?"

    They had already done things that they shouldn''t have.

    They had driven Ronan to his death, caused Greta''s demise, attempted to kill Emelie, monitored Eliana, and hunted down Ashlyn... They had gone to great lengths to destroy everyone connected to the Pierce family.

    Even if they wanted to stop, Emelie, who had risen from the dead, wouldn''t let them go. Otherwise, Charles wouldn''t be sitting in the detention center right now.

    Beathan was more curious about why Charles'' attitude had suddenly changed. "What exactly did Emelie say to you?"

    "She didn''t say much." Charles lowered his head. "She just came to see me in my defeated state."

    Beathan sneered. "It doesn''t matter. She won''t be gloating for long."

    Charles'' eyelid twitched. "What are you nning?"

    Beathan didn''t exin. He only said, "I''ll help you secure a three-year sentence, and I''ll ensure that Emelie pays five times the price for this."

    What did he mean by five times the price?

    Did he mean 15 years? But 15 years of what?

    Charles looked at Beathan as he frowned. He knew better than anyone how cautious and ruthless Beathan could be.

    Emelie had won this round by catching them off guard, but in doing so, she had also tipped her hand. The other three families were now on high alert. If she tried to use the same tactics against them again, she wouldn''t stand a chance.

    Samuel drove Emelie back to the hotel.

    Jodie and the others followed behind.

    When they arrived, Emelie bid him farewell and got out of the car. Just as she stepped onto the pavement, she heard the car door behind her click open.

    She turned around to see Samuel getting out as well. She stopped and asked him in

    confusion, "Do you have something else to say?"

    Samuel slipped one hand into his coat pocket and walked up to her. "Hold out your hand."

 Chapter 707

    ?Material ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Chapter 707 Call an Ambnce

    "Hmm? What is it?" Emelie extended her hand. Samuel then ced his clenched fist over her palm and slowly opened it. Something fell into Emelie''s hand.

    She looked down to see a fine ne lying there.

    "It''s a gift for you," Samuel said.

    "This was meant to be part of your sister''s dowry." Emelie hesitated to ept it, but Samuel asked, "Did you see this ne among the ones I asked you to choose from earlier?"

    Emelie examined the ne closely. It was a fine chain with an intricately crafted pendant. Indeed, this particr piece wasn''t among the jewelry she had just picked from.

    Samuel added softly, "That''s because I bought this one just for you."

    Emelie''s eyes lingered on the pendant. "It''s a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis, isn''t it?"

    The pendant depicted a butterfly in the midst of breaking free from its cocoon, frozen in the moment of its transformation.

    Samuel smiled. "Yes, when I first saw it, I knew it would be perfect for you."

    Emelie, after all, was a butterfly reborn from its chrysalis, wasn''t she?

    Samuel looked up at the dark blue sky, with the crescent moon peeking out from behind the skyscrapers. "I still remember the tears in your eyes when you looked at the moon''s reflection in my sses years ago. It was at that moment that I vowed to always protect you." Emelie''s gaze softened as she looked at him. A serene warmth reced her usual coldness. Samuel lowered his head to meet her eyes again. There was a genuine tenderness in his eyes as he looked at her from behind his sses.

    He said, "Even though you no longer need my protection, I''ll always be here for you. If you ever have any troubles,e to me, and I''ll help you carry them."

    Emelie felt a tug at her heart. She gripped the ne tightly. It was light, and by gold standards, it wasn''t expensive.

    Yet, the sentiment behind it was invaluable, and emotions could not be quantified.

    Emelie rarely spoke of such sentimental matters, but with Samuel, words were all she had to express her gratitude. She was deeply thankful to him.

    "Thank you, Mr. Swanson. You stood by me during the hardest days of my life. I will always remember your kindness."

    But Samuel had never wanted her gratitude. He hadn''t wanted it three years ago, and he didn''t want it now.

    Then again, he understood that there was no possibility of anything more happening between them. So, he was willing to take a step back. Just being present for her and watching over her was enough.

    Samuel gave a gentle nod. "Go inside and get some rest."

    "Goodnight."

    "Goodnight."

    Emelie turned and walked toward the house. As she walked, she lowered her head to fasten the ne around her neck. Then, she turned around, walking backward while holding up the ne to show him.

    Samuel smiled as snow began to fall again. Just as he was about to wave her inside, he caught a glimpse of a car speeding toward Emelie from a few meters away.

    His expression changed in an instant. Acting on instinct, he lunged toward her. "Emelie! Watch out!"

    Emelie turned halfway around. Her first instinct was to look at Samuel, who was shouting urgently.

    Before she could react, Samuel shoved her aside with all his strength. The car mmed into him, and he was thrown to the ground.

    His sses fell to the ground, and the car''s wheels crushed them into pieces.

    Emelie was knocked to the ground. Her heart sank as she realized what had happened.

    "Mr. Swanson!"

    She scrambled to her feet and rushed to his side. Samuel''s face was pale, but he remained conscious, grimacing in pain as he clutched his bloody left leg.

    As Emelie looked at his leg, her vision wavered. The scene before her seemed as if she was looking at a flickering old television screen.

    Meanwhile, the driver of the out-of-control car yelled, "Ahhh! Get out of the way! I don''t know how to control this car!"

    There were many people at the hotel entrance, and they gathered around as they realized that something was wrong. Someone shouted, "Take your foot off the gas! Hit the brakes! Take your foot off the gas!"

    "I don''t know how to control this car!" The driver frantically turned the steering wheel, and as she screamed, the car veered toward Emelie and Samuel again.

    Samuel, who was fighting through the intense pain in his left leg, shoved Emelie out of the way. "Get back!"

    As Emelie stumbled to safety, the car barreled straight toward Samuel, whoy helpless on the ground.

    "Jodie!" Emelie yelled in desperation.

    "On it!"

    Jodie and several bodyguards immediately drew theirpact crossbows and fired a rapid volley of arrows at the car''s left tires.

    The tires burst with a loud explosion, sending the car into a wild, uncontroble swerve. It skidded in an S-shape beforeing to a screeching halt and flipping onto its side.

    Emelie cradled Samuel''s upper body. His consciousness was starting to fade. Panicked, she shouted, "Call an ambnce!"

 Chapter 708

    ?Chapter 708 She Couldn''t ept This

    The ambnce soon arrived.

    Samuel was rushed to the hospital on a stretcher for emergency treatment.

    Before losing consciousness, he weakly grasped Emelie''s hand and murmured, "I''m fine... Don''t worry too much..."

    Tears welled up in Emelie''s eyes. She followed the ambnce to the hospital but was kept outside the operating room.

    Although she wasn''t physically injured, her face was ashen with worry.

    The image of Samuel being thrown by the car reyed in her mind over and over again. She clenched her fists tightly and managed to force out each word from her throat.

    "Jodie, find out who did this."

    Jodie understood the severity of the situation. "On it!"

    After two hours, the surgery still wasn''t over.

    Emelie waited anxiously outside the operating room.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    In her hand was Samuel''s broken sses. The chain that always hung from his ears had snapped, and she was attempting to piece it back together.

    She recalled the first time she had met Samuel.

    It was at Capebatt University. He had suddenly walked up to her, asking if she had forgotten him. She had once spilled red wine on his shirt.

    She also remembered what he had said just before they had parted that night.

    She rarely cried, but she had shed tears in front of him once.

    She recalled how Samuel had offered her a job as his assistant when she couldn''t find work due to William''s suppression.

    The sses chain clicked into ce with a snap. Emelie''s lips curved up slightly. If the sses could be fixed, then he would be fine too.

    Jodie returned with news. "Ms. Pierce."

    Emelie stayed silent as Jodie continued quietly, "The police and traffic officers have arrived at the scene and taken the driver and vehicle for investigation. The preliminary findings are that the rookie driver mistakenly pressed the gas pedal instead of the brake while trying to stop.

    "As the driver was panicking after hitting someone, she lost control, causing the car to swerve uncontrobly. This incident is being considered as an ident."

    An ident?

    Emelie''s smile turned icy. "If Mr. Swanson hadn''t pushed me in time, given the speed of that car, I would either be dead or gravely injured."

    What she said was true.

    Jodie remained silent.

    Everything had happened so quickly. They had been in a different car and hadn''t anticipated such an ident. If Samuel hadn''t pushed Emelie aside, she would have been hit head-on.

    The consequences would have been unimaginable.

    Emelie turned to Jodie. "I don''t believe that this is just a simple ident."

    Jodie nodded in agreement. "I''m already looking into the driver''s background."

    "Do it as quickly as possible."

    "Understood."

    An hourter, the operating room door finally opened.

    Emelie immediately stepped forward. "Doctor, how is he?"

    The doctor replied, "The surgery was sessful. The patient''s life is not in danger, and his fractured bones have been realigned. However, he must stay in bed and cannot get up until the bones heal."

    Emelie asked urgently, "Will here be anysting effects?"

    The doctor answered cautiously, "It depends on his recovery process."

    Emelie held her breath. Given the extent of Samuel''s injuries and the amount of blood he had lost, she feared the worst.

    After steadying herself, she asked, "What if his recovery doesn''t go well?"

    The doctor answered, "He might end up with a limp."

    Emelie fell into silence.

    It felt as though a great weight had crashed down on her, leaving her numb and disoriented. She clutched the ne around her neck and shook her head stiffly.

    She couldn''t ept this.

    An hourter, Samuel began to regain consciousness as the anesthesia wore off.

    Before opening his eyes, he frowned and instinctively reached for his painfully injured left leg, but Emelie caught his hand before he could touch it.

    When he finally opened his eyes, he saw Emelie standing by his side. After a moment of disorientation, he realized that he was in a hospital room.

    He recalled everything that had happened before he lost consciousness.

    Emelie looked at him with deep concern and asked softly, "Are you in a lot of pain? Do you need any pain medication?"

    Samuel took a while to adjust to the sharp pain from his fractured bones. He shook his head and said, "It''s manageable. I can handle it."

    Emelie bit her lip as she carefully ced his hand back on the nket. "I''ve already notified Bryan. He and Nehemiah are on their way."

    Samuel turned his gaze to her and asked, "What about you? Are you injured?"

    "I''m okay."

    "Thank goodness."

    Even in his current state, his primary concern was her well-being. Emelie felt as though something was in her throat.

    "Nehemiah is very skilled. We''ll have him take a look at you first. I''ll also contact my doctor. "She continued fiercely, "Don''t worry. I''ll make sure that you''ll recover fully and won''t let those behind this go unpunished."

    Her words suggested that the ident was no mere coincidence. Samuel asked, "Who''s behind this?"

 Chapter 709

    ?

    Chapter 709 The Old Case Reopened

    Emelie didn''t hide anything from him. "Jodie found out that the driver''s husband has an extra 200 thousand dors in his ount. She''s definitely been paid off."

    Samuel showed no anger or hatred toward the mastermind behind the scenes. He remained silent, as if lost in thought.

    Emelie tried to control her rising anger. "I''ll find out who did this. I''m sorry you got caught up in this."

    With his sses off, Samuel''s eyes were sharp and clear. He extended his hand toward her, as if reaching for her hand.

    Emelie paused for a moment, then ced her hand in his.

    His palm was cool to the touch, but his gaze was steady and warm, like a calm spring in winter. It held a quiet reassurance.

    "Can you promise me something?" he asked softly.

    Emelie responded without hesitation, "Yes. What is it?"

    Samuel gave a slight smile. "Just promise me. As for what it is, let''s leave it forter. I''ll ask you for it when the timees."

    Emelie nced down at their sped hands. She didn''t know what he might ask for, but it didn''t matter. Whether out of gratitude for saving her life or because of their long-standing bond, she would agree to whatever he needed.

    Samuel had just undergone surgery, so he was still weak. After waking up, he managed to have some oatmeal. Then, he rested for a while and took his medication before drifting back into a drowsy state.

    Emelie stayed in his hospital room untilte at night.

    Just then, Jodie quietly approached her and whispered that Bryan had arrived.

    Emelie left the room and stepped into the corridor, where she saw Bryan and Nehemiah.

    This was Emelie''s first time meeting Nehemiah. They exchanged looks.

    Emelie nodded in greeting, but Nehemiah, who was eager to check on Samuel''s condition, ignored her and went straight into the room.

    As Nehemiah hurried past, Bryan turned to Emelie and asked, "Was it deliberate or just an ident?"

    Emelie replied, "It was deliberate."

    Bryan said solemnly, "You''ve gotten him involved in this."

    "Mr. Swanson got hurt because he saved me. I will take full responsibility."

    Before Bryan could respond, Emelie noticed several men appearing in the quiet corridor.

    She narrowed her eyes. Bryan stopped speaking and silently observed the scene as well.

    The men approached them and showed their police badges. Emelie raised an eyebrow when one of the men asked, "Are you Emelie Hoven?"

    Emelie nodded. "Yes, I am."

    One of the men said, "Pleasee with us."

    At this point, Emelie hadn''t grasped the severity of the situation. "Is there new progress on the car ident?"

    The man looked puzzled. "What car ident?"

    Emelie''s confusion deepened. "What do you mean?"

    Weren''t they here about Samuel''s ident? What was this about?

    Emelie couldn''t recall doing anything recently that would attract the police''s attention.

    As she studied them, Emelie quickly sensed that something was off. "You''re not the local police, are you?" Their demeanor was too intense. "You must be detectives. What are you here for?"

    The lead detective gave her a piercing look. "Don''t you know what you''ve done?"

    As she had guessed, they were detectives. Their opening line was typical for dealing with suspects.

    Emelie remained silent.

    Jodie stepped forward. "I''m Ms. Hoven''s secretary. What''s the matter? Who is your superior? Is it Mr. Bardot?"

    Jodie''sment subtly hinted at their connections to higher authorities.

    A junior officer leaned in to whisper something to the lead detective, likely briefing him on Emelie''s influential background. The lead detective''s demeanor softened noticeably after that.

    "Ms. Hoven, about four years ago, were you involved in a kidnapping incident?"

    Emelie was taken aback. "Yes, that did happen."

    It was the kidnapping that had led to her miscarriage.

    The detective went on to ask, "Do you know Frank Martin, who is also known as Frankie?"

    Emelie nodded. "He was one of the kidnappers. I remember that this person was never caught. Are you saying that he''s been apprehended now?"

    Since she had acknowledged it, the detective proceeded to take her into custody. "Ms. Hoven, you''ll need toe with us to the station for further questioning."

    Emelie''s expression quickly turned cold.

    Jodie quickly stepped in front of her, and the bodyguards moved into defensive positions.

    The detectives tensed as they saw the situation escte.

    Jodie demanded, "On what grounds are you detaining her? Do you have an arrest warrant? Who sanctioned this arrest?"

    Emelie, who was unperturbed, added, "You may not be aware, but I''m currently representing Faldoria''s Filo Group in a joint venture with Xanther Group to build and develop a new energyboratory. This contract is highly valued by the upper management.

    "If you take me to the police station so abruptly, it might be difficult to exin. So, please rify the situation here."

    The detective said, "We found Frankie''s body. The coroner determined that he had been fatally injured on the back of his head, likely caused by a blunt object like an iron or a

    wooden stick.

    "Ms. Hoven, we reviewed your previous statement. You admitted to hitting Frankie with a? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    stick. So, we need you to cooperate with the investigation."

    Emelie was stunned to hear that Frankie was dead.

 Chapter 710

    ?Chapter 710 Someone Came for Her

    Emelie immediately sensed that something was off. The case, which had remained buried for so many years, was suddenly dug up now. There was obviously something fishy about this.

    She nced back toward the hospital room, suspecting that this might be connected to Samuel''s car ident.

    After a moment of thought, she turned to the officers and said, "Alright. I''ll go with you."

    Jodie panicked. "Ms. Pierce, how can you go to the police station? I''ll contact Mr. Bardot right away. This is too offensive."

    Emelie smiled. "Every citizen has the obligation to cooperate with the police in their investigations. I have nothing to hide, so what do I have to fear? Just notify thewyers to be ready."

    She added, "And don''t tell Wesley yet."

    Jodie was still worried, but Emelie patted her shoulder. "Don''t worry."

    Finally, she waved her hand, signaling the bodyguards to stand down. "Understood."

    That night, Emelie was taken to the interrogation room. This was the second time in her life being in such a ce.

    The first time was three years ago when Elena had set her up. She still remembered the feelings of despair and helplessness from being detained in a holding cell back then.

    A wave of frustration swept over Emelie''s heart, but she asked calmly, "So, officers, do you suspect that I''d identally killed Frankie with that hit?"

    The treatment in the interrogation room was slightly better than that in the holding cell. At least she could sit on a small couch here instead of a cold iron chair.

    They didn''t handcuff Emelie. For now, it was just considered a criminal detention.

    The officer got straight to the point. "Did you confirm Frankie''s vital signs back then?"

    "No. I clearly described in my statement that when Frankie''s aplices returned, I was in a hurry to escape and couldn''t focus on anything else," Emelie replied. She''d respond to every question that she could.

    "But given that I was suddenly kidnapped while showing signs of miscarriage, and being terrified, hungry, exhausted, and nearly raped, I don''t believe that a single desperate swing of mine at the time could have killed an adult male."

    The officer said nothing but stared at her.

    These veteran detectives had encountered countless dangerous criminals, and their eyes had be as sharp as scalpels. Being scrutinized by them felt like she was being dissected,

    with no secrets left hidden.

    Emelie wasn''t afraid of their gazes and even questioned them back.

    "Where was Frankie''s body found? Did the coroner examine it? Were there no other fatal injuries on him? How did his aplices, who are currently serving their sentences, exin this?

    "If he had died on the spot, his aplices would have known. Did they hide the body? Why would they hide it? If I had really killed Frankie with that hit, why didn''t they expose me three years ago during the trial? They had no reason to cover for me."

    The officer tapped the pen cap on the table as a warning. "Are we questioning you, or are you questioning us?"

    Emelie shrugged. "My apologies. I overstepped. But isn''t what I''m asking reasonable? These are valid doubts, aren''t they?"

    The officer said, "The body was found buried under the abandoned factory where you were held. The factory was recently bought, and during construction, Frankie''s body was dug up. The coroner confirmed that Frankie only had one fatal injury at the back of his head.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    "His aplices, who are currently serving time, admitted to burying the body. Three years ago, they didn''t confess because they had thought that kidnapping was already a serious crime. They thought that they would face even harsher penalties if it was found that a death had urred during the kidnapping, so they kept it a secret."

    Emelie raised an eyebrow. "So, you''re saying that they had unintentionally protected me due to their ignorance of thew?"

    What a convenient yet absurd exnation.

    "Officers, do you really find this exnation believable?"

    However, the officers had no obligation to report to her. "The case is still under

    investigation, but you''re now the prime suspect. So..."

    Just as the officer was about to announce her formal detention, the interrogation room door suddenly opened. A junior officer hurried over and whispered in the lead detective''s ear, " Sir, someone''s here."

    "Who?"

    The junior officer nced at Emelie before saying, "William Middleton, someone from the Cloudex Corporation and the Middleton family."

 Chapter 711

    ?Chapter 711 As if He Didn''t Even Exist

    When Emelie heard this, her thoughts, which had been deeply engrossed in the case, paused momentarily.

    Had William returned to Capebatt City?

    Just three days ago, he was coughing up blood, looking like he could be rushed to the emergency room at any moment.

    Could he have recovered so quickly? Was he able to fly back from Borealis City to Capebatt City already?

    The officer quickly got up and left, leaving Emelie alone in the interrogation room.

    She closed her eyes and continued to ponder over the situation.

    She was sure that Frank hadn''t died from the blow that she had delivered.

    After all, the skull was the hardest part of the human body. Even though the back of the head was rtively more vulnerable, she wasn''t a professional killer. There was no way that she could have hit him with such precision and force.

    Even if Frank had really died at her hands, wouldn''t that be considered self-defense, given the circumstances?

    Self-defense was not a crime.

    Not long after, maybe just 15 minutester, the officer returned. "Ms. Hoven, you''re free to leave the station."

    Emelie finally opened her eyes. She was surprised.

    She had thought that with such solid evidence against her, she would have to spend at least 24 hours in the station.

    The officer added, "But until the case is fully resolved, you''re not allowed to leave Capebatt City,"

    Emelie stood up from the small couch and asked, "Was it William who bailed me out?"

    The officer nodded, and Emelie smirked. She then walked out of the interrogation room and left the police station.

    William''s car was parked in the courtyard. A thinyer of snow had fallen and dusted the car''s roof with white.

    When William saw here out, he opened the car door and got out.

    Emelie stood on the steps while keeping a distance of about ten feet from him. A streetlight beside him cast his shadow on the ground.

    Emelie looked him over from head to toe. William was wearing a heavy down jacket, making it hard to tell if he had gained or lost weight, but his posture was still as upright as ever. Hisplexion seemed slightly better than it had been in the Borealis City''s hospital.

    Unexpectedly, Patricia was with him.

    Emelie put her hands in her pockets and leisurely walked down the steps. She stepped on his shadow as she approached him. "Weren''t you hospitalized in Borealis City?"

    William observed her. Seeing that she was still neatly dressed and calm, he figured that she hadn''t suffered much. Still, he asked, "Are you alright? Did they give you any trouble?

    "Are you hungry or cold? I passed by a stall selling sweet potatoes and had Ashton buy some. She should be back soon. You can eat them in the car to warm up."

    "I''m not hungry."

    Emelie didn''t stop walking. She walked by him as she said, "I''ll have my secretary transfer the bail money to you."Material ? N?velDrama.Org.

    She was so indifferent that it was as if William didn''t even exist. Patricia, who had always had a good rtionship with William as his cousin, was furious at this. "Ms. Hoven, what kind of attitude is this?"

    Only then did Emelie stop and turn to look at her. "Ms. Wade, what kind of attitude do you think I should have? And by the way, you got my name wrong. You should be calling me Ms. Pierce."

    Patricia, who was still fond of wearing red, was in a red id sweater dress, and her temper red like a blooming rose.

    "William had just gotten off the ne in the middle of the night and had personallye to bail you out, but you can''t even say thank you?"

    Emelieplied and said, "Oh, well, thank you then?"

    However, her casual, carefree attitude only made Patricia angrier.

    Emelie asked, "Can I leave now?"

    Patricia was fuming with rage. "You...."

    "Patricia," William called out her name.

    Patricia gritted her teeth. Meanwhile, William didn''t try to stop Emelie. "Ashton''s back. She can drive you home. It''s hard to get a taxi around here."

    Emelie gave him a cold smile. "I''ll pay for the ride and Ms. Jones'' overtime."

    Patricia thought that Emelie had really changed. She was no longer the quiet, humble Emelie that she once knew.

    "Emelie, I know your status is different now, and money isn''t an issue for you, but do you really have to keep bringing up money? Do you think we care about that?"

    All Emelie gave her was a smile.

    When she turned around, she saw Ashtoning back with a bag of sweet potatoes.

    She weighed her options for a moment, then changed her mind and turned back to William."

    It''s a virtue not to waste food. I guess I''ll eat the sweet potatoes."

    William noticed her expression and understood that she had something to ask him, which was why she was willing to stay a bit longer.

    Whatever the reason was for her to stay, he was happy to oblige.

 Chapter 712

    ?Chapter 712 The Worthless Mr. Middleton

    William had brought two cars. One was a nanny car, and the other was a sedan. William told Patrice to go to the sedan first.

    Patrice used to think that William was too aloof to ever get married. Now, she thought that William was too humble and amodating, which might also leave him single.

    "Patrice," William called out in a deep voice.

    Patrice snapped back and said, "Look at how weak you are."

    Then, she stomped off to the sedan.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    William and Emelie were left alone to board the nanny car.

    Patrice sat in the backseat of the sedan. Her arms were crossed, and she had a furious expression.

    Ashton tried to soothe her. "Ms. Wade, please don''t be angry with Ms. Pierce."

    Patrice paused and then sighed. "I''m not really mad at Emelie. It''s just that I can''t stand how William has been neglecting his own health. It was just a bail situation. He didn''t need toe himself. I could have handled it.

    "Showing up at the police station with the Middleton family name would''ve given us enough clout. He didn''t need to personally brave the snowstorm to be here."

    What bothered her more was that Emelie didn''t even appreciate William''s effort, which Patrice found unbearable.

    Ashton hesitated to respond. She wanted to exin that the situation between them wasplicated, and Patrice didn''t understand enough to judge Emelie so harshly.

    Patrice worriedly asked, "Did the doctor say that his tumor has spread again?"

    Ashton nodded and replied quietly, "There hadn''t been any indications for surgery before, but now it''s possible. Still, I don''t think Mr. Middleton will go through with it."

    Patrice was anxious. "Why not? This isn''t something that can be dyed."

    Ashton worriedly nced at the nanny car ahead and frowned in concern.

    The nanny car was spacious, with seats and a small table inside.

    Emelie sat down on a small sofa and started eating immediately. She opened the takeout container and was greeted by the aroma of sweet potatoes topped with sour cream.

    She didn''t feel hungry before, but now she realized she was starving. She tasted the sour cream and found it delicious.

    Meanwhile, the man sitting across from her was simply watching her.

    She raised an eyebrow and asked, "Mr. Middleton, aren''t you going to eat?"

    "I will." Though William responded, he didn''t open his takeout box.

    Emelie wasn''t surprised at all. William was particr about every detail. Unless he had to, like when they were snowed in for those few days, he always sought the best in everything.

    This included his food and living conditions. Thus, how could he possibly eat food from a street stall?

    Emelie didn''t bother with whether he ate or not and just continued eating on her own.

    William, who was sitting across from her, had stopped coughing and appeared perfectly normal now. Suddenly, he asked, "You used to have stomach problems where, if you went hungry for too long, you''d be in so much pain that you couldn''t even stand. Does that still happen?"

    Emelie paused. She remembered how he used to be very attentive to her meals in the past.

    She replied calmly, "No. Work keeps me busy, and I often eat at odd hours. I''ve gotten used to it over time.

    William frowned. "There''s always work to do, but you should still eat on time."

    Emelie looked at him with mild amusement. Before they parted ways in Borealis City, she had pped him. Yet here he was, still concerned about her.

    He truly was the worthless Mr. Middleton.

    Patrice had said that Emelie had changed, but it was clear that William was the one who had changed the most.

    William could see the sarcasm in her eyes. He knew that she was mocking him, but he didn''t mind.

    After Emelie had taken a few bites to ease her hunger, William asked, "I just got off the ne and heard that you were involved in an ident outside the hotel this evening. A car lost control and almost hit you. Were you hurt?"

    Emelie''s expression turned cold at the mention of this. "Mr. Swanson pushed me out of the way in time. I''m fine, but he got injured."

    William offered, "The best orthopedic surgeon in Capebatt City is at Silver Wing Hospital. I''ll have someone bring him over."

    "There''s no need to trouble yourself, Mr. Middleton. I''ll ensure he gets the best care. As for the mastermind behind this, I''ll make sure that they pay the price." There was a hint of murderous intent in Emilie''s words.

    William asked, "Do you know who did it?"

    Emelie asked in return, "Mr. Middleton, can''t you think of anyone?"

    William was stunned, and his expression changed slightly. "Do you suspect me?"

    Emelie continued to chew her sweet potato slowly while William''s expression turned as cold as ice. His sharp eyes were locked on her.

    "I would never harm you. You can suspect me of many things, but I would never hurt you," he said, repeating his sentence twice.

 Chapter 713

    ?Chapter 713 An Unexpected Charm

    Emelie smiled. "I never said it was you, Mr. Middleton."This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    Then, her smile faded. "That car was aiming directly at me, but it missed. Immediately after, someone involved me in an old case,beling me as a suspect and restricting me from leaving Capebatt City.

    "These two incidents are clearly targeting me. To say they aren''t connected or orchestrated by the same person? I don''t believe it."

    William listened in silence. He knew that Emelie wouldn''t be sharing this with him for no reason. Their rtionship wasn''t close enough for casual conversations.

    Sure enough, Emelie asked, "If I remember correctly, you once asked me if Frankie was dead. Why did you suddenly ask me that?"

    This was the real reason why she got in his car and epted his food. She had a purpose for doing so.

    In fact, William had also just been thinking about this.

    Emelie waited for a while but William remained silent. A smirk yed on her lips. "If it''s inconvenient for you to say, just forget that I asked. I won''t force you."

    With that, she stood up immediately. It was clear she had no intention of wasting another second if she couldn''t get the answers that she wanted.

    As Emelie reached for the door, William turned, grabbed her coat, and sighed softly. "I didn''t say I wouldn''t tell you. I was just thinking about how to exin it. Why are you so impatient?"

    Emelie paused.

    William said, "Sit down. I''ll tell you everything."

    The luxurious nanny car had ample space and was equipped with amenities like a fridge. Emelie noticed a small wine cab by the door with a few bottles inside.

    "Mr. Middleton, is your wine drinkable?" she asked.

    "You can drink it, but the weather is cold right now. If you''re thirsty, you should have some soup instead," William said.

    "Alcohol suits this conversation better." Emelie took out a bottle of wine and grabbed two sses before returning to her seat.

    She opened a bottle of whiskey, poured herself a ss, and then set it down after taking a small sip.

    It was unclear whether Emelie didn''t think William deserved the effort of pouring him a drink or if she suddenly remembered that he couldn''t handle alcohol with his current health.

    William didn''t touch the wine and got straight to the point. "Back then, I asked you that because Charles told me that Beathan had evidence of your crimes and could use it to put you behind bars."

    Emelie let out a short chuckle.

    What could she say? She wasn''t surprised at all to hear that name.

    Back at the police station, she had already suspected this matter was tied to the Middleton, Davis, Swanson, and Collins families.

    However, with Charles in custody and William battling illness, her list of suspects had narrowed. Between Bryan and Beathan, Beathan was certainly more suspicious.

    "I figured you might have hurt someone during your kidnapping, so I asked if Frankie was dead." William stared at her. "Do you think the car ident was also Beathan''s doing?"

    Emelie rested her wrist on the table while swirling the wine in her ss.

    It was already past 2 a.m. Their car was parked by the roadside, with only the asional passerby. The surroundings were silent as Emelie spoke in a cold tone, "Mr. Collins is best at two things. He''s good at using thew to eliminate his rivals and exploit legal loopholes to remove threats.

    "He saw that I went after Charles and wanted to teach me a lesson, to remind me that Capebatt City isn''t a ce where I can act recklessly."

    Suddenly, William grabbed her wrist.

    His palm had always been warm. The sudden contact made Emelie nce at their hands, then back at him. William didn''t seem to notice that his actions had crossed a line, and he said in a deep voice, "Beathan isn''t on the same level as Charles. He''s cunning and cautious. If you don''t have solid evidence against him, don''t act recklessly. Be careful not to fall into his trap."

    Emelie smiled faintly. Her lips were stained with wine, and they glistened seductively.

    Though she wasn''t seductive in appearance, at that moment, an unexpected allure radiated from her expression.

 Chapter 714

    ?Chapter 714 Be a Little Less Heartless Towards Him

    William went into a daze. He nced down at his hand, which was still holding onto her wrist, and hesitated before pulling back. Then, he picked up the bottle and poured himself half a ss.

    He held the ss in his hand and warned Emelie again. "I''m not joking with you."

    Emelie replied, "Oh, Mr. Middleton, are you worried about me or Beathan?"

    William''s expression remained unchanged. "What do you think?"

    He had the nerves to ask her that kind of question. Despite them being separated by just a small table, his dark eyes seemed veiled and shrouded in shadows.

    It was tough for Emelie to discern whether William was merely asking casually or genuinely expecting her to give a specific answer.

    "Isn''t it obvious?" Emelie smiled. "Losing Charles was already a blow. If Beathan also falls, it must be quite ufortable for you, Mr. Middleton. Didn''t you have a two-hour video call with Mr. Swanson just the other day?"

    William paused. "How do you know that?"

    Emelie shrugged. "I have a friend who''s quite good withputers. He was bored and decided to challenge your defense system. It''s top-secret level, no doubt. It took him over an hour to crack the system, but by the time he got in, your conversation was already over, so I didn''t hear much."

    After Charles''s incident, William and Bryan immediately contacted each other to discuss a remedy. Emelie had intended to eavesdrop, but with the encryptedwork they used, it was difficult to prate.

    She didn''t bother to keep trying with that and instead directly told William about it. Saying it so bluntly was a form of provocation in itself.

    William said, "If you ask, I would tell you anything. You don''t need to go to such lengths. Besides, we didn''t talk about anything much. We just..."

    Emelie shushed him. "I wasn''t asking you, Mr. Middleton. You don''t need to go through the trouble of making up stories."

    "And how do you know that I''m making up a story to deceive you?" William asked.

    Emelie was tired of this circr conversation and coldly replied, "We''re getting off track."

    William got back on topic. "Then promise me that you won''t recklessly go after Beathan."

    "Mr. Middleton, why are you saying it as though I''m about to dere war on Mr. Collins?" Emelie''s tone was soft and gentle.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    "Mr. Collins might have some misunderstandings about me, which led to his actions, but I''m unharmed. For the sake of the cooperation between ourpanies, I won''t hold it against him. Don''t worry." William didn''t believe a single word that she said.

    After Emelie finished thest sip of her drink, she put down her ss and stood up. "I''m quite tired today. Let''s stop here. I''m heading back now. Mr. Middleton, you should go back and rest early too."

    It was indeedte, and William didn''t try to keep her. "I''ll have Ashton take you back."

    Emelie didn''t refuse. After she got out of the van, William followed her down and watched as she got into the car.

    The car crept along the road back to the hotel.

    Emelie propped her head up with one hand while scrolling through her phone with the other. She opened her calendar app and looked at the dates.

    She was thinking about how she was currently restricted from leaving Capebatt City, and with the New Year approaching next week, she wouldn''t be able to return to Mercianna to celebrate with Wesley.

    If she didn''t go back, Wesley would definitely ask why. She wasn''t good at lying, so she would have to tell him the truth.

    She thought it was better to tell him about the situation the next day, so he wouldn''t prepare to celebrate with her only to be disappointed at thest minute when she couldn''t return.

    While Emelie was thinking about Wesley, she didn''t notice that Ashton, who was driving in front, had been gathering her courage to speak to Emelie since they got into the car.

    It wasn''t until they were almost at the hotel where Emelie was staying that Ashton finally spoke. "Ms. Pierce."

    "Hm?" Emelie responded.

    "I know these words shouldn''te from me, but I can''t hold back any longer. Please forgive me," Aston said.

    Emelie nced at the rearview mirror and saw half of Ashton''s face. "Ms. Jones, what do you want to say?" Ashton pursed her lips. "Mr. Middleton didn''t stay in Borealis City for treatment because his condition is quite bad, and the medical facilities there couldn''t keep up.

    "He flew back to Capebatt City by private jet tonight. He was supposed to go straight to the hospital, but when he heard the police took you, he rushed to the station without hesitation to bail you out."

    Emelie recalled William''s pale face earlier. The lights in the nanny car seemed deliberately set to a warm tone, making even a normally bloodless face look a bit better.

    A red light appeared ahead. Though the road was empty at this hour, Ashton nevertheless stopped the car.

    She gripped the steering wheel tightly. "He remembers how frightened and uneasy you were thest time you were detained, and he didn''t want you to go through that again. He cares so much about you. Can''t you be a little less heartless towards him?"

 Chapter 715

    ?Chapter 715 The Letter That Won''t Be Replied To

    Emelie stared out the car window.

    White snow had nketed Capebatt City, covering everything in a thickyer of white, blurring out the road beneath it.

    But when winter gave way to spring, and the snow melted, everything would return to how it was before. No one would remember what the road looked like when it was hidden under the snow.

    Time was a fascinating thing. As it passed, it seemed that everything could be forgotten.

    The traffic light turned green.

    Aston waited for Emelie''s response during the red light. When she received none, she assumed that Emelie wouldn''t reply. She disappointedly sighed and stepped on the gas.

    However, Emelie did end up speaking, asking in return, "And who was it that orchestrated my first arrest?

    Ashton nearly hit the brakes.

    Emelie continued indifferently, "Wasn''t it William? He was so desperate to reconcile with me that he first made sure that I''d be arrested, only to swoop in and save me when I was on the brink of a breakdown. "Have you ever heard of the suspension bridge effect? When someone is in a life-threatening situation, they may develop feelings for the one who rescues them. That''s how, after that incident, I slowly reconciled with him.

    "And why did he go to such lengths to win me back? To get close to the Hoven family and get his hands on the ount book. Every step was carefully nned.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    "So tell me, Ashton, do you really think I should show him any kindness?"

    Ashton was left speechless, and Emelie didn''t say anything more after that.

    When they arrived at the hotel, Emelie stepped out of the car, circled around to the driver''s side, and tapped on the window. "Ms. Jones, show me your payment code."

    Instinctively, Ashton brought up a QR code. Emelie scanned it and transferred her some money. She was always generous when it came to paying Ashton''s overtime.

    "Thank you for your hard work tonight, Ms. Jones. Make sure you get some rest." Emelie then turned and walked away.

    After she came back to her senses, Ashton blurted out, "Emelie."

    Emelie halted in her tracks but didn''t turn around. Her voice was calm and measured as she asked, " Ashton when you witnessed him shoot me back then, did you feel no pain for me?"

    Ashton''s heart tightened. She opened her mouth but couldn''t find the words.

    Emelie continued walking up the steps. She noticed that the bloodstain from when Samuel was hit in the evening had already been cleaned up, and her expression grew colder.

    Ashton watched her enter the hotel before driving away.

    After they left the police station, William headed straight to the hospital.

    Ashton soon followed him to the hospital and reported, "Mr. Middleton."

    Without the warm lighting from earlier, William''splexion was indeed poor. A doctor was in the middle of examining him.

    "Did you get her back safely?" William asked.

    Ashton nodded. "Yes, I did."

    "Where exactly did you drop her off? Did you make sure she got to her room?" he asked.

    Ashton hesitated before admitting, "No, I only dropped her at the hotel entrance."

    William wasn''t pleased. "She had a car ident in front of the hotel today. You should have escorted her upstairs."

    Patrice couldn''t keep quiet any longer. "You care so much about her, but she doesn''t even think about you, William. You''re worse than I was when I was pursuing Bryan back then."

    William picked up his phone and sent a WhatsApp message to Emelie. "Let me know when you see this." He needed to confirm that she was safe and sound.

    Then, he turned to Ashton with another instruction. "Keep a close watch on Beathan. If he makes any move to get near Emelie, inform me immediately."

    Patrice sighed in exasperation. "Being a doormat gets you nothing in the end. No matter how well you treat her, she won''t appreciate it."

    William ignored Patrice''sments.

    Just then, his phone buzzed, and he quickly picked it up. However, it wasn''t a reply from Emelie but a news notification.

    As he read the messages that he had sent her, he wondered if Emelie might have interpreted them asmands, which could exin herck of response.

    Thus, he sent her another message, saying, "I''m worried about you. I didn''t mean anything else."

    After a moment of hesitation, Ashton said, "Mr. Middleton, Ms. Hoven mentioned a few things to me in the car."

    William immediately asked, "What did she say?"

    Ashton briefly summarized what Emelie had told her.

    After William heard it, he stayed silent for a long while before letting out augh. His usually cold demeanor made any expression that he showed, whether joy or sorrow, especially vivid.

    "I knew she held a grudge," he said.

    Patrice felt that the bitterness she was enduring couldn''tpare to the expression of suffering on his

    face.

    William said, "Don''t say those things to her anymore. As long as she''s still angry, how could she possibly show me any kindness?"

    It waste, well past four in the morning, and William''s ward had settled back into a deep silence.

    However, William hadn''t slept yet. He was still waiting for Emelie''s reply.

    In fact, he had already called the hotel front desk and asked them to send a cup of warm milk to Emelie''s room. The waiter replied that Emelie had answered the door herself, which meant she was safe.

    Yet, he was still waiting. He just wanted to see if she would reply to his message.

    Morning came, but his phone screen still only showed the two messages he had sent.

 Chapter 716

    ?Chapter 716 The Tool for Distracting Emotions

    By the time Emelie finished showering andy down, it was already four in the morning.

    It had been a whirlwind of a day for her, and she had met all sorts of people.

    First, she returned from Borealis City to Capebatt City, then she went to the detention center to see Charles and got Shane''s contact information for Elias.

    Later, she visited a restaurant to bid farewell to Emmie and helped Samuel choose a wedding gift for Mnie.

    In the afternoon, she was involved in a car ident on her way back to the hotel, then she spent five hours at the hospital with Samuel until Bryan and Nehemiah arrived.

    Afterwards, she had to face interrogation at the police station. That was where she encountered William and argued with Patrice.

    She was almost certain that both the ident and her old case being brought up were orchestrated by Beathan.

    Finally, she was sent back to the hotel by Ashton.

    The sheer volume of events had kept her mind racing, and she found it hard to fall asleep.

    She only managed to close her eyes when dawn was breaking. However, before nine o''clock, she was woken up by the ringing of her phone.

    Emelie was still half-asleep and instinctively reached for her phone.

    She picked up the call. "Who is it?"

    The caller asked, "Aren''t you awake yet?"

    Emelie didn''t catch that clearly. Her consciousness was muddled as she asked, "What?"

    The caller lowered his voice to avoid disturbing her further. "Go back to sleep. I''ll call again around noon." "Mm..." Emelie hung up and fell back asleep.

    It wasn''t until noon that she woke up and realized the call from the morning was from Wesley. She guessed Jodie must have informed Wesley about her being taken by the police the previous night.

    After she freshened up, she poured herself a ss of water and stood on the balcony while drinking it. Before she could finish, Wesley called again.

    Emelie answered the phone. "You''re quite the timekeeper. I''d still be asleep if you had called ten minutes earlier."

    "I''ve already made arrangements with the police. They won''t dare to take you in for questioning again. Don''t be afraid," Wesley said.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    "What am I afraid of?" Emelie replied calmly. "Even if I did kill someone, it would be self-defense. I''m innocent. And, it''s very likely that I didn''t kill that person. Now that''s an interesting question."

    Who killed Frank and framed her? That was something worth pondering.

    Wesley seemed reassured by her calm tone. "Leave the legal issues to thewyer. For everything else, handle it as you see fit. I only have one condition: Don''t keep anything from me."

    "I won''t," Emelie simply replied.

    Wesley remained calm as he said, "You didn''t tell me that you were with William in Borealis City for half a month."

    Oh, Jodie.

    Emelie pinched the bridge of her nose. "That was an ident. I didn''t want you to worry."

    Wesley paused for a moment before saying, "I am worried."

    Emelie''s heart stirred and she couldn''t help but think that his concern was not just about her being trapped by the snowstorm, but something else.

    As expected, Wesley asked quietly, "Do you know what I''m worried about, Eme?"

    Emelie was unsure. "What?"

    Just then, the doorbell rang.

    Emelie thought it was Jodie bringing lunch and walked over to open the door while continuing the call.

    Wesley, with a faint, humorless smile, stopped the topic. He said, "Beathan..."

    Without hesitation, Emelie replied, "I''ll handle it myself. Wesley, you promised not to interfere with my revenge. I have to avenge my family myself."

    Wesley had tried to broach the topic earlier, but at this moment, a surge of unspoken emotion bubbled up in his chest.

    He suddenly said, "What do you mean avenging your family? Aren''t I your family? Eme, did you always draw such clear lines when you''re with William?"

    As Emelie unlocked the door, she took a moment to digest what he said. "Mr. Cronus, are you jealous?" No wonder Wesley had asked if she knew what he was worried about. It turned out he was concerned that she might have developed feelings for William after spending half a month with him in Borealis City.

    Emelie found thisughable. Especially considering Patrice''sments the previous night about her changes and Ashton''s advice to be nicer to William. Their requests stemmed from seeing how much she had liked William before.

    She had liked William for three years. During those years, she had been his secretary, a mere tool, leaving a deep impression on many. Now that she no longer liked him, they considered it abnormal.

    Even Wesley was worried that she might have feelings for William again. This only showed how deeply she had once devoted herself to him.

    Emelie scoffed as she gripped the doorknob and opened the door.

    Whether to dispel Wesley''s concerns or just to get it off her chest, she said, "I never liked William. After you left me, I wandered aimlessly for years. I needed something to hold onto, and he was just a tool to distract me from my emotions."

    The door opened, and it wasn''t Jodie outside.

    It was William, and he had heard everything.

 Chapter 717

    ?Chapter 717 I Never Loved You

    William''s expression was calm. Rather, to put it more precisely, he was just quiet. He stood outside the door and just watched her.

    Emelie paused for a few seconds before speaking in her usual tone to the man on the other end of the line." Wesley, I''ve missed two meals, and I''m hungry. I''ll eat first and call you backter."

    Wesley agreed and hung up.

    Then, Emelie asked, "Mr. Middleton, is there something you need?"

    William, who should have been at the hospital, was driven by his curiosity to visit her about the

    unanswered message from the previous night. However, he hadn''t expected to hear what she had just said.

    William''s breathing slowed for a moment. A faint, sharp pain tugged at his heart.

    He looked at her and said quietly, "That''s not what you used to say."

    Emelie frowned. "What do you mean?"

    William''s eyes were as deep as a dark void. "You used to tell me that you loved me."

    Emelie fell silent and felt a strange irritation. "What''s the point of bringing up old, irrelevant things now? Mr. Middleton, it''s not appropriate to cause a scene here in broad daylight, is it?"

    William retorted, "Is it appropriate for you to use our past to amuse your new lover?"

    Emelie''s face went cold. "Are you questioning me now?"

    William smiled, his dark pupils were clouded with indescribable emotions. "How could I dare to question you? How could I be worthy of that?"

    Emelie red at him, her fingers tightened on the doorknob. With no words left to say, she tried to close the door, but William swiftly blocked it with his hand.

    As a man, he naturally had more strength than she did. With her being caught off guard, he easily forced his way into her house.

    Emelie took a step back. "What are you doing?"

    William shut the door behind him.

    Emelie felt the space and air be suffocating, and she frowned. "This is my room. I didn''t invite you in.

    William looked at her face, which was without any makeup. She had fair and clean skin but an emotionally cold and detached expression on her face.

    He asked in a deep voice, "I just want to know, Ms. Pierce, did you truly never have any feelings for me?" He advanced step by step while Emelie retreated step by step. They moved from the entryway to the livingThis content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    room.

    The suite was quiterge, but William''s presence was so overwhelming that Emelie felt threatened.

    She unconsciously held her breath and pointed at the door. "I don''t have time for this. Get out now..."

    William interrupted her. "Ms. Pierce, don''t you notice how impatient and irritable you are with me every time?"

    Emelie paused as William continued, "You can put on a facade with Charles, Beathan, and Bryan. But with

    me, even if you start out pretending, you can''t maintain the act, and you end up confronting me." He closed the distance between them and spoke softly, "We''re all your enemies, yet you seem to care about me more. Why is that? Isn''t it because you once loved me, and now your hatred is even stronger after being betrayed?"

    Emelie scoffed. "You shot me, so it''s not hard to understand why my hatred for you runs deeper than for others, is it?"

    William stubbornly disagreed. "No, it''s because you loved me, and that love has turned to hatred."

    Emelie didn''t want to argue further with him. His presence was repulsive to her.

    She pointed at the door again and said, "Think whatever you want. Just get out right now!"

    William''s eyes darkened suddenly. Suddenly, he grabbed her outstretched hand and yanked her toward him.

    Emelie stumbled forward, and her forehead bumped with William''s chest. The familiar yet jarring scent of ice and snow filled her senses. Old, buried memories surged back to her in that instant.

    Before she could react, William pressed her against the wall behind them. He grabbed her chin and lowered his head.

    Emelie''s mind went nk for a moment as she felt a warm and soft touch on her lips.

    Before she could process that it was his lips touching hers, William aggressively pried her lips open and forced his way in.

 Chapter 718

    ?Chapter 718 Not Marrying

    Emelie''s eyes widened in shock. She was fueled by anger and summoned all her strength to push him away. However, William''s earlier restraint had merely been a show of patience.

    He grabbed both of her wrists with one hand, pinning them against the wall above her head. Then, he shifted his grip from her chin to the back of her head, giving her no chance to escape.

    "William..." Emelie managed to utter his name through a tiny gap in their kiss, only to be silenced again.

    William''s eyes had a red tinge, like a web of bloodshot veins or shattered ss.

    In a burst of desperation, Emelie tried to strike at his most vulnerable spot. However, William anticipated her move and stomped on her foot, forcing it back to the ground.

    The kiss was indescribable. Itcked any desire and felt more like a release. It was as if he were venting his frustration and grievances.

    Was he actually feeling aggrieved? That was the most ridiculous joke Emelie had ever heard.

    William bit her lip, and the faint taste of blood made their kiss even more unbearable.

    Despite her desperate struggles, Emelie couldn''t shake him off. Her chest heaved with anger, and she wished she could tear William apart piece by piece.

    Eventually, she gave up on her futile efforts.

    William sensed her helplessness and eased his grip. Then, he began to caress her with his tongue tenderly. Emelie remained unresponsive. Gradually, as if he had vented out his frustration, William slowly withdrew from her lips but still held onto her.

    He rested his forehead against her shoulder and murmured, "That''s not what you said. You told me you loved me. You called me Liam. You wanted to be Mrs. Middleton. You wore my ring, and we even went to City Hall together. You were even pregnant with my child. You loved me."

    "Angel, you loved me," he repeated. "You loved me."

    His voice grew hoarse, and his head remained bowed.

    Emelie looked at him coldly. She noted the protruding bone at the back of his neck, which was his spine.

    She recalled that when they reconciled in Weston, he had been simrly reluctant.

    Back then, William was reluctant to ept that she no longer loved him as much. Now, he couldn''t ept that she had never loved him at all.

    Emelie''s lips curled into a smirk. "I never did."

    William''s back visibly stiffened.

    The room was warm and spring-like, and William''s body radiated heat. Yet Emelie''s voice was sharp, like icicles hanging from the eaves.

    She said, "I might have had some affection for you, but it was never much. Even ants know to avoid water. What about humans, who are better at seeking advantages and avoiding harm?

    "You know exactly how you''ve treated me. How could I ever truly fall for you? Never. Not from the beginning, and not until the end."

    "What I felt was nothing more than self-delusion. After all, how could I endure those days and nights with

    you without convincing myself that I liked you?

    "William, I must have told you more than once that I wished I had never met you on that rainy night, haven''t I?"

    As she finished speaking, William suddenly lifted his head and grabbed her shoulders. "Stop!" Emelie''s eyes were devoid of emotion, but her lips curled into a mocking smile.

    William''s gaze was filled with a mix of fury and indescribable pain. He restrained his grip as he was unwilling to cause her harm.

    He pursed his lips and stared at her for a long while. "You sure have learned how to break hearts."

    Her words weren''t just hurtful, they felt like she was tearing his heart out. Every time he hurt her, she would strike at his heart in return. She would describe their past together as the darkest period of her life.

    Emelie said calmly, "Let go."Material ? N?velDrama.Org.

    "I won''t," he replied.

    Suddenly, William smiled. His expression softened as he cupped her face in his hands.

    He said, "Angel, we''re destined to be entangled for the rest of our lives. I won''t marry anyone else, and you won''t marry anyone else either. You''ll either spend your life alone or be with me."

    Emelie scoffed. "What a pipe dream."

    "Well, it''s not the first time I''ve had such dreams." William''s demeanor was indifferent.

    "In these past three years, I''ve dreamt more than once of you returning, of us resuming that abruptly interrupted wedding. In my dreams, you''ve been my wife countless times. So why aren''t you my wife in reality?" he said.

    Emelie thought he had lost his mind. "You''re seriously ill."

 Chapter 719

    ?Chapter 719 She Will Feel Guilty Forever

    When William left, he coincidentally bumped into Jodie, who was delivering lunch to Emelic.

    Jodie''s eyes widened in shock as she saw Williaming out of Emelie''s room. She rushed inside in fear that Emelie might have been harmed.

    "Ma''am!" she shouted.

    However, Emelie merely stood expressionless in front of her dressing table. She took out some cotton pads from her makeup kit and wiped her lips with a makeup remover. Her eyes were as cold as ice.

    Jodie instinctively looked at the bed. It showed only the usual signs of having been slept in. Emelie''s hair and clothes were also not disheveled, indicating that nothing particrly rming had happened.

    Jodie breathed a sigh of relief. "Ma''am, what did Williame for?"

    Emelie tossed the used wipes into the trash bin. She suppressed her emotions and nced at the breakfast Jodie was holding.

    "Just put it down. I''ll eat a little. I need to go see Mr. Swanson soon," she said.

    Jodie noticed that Emelie didn''t want to further the topic, Jodie simply replied, "Understood."

    When Emelie arrived at the hospital, only Samuel and two nurses were in the ward.

    Samuel had likely just had lunch. He was propped up at the head of the bed and looking a bit better than the previous day. Still, his lips were pale from the blood loss.

    When he saw Emelie, Samuel managed a slight smile.

    Emelie returned it with a polite smile. "Do you still feel pain today?"

    The room was warm, and Emelie removed her bothersome scarf before tossing it onto a chair.

    Samuel shook his head and asked, "Did the policee looking for youst night? What for?"

    "I suppose bad news travels fast," Emelie replied calmly. "It''s nothing. They just need my cooperation for an investigation. Don''t worry."

    Samuel was skeptical of what she said. The fact that the police hade in person in the middle of the night to take her away couldn''t be a trivial matter.

    Before he could press the matter further, Emelie asked, "Did Nehemiah say anything about your leg?"

    Samuel paused for a moment, then touched his leg beneath the covers. "He said he''d have me fully recovered within three months, so don''t worry,"

    Emelie smiled. "That''s great. The doctor I hired will be here tomorrow, and we''ll have him take a look, too. The more doctors, the better."

    Samuel epted her offer. "Alright."

    Just as their conversation was ending, Bryan walked in. "Sam, have you taken your medicine?"

    Samuel told Bryan he hadn''t and was about to.

    As a nurse was preparing to help Samuel with water, Bryan personally took a cup and poured the water for him.

    He didn''t nce at Emelie or acknowledge her presence at all. It was only when he handed the cup to Samuel that he said to Emelie, "Ms. Pierce, if you have nothing else, please don''t disturb Sam''s recovery. He needs plenty of rest now."Material ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Samuel frowned. "Bryan."

    Emelie clearly heard the impolite nature of his words but chose not to bring it up. She only said, "Mr. Swanson, I''ll visit you again tomorrow."

    Samuel shot Bryan a look before smiling at Emelie. "Okay."

    Once Emelie left, Samuel held the cup and said, "Bryan, don''t speak to Emelie like that."

    The Swanson family had always been protective, and Bryan, being the eldest, had taken care of his siblings since childhood.

    "Nehemiah says it''s unlikely your leg will ever fully recover, and you''ll probably have a permanent limp. She''s the reason you''re in this condition. Do you really expect me to be polite to her?" Bryan replied.

    Samuel lowered his head. He looked at his heavily bandaged leg and forced a faint smile. "It''s just a slight limp. If I walk slowly, no one will notice."

    Bryan said, "But you used to be a healthy person. You haven''t even married yet."

    Samuel chuckled. "You speak as if you''re already married."

    Then, Samuel deliberately shifted the topic. "The men in our family tend to marryte. Only Prisci, Elizabeth, and Violet have settled down. I''m swamped with Mnie''s wedding ns, so there''s no need for you to keeping to the hospital. The nurses are taking good care of me. It''s no big deal."

    Emelie had overheard their conversation from just outside the room and finally decided to leave. Her scarf was left behind, and she initially intended to retrieve it. She hadn''t meant to eavesdrop.

    She walked silently down the stairs.

    It appeared that not even Nehemiah could guarantee Samuel''s full recovery. If Bryan ended up with a permanent limp, Emelie knew that she would carry that guilt forever.

    She asked Jodie, "Where is Beathan now?"

    Jodie replied, "He''s in Calmcrest."

    "Isn''t he in Capebatt City?" Emelie turned to Jodie.

    Jodie responded, "He was here, but he suddenly returned yesterday. I''m not sure when he''ll be back."

    Emelie smirked. "If I''m not mistaken, he won''t being back to Capebatt City anytime soon unless necessary."

    Jodie looked puzzled. "Why?"

    "Of course, to avoid running into me and being outwitted by me," Emelie replied.

    Beathan was known for his suspicious and cautious nature.

    Emelie zipped her down coat all the way to the top.

    As she walked out of the hospital, the biting winter wind hit her. Her lower face was hidden in the fur cor, leaving only her eyes visible with a hint of mockery.

    She said, "But does he really think that, just because he avoidsing here, I can''t make him return?"

    She couldn''t leave Capebatt City for now, but she intended to settle both old and new scores with Beathan.

    She needed to force Beathan toe back.

    Emelie''s voice was crisp. "Spread the word that Elias has found Shane and that treatment for Ashley has already shown some results."

 Chapter 720

    ?Chapter 720 Another Man''s Arms

    Springfest arrived as expected, but it was quiet and uneventful for Emelie. From the eve of Springfest to the fifth day of Springfest, nothing of note transpired.

    On the fifth day itself, she attended Mnie''s wedding in Capebatt City. It was held there as the groom was from Capebatt City.

    The Swanson family was wealthy. They had bought a mansion from the 1900s worth over a hundred million, and it served as the wedding venue and was also given to Mnie as a dowry.

    Mnie was Samuel''s favorite sister, and he cherished her deeply. He longed to walk her down the aisle, but he was afraid that his wheelchair would knock into Mnie, as his legs were still paralyzed.

    In the end, it was decided that Bryan would walk Mnie down the aisle. Samuel would watch from the audience.

    Emelie sat beside Samuel, noticing the tears in his eyes. He had taken care of Mnie all his life, and it should have been him walking her down the aisle on the most important day of her life.

    Emelie scanned the room, realizing Beathan was absent. However, she spotted William conversing with someone.

    William sensed her gaze and turned to look at her.

    Emelie averted her eyes indifferently and casually teased Samuel, "Your brother couldn''t afford to lend money to Charles, but he splurged on a mansion for your sister."

    Samuel replied, "He purchased the mansionst year, not recently."

    After the ceremony, Samuel was taken to a corner of the banquet hall. Emelie grabbed a cocktail for herself and a juice for him, then walked back to him.

    She casually remarked, "I didn''t expect Ms. Swanson''s husband to be him."

    "Why the surprise? Doesn''t he have a good reputation?" Samuel asked.

    Emelie smiled. "If he had a bad reputation, you and your brothers wouldn''t have approved, especially you. Reaching this stage means he has passed your scrutiny,"

    Samuel chuckled. They had indeed thoroughly investigated the groom''s background, rejecting any candidate with a hint of impropriety.

    Emelie continued, "His family background differs significantly from yours. Ms. Swanson is marrying below her social status."

    Samuel was unfazed. "Having the same social status is ideal, but without genuine affection, marriage can turn into a source of resentment. That would be bad."

    Emelie agreed.

    Samuel added, "The emerald bracelets that you gave Mnie are exceptionally valuable."

    Emelie took a sip of her drink. "The emerald braceletse in pairs, making it a meaningful wedding gift.

    11

    The wedding banquet featured a buffet and a famous live band. After the newlyweds'' first dance, guests were invited to join the dance floor.

    While she was chatting with Samuel, a young man approached Emelie. He bowed gracefully and extended his hand. "Ms. Pierce, may I have this dance?"

    At such gatherings, guests were free to ask others to dance.

    Emelie hesitated, but Samuel encouraged her. "Go ahead. You look stunning today. Enjoy yourself."? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    Despite the winter, the banquet hall was warm. Emelie was wearing a simple light purple strapless gown, but it was still elegant and eye-catching.

    Emelie didn''t want Samuel to think she was pitying him by staying, so she epted the man''s invitation.

    "I''ll look for youter," she told Samuel.

    "Alright," he replied.

    The man led her to the dance floor, and they started waltzing.

    Emelie wasn''t interested and responded half-heartedly to his attempts at conversation. He knew who she was and wanted to take the opportunity to connect with her.

    During the waltz, there was a move where one released one''s partner and pulled them back in. As Emelie was released, someone grabbed her other hand, forcefully pulling her away from her dance partner.

    Emelie spun around, finding herself in another man''s arms. A icy, snowy scent enveloped her senses, and she looked up to find William''s indifferent gaze meeting hers.

 Chapter 721

    ?Chapter 721 Share A Dance

    Emelie was stunned. She turned around and saw that her dance partner had a new partner. William had pulled a switcheroo.

    Since his outburst and those strange words the other day, Emelie felt frustrated whenever she saw him.

    "Mr. Middleton, that''s quite rude." She tried to break free from his hold, but despite the gentle grip on her waist and hand as they danced, she couldn''t escape.

    William''s tone was indifferent. "Switching dance partners is a social custom, Ms. Pierce. Don''t be surprised. Let''s spin."

    He lifted his hand and allowed Emelie to spin underneath it. She nned to flee when he released her, but he pulled her back in and continued holding her.

    Emelie felt toyed with, but she held her frustration back. She didn''t want to create a scene and ruin Mnie''s wedding.

    She decided that she would endure it. A dancested only three to five minutes, so she would wait for the music to end.

    William guided her through the dance, his movements smooth and effortless.

    He asked, "What have you been doingtely?"

    Emelie replied coldly, "None of your business."

    Even if she didn''t tell him, he already knew.

    "Elias found the renowned neurosurgeon, Shane Santiago, to treat Ms. Thornton. You''ve been visiting Elias frequently to see Ms. Thornton," he stated.

    Emelie repeated, "None of your business."

    After a pause, William continued speaking, his tone growing serious. "Ms. Thornton''s treatment progress and condition are confidential, but your frequent visits and gifts like clothes, shoes, bags, wine, and gourmet food suggest that Ms. Thornton has awakened. You''re trying very hard to signal her recovery."

    "None of your business," Emelie said once more.

    "Try saying that again," William demanded, tightening his grip on her waist, pulling her closer.

    Emelie''s face showed obvious disgust. She forced a smile and changed her words, "What does it have to do with you?"

    The words changed, but the meaning remained the same. It was a deliberate provocation. William''s face darkened. "Are you trying to lure Beathan to Capebatt City?"

    "What does it have to do with you?" She found her own answers to him amusing, so she chuckled.

    They were speaking in a low voice and the music was loud, so the guests around them couldn''t hear what they were saying.

    From afar, Samuel noticed Emelie dancing with William. When he saw her smiling, he assumed everything was fine.

    However, William''s eyes were dark and cold. "I warned you not to provoke Beathan casually. He''s more dangerous than Charles. I see through your tricks, and he will too."

    "He won''t be fooled. Even if he''s lured here, what will you do?" he asked.

    Emelie smiled. "What does it have to do with you?"

    William''s left hand was intertwined with her right. He said in a solemn tone, "If you can''t defeat him in one blow, he''ll have dirt on you because you made a move first. I wouldn''t put him past anything. Are you prepared for his retaliation?"

    In other words, he meant that she wouldn''t be able to deal with Beathan. He also thought that she was just lucky to have defeated Charles, and that she wouldn''t be so lucky every time.

    Emelie finally said something different. "I don''t need you to tell me what to do."

    William pressed his lips together tightly.

    Emelie didn''t want his help. She was interested in something else.

    "William, are you no longer pretending?" She was referring to his act ofpromising and being humble.

    She looked at his face. "You look healthier now, not sickly. No wonder you''re more aggressive."Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 722

    ?Chapter 722 Anticipation

    William responded indifferently, "Haven''t I always been like this? Don''t you know me?"

    Emelie couldn''t help but recall the times he had manipted her into submission. This was precisely who he was. Her expression turned colder.

    William continued, "Since polite requests don''t work, I''ll have to use methods you''re familiar with."

    Emelie sneered, "Let go!"

    "The dance isn''t over, Ms. Pierce. It''s rude to leave early," William said, forcefully spinning her around again.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie felt time couldn''t pass any slower.

    William held her hand. She was wearing a long gown with velvet gloves that ended above her elbows.

    He wasn''t really trying to provoke her, so he changed the subject. "I heard you visited Alderbrook during Springfest. You bought three lilies daily from the florist and ced them before your parents'' portraits every day. Initially, you bought four. Why three now?"

    Emelie''s gaze turned cold. "You''re spying on me."

    He wouldn''t know so much otherwise.

    William didn''t deny it. "I couldn''t understand what the lilies represented, but now I do. They represent the four of us, right? With Charles'' downfall, you reduced one flower."

    He looked down, their faces close to each other. "One day, there might not be a single flower left, right?"

    He would also be eliminated by her. Surprisingly, there was a hint of anticipation in his voice.

    Emelie saw her own reflection in his dark eyes, mirroring her own cold expression toward him. She didn''t look happy at all.

    At the same time, the music ended. Emelie quickly faked a polite smile to avoid attracting attention.

    However, her words remained harsh. "It''s finally over. Mr. Middleton, why do you make every interaction feel like punishment? I felt like I was transported back to three years ago."

    She had said that three years ago she needed to deceive herself every time they spent time together, or she wouldn''t be able to face him. It wasn''t enough that she said this once; she wanted to inflict more suffering onto William.

    William grabbed her hand as she tried to leave and swallowed. "The second dance is about to start. Ms. Pierce, can we have another dance?"

    Emelie''s patience had reached its limit. She genuinely hated being controlled and snapped, '' What makes you think you can demand anything? Let go!"

    William refused to release her. "Don''t struggle. Do you want to cause a scene and ruin Mnie''s wedding? She''s Samuel''s sister."

    He was threatening her, just like before.

    Emelie felt an uncontroble rage building within her. "You-!"

    Her words were interrupted by another calm male voice. "Mr. Middleton really loves emotionally coercing others."

    Emelie was startled, and she turned around quickly. William also looked up.

    Earlier, they were so engrossed in their fight and hadn''t noticed anyone else. Now they realized someone had walked across the dance floor and was standing behind Emelie.

    The man naturally took Emelie''s other hand and nced at William.

    William''s expression turned cold.

    Their confrontation attracted the attention of the guests around them, who began to murmur,,"Mr. Middleton and Ms. Pierce... Who is this person?"

    "He looks familiar, but I can''t quite remember who he is."

    "He must be someone important considering the air he gives off."

    "Of course. Otherwise, he wouldn''t dare go up to Mr. Middleton and Ms. Pierce so abruptly."

    The spection grew as people tried to guess the identity of the handsome man who just appeared.

    Emelie called out his name, revealing the answer. "Wesley."

 Chapter 723

    ?Chapter 723 Coveting

    Wesley, who was presumed to be in Mercianna, made a sudden and unexpected appearance. Even Emelie was taken aback, and the surprise was evident on everyone else''s faces.

    The moment Wesley appeared, William''s jaw clenched visibly and his expression turned cold.

    One of the guests, who had vaguely recognized Wesley but couldn''t quite ce him, suddenly had a realization. He gasped in astonishment and muttered, "That''s Wesley, Mr. Graham''s youngest son. He''s been living abroad for years! I saw him at a banquet three years ago."

    While the other guests hadn''t seen Wesley before, they had heard of him. "Mr. Graham''s youngest son? Then isn''t he Mr. Cronus, the heir to the Filo Group?"

    "Yes, that''s him. But why is he going against Mr. Middleton again? They nearly fought at a banquet three years ago. Luckily, Mr. Graham intervened just in time. Back then, we all suspected it was because of a

    woman...

    The crowd grew, much to Emelie''s irritation.

    She had hoped to avoid a scene at Mnie''s wedding and prevent stealing the spotlight from the bride and groom. This was why she had tolerated William for so long. However, things still escted.

    It couldn''t be helped though. Both William and her were prominent figures in Capebatt City, and their mere presence attracted attention. On top of that, Wesley had arrived.

    Wesley, standing tall and dressed impably in a ck suit as usual, exuded an air of elegance. However, his demeanor was different from William''s.

    While William was cold and distant, Wesley resembled the white camellia pinned to hispel-pure and elegant, yet understated.

    Though he was reserved, Wesley didn''t possess the same intimidating air as William. Amidst her frustration and anxiety, Emelie calmed down when she met Wesley''s serene gaze.

    "Emelie,e to me," Wesley said softly.

    Emelie moved toward him without hesitation. Yet, William maintained his grip on her other hand, preventing her from reaching Wesley.

    Wesley calmly said, "Mr. Middleton, even if you wish to invite my fiancee for a second dance, you need her agreement. As businessmen, we all know that coercing a deal is a subpar sales tactic."

    The word "fiancee" caused William''s gaze to darken.

    He said, "When did you arrive in Capebatt City, Mr. Cronus? What a surprise."

    Capebatt City was the Middleton family''s territory, so Wesley''s arrival shouldn''t have gone unnoticed.

    Wesley replied, "Mr. Middleton, you''re not an immigration officer. If I choose not to disclose my arrival, you would be unaware."

    If Wesley wanted to maintain secrecy, there were numerous ways to do so. Did William truly believe he hadplete control over the city?

    The exchange between the two men appeared ordinary, but in reality, they had discreetly shed in front of each other.

    William''s smile widened, but it was chilling. "I underestimated you, Mr. Cronus."

    Wesley nced at William''s hand still holding onto Emelie and asked, "So, Mr. Middleton, when will you

    release her hand?"

    William took a step closer to Emelie, reducing the distance between them and creating an illusion of intimacy.

    "Are you telling me to let go of my wife?" William dered.

    Emelie''s head snapped to the right. William hadn''t lowered his voice, and everyone within earshot heard his statement.

    A murmur of surprise swept through the crowd.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    "Wife? Is Ms. Pierce Mr. Middleton''s wife? But didn''t Mr. Cronus just say she was his fiancee?" one person asked.

    A second person exined, "You didn''t know? Ms. Pierce used to be Mr. Middleton''s head secretary, Emelie Hoven. She admitted to their rtionship and their near-marriage at Mr. Middleton Senior''s memorial."

    "Oh my god..." The crowd realized the conflict between William and Wesley was indeed over a woman. Wesley remainedposed and calmly stated, "Ex-girlfriend. She hasn''t been ''yours'' for a long time." Then, Wesley reconsidered what he said and also moved closer to Emelie.

    "She was never truly yours. She is the treasure I entrusted to you, and now it''s time for her to return to me, "he dered.

    William''s expression turned cold. He recalled being together with Emelie in high school and Emelie''s confession of using him as an emotional crutch after Wesley''s departure.

    "Return to him," William thought.

    He didn''t feel a need to assert ownership. He was certain Emelie had always belonged to him. Wesley had merely taken advantage of his absence, acting like a thief coveting treasure that was never his to begin with.

 Chapter 724

    ?Chapter 724 Acting Cute

    Emelie saw Samuel approaching from the crowd. He must havee to defuse the situation, knowing something was amiss.

    They were such rude guests...

    She nced at William, then at Wesley, before raising an eyebrow. "Am I an object? What''s this ''his'' and '' yours'' nonsense? Mr. Cronus, where are your manners and respect?"

    Wesley was momentarily surprised, then smiled. "You''re right. I''m sorry."

    Emelie wasn''t satisfied with just an apology. "Just an apology? That''s not enough."

    The guests were astonished. They watched as this wealthy and influential man, known in Capebatt City as Mr. Cronus of the Filo Group, apologize because of his fiancee''s words.

    "Then I''ll write an apology letter when we reach home. Don''t be angry, okay?" Wesley said.

    The female guests were captivated. Who could resist a charming and handsome man speaking to them in such a persuasive tone?

    The male guests were impressed by Emelie''s ability to deal with such a prominent figure.

    William had heard her phone conversations with Wesley before, but seeing it first hand was more impactful.

    He realized, for the first time, that she had never acted this way with him. She had never spoken to him in a flirtatious manner. She had never been this affectionate with him in public. Their past was always kept private.

    At that moment, Emelie gave a reluctant hum of agreement.

    She withdrew her wrist from Wesley''s hand and turned to face William. She said politely, "If you want to dance, Mr. Middleton, you can invite anotherdy. Or we could dance when the next opportunity arises. My feet are hurting in these high heels, so I can''t continue. Please let go."

    After a few seconds, William finally released her hand.

    Emelie had always been emotionally intelligent. She didn''t want William and Wesley to continue their confrontation at Mnie''s wedding, so she took the initiative to mediate.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Her mediation also served another purpose. It addressed the minor gossip caused by the two men. She could flirt with Wesley. However, with William, she was formal and polite. It was clear who she sided with.

    When Samuel arrived, the atmosphere had be rxed.

    He nodded to William and Emelie, and then said to Wesley, "Mr. Graham, I apologize for the inadequate reception. Please forgive me."

    Wesley responded with courtesy, "I hope that I haven''t caused any trouble for you, Mr. Swanson. After all, I came uninvited."

    "Not at all. Mr. Graham, you''re too polite," Samuel said, signaling the waiters to serve him drinks.

    A group of waiters appeared with trays of champagne, red wine, and cocktails.

    Samuel took a ss and raised it. "Thank you for attending my sister''s wedding. Let''s all enjoy the night!"

    Everyone''s attention returned to the wedding celebration. Guests clinked sses, offering congrattions.

    Emelie and Wesley exchanged nces and left the center of the crowd together. Wesley''s hand lightly rested on her waist, guiding her through the crowd.

    Due to the noise, he bent down and whispered in her ear, "Really not going to dance? This is your favorite song."

    Emelie had lost interest. "I''m hungry,"

    Wesley said gently, "I''ll apany you to get something to eat."

    Emelie turned to the side. "When did you return to the country?"

    "Just arrived. I heard you were here, so I came over," he said.

    William watched their retreating figures. Then, he turned around and walked toward a corner of the banquet hall.

    Wesley and Emelie reached the buffet table together.

    Emelie took a te, and Wesley handed her a tong. "I could havee earlier to celebrate Springfest with you. However, at thest minute, Mom asked me to go to the Filo Residence to deal with some trouble." Emelie asked with a half-smile while holding the tong, "Aunt Natalia? Or Uncle Cargil?"

    These two from the Filo family were most likely to cause trouble for Wesley.

    Wesley smiled, lifting the lid over the beef ribs. "It wasn''t them. It was Uncle Cargil''s son, Ferdinand."

    He exined, "He''s been sent to South Asm to mine. If he''s lucky, he might find rubies that wouldplete your collection. You''re missing a set of Pigeon''s Blood jewelry, aren''t you?"

 Chapter 725

    ?Chapter 725 Awakening

    Emelie was unimpressed by the so-called "Pigeon''s Blood" ruby.

    "What a disappointment," she scoffed. "I thought it was my aunt. I was ready to settle both old and new scores."

    The "old score" referred to Natalia''s scheme of orchestrating Wesley''s car ident the previous year.

    Wesley replied, "No rush."This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    Emelie grabbed some ribs and other food before joining Wesley and Samuel. They had known each other for a long time. Samuel had initially contacted Emelie at Wesley''s request.

    Before Wesley even reached Samuel, he already extended his hand.

    "Sam," he said.

    Samuel smiled in relief upon seeing them together.

    "Good to see you," he replied, shaking Wesley''s hand.

    Wesley nced at Samuel''s leg. "I brought a doctor. I''ll ask him to examine you after the wedding."

    Samuel chuckled. "Another doctor? I already have enough doctors at home to form a football team." Emelie said seriously, "They can put their heads together. There''s strength in numbers."

    Samuel looked down and patted his leg. He epted the offer in the end, saying, "Alright."

    Emelie sat beside Samuel and ate. The cowboy ribs were too salty for her liking, so she reached for a drink.

    Wesley, who was talking to Samuel, noticed her movement and quickly handed her a ss of juice. Emelie wasn''t enthusiastic about sweet drinks.

    Wesley smiled at her. Then, he took the white camellia from hispel and ced it behind her ear. Emelie was startled, and her desire for alcohol vanished.

    Once Emelie was settled, Wesley turned around to face Samuel again, casting a cool nce across the room as he did so.

    William was across the room, observing the scene from the dance floor. His expression was impassive, but his eyes held a dark intensity.

    Why had he disliked Wesley since high school? It was because Wesley had always been so confident about Emelie being his.

    William couldn''t pinpoint the source of Wesley''s unwavering certainty, but he had to admit that it made him very uneasy.

    During his ten years abroad, William had constantly guarded against Wesley''s return. He knew that Emelie''s heart would no longer belong to him the moment Wesley showed up.

    On the eve of Springfest three years ago, William saw Emelie and Wesley embrace and that had shattered his defenses. He had even distanced himself from Emelie and approached Daphne. That was the point where their rtionship irrevocably changed.

    Suddenly, William felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around and saw that it was Jayden.

    Jayden had taken over all of his father''s businesses. Since Octoberst year, he had been busy

    restructuring international operations and had only returned to Capebatt City recently.

    Jayden advised, "Don''t act impulsively. Take your time."

    William downed a ss of wine in one gulp and sneered, "What else can I do?"

    Jayden wanted to tell him something. However, before he could speak, William''s phone rang. He stepped away to answer the call.

    At the same time, Emelie''s phone rang. After she listened for a moment, her expression turned solemn, and she stood up.

    Wesley and Samuel looked at her simultaneously.

    "What''s wrong?" they asked.

    Emelie hung up the phone and said with a frown, "There''s a change in Ashley''s condition, and she has been sent to the hospital. I need to go check on her."

    Samuel immediately signaled to a staff member.

    "You''ve both been drinking. I''ll ask a driver to send you there," he said.

    Wesley replied, "My driver is outside. There''s no need to trouble you."

    Samuel simply said, "Let me know if you need anything."

    The couple discreetly left the event and headed to the hospital.

    Beathan, who had been secretly monitoring Pearl Bay, naturally learned of themotion and that Emelie had gone to the hospital. He was unsure if Ashley''s condition was genuinely serious or a diversion. He repeatedly asked his informants about Ashley''s status, but even they couldn''t provide concrete answers.

    The hospital that his spies had gone to was one that Elias had invested in. In fact, this hospital was built specifically for Ashley. Everyone there was tight-lipped, so they couldn''t get any information.

    Beathan felt a growing sense of unease.

    He had been receiving more information about Ashley recently. While he couldn''t verify its authenticity, this particr piece of news was unsettling. He had a feeling that Ashley might truly be waking up this time.

 Chapter 726

    ?Chapter 726 Riddles

    Beathan was strongly tempted to go to Capebatt City to investigate. However, Jake stopped him.

    "Remember Mr. Davis? He fell right into Emelie''s trap. That woman is incredibly cunning. We can never anticipate her next move," Jake said.

    Beathan immediately calmed down, and Jake suggested, "Why don''t you call Mr. Middleton? He''s close to Elias and should know."

    It made sense, so Beathan immediately called William.

    At that moment, William and Jayden had just arrived at the hospital.

    William''s response was brief. "I don''t know any more than you do at this point,"

    Beathan was tense. "Please, Mr. Middleton. If you hear anything, let me know."

    "Alright," William replied. He didn''t hang up the phone and headed toward the operating room.

    Elias, Emelie, and Wesley were waiting outside the operating room. Emelie had changed into warmer clothes.

    William''s gaze swept past Emelie andnded on Elias. "What''s the situation?"

    Elias muttered, "The doctor hasn''te out yet, so we don''t know..."

    But the next moment, he chuckled. "Will, I saw it. Ash opened her eyes just now. She even looked at me.

    "It was just for a little more than ten seconds, but her vitals changed. She''s waking up! She''s really waking up..."

    It had been two years since Ashley was attacked at the courthouse and suffered severe injuries. She had lost her six month old unborn child and had fallen into aa.

    Tears streamed down Elias'' face, and he choked up. "Ash, I''ve waited for so long. You''re finally waking up.

    Jayden walked over and patted Elias on his shoulderfortingly.

    Beathan, listening on the other end of the phone, was silent for a long time. Then, he said, "Thank you, Mr. Middleton."

    William hung up and waited outside the operating room with the others. He was leaning against one end of the wall while Emelie and Wesley were leaning against the other end.

    Following the "love triangle" episode at the wedding banquet an hour ago, the three of them met again.

    Jayden initiated the conversation this time. He said politely, "Mr. Graham, I''ve heard many things about you. Now that I''ve met you, you''re really as great as they say."

    Wesley responded politely as well. "Mr. Gleamfield, you''re too kind."

    Emelie was nicer to Jaydenpared to William. "Filo Group is also in the jewelry industry and has coborated with yourpany. We''re nning to expand this year, and I hope we can continue our partnership."

    Jayden replied with a smile, "Absolutely. Even without mentioning business, given your rtionship with Mr. Graham, we''re sure to coborate with you."

    Their conversation seemed cordial, but there was an underlying tension.

    Jayden and Emelie were considered friends. Back then, when everyone thought she was dead, only Jayden built a cenotaph for her. He was even more loyal to Emelie than William.

    As Emelie''s fiance, Wesley was also considered a friend by Jayden. Such polite exchanges were expected. However, Jayden''s gaze was fixed on Wesley and not Emelie the entire time.

    Wesley maintained his calm demeanor.

    Jayden continued, "I heard that the Graham and Pierce families were once very close. It''s really touching." Wesley responded, "I also admire the friendship between you, Mr. Middleton, and Mr. Undvike." They looked at each other meaningfully.

    Emelie didn''t fully understand what was going on, but she sensed the underlying tension. "What riddles are you speaking in, Mr. Gleamfield?"

    Jayden replied, "No riddles. Given your rtionship with Mr. Graham, how could I be speaking in riddles?" Emelie was rather attentive. She noticed Jayden had mentioned "rtionship" multiple times.

    Just then, the operating room doors opened, and Shane emerged. The renowned doctor was schrly looking and young, seeming to be in his early thirties.

    He was about to tell Elias about Ashley when Emelie interrupted him.

    "Wait a moment," she said, turning to Elias. "Mr. Undvike, it''s best if outsiders don''t know Ashley''s condition. Don''t you agree?"

    Jayden asked, "We''re all friends here. Who''s the outsider?"

    Emelie replied calmly, "Appearances can be deceiving. Some people have a keen interest in Ashley, and others are associated with them. Someone''s phone was left on earlier, as if they were eager to report back. If outsiders learn about Ashley''s condition, it could hinder her recovery."? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    She was implying that William was the outsider.

    Jayden said in a low tone, "Ms. Hoven, I can say the same to you. We''ve known Elias since we were children. We wouldn''t harm him."

    Emelie responded, "I''m just suggesting. The decision is ultimately Mr. Undvike''s."

    Everyone turned to Elias, wondering if he would ask William to leave.

 Chapter 727

    ?Chapter 727 The Pierce Family''s Son

    After a few seconds of silence, Elias said, "Will, didn''t you catch a cold a few days ago? It''ste. You should probably head home and rest."

    William''s gaze flickered toward him. "You don''t trust me?"

    "I''m just concerned about Ash''s safety," Elias replied softly. "I can''t bear the thought of her facing any more danger."

    William turned and left the room without a word. Naturally, Jayden followed close behind.

    William exited the hospital, his expression calm andposed. One couldn''t tell even if he was disappointed or angry. He opened the car door to get in.

    Suddenly, Jayden grabbed his arm. "Will, let''s go somewhere to talk. There''s something I need to tell you about Wesley."

    William turned to face Jayden. His expression was grave, indicating that it was serious.

    William''s eyes darkened as he said, "Let''s go to my ce."

    "Alright," Jayden agreed.

    William was currently staying at Sunnington Hill. When they entered and turned on the lights, Jayden surveyed the room. The ce was quiet and eerily still.

    William had always disliked having people over at his ce. This preference had intensified over the years. As a result, the housekeeper only visited to clean during his working hours. Jayden remarked, "It''s isting to live alone in a ce like this."N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    The atmosphere was undeniably depressing.

    William replied simply, "I like the quiet."

    Then, he walked to the balcony, where a furniture set made of rattan sat.

    There was a kettle and some teacups on the table. Jayden began boiling water while William retrieved some tea leaves from a cab.

    It was well past two in the morning. The two men sat under the quiet moon as they brewed some tea.

    William offered Jayden a cigarette, which he epted readily. In fact, he took the entire pack from William.

    He had a lung ailment, yet he was still smoking. Did he have a death wish?

    William didn''t fight him and merely asked calmly, "Did you find any trace of the Pierce family''s son?"

    Last October, Jayden announced that he was going to inspect business operations both

    domestically and internationally.

    That was when William entrusted him with the task of finding the Pierce family''s son who had been kidnapped years ago. Although he knew the chances of finding the boy after all these years were slim, he still had a sliver of hope.

    "No," Jayden replied. It was the same answer every time.

    William was neither surprised nor disappointed.

    Jayden tore open the pack of tea leaves and poured some into the teapot. "Whenever I arrive in a new ce, I make connections with the local underworld to ask about the boy''s whereabouts.

    "Typically, human traffickers''works are interconnected. By investigatingyer byyer, one can usually uncover some leads, however small. But what''s strange is that, when ites to the Pierce family''s son, there are absolutely no leads whatsoever."

    William picked up the kettle of boiling water, signaling Jayden to move his hand aside.

    Jayden leaned back in his chair and gazed at William. He deliberately spoke slowly with a pointed undertone. "But the other day, after seeing the photo I had, someone imed that the boy named Kingston Pierce resembled... Mrs. Graham."

    William was taken aback. The hot water being poured into the teapot veered off course and spilled over.

    It took him a few moments to process the information. "Are you saying Mrs. Pierce resembles Mr. Norman''s wife?"

    An absurd thought shed through his mind, but he dismissed it immediately. "The Pierce and Graham families have always been close. Mrs. Pierce and Mrs. Graham were also good friends. That person must be mistaken."

    Jayden was uncertain. "I couldn''t find any photos of Mrs. Pierce, so there''s no way to confirm it. But Wesley must be Mrs. Filo''s son. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have the right to inherit the Filo Group."

    The possibility, as absurd as it seemed, hinged on the assumption that Yennifer was Julianna, the woman who had reportedly jumped into the river in despair after her son''s kidnapping.

    If that were true, then Wesley and Emelie were...

 Chapter 728

    ?

    Chapter 728 Joking

    The tea was ready. The scent of green tea, with its subtle bitterness, filled the air.

    William lifted his teacup but didn''t drink. Instead, he stared at his tea, lost in thought. The thin porcin couldn''t shield him from the heat, and his fingertips started reddening.

    Jayden tapped the table twice. "William?"

    William set down his teacup and said in a low voice, "I need to go to Faldoria. Arrange it."

    It was past three in the morning when Emelie and Wesley left the hospital.

    Emelie was in a good mood and brimming with energy after receiving good news from Shane. Instead of rushing straight to the car, she suggested a walk through the deserted

    streets.

    Of course, Wesley apanied her, with their driver following slowly behind.

    Emelie felt the breeze on her face and walked backward. Her hands were sped behind her back as she traced the white line on the road with her steps. There weren''t many cars on the road at this hour, so she was safe.

    Her gaze fell on Wesley. He had put on a long coat over his suit for warmth after they left the banquet. There was an undeniable Faldorian elegance and charm about him, probably because he had lived in Faldoria for some time.

    "Where''s your luggage?" she asked.

    "At the hotel," Wesley replied.

    "Which hotel?" she asked.

    Wesley raised an eyebrow and answered, "The same one you''re staying at, of course."

    He thought it was obvious.

    "I see." Emelie chuckled. "I forgot to mention that I''m not staying at a hotel anymore. I''m staying at home, so you''ll be alone at the hotel."

    Wesley smiled, assuming she meant the house in Alderbrook. "I should visit your foster parents'' graves then."

    "It''s not Alderbrook," Emelie replied. "Remember when I got the old house of the Pierce family back from William earlier this year? I''ve had it renovated, and I just moved in today."

    Wesley paused momentarily before resuming his normal pace.

    "So, that''s where home is now," he said.

    Emelie didn''t notice anything amiss. "Don''t worry, I''ve prepared a room for you. You can

    have your luggage moved there from the hotel."

    Wesley offered a small smile.

    "Thank you, but don''t forget, I''m from Capebatt City too. I could always go home," he said, referring to the Graham Residence.

    Emelie realized she had forgotten about this.

    She hadn''t seen Wesley contact Norman much in the past three years. Or perhaps she hadn''t paid attention, as she spent most of her time in Baliz instead of Mercianna.

    She had forgotten that he was not only the heir to the Filo Group, but also Norman''s son.

    "That''s true," she acknowledged.

    Emelie turned around to continue strolling. Now, her back was facing Wesley.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Wesley caught up to her. He walked beside her and asked gently, "What''s wrong? Did I upset you?"

    "Am I that difficult to deal with?" she replied, puzzled. "You''ve been resistant to the idea of staying at the Pierce Residence ever since I brought it up."

    He was willing to stay with her at a hotel but not at her family''s old house. She couldn''t figure out the reason for his aversion.

    Wesley met her curious gaze and said with a chuckle, "I was waiting for you to ask me to go home with you. Seems like my n failed."

    Emelie was confused. Was he saying he was willing to stay at the old house with her after all? That he was just joking when he refused her earlier?

 Chapter 729

    ?Chapter 729 The Pierce Residence

    Emelie was both amused and exasperated. Wesley''s childish behavior had left her speechless.

    She said, "Really, Mr. Cronus, how old are you?"

    Wesley smiled and yfully tugged at her clothes. He said softly, "Alright, stop overthinking it. It''ste. Let''s go home."

    The two of them got into the car and headed toward the Pierce Residence.

    The house was located in a typical residential neighborhood, far from the affluent areas. Several food stalls were still open along the street, and business was surprisingly good.

    When they passed a dumpling stall, Emelie asked the driver to stop.

    "Hungry?" Wesley asked.

    "A little, but mostly because the dumplings here are delicious and I want you to try it," Emelie replied. " The owner told me that he''s been running this stall for thirty years, rain or shine. All the locals love their food. I wonder if my parents and brother might have eaten here too."

    She was simply sharing a story and her enthusiasm for the food, so she failed to notice the change in Wesley''s expression. He no longer looked indifferent.

    Emelie leaned out of the car window, ready to order two bowls of dumplings. However, before she could speak, Wesley grabbed her arm and pulled her back into the car.

    Emelie was startled and fell against him. She was half-lying on hisp, and she looked up at him in confusion.

    Theck of streetlights cast half of Wesley''s face in shadow, leaving only his tense jaw visible. He instructed the driver, "Drive."

    "Hey! Wait, I haven''t ordered the dumplings yet." Emelie was baffled as she pushed herself up. "What are you doing?"

    Wesley looked down at her, the streetlights illuminating his face from time to time.

    "I''d rather have the spaghetti you cook. There should be ingredients at home. Let''s make food at home," he said.

    "What?" Emelie eximed, checking the time. It was four in the morning. "Even capitalists don''t exploit their workers like this. Making me cook at this hour? Why don''t we just get dumplings to go?"

    "Because I''m not just any capitalist," Wesley replied with a smirk.

    He was wealthier than most, so he felt entitled to be demanding. "I want to eat something you cook."

    Emelie straightened up, ready to retort that won''t do it. However, Wesley said, "Next quarter, I can increase the marketing budget for your project by 10%."

    It was the first time Emelie had seen him being this wilful. She wondered if it had something to do with William.

    Wesley had seemed anxious when she spent two weeks with William, and seeing them dance tonight might have triggered his jealousy.

    Emelie clicked her tongue and conceded, "Fine, fine, Mr. Capitalist. I''ll cook for you."

    Wesley smiled.

    Just then, the car arrived at the Pierce Residence, and they both got out.

    Wesley stood by the car and adjusted his clothes. He nced at the lively street vendors and narrowed his eyes slightly.

    Once inside, Emelie headed straight for the kitchen. Wesley entered a few minutester after giving instructions to Marcel.

    Emelie ignored him and opened the refrigerator, which was fully stocked with fresh ingredients. She had arranged for it to be filled before moving in.

    She grabbed some spaghetti, vegetables, and meatballs, and casually asked, "Jodie, Marcel, are you hungry? I can make extra, and we can have a meal together."

    Jodie and Marcel sensibly declined. "Thank you, ma''am, but we''re not hungry."

    Emelie didn''t insist. She put herself in their shoes and thought that she wouldn''t want to eat with her boss as well. It would be too stressful.

    "Alright, you two can rest. Thanks for your hard work," Emelie said.

    They bowed and left.

    Wesley had been observing the house ever since he came in.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie turned on the stove and started boiling water. She remembered something and asked, "Wesley, are you feeling alright?"

    He had just arrived at Capebatt City today after a long flight. Then, he attended a wedding and went to the hospital.

    He must be exhausted. She was afraid that he was pushing himself too hard.

    Wesley''s hand brushed against the antique shelf, his eyes filled with a profound emotion.

    "I''m fine," he replied softly. "Did you restore this house to its original state?"

 Chapter 730

    ?Chapter 730 An Uninvited GuestProperty ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie replied, "Yes, most of the original furnishings have been preserved. Some were too damaged due to bad workmanship and can''t be restored, so I had replicas made to match the old style."

    Wesley''s voice deepened slightly. "That wasn''t necessary. Things change, and that''s okay. Holding onto the past can be painful."

    Emelie disagreed, thinking that he was cold and heartless.

    As she cooked, she said, "I see it differently. I never knew my parents, be it their temper, personality, or appearance. I can only learn about them from other people.

    "Even so, what I hear is only a fraction of who they were. No matter how much they praised my parents, I couldn''t rte."

    "But this house holds echoes of their lives. Sometimes, when I touch a worn spot on the wall or a chipped piece of furniture, I feel a connection to them. That''s why preserving these things is important to me."

    Wesley stood in his spot and listened quietly, then simply replied, "Hmm."

    He was unusually quiet tonight.

    He walked to the window, lost in thought, then crouched down.

    The spaghetti was almost ready. Emelie served two tes and ced them on the dining table to cool.

    Wesley was still crouched by the window.

    Emelie curiously approached him.

    "What are you looking at so..." Before she could finish, the lights in the room went out.

    But before she could confirm anything, she heard a strange noise, like someone jumping over something. She immediately became alert.

    Wesley also heard it too. He remained crouched, but he was now holding a dagger. None of them made a sound, their understanding implicit,

    Suddenly, a noise came from the dining table. Emelie nced over.

    Under the dim light emitting from the streetlights, she saw a figure grabbing one of the tes. Then, the figure picked up a fork and began slurping the noodles.

    Emelie was stunned and asked directly, "Who are you?"

    The person ignored her, continuing to eat the spaghetti as if he were were starving.

    Emelie lost her patience. She was about to go investigate when Wesley pulled her close. He was afraid that she would be in danger.

    But Emelie snatched the knife from him.

    "You''re not well. Let me handle this," she said. For the first time in his life, Wesley found himself being protected by a woman.

    He was stunned for a moment, then amused and touched. The gloom that had enveloped him the entire night seemed to have been lifted.

    Emelie had already reached the dining table. She gripped the dagger and lunged forward to attack.

    The person quickly gulped down more spaghetti before catching the de with the fork. Then, he twisted

    it to block her attack. With one hand still holding the te, he defended himself while slurping the spaghetti loudly.

    Emelie was angered by his arrogance and elbowed him hard in the stomach.

    The person coughed, nearly spitting out his food.

    Emelie pressed her advantage, pulling back the dagger for another strike.

    The two of them were engaged inbat around the dining table. The intruder only defended, never attacking. As he dodged her dagger, he grabbed the other te of spaghetti.

    He was provoking her tantly, the slurping noises echoing through the room. Emelie chased him around the table, but he never stopped eating.

    However, no matter how hard Emelie tried, she couldn''t catch him. He was as slippery as an eel.

    Emelie frustratedly lunged with the dagger but the intruder quickly backed away.

    By the time he realized he was cornered by Wesley, it was already toote. Wesley moved swiftly, overpowering him.

    "My spaghetti!" the intruder shouted in frustration.

    Emelie recognized the voice. The next second, the lights flickered on.

    As she ran over, she saw a handsome man who had a mischievous and rebellious air about him. It was none other than Lyle.

 Chapter 731

    ?

    Chapter 731 Key People

    Lyle used the sofa as a support to climb to his feet. To move undetected at night, he was dressed in ck from head to toe. Without light, he blended seamlessly into the darkness.

    He drawled, "As expected of high society. Even the spaghetti served is in dainty portions. Even after eating two tes, I''m still starving."

    Wesley had knocked him down, causing the remaining spaghetti to ssh onto Lyle''s parka in the process.

    Lyle wasn''t bothered though. He casually tossed the parka aside and grinned at Emelie. "So, is there more?"

    Emelie, initially believing him to be an assassin, was relieved to find that it was just a false rm. "If you''re going toe over, don''t pull something like this next time. Why did you scare us like that? Thankfully, Jodie and Marcel weren''t here, or else..."

    Lyle arrogantly replied, "Even if they were here, they couldn''t take me down."

    "You''ll win if you fight one-on-one," Emelie countered. "But they wouldn''t fight you one- on-one. They''d team up. Can you handle two people?"

    Lyle pondered for a moment before shaking his head. "You''re right."

    Wesley interrupted their banter, asking, "Where did youe from?"

    Lyle hummed a tune, "From the grasnds."

    Then, he added a line from a song, "Ie from the grasnds, to warm your heart."

    Wesley thought that Lyle was joking and was slightly annoyed. Meanwhile, Lyle smiled at him provocatively.

    Emelie quickly intervened by holding up her hand. She said to Wesley, "He''s serious. He really dide back from the grasnds."

    Wesley tilted his head to look at her, confused.

    It was awkward for them to talk while standing, so Emelie pointed to the sofa and asked them to sit.

    Wesley remained standing, while Lyle promptly took the single seat sofa.

    Lyle noticed a Rubik''s Cube on the coffee table and picked it up. It was a simple 3x3 cube. With one hand, Lyle swiftly shuffled and solved it repeatedly.

    Emelie remembered Lyle''s fondness for Rubik''s Cubes. Back when she was falsely

    imprisoned by William, whenever Lyle came to the Eastbay to deliver messages, he would y with the cube on the table.

    After that, William found out that he helped her escape. He couldn''t ept betrayal, so he

    exiled Lyle from Capebatt City.

    Later, Lyle sought Emelie out in Baliz. He created a scene with the servants the first time he went to her house, using her of tricking him into sleeping with her. Wesley had been present, and the encounter had been awkward.

    Lyle had done it deliberately, as Emelie was using him to distract William. However, what Lyle said was too flirtatious. Since then, Wesley and Lyle''s rtionship had been strained. Even now, things still hadn''t changed.

    Emelie nced at Wesley, who finally sat down on the sofa with her. "I asked him to investigate something and find a few people for me before Springfest."

    Wesley asked, "Investigate what? Who were you looking for?"

    Emelie exined, "The murder case I''m implicated in. Beathan is using this case to stop me from leaving Capebatt City. There are things I can''t do because of my limited mobility. I needed to find a way to resolve this predicament.

    "The murder case is linked to a human trafficking case from four years ago. I asked Lyle to investigate those traffickers. A total of five people were involved.

    "One of them was a driver with the lightest sentence. He was from the grasnds, so they sent him back there to serve his sentence. He was released not too long ago. I asked Lyle to find this person and see if we could find out how Frankie died back then."

    Wesley nodded. "No wonder he was with you when you returned to Capebatt City, but I never saw him around."

    Lyle had indeed returned to Capebatt City with Emelie and even went to Henry''s ward with Emelie to say his goodbyes to Henry.

    However, due to his long-standing friendship with William and the fact that William had helped him before, he was reluctant to confront William directly. So, he handled other tasks for Emelie when she didn''t have immediate needs. If she needed something, she would simply call him.

    After she had exined everything to Wesley, she turned to Lyle. "You texted me the other day, saying that you found that person. Did he say anything?"N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    Lyle finally looked up after Emelie addressed him. "The driver might know something. When I was looking for him, another group took him away before I arrived."

    Emelie guessed immediately, "Was it Beathan?"

    "Probably. I chased them and intercepted them midway. I already had him with me on a train, but that old scoundrel was very sly. He managed to escape when I wasn''t paying attention." Lyle put down the Rubik''s Cube.

    He continued, "I chased him all the way, and to my surprise, he entered Capebatt City. I don''t know where he''s hiding, so I had people looking for him while I came to report to you."

    Emelie frowned. "If he''s going to run, he''d go back to the grasnds. Whye to Capebatt City?"

    "He probably doesn''t know who I am or Beathan''s identity, but he might guess we''re looking for him because of the past. People tend to hide in ces they think are safe when they feel insecure," Lyle replied.

    Then, he whistled thoughtfully. "Capebatt City must have someone he thinks can protect him."

    Wesley said calmly, "I''ve always felt there was something off about your kidnapping."

    It was undoubtedly strange. Emelie had heard them say she was a primary target, making her the main objective.

    "I''ve investigated for a long time, but I still haven''t found anything," she said.

    Wesley gazed at her, the look in his eyes was calm. "Perhaps this time, the truth wille to

    light."

    Emelie pursed her lips and told Lyle, "Tomorrow, I''ll send more people to help you search for the driver."

    As soon as Emelie started talking to Wesley, Lyle yawned. When she looked at him, he closed

    his mouth. His eyes were heavy with fatigue.

    "So, there''s really no spaghetti left?" he asked.

 Chapter 732

    ?Chapter 732 Let Her Have Him

    Lyle had been traveling tirelessly for days, so he''s feeling exhausted and sleep-deprived.

    Emelie mentioned that the pasta in the pot was finished and that she''d have to make a fresh batch. However, Lyle was too tired to bother and he decided not to eat.

    He moved to the couch, rested his head on a pillow, and fell asleep within seconds.

    Emelie went upstairs and grabbed a nket and draped it over Lyle. Then, she signaled Wesley to leave.

    As they passed by the window, a thought struck Emelie.

    "What were you looking at crouching here just now?" she asked.

    Wesley pointed to a scratch on the wall beneath the window.

    "When I was little, I used to wonder when I''d finally grown tall enough. Tall enough to see over the windowsill and look out at the world."

    Wesley gestured to the windowsill, which now only reached his waist.

    "Now I realize it was never that high to begin with."

    Emelie smiled tenderly. "So now you get what I meant earlier. That I''d sometimes feel a sudden connection with my parents through these old things."

    Wesley gave a faint smile. "Yeah."

    As Emelie headed upstairs, she saw the first light of dawn breaking through the night. Just like that, the long night had finally ended.

    Far away in cidville, Beathan had been up all night.

    He had spent a hefty sum to bribe a nurse at the hospital and finally got a hold of Ashley''s medical records.

    There were several notes with different time stamps.

    "11:32 PM. Patient responded to her name being called."

    Beathan''s heart clenched.

    "2:22 AM, the patient opened her eyes. Head movement side to side, nodding up and down. Fingers moving freely, but legs are still weak..."

    Beathan didn''t know whether to be sad or happy about it.

    Years ago, he provoked someone to attack Ashley in court, wanting to make her lose her baby. He never imagined that she would hit her head on the stairs, leaving her in aa for three years.

    For three long years, he visited Capebatt City, desperate to see Ashley. However, Elias never let him.

    Now that Ashley had finally woken up, Beathan felt a surge of joy. It was as though something precious had returned to him.

    This time, he wouldn''t let Ashley slip away from him again. He wouldn''t let Elias have her. He was going to Capebatt City to bring her back and care for her himself.

    But first, he needed to deal with Emelie.

    Beathan pulled out his phone and called his secretary. "Is she still looking for that driver?" "Yes, sir," his secretary said.

    Beathan adjusted his sses and smiled. "Well, if that''s what she wants, we''ll let her have him."

    Once Jodie received the news, she hurried and reported it to Emelie. Meanwhile, Emelie was busy selecting a gift for Ashley.

    Ashley had woken up from hera. Since she was bedridden for too long, she was still physically weak and needed a wheelchair and crutches to get around.

    Emelie thought of giving Ashley an adjustable cane. It could easily be lengthened or shortened, convenient to use.

    However, Wesley suggested something different. "Elias has probably already got the wheelchairs and crutches covered. It''ll be redundant if you give her those."

    Lyle was peeling an orange nearby.

    "Elias likely already got everything ready. There''s no need to bother with more medical equipment. You''d be better off making her a bowl of that pasta you madest night. It was pretty good. You should make her some and toss in an extra bowl for me while you''re at it," he chimed in casually.

    Emelie chuckled, knowing thest part was Lyle''s real motive.

    Jodie stepped forward. "Mr. Graham, Ma''am, we''ve found the driver."

    Lyle lifted his head. "Where is he?"

    "Cedarbrook. We''ve pinpointed his location. Should we make a move?" Jodie asked.

    Lyle furrowed his brow. "Lc Grove? That''s a gatedmunity. What''s he doing there?"Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Wesley smirked. It was just as he had expected.

    He said, "He''s gone to someone for help. Let''s hold off for now and just keep an eye on him. We might trace it back to whoever''s pulling the strings."

 Chapter 733

    ?Chapter 733 Could It Be Him?

    Emmelie and Wesley were on the same page.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Jodie got the hint. "He''s been hanging around a few of the mansions today. Probably getting ready to meet someone."

    "Meeting in broad daylight is too risky. The meeting''s likely happening tonight. I''ll go check it out," Lyle said, still peeling the orange.

    Emelie pondered for a moment.

    "I''ll go with you," she said.

    Lyle lifted his eyebrow. "You''reing? Isn''t it unnecessary? Or do you not trust me?"

    "I just find this whole thing interesting," she replied.

    If Emelie remembered correctly, Cedarbrook had about thirty mansions, and they were all owned by prominent and wealthy people. She was genuinely curious about who might''ve supported the driver. Wesley added, "Since it''s so intriguing, I''ll join you too."

    Lyle clicked his tongue. "Are we going to catch someone, or is this a group outing?"

    Emelie nced at Wesley and said, "Lyle and I can handle it. You''re still recovering."

    Wesley felt resigned. "I''m not that fragile, alright? The doctor said it''s fine as long as I take it easy. I''ll be back to normal in a couple of years."

    C

    [

    E

    Lyle smirked. "Keep saying Mr. Graham isn''t well, and I''ll start wondering if he''s missing a limb or something."

    [

    Emelie nudged Lyle''s leg with the cane. "Knock it off."

    Lyle popped an orange in his mouth and stayed quiet.

    Emelie looked at Wesley. "It''s not wise if we all go. Too many people will just scare him off."

    Emelie''s meaning was clear, and Wesley understood.

    "Alright. Just be careful," he said.

    Lyle nced between Emelie and Wesley, finding them amusing.

    They didn''t need to say much, a look was enough to understand each other.

    "You two should''ve been spies in the old days. If our agents could understand each other with just a nce, there''d be a lot less drama," Lyle said.

    Emelie nudged him again with the cane. "Quit joking around."

    Lyle quickly finished his orange and raised his hand, admitting fault.

    Around 10 at night, Emelie and Lyle drove to Cedarbrook.

    Capebatt City had a tndform, with only three mountains in the area. The rare mountains drove up the housing prices significantly.

    The Cedarbrook was built along the slopes of Mount Cinnamon with 33 homes. The higher the mansions located on the mountain were, the higher their prices became. This exclusivity has be another way

    for the wealthy to show their status.

    Emelie recalled that the mansion at the very top belonged to William. For someone like him, these properties were like jewels, collected but never used.

    When William bought the house, he had never even stayed there once. He found it too far from his office and it was a waste of his time.

    "There he is," Lyle suddenly said.

    They were parked halfway up the mountain, where most of the homes were clustered. There were about a dozen in total.

    Emelie raised her night-vision binocrs and ced them in front of her eyes. She spotted a man in his forties or fifties. The man was slightly overweight, and he was cautiously ncing around as he walked.

    Emelie hid her car behind some trees with branches covering it. In the dim light, they were nearly invisible to the naked eye.

    The driver wandered between several houses.

    Was he lost? Or just testing the waters?

    Emelie was a patient hunter, and she kept her gaze steady.

    After twenty minutes, the driver finally entered one of the house.

    Emelie flipped through her file. The house belonged to a chain restaurant owner she didn''t know.

    Ten minutester, the driver emerged, still looking around.

    Lyle scoffed. "That guy''s definitely testing us, trying to see if we''ll take the bait."

    But then, Emelie saw something unexpected through her binocrs. "Look. Isn''t that William?"

    C

 Chapter 734

    ?Chapter 734 Better Than Her

    Lyle quickly adjusted the binocrs and looked into the distance. In the circr lens, William''s figure came into focus.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    William was dressed casually in a white shirt, ck trousers, and a long coat. He wasn''t intending to disguise himself or hide his presence. He looked as if he were just out for a stroll after dinner. However, William didn''t live in the mountaintop mansion. Even if he did, he wouldn''t be wandering halfway down the mountain at such ate hour.

    Lyle tightened his grip on the binocrs. "William can''t be the driver''s boss."

    Lyle''s demeanor shifted from nonchnt to serious.

    "How can you be so sure?" Emelie asked.

    They were there to track down the mastermind. But now, they were seeing a familiar face, William. Wouldn''t it be reasonable to question his involvement?

    Lyle answered bluntly, "He wouldn''t kidnap or traffic you."

    Emelie fell silent, her gaze fixed on the person through the binocrs.

    William was standing by a building. He remained still, asionally ncing at his watch. He looked like he was waiting for someone.

    Emelie''s breath grew shallow.

    Lyle suddenly eximed, "Shit! He''s getting away!"

    Emelie was so focused on William that, only then, she realized that the driver had revved a motorcycle and sped off into the mountains.

    She put down the binocrs and quickly assessed the situation.

    "Let''s go!" she said.

    Lyleplied and quickly got into the car in pursuit.

    However, the roads in the mountain narrowed as they went deeper. As the trees became denser, it eventually blocked their pathpletely.

    Lyle drew on his experience and reversed the car. He knew it would be dangerous to stay put. However, it was toote.

    A group of people suddenly appeared behind their car. They wielded iron rods and fiercely smashed the rear window.

    The car wasn''t armored, so the window instantly cracked from the hit.

    Emelie nced back.

    Lyle ignored the people behind the car and continued to reverse, trying to force his way through.

    The attackers quickly shoved the iron rods into the car''s rim. They jammed the wheels, stopping the car from leaving.

    Lyle muttered under his breath, "Damn it! That asshole led us into an ambush."

    With the car window shattered and the vehicle immobile, it was no longer safe inside.

    "Stay in the car. I''ll deal with them," Lyle said as he pulled a knife from his boot.

    He opened the door and jumped out, kicking one attacker aside.

    He shook his head, beckoning with his fingers, as if he was requesting a challenge. "Come on!"

    Four or five attackers immediately rushed at Lyle.

    Just as Lyle was about to engage, an attacker was hit in the thigh by a crossbow arrow. He screamed and copsed to the ground.

    Lyle quickly turned around, realizing Emelie had also gotten out of the car.

    Emelie was no longer the dainty petal she once was. Over the past three years, she had picked up self- defense.

    With one skilled in closebat and the other as a marksman, Emelie and Lyle worked together. However, the attackers outnumbered them. The lighting was poor, and it was difficult for Emelie to aim.

    With that, their situation became increasingly dire.

    As Emelie hit one attacker, she let her guard down for a moment, missing the person sneaking up behind her. The attacker was wielding a metal rod with a menacing grin, aiming for her head.

    Suddenly, arge hand grabbed the attacker''s wrist. The person twisted it and snapped it with a sickening crack.

    "Ah!" The attacker screamed in agony.

    Emelie abruptly turned around to see the attacker being kicked away by a man.

    "I suppose this is my second time saving you, Ms. Pierce," William said.

    Emelie paused briefly.

    "Turns out you''re my savior, Mr. Middleton," she replied.

    The wind rustled through the trees, and the two exchanged a silent nce.

    William suddenly narrowed his eyes. He swiftly moved to Emelie''s side, wrapped his arm around her waist and grabbed her hand with the other.

    Before she could react, he spun her 180 degrees and fired an arrow at an attacker sneaking up behind them. The arrow hit its mark on the attacker''s abdomen.

    Emelie had no chance to break free. William continued to shoot, firing each arrow at its target.

    A thought crossed Emelie''s mind.

    His aim was far better than hers.

 Chapter 735

    ?

    Chapter 735 Flesh and Bones

    Despite William''s impressive marksmanship, the attackers were well prepared. As three fell, four more emerged.

    William and Emelie retreated, taking cover behind arge tree.

    They crouched together, using the tree as a shield. William aimed and shot another attacker trying to nk Lyle.

    The arrow struck the attacker in the arm, and Lyle kicked him against the tree before he could even scream.

    Lyle turned around. He felt mixed feelings facing William after all these years. "Will..."

    "There''s only the two of you and you''re this reckless? Are you trying to get yourselves killed? "William nced at Emelie.

    With their proximity, William''s breath brushed against Emelie''s neck. She furrowed her brows and elbowed him in the abdomen, breaking free from his hold.

    She stared at him. "Do you even know why we''re here?"

    "To catch the driver, Felix Ashford," William replied.

    "And you?" Emelie pressed.

    "Same reason you''re here." William said. His eyes were darker than the starless sky.

    "Did you think I was meeting with him?" he asked.

    She indeed had that suspicion, but it was quickly dismissed.

    Emelie didn''t pin every doubt on William. After all, he had no reason to orchestrate her kidnapping. Still, William sensed her doubts.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    He hurriedly exined, "I''ve been keeping an eye on Felix even before his release. I bribed a close contact of his in prison to tell him that the police had found Frank''s body and that they were investigating. If Felix and his crew killed Frank, he''d be facing another ten years.

    "I bet he wouldn''t be able to handle the pressure of four years in prison. No matter who killed Frank, he''d be scared of getting caught. If he made a move, I could follow him and find a way to resolve the case. That way, you clear your name, and we catch the real culprit. Is

    everything clear now?"

    Emelie remained silent.

    It was no wonder Felix went to such lengths to escape Lyle, only to escape to Capebatt City. It turned out William had already brainwashed him.

    While they were stuck in a wild goose chase, William was always one step ahead.

    "Whether it''s one thing or another, it''s my business. Mr. Middleton, what''s with all this

    effort? What''s it have to do with you?" Emelie said.

    Then, she turned to check on the situation with Lyle.

    William turned her face back to him, his lips pressed into a thin line. "How does it have nothing to do with me? The child you lost to the kidnapping was my flesh and blood, too."

    Emelie''s breath hitched, and she felt a pang of pain in her chest.

    After a while, she scoffed. "You speak as if you cared about the child. If you''d known I was pregnant, you would''ve forced me to get an abortion. Now that I''ve had a miscarriage, isn''t that what you wanted?"

    "Whether you believe it or not, if I knew you were pregnant, I would''ve married you and kept the child." William''s voice was low and serious.

    Had that been the case, they would have married and had a child. There wouldn''t have been issues with Daphne, and Emelie wouldn''t have left Cloudex.

    None of the subsequent events would have happened. And maybe the situation now wouldn''t have unfolded. Every misstep had led to another.

    Looking back, Emelie felt like it was a lifetime ago.

    Lyle staggered back, clutching his stomach upon being hit with an iron rod. He spat out blood and called back, "Will! Are you guys done chatting? Maybe you could lend a hand?"

    Emelie snapped back to reality. She quickly loaded her crossbow and took aim. She fired the arrow, hitting one of the attackers in the thigh.

    Emelie had always aimed to disable, not kill.

    "Aren''t you always bragging about your skills?" Emelie said as she reloaded the arrows.

    Lyle broke an attacker''s nose with a punch and then kicked another in the groin with a spin. "How could youpare fighting one-on-one and a brawl?"

    Emelie shot back, "Which is why I say Jodie''s skills are better than yours. Whether it''s long- range sniping or closebat, one-on-one or a group right, she handles it all with ease."

    "On your right," she added.

    Lyle lifted his left foot and delivered a kick, hitting an attacker sneaking in from the right in the head.

    "She''s trained like a killer machine. We''re not even at the same level. Comparing us is like cheating." Lyle was gasping for breath.

    "What did you call a ''killer machine''?" Emelie rebuked.

    William''s cold voice cut in. "Are you two close? Is this turning into a debate?"

 Chapter 736

    ?? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    Chapter 736 The Cliff

    Emelie ignored William. She scanned the path ahead, getting ready to make a break for it.

    However, William abruptly grabbed her arm. He raised his crossbow, wanting to fire a signal shot into the sky.

    It was a prearranged signal for his team.

    Emelie forcefully pressed his arm down. The shot veered off course, and the signal wasn''t

    sent.

    William looked at her in confusion as she slightly smirked. "Mr. Middleton, if you''re scared, go hide. Don''t get in our way."

    William instantly understood. "You came without backup on purpose."

    Emelie gave him a nce amidst the chaos, surprised at how fast he had caught on.

    She didn''t bother exining. Instead, she rolled out from behind the tree and fired two quick arrows. That drew the attackers'' attention and she sprinted into the woods.

    It was clear that she was their primary target. Wherever she went, they followed.

    As Emelie ran, she fired arrows over her shoulder. As she reached for another arrow, she realized that her quiver was empty.

    The attackers noticed andughed as one of them shouted, "She''s out! Get her!"

    Emelie was forced to the edge of a cliff with no way forward. Lyle stepped in front of her, facing the oing attackers.

    The driver, Felix, sensed his victory and emerged.

    He shone a shlight on Emelie, grinning wickedly. "It''s you. I remember you. Years ago, we were paid to catch you, but Frank got distracted by his desires and ended up dead. But it''s alright. What he couldn''t enjoy back then, I can help him enjoy now!"

    Lyle wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, his expression growing feral.

    "How about I show you what it feels like to have your tongue ripped out?" Lyle threatened.

    Felix was taken aback by the fierce glint in Lyle''s eyes. His countenance shifted slightly.

    But then he remembered they were cornered, with no escape. What was there to fear? He quickly pointed at Lyle. "Grab him! I''ll rip his fucking tongue out!"

    Emelie held Lyle back and turned to Felix, smiling gently. "Since we''re here, can you satisfy my curiosity? Who ordered you to capture me all those years ago?"

    Felix gave an obscene smirk. "Sure. Get in bed with me and I''ll tell you everything. Nice and

    slow."

    Lyle''s eyes shed with rage.

    Emelie let out a sigh. "Well, it''s better to die with dignity than suffer humiliation. Instead of falling into your hands, I''d rather... Take my own life!"

    With that being said, she turned and sprinted toward the cliff. Before anyone could react, she jumped off the edge.

    Felix and the others were stunned. They were barely processing what had happened when another figure leaped after her.

    "Eme!" A voice shouted.

    Lyle froze for a moment. The next instant, his face went pale, and he quickly rushed to the edge of the cliff.

    "Will!" he shouted.

    William had jumped off the cliff.

    Lyle reacted even more strongly when William jumped than when Emelie did. He almost followed him over the edge.

    Felix and the others hurried to the edge of the cliff, shining their shlights downward. However, the abyss below was too deep, and their lights couldn''t reach the bottom.

    The group exchanged uneasy nces. Their mission was to capture Emelie, they never expected to push her to the point of jumping off a cliff.

    Things were getting serious. They had caused deaths.

    Panic set in, and the group quickly fled, speeding out of Capebatt City in the dead of night.

    On the road, Felix''s hands trembled as he made a call.

    "B-Boss! Some... someone''s dead!" he stuttered.

    "What happened?" A man''s voice sounded from the other end.

    Felix was in a total disarray. "That woman jumped off the cliff! She jumped! We didn''t force her or anything. Will the policee after me? Am I going to prison? Will I get the death penalty? I don''t want to die!"

 Chapter 737

    ?

    Chapter 737 Their Bodies

    The person on the other end was clearly confused.

    "Speak clearly!" he snapped.

    Felix swallowed hard and exined the entire situation.

    After the man had heard the details, he asked, "Who was the one who jumped after her?"

    Felix frantically eximed, "I don''t know! I don''t know who he is! What am I supposed to do now? You promised that if we captured that woman, you''d ensure I wouldn''t be held responsible for Frankie''s death. Now that there''s been another death, I''m got screwed over by you!""

    "Since she voluntarily jumped, it''s not your responsibility then. Where are you right now? I''ll send you an address. Go there, and I''ll have someone take you out of the country. You''ll be safe," the man said.

    Felix finally felt relieved upon hearing that. He continued driving through the night toward the address given.

    The man ended the call and then contacted someone else. After he confirmed Felix''s story, he headed to his study.

    As he knocked on the door, a voice sounded. "Come in."

    Then, he pushed open the door and greeted, "Mr. Collins."

    Beathan looked up. "What''s the news?"

    Jake replied, "Emelie jumped off the cliff."

    Beathan furrowed his brows. "She jumped?"

    Jake nodded. "I spoke with the crew sent to help Felix. They all saw Emelie jump. The cliff is a sheer drop; her chances of survival are slim."

    Beathan leaned back in his chair, fiddling with his pen.

    He had manipted Felix to lure Emelie into a trap. He wanted to make Emelie''s passing look like an idental death. That way, he couldpletely get rid of her. He hadn''t expected her to jump willingly.

    "Well, it saves me the trouble if she''s truly dead. But it''s just rather sudden," Beathan said.

    Jake pondered. "With so many witnesses and no chance of survival, she can''t possibly be alive after jumping, can she?"

    Beathan shook his pen. "We saw her get shot in the heart and thrown into the sea years ago. Still, she came back, didn''t she? Have someone search for the body at the bottom of the cliff.

    "Yes, sir," Jake said.

    The next morning, Jake sent a team to the base of the cliff. However, when they arrived, they found several police cars already there.

    They quickly hid and observed from a distance.

    They saw police officers carrying away two stretchers covered with white sheets. There were clearly two dead bodies.

    Wesley and Lyle were also there, their expressions were grim.

    The team exchanged nces and took pictures with their phones.

    Suddenly, a gust of wind lifted a corner of a sheet. There was a mutted female bodyProperty ? N?velDrama.Org.

    dressed in the same clothes Emelie had worn the night before.

    When Wesley saw the corpse, he instantly fainted on the spot.

    The secretary and his team took their photos and quickly retreated.

    Back in cidville, Jake handed the photos to Beathan.

    Beathan scrutinized each of them, suspicion growing within him. He felt the situation was too sudden.

    He took off his sses, pulled out a cloth from his drawer, and carefully wiped his lenses. "What do you think?" he asked Jake.

    Jake nodded. "The bodies have been found, so it''s likely real. Even though it''s sudden, we often deal with weird and illogical details in our cases. Sometimes, reality just throws these curveballs."

    He thought deeply. "What about the driver?"

    "I gave Felix an address. Wanted to deal with him there. He must''ve guessed I was going to silence him so he didn''t show up. Now I can''t reach him either," Jake said.

    Beathan decided to wait and see.

    But while he could afford to wait, Ashley''s situation couldn''t. The hospital reported that she was ready to be discharged, and Elias took her home.

    Within a couple of days, Beathan also received the news from Pearl Bay.

    Elias decided that Capebatt City wasn''t the best ce for Ashley''s recovery. He nned to take her to Sentnd and had chartered a private ne. They were set to depart the next day. Unable to remain idle any longer, Beathan quietly made his way to Capebatt City.

 Chapter 738

    ?

    Chapter 738 Who Do You Think You Are?

    Beathan headed directly to Pearl Bay after getting off the ne.

    As the new year began, Capebatt City was warming up.

    ording to Beathan''s intel, Elias would take Ashley for a walk every afternoon. He would push her wheelchair around the neighborhood so she could get some sunlight.

    Since that day was sunny, Beathan was confident that Elias would bring Ashley outside as usual.

    Beathan waited patiently near Elias'' house, and sure enough, he spotted Elias pushing a wheelchair.

    He quickly hid behind a nearby wall.

    From his view, he could see a woman in a white dress sitting in a wheelchair. Elias pushed her along the path and asionally bent down to speak to her softly.

    Beathan directed someone to distract Elias. Just as the person was about to make a move, Elias made a mistake on his own.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    "I forgot the nket in the rush. Wait here for a moment, Ash," Elias said.

    The woman nodded slightly.

    Elias carefully pushed the wheelchair to the side of the path to avoid blocking other people. He locked the wheels to keep it in ce and walked back inside.

    Beathan couldn''t bear to wait any longer and hurried over.

    "Ash!" he called out.

    Ashley was facing away from him in the wheelchair, and Beathan stood behind her. His heart was caught between longing and nerves, and he hesitated to get closer.

    "Ash, it''s me. Do you remember me?" he asked.

    Ashley jolted briefly, but she didn''t turn around.

    Beathan pressed his lips together. "I''ve been wanting to see you after knowing you woke up from aa. How are you? Besides your legs, is everything else okay?"

    Ashley remained silent and still. Nevertheless, Beathan was grateful that she hadn''t immediately left.

    "I know you''re still upset with me and haven''t forgiven me. But Ash, I''ve really changed. I haven''t been with another woman in the past three years because I realized you''re the only one I love.

    "We spent seven years together. I believe you haven''t moved on either. Let''s get back together, okay?" Beathan spoke earnestly.

    However, Ashley didn''t say a word.

    Beathan knew Ashley well. She would either be intensely in love or hating him fiercely. He believed that even after three years, that part of her remained unchanged. That was precisely the reason why she wasn''t willing to speak to him now.

    However, Beathan had already decided on his own. "Whether you agree or not, I''m taking you with me this time. I''ve suffered three years without you, and I can''t wait any longer. Come with me, Ash. I''ll prove my love to you through my actions."

    Despite all Beathan had said, Ashley was unresponsive.

    Beathan couldn''t hold back any longer and circled around to face her. "Ash, why aren''t you saying anything? Do you really hate me that much? I..."

    Beathan froze mid-sentence. The woman in the wheelchair wasn''t Ashley.

    Beathan instinctively stepped back. "Who are you?"

    The woman, aplete stranger, stood up from the wheelchair.

    Beathan narrowed his eyes behind his sses.

    "Where''s Ash?" he demanded.

    "What makes you think you''re worthy of talking to Ash?" Elias'' voice sounded from the window on the second-floor.

    Beathan looked up sharply.

    Elias was leaning against the windowsill. Who knew how long he was listening?

    A hint of irony shed through Elias'' eyes, and his expression was full of mockery.

    Beathan realized he had been tricked. However, right now, there was only one thing that he cared about.

    "Elias, where is Ash?" Beathan asked.

    Elias replied with amusement, "And why are you looking for my wife, Mr. Collins?"

    "Wife? If it hadn''t been the misunderstanding back then, you wouldn''t have had the chance to take advantage of her," Beathan sneered.

    "Oh, youwyers are now calling affairs ''misunderstandings''? Is that it? What truly meticulous legal work you''re doing," Elias mocked.

    Beathan was standing on the ground floor, so he had to lift his head up to speak to Elias." And what makes you any better than me? You married Ash just to take her inheritance."

    Elias moved his hands away from the window and put them in his pockets. He wore an unconcerned look as Beathan continued to use him.

    Beathan said, "All these years, while Ash was in aa, you''ve been using your marriage to dig off her assets. You think I haven''t noticed? I''ve kept track of every cent you took.

    "If you''re so sure of yourself, let me see Ash. I''ll show her the evidence, and we''ll see if she still wants anything to do with you!"

 Chapter 739

    ?Chapter 739 Taken Into Custody

    Elias curled his lips into a humorless smile. "Dream on, Beathan. But you''ll never see Ash again, not in this lifetime."

    Before Beathan could spit out something venomous, Elias cut him off. "You think I''m clueless about how she got hurt all those years ago? I''ve kept that score for a long time."

    It was time for Elias to settle it.

    Beathan was at a loss for words, and his eyes faltered.

    He had always thought that Elias was unaware. If he had known, there was no way he would''ve stayed quiet all these years.

    Unless... someone had held him back, making him wait in patience until the perfect moment to strike. But who could that be? Who had lured Beathan to Capebatt City? It had to be the same person.

    Beathan''s expression shifted before he refrained from talking anymore. He turned around and swiftly walked away.

    Elias watched Beathan''s retreating figure, his eyes cold with contempt.

    However, as he turned to the person nearby, his countenance softened. He was like a lost stray dog that finally returned to its master, bing calm and obedient.

    The person in the wheelchair had listened to the entire conversation. Without a word, she slowly wheeled herself away.

    Elias felt a pang of disappointment. Despite that, he quickly followed, sticking close to the person.

    Beathan hurried out of the neighborhood. He wanted to rush to the airport and leave Capebatt City immediately.

    His driver had already pulled the car around. As Beathan reached for the door, arge hand abruptly mmed it shut.

    Multiple men surrounded him.

    "Are you Beathan Collins?" one of the men asked.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Beathan remained calm. "Who are you?"

    The leader shed a police badge. "We''re the police. We suspect that you''re involved in a serious criminal case. You''ll need toe with us to the station for further investigation."

    Beathan''s breath halted. "A criminal case? What are you talking about? I just arrived in Capebatt City today. You must be mistaken."

    The officer replied, "Whether there''s been a mistake or not, you''ll find out at the station. Since you''re awyer, you should know that this is a criminal summons. You need to cooperate with our investigation."

    Beathan clenched his fists tightly.

    However, Beathan was like a snake, quick and elusive. Soon enough, he regained hisposure.

    He adjusted his sses, offering a faint smile. "Alright, I''lle with you."

    The police brought Beathan back to the police station. During the drive, Beathan had already fully collected himself.

    Once he was seated in the interrogation room, Beathan took control of the conversation. "Now that we''re at the station, officer, care to exin what crime I''m supposedly involved in?"

    The officer remained calm and pulled out a photograph. "Do you know this man?"

    Beathan nced at the photo and shook his head. "Nope, I don''t recognize him."

    It was a photo of Felix.

    The officer then presented another photograph. "How about this woman?"

    Beathan responded, "Yeah, I know her. That''s Emelie Hoven. We also call her Mandy. We''re business partners, but we don''t talk much."

    The officer asked, "If you''re business partners, why don''t you interact much?"

    "She represents Filo Group in their investment of Xanther Group. Though I''m a shareholder at Xanther, I''m their legal affairs manager. My work doesn''t involve much in the day-to-day operations. That''s why we don''t cross paths often," Beathan exined smoothly, leaving no room for doubt.

    Then he turned the tables and asked, "Officer, are you suggesting that this man attacked Ms. Pierce? Is she alright? I''ve heard she was involved in a murder case earlier this year, and now this is happening. She''s had quite a streak of bad luck, huh?"

    Beathan mentioned Emelie''s past cases, subtly trying to discredit her.

    However, the officer didn''t engage. Instead, he pulled out another photograph.

    "And this man?" he asked.

    Beathan responded coldly, "That''s Jake, my secretary. Officer, what''s the point of you showing me all these photos? I understand if I''m here to assist with an investigation. But don''t I have the right to know what''s going on?"

    The officer finally got to the point. "Three days ago, on the 16th, at 10 p.m., Felix Ashford and a group of men attacked Emelie at the Cedarbrook estate.

    "Felix has confessed to his crimes, and he''s now in custody. He also revealed that your secretary, Jake Yancey, ordered him to abduct Emelie. Jake has already been detained in cidville."

 Chapter 740

    ?Chapter 740 The Venomous Snake

    Beathan''s jaw clenched momentarily.

    It had only been around five hours since he left cidville, yet even his secretary had been arrested. Clearly, this was a wellid trap, and they''d been waiting for him to fall right into it

    However, he responded in an innocent manner, feigning surprise. "Is that so? Has Jake confessed to it?" Jace, the police officer, responded with a question of his own. "What do you think, Mr. Collins?" Beathan knew that was a part of his tactics. The police would never reveal how much they knew, leaving him to guess on his own. They were hoping he''d slip up and expose himself.

    Beathan cautiously probed, "This is a serious case. How could I dare to specte? But since you''ve brought me to the station, does that mean Jake said I ordered him to do this?"

    Jace calmly countered, "Shouldn''t you know the things that your secretary has done?"

    Beathan shrugged. "He''s my secretary, not my clone. Let''s be honest, parents can''t always control their children, so how can I control him?

    "He''s merely my employee. Maybe I can keep tabs on him during work hours, but whatever he does after work is his own business. He doesn''t need to report those to me. So, honestly, I have no idea."

    The one-way ss windows of the interrogation room only enabled those outside to have a clear view of the inside. Those inside could not see what was outside.

    At that moment, Emelie, who was supposedly dead, stood outside. She was watching Beathan.

    It was no wonder William had said he was incredibly difficult to deal with. His experience as awyer had gave him theposure to sit in an interrogation room stoically. Born with a secretive and ruthless personality, he continued to contend and test the police even after being caught.

    Inside the room, Jace asked again, "Jake has no grudge against Emelie. Why would he hire someone to attack her?"

    Beathan chuckled. "How would I know? You should ask Jake."

    Jace used his first card. "We traced Jake''s phone signal. When Felix called him, the location was pinged at your house. Are you saying you knew nothing about that?"

    Beathan frowned slightly. "Was that also on the 16th? Let me think..."

    He pretended to ponder for a moment before saying, "I remember now. That day we were workingte at my ce on a case. But just because he took a call at my house doesn''t mean he was acting under my orders, right?"

    The two officers exchanged nces and remained silent for a moment. With that, Beathan realized that the police had no direct evidence against him.

    He grew more rxed. "Although criminal summons canst as long as 24 hours, surely you won''t keep me here until the time''s up before letting me go, right?"

    "Don''t worry, we have more questions for you." Jace dropped the topic for now and switched gears." Where were you on January 23rd? What were you doing?"

    "That was so long ago, so I can''t remember clearly. If it was during the day, I was probably working at the firm. If it was at night, I might have been at home or out for a drink with friends," Beathan said.

    Then, he asked, "What happened on January 23rd?"

    Jace replied, "On January 23rd, Emelie was involved in a deliberate car ident outside the Sheldon Suites, harming one person. The driver imed to be a new driver who mistook the gas pedal for the brake pedal, but we have evidence proving she was paid to do that. The person who paid her was Jake."

    Beathan frowned and shook his head. "I really didn''t know Jake had such deep hatred for Ms. Pierce. For him to harm her repeatedly like this, it''s truly..."

    He sighed.

    The police officer next to Emelie remarked, "It''s rare to see a suspect with such strong nerves."

    At this point, Emelie saw no need to watch further. She nodded at the officers and left.

    She hadn''t expected this interrogation to yield any major breakthroughs. The main goal was to gauge how far Beathan could go, and

    Jace said, "Jake is your secretary. We have plenty of evidence that you trusted him deeply, and that he was extremely loyal to you. For you to im you had no knowledge of his actions is just too far-fetched."T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    "So, Mr. Collins," Jace closed his notebook and made the final deration, "Please don''t leave Capebatt City in the near future. Kindly keep yourself avable for questioning. Do you understand?" Beathan''s smile faltered slightly as he realized Emelie''s true intent.

 Chapter 741

    ?Chapter 741 Equal Stakes

    Beathan licked his lips while maintaining a calm andposed expression.

    He said, "I''m awyer, one of the mostw-abiding citizens. Of course, I''ll fully cooperate with the police. I have a permanent residence in Capebatt City, so you know where to find me. If you need anything, juste by anytime."

    With that, he rose and extended his hand to the two officers before leaving the interrogation room and the police station.

    Outside the station, Emelie stood by a car, arms crossed.

    Beathan grinned. He adjusted his sses and continued walking. ''I''m truly relieved to see you safe and sound, Ms. Hoven."Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    "Relieved? Why do I feel that you were gritting your teeth really hard, Mr. Collins?" Emelie returned his smile. Her smile was even more charming than his.

    "Teeth are non-regenerative, so I take great care of them." Beathan stepped closer to her. ''Ms. Pierce, would you mind clearing something up for me? What''s up with the body at the bottom of the cliff?"

    "The body at the bottom of the cliff?" Emelie feigned confusion, turning to look at Jodie.

    Jodie replied, "Mr. Collins must be referring to the immersive murder mystery game we yed a few days ago in Mount Cinnamon."

    "Oh, that." Emelieughed. ''Mr. Collins, you know about those murder mystery games, right? It''s a game with multiple yers. Some y the detectives, some y the victims, and everyone works together to figure out the killer. It''s a lot of fun. Next time, you should join us."

    Beathan let out a shortugh.

    Despite his doubts, the appearance of the body had made him believe it. On top of that, with Elias nning to take Ashley out of Capebatt City, he didn''t have much time to think things through. As a result, he came to Capebatt City, and now he was stuck there.

    Emelie said, ''For a game to be fair and enjoyable, both sides need to have equal stakes. I can''t leave Capebatt City, and now you can''t either. Finally, we''re on the same ying field, ready for a real match."

    Beathan had just one question. "Is Ashley awake?''

    Emelie smirked and got into her car. As she rolled down the window, she sweetly replied, "I''m not telling you." Beathan''s expression darkened immediately.

    Emelie casually rolled up the window, and the driver pulled away, leaving him standing there.

    From the passenger seat, Jodie suddenly remarked, "Just seeing his gaze just now made me want to snap his neck."

    Emelie burst intoughter. Jodie had a keen sense of danger and was deeply averse to anything that made Emelie uneasy. Clearly, Beathan made her ufortable.

    Emelie said calmly, "We can''t do such things right in front of the police station."

    Of course, Jodie knew that. It was merely a passing thought for her.

    "Dealing with someone like him requires strategy," Emelie added nonchntly. "There are a lot of suspicious things about him."

    Jodie nodded. ''We all know he''s the mastermind behind this, but he''s so cautious that we haven''t found any direct evidence pointing to him.''

    At most, they could take down his secretary. However, Jake was fiercely loyal and wouldn''t betray him, no matter how much me he had to shoulder.

    Emelie spoke softly, "What I mean is, since there are so many red gs about him, wouldn''t it make sense for

    the police to send an intern over to question him every day?"

    Jodie didn''t quite get it. "Question him every day?"

    Emelie said, ''Beathan is from a good family. On top of that, he has a great education, high intelligence, a sessful career, and a prominent social status. He''s an elite among elites. The worst hardship he''s probably ever faced was getting an iced Americano without sugar in the morning."

    She added nonchntly. "So, he must have great pride. He can''t stand anything that might make him look bad. Now, if you make him feel like amon criminal, getting questioned by the police every day, what do you think will happen?''

    He''d gradually lose his mind.

    Jodie seemed to understand. "I''ll coordinate with the police on this."

    Emelie rested her elbow on the car door''s armrest, propping up her head.

    The driver finally had a chance to ask, "Are we heading home?"

    Emelie nced out the window. "Let''s go to Sunnington Hill."

    Sunnington Hill was William''s residence.

    Normally, whenever Emelie and William were in the same space, Jodie would be on high alert and would feel the need to inform Wesley.

    However, she hesitated and didn''t say anything to stop her that day. It was mainly because something had happened that night.

 Chapter 743

    ?Chapter 743 She Didn''t Want Him to Die That Badly

    Those words took Emelie and William back to that night on the cliff.

    Emelie fled to the cliff in what seemed like a desperate move. However, it was all part of

    their n. There were people below that were waiting to catch her, so her jump was supposed to be practically risk-free.

    Nheless, she hadn''t expected William to jump after her.

    She had justnded safely in the. But before she could get out of the, she heard someone shout, "Eme!"

    Then, another voice yelled, "Will!"

    She quickly looked up.

    In the pitch-ck night, she saw someone rushing toward her recklessly.

    Her eyes widened.

    The people waiting below noticed the imminent danger. "Oh no! He''s jumped too far!"

    The wouldn''t be able to catch him. Although William''s body hit the, his body rolled off because it was too close to the edge. He was about to plunge into the abyss below.

    Emelie''s body reacted faster than her mind. She lunged forward and grabbed William''s hand.

    William''s body dangled over the steep cliff, held up only by her grasp. This was the closest he had evere to death.

    Beneath him was a bottomless chasm. From within that chasm, he looked up.

    He saw Emelie''s pale face. He couldn''t tell if it was because of fear, tension, or the chilly mountain wind that cut to the bone.

    Above her head, he saw the crescent moon in the sky.

    Suddenly, he smiled. He smiled because it turned out she didn''t want him dead that badly. After all, she had reached out to save him.

    He called, "Eme."

    Emelie''s team quickly pulled William up. Together, they hid in a crevice in the

    mountainside, out of sight from the shlights above.

    Emelie leaned against the rocky wall, breathing heavily. Given their close encounter with death, her limbs were numb. She fixed her stare at William across from her.

    She wasn''t the only one staring. Everyone present, including Jodie, was looking at William. Their gazes were different from usual. They were filled with shock, surprise, admiration, and respect.

    He hadn''t known that they were prepared. He jumped because he was willing to die with Emelie.

    The silence in the mountain cavested a long time until William finally moved closer to Emelie and took her hand. Both their palms were cold.

    He whispered, "Thank God it was fake."

    Emelie turned her head away, not responding to hisment.

    Instead, she asked, "Aren''t you curious about what will happen to your other partner?"

    William made a guess. "You''ve trapped him in Capebatt City, and he can''t leave."

    Emelie smirked. "Didn''t you say I wasn''t his match? What about now?"

    The two of them were an odd pair, neither entering the bedroom nor heading downstairs. They stood in the doorway, leaning against opposite sides of the frame, talking face to face.

    William remarked, "I''m getting increasingly curious about how you n to deal with me in the future."

    Emelie smiled faintly.

    William lowered his voice. "That night, you shouldn''t have pulled me up. You should''ve let me fall. If I had died, wouldn''t you have had your revenge?"

    When Emelie remained silent, and he chuckled. "At that moment, I really thought that dying with you wouldn''t be such a bad end for me."

    Finally, Emelie coldly replied, "Dying together? Forget it. I''de back as a ghost if that happened. I wouldn''t be able to rest in peace."

    William was used to her cold sarcasm, so he didn''t mind her remark. "Did Felix say how Frankie died? Who was behind it?"

    Emelie wasn''t obligated to tell him.

    William''s tone softened. "Can''t you satisfy my curiosity, at least as a favor for saving you that night?"

    He was referring to when he had arrived just in time to stop a thug from attacking her from behind.

    Emelie looked up at him. "The driver refuses to talk, but the very fact that he''s not talking proves that they were the ones who did it. The police will get it out of him eventually. It''s just a matter of time."

    William asked again, "And the mastermind?"

    Emelie''s expression suddenly turned mysterious. "We''ve ns to take care of the mastermind. She''s abroad now, so the police can''t catch her. Don''t worry though, I have a way to bring her back."

    William frowned slightly. "Who is it?"N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    Emelie slowly replied, "An old acquaintance."

    There was something strange in her voice that made William feel uneasy. "Is she someone I know?"

    Emelie''s smile widened. "Of course. You''re the one who sent her abroad, Mr. Middleton."

 Chapter 744

    ?Chapter 744 What Are You nning Against Daphne?

    William couldn''t figure out who it was, so he decided to use a softer approach. "Stop teasing and just tell me."

    Emelie wasn''t swayed by his attempt to charm her. She smirked slightly before turning to go downstairs.

    "Take care of yourself, Mr. Middleton. I''m leaving," she said.

    William watched her until she walked out the door. He frowned deeply, still unable to piece it together.

    Patrice came up the stairs, carrying the get-well-soon gifts Emelie had brought.

    Sheined, saying, "You can tell that these were just grabbed from a random convenience store. A box of truffles for 15 dors? It''s probably just normal mushrooms!" William found it amusing too. Typical of Ms. Pierce, the queen of superficial gestures.

    Patrice handed the gift to a maid. "William, you''re just going to let her leave like that?"

    William turned to go back into his room. "What else should I do? Should I have asked her to stay for dinner?"

    "You two are stuck in this weird limbo. You just need a little push," Patrice muttered to herself.

    William ignored her, picking up his phone to call Ashton. "Ashton, do you remember if I ever sent anyone abroad?"

    Ashton was stumped for a moment, failing to understand him. "I''m sorry, Mr. Middleton. I don''t quite understand what you mean."

    William rubbed his temples. "I can''t remember if I''ve ever sent anyone abroad."

    After she thought about it for a moment, a person came to Ashton''s mind. "Daphne Bowen. Over three years ago, you sent her to Sentnd, to be with your mother."

    At that moment, William felt as if he had been stuck by a sh of lightning.

    He realized what was going on and immediately asked, "Has the travel restriction on Emelie been lifted?"

    Ashton replied, "Yes, it has. The driver confessed that Ms. Hoven only injured Frankie. After she escaped, they assumed he''d caused trouble due to his perverted habits. They ended up unintentionally beating him to death."

    The driver had already confessed, yet Emelie had just imed that he was still being tight- lipped.

    William held his breath. "So, can Emelie leave Capebatt City now?"

    "Yes," Ashton replied.

    William hung up the phone abruptly and began searching for Daphne''s contact information.

    In the past few years, they hadn''t been in touch even once. If Ashton hadn''t mentioned her name, he would have forgotten about her entirely. That was why he couldn''t remember earlier that he had sent someone abroad.

    It was Daphne. William found her number and called her immediately, but there was no

    answer.

    Then, he called his mother''s caregiver. "Is Daphne there?"

    The caregiver replied, "Ms. Bowen took a leave of absence yesterday. She said that you asked her to return to Cedonia, so she''s already gone back."

    Emelie had tricked Daphne into returning to Cedonia. On top of that, she had deliberately hidden the fact that she was free to move around again.

    William had a bad feeling she was nning something against Daphne.

    William hung up the phone and grabbed his car keys, heading out the door.

    Patrice called after him, "Where are you going, William?"? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    William didn''t respond and just sped off, determined to catch up with Emelie.

    Patrice was baffled as he hadn''t even taken his medicine yet.

    Just then, her phone rang. The caller ID showed it was Bryan. She hesitated before answering.

    Bryan was checking in. "Patricia, how''s Mr. Middleton doing?"

    Patrice sighed, "He''s not in good condition. He won''t stay home and rest, insisting on going out. I couldn''t stop him."

    Bryan asked, "Where did he go?"

    Patrice wasn''t sure. "It seems to have something to do with Emelie. She was here earlier."

    Bryan nced at his rearview mirror just in time to see William''s car speeding by.

    He narrowed his eyes. "I''m near Sunnington Hill and just saw Mr. Middleton''s car. I''ll follow him and see where he''s going."

    William had someone track Emelie''s car and found out she was heading toward the highway. He guessed that she was nning to leave Capebatt City.

    He floored the elerator, and just before her car could get onto the highway, he managed to cut her off, forcing her onto a gravel road nearby.

    Emelie recognized William''s car and cursed under her breath. She got out of the car and shot him a sarcastic remark. "So, you were faking being sick, huh? A minute ago, you were half- dead, and now you''re out here drag racing?"

    William got out of his car too. He walked toward her and asked, "Where are you going all by yourself?"

 Chapter 745

    ?Chapter 745 Get on Your Knees and Beg

    Neither the driver nor Jodie were with Emelie. She had sent them off on other tasks without exining why.

    "Do I need to report my whereabouts to you, Mr. Middleton?" she replied.

    "You''ve had your restrictions lifted. Why didn''t you tell me?'' William asked.

    Emelie paused before retorting, "Why should I have told you?"

    William asked his third question. "You used my name to trick Daphne intoing back. What are you nning to do to her?"

    Something flickered in Emelie''s eyes as she slowly responded, "So that''s why you''ve suddenly sprung back to life. It''s because of Daphne. Your concern for her really is as consistent as ever."

    William didn''t bother defending himself. ''I''ve exined my rtionship with Daphne to you before. There''s no need to provoke me. I just want you to answer this: What do you n to do now that you''ve lured her back?" Emelie''s casual tone and yful expression gradually faded under the intensity of his questioning.

    They were on a gravel road by the highway, a ce rarely visited by anyone. Nearby, a train''s horn red as it pulled into a station

    After the noise died down, Emelie said coldly, "I want her to pay for my child''s life."

    The setting sun was already sinking low, and the sky seemed to turn even darker.

    They stood facing each other, surrounded by tall wild grass swaying like waves in the wind.

    The malice in Emelie''s eyes was unmistakable. "I''ve never met a woman as vicious as her. I was ready to let go of all the petty things she''d done in the past, but it turns out she was the mastermind behind the kidnapping. She''s been hiding for years, but now it''s time for her to pay."

    "So, you''re nning to kill her?" William asked solemnly.

    Emelie didn''t deny it.

    William''s jaw tightened as he swiftly grabbed her wrist. ''I don''t care what else you do, but you''re not going to kill anyone. You won''t take a life, that''s the bottom line. Do you hear me?''

    Emelie scoffed at his self-righteousness. She snapped, "And what about you? Was it okay for you and your friends to kill my foster parents? Didn''t you take a life? Why are you asking me to do things that you couldn''t do?"

    William didn''t hesitate to respond. ''Your fathermitted suicide!''

    "What about my mother? She suffocated because someone stole the battery from her artificial heart!'' Emelie retorted.

    William pulled her closer, his voice steady. "My hands are clean. I''ve never taken a life, and you''re not going to either."N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    He could see the seething hatred in her eyes. He swallowed hard as he spoke in a low voice, "I''m begging you, don''t destroy yourself."

    Emelie''s gaze wavered as she yanked her hand back. "If you''re going to beg, you should act like it."

    She continued, "Remember when I begged you to help my mom get medical care? Your condition was that I return to you, that I be your mistress again. You treated me like a ything, demanding I strip whenever you wanted."

    "I''m sorry," William said.

    "Sorry means nothing!" Emelie''s tone was cold. "If you want me to agree, get on your knees and beg."

    William''s dark gaze locked onto hers. Meanwhile, Emelie watched him without a trace of emotion on her face. In the next moment, he started to kneel.

    Emelie''s eyes instantly filled with tears.

    She was supposed to bepletely indifferent to him by now, with no regard for his life. The only thing that kept her going was the thought of seeing him utterly ruined with nothing left. She wanted to make him pay for everything he''d done.

    However, as she watched him kneel, her nerves snapped like a taut wire.

    Before his knee could touch the ground, she shoved him away violently. She screamed with all her might. "William, what are you pretending for now?"

 Chapter 746

    ?Chapter 746 Are You Sure You Don''t Have Feelings for Me?

    William seemed to have anticipated Emelie''s move. As she shoved him, he grabbed her arm. As he lost his bnce and fell to the ground, he pulled her down with him. They tumbled onto the grass together.

    Emelie quickly tried to get up, but William was faster. He flipped over, pinning her beneath him. Without a word, he kissed her.

    A wave of anger clouded Emelie''s vision as she desperately pushed against him. However, William wouldn''t let go. He pried her mouth open, invading her with his kiss.

    When she finally managed to break free, she pped him hard across the face. "William!"

    He took the hit without flinching but didn''t move off her. His messy hair fell over his eyes, creating an obsessive look that wasn''t usually seen.

    He kissed her again. His scent, tinged with the bitterness of traditional medicine, surrounded her.

    Emelie was furious and desperate. She pped him again.

    William''s handsome face, having been pped twice at the same spot, now bore a deep red mark. Yet, he said nothing.

    He ignored the pain and grabbed her hands, pinning them above her head. Their bodies pressed together, chest to chest, leg to leg.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    Their noses touched as they tossed and turned. Soon, their once pale lips were stained a deep red.

    Emelie gasped for air as he stole her breath away, his fevered body pressing down on her. Then, without warning, he ripped open the buttons of her blouse.

    For a moment, she thought he was about to do something unspeakable, and she prepared to kill him if he dared

    To her surprise, he bit down on her corbone, hard, as if trying to take a bite of her flesh.

    Emelie clenched her teeth to stifle a cry of pain, her breathing in ragged bursts. All the while, she could hear the wild thudding of his heart.

    He was acting crazy, just like that night in the hotel. He had to be insane.

    Ever since her return, he had been constantly lowering himself, tiptoeing around her, speaking in hushed tones. His behavior waspletely at odds with his usual self-centered, haughty arrogance. Despite that, he held himself back.

    However, like the story of the crow drinking water, the pressure had been building, little by little. It was bound to overflow and explode.

    Finally, just like it had happened previously, he finally exploded.

    His previous outburst was triggered when she told him that she had never loved him. What was his current trigger? Was it because she intended to kill?

    William finally let go of her corbone, leaving a deep bite mark behind.

    He panted slightly while still lying on top of her, trying to regain control after his emotional outburst.

    Their struggle had left them both disheveled, their clothes and hair tangled with bits of grass.

    With his head buried in the crook of her neck, William murmured, "You can''t love mepletely, and you can''t hate mepletely either. Angel, aren''t you exhausted?''

    Emelie didn''t understand his rambling. "Get off me."

    "You don''t want me dead, so you pulled me back. You don''t want me to kneel, so you pushed me away. Are you sure you don''t have feelings for me?" William continued.

    Emelie''s fists clenched. "I said, get off me! Are you deaf?"

    William swallowed as he added, "You''re not allowed to be intimate with Wesley."

    Emelie enunciated each word coldly, saying, "Don''t worry. There will be blood on my hands

    "You''re not allowed to sleep with him, kiss him, or do anything else," William continued saying

    "I swear I will kill you," Emelie said.

    They were talking over each other, neither responding to what the other was saying.

    Finally, William released her hands and pushed himself up, propping himself on his arms as he looked down

    at her. "I''ve discovered some things. Once I confirm them, I''ll let you know."

    Emelie cursed herself for allowing him to leave her in such a messy state. Her frustration boiled over. "Get off me!''

    William finally moved off her.

    She scrambled to her feet, storming toward her car without looking back.

    William called out, ''I''ll handle Daphne. I''ll give you an exnation, but you''re not to take matters into your own hands."

    With a loud bang, Emelie shut the car door. She was teetering on the edge of losing control.

    She gripped the steering wheel tightly, shifting the gears, and floored the gas pedal. The engine roared like a beast as the car lunged forward, heading straight for William

    He didn''t flinch or move an inch as the tires tore through the wild grass and gravel, barreling toward him as if they would crush him underfoot.

    At thest possible moment, Emelie yanked the steering wheel to the left, the car fishtailing as she sped away, leaving him in a cloud of exhaust.

    William coughed as the smoke hit his face.

    Despite his mysophobia, he didn''t seem to care that he was sitting in the dirt of the grassy roadside. He touched his swollen cheek. As if he had confirmed something, he let out a softugh.

 Chapter 747

    ?

    Chapter 747 How Did You Bust Your Lips?

    In the end, Emelie didn''t get back on the highway. She turned the car around and sped back the way she came.

    Bryan''s car had been parked by the roadside, but Emelie hadn''t noticed anything as she was too furious.

    Bryan nced in his rearview mirror, watching her car disappear, then turned hisgaze to William.

    William was still standing by the road. While he couldn''t hear what they''d said, it was obvious from their actions that it had been a heated exchange.

    Bryan pondered for a moment before deciding against approaching William. He drove off instead.

    Just then, Patrice sent Bryan a text message asking how William was doing. Bryan replied with a photo he''d taken.

    When Patrice saw the photo of William and Emelie tangled up on the grass, she inhaled sharply.

    "Wow, that was intense," she thought to herself.

    She bit her nails and muttered to herself, "I knew it... they just needed a little push. Since they''re going around in circles, I guess it''s up to me to get things moving."

    Three years ago, she had to step in to heat things up.

    She closed Bryan''s chat and contacted a person whose contact was saved as "Top Chem Schr". She transferred two thousand dors to them and sent a message. "Send me that medication."

    The recipient acknowledged and confirmed the payment. However, Patrice still needed to figure out the details of her n.

    Emelie drove straight back to the old house. She didn''t look happy, especially with her clothes still dirty from the earlier encounter. Just looking at them reminded her of what William had done.

    With a cold expression, she got out of the car and walked inside. She walked past the living room and headed straight upstairs.

    Wesley was working in the open study on the ground floor. When he heard here in, he called, "Eme."

    However, Emelie just sped up, rushing up the stairs.

    Wesley frowned slightly, sensing something was off. He set his book down and followed her.

    Emelie entered her room and quickly shut the door, leaving Wesley outside.

    He knocked twice, "Eme?"

    She replied with a muffled voice, "Give me a minute."

    She didn''t want Wesley to see her like this, so she hurriedly stripped off her dirty clothes. She tossed them into theundry basket and changed into something clean.

    She turned on the faucet, cupping her hands under the cold water and sshing her face. Even though the weather was warming up, the cold water sent a sharp jolt through her nerves, calming her down quickly.

    She exhaled slowly slowly, grabbing a face cloth and vigorously wiped away the lingering sensation of William''s kiss. Once she was satisfied that she looked normal in the mirror, she finally opened the door.

    Wesley lowered his gaze and looked at her. "What happened?"

    Emelie pressed her lips together and lied. "I got my period and identally stained my pants."

    His frown eased, and he gently touched her cool cheek. "You shouldn''t be using cold water then."

    "I''m fine," she said, quickly changing the subject. "You called me earlier. Did you need something?"

    Wesley motioned for her to follow him, and they headed to the study.

    He handed her a folder from the desk. "This is what you asked for. Jodie gathered everything and left it with me to give to you."

    Emelie had assigned her driver and Jodie some tasks when she departed from Sunnington Hill, which was why they hadn''t apanied her.

    Jodie had been efficient, already delivering to Emelie what she needed.

    She sat down on a small sofa and filed through the documents as she asked, "Where is she now?"

    "I sent her and Marcel to go undercover as regr guests. They''ll stay there overnight to check things out," Wesley replied.

    Hearing that, Emelie couldn''t help but smile. She tapped the document lightly when she saw the term "hot spring hotel" in it.

    She asked, "How did you know I was nning to do something there?"

    Wesley replied calmly, "If it were me, I''d pick the same ce. You''re my student, after all. It''s only natural you''d think like your teacher."

    Emelie didn''t disagree as she continued reviewing the documents.

    Wesley watched her for a moment, then suddenly reached out and lifted her chin.

    Emelie looked up, puzzled. "What?"

    He stared at her face, his gaze calm and steady. "How did you bust your lips?"

    Emelie froze. She quickly raised her hand to touch her lip, feeling the spot where William

    had bitten her.

    Wesley''s gaze intensified.

    Emelie cursed silently at herself and averted her eyes. "There was some dead skin, so I bit it

    off."

    Wesley brushed his fingers gently against the spot. Although she couldn''t tell if he believed her, he let it slide. "Don''t do that. It could get infected."

    "Yeah, I won''t do it again." She also wouldn''t give William a third chance.

    Wesley didn''t press further, and Emelie didn''t say anything more, diving back into the

    documents.

    She was so engrossed that she didn''t notice when Wesley left the room. It wasn''t until a cup of dark liquid appeared in front of her that she realized he had returned.

    She looked up instinctively, and Wesley gestured for her to take it. She brought it closer to her nose, sniffing it as she asked, "What''s this?"

    From the scent, she could tell what it was. "Hot chocte?"

    Wesley''s voice was soft and warm. "Drink it while it''s hot."

    She realized that he''d taken her word about having her period seriously, and that''s why he''dT¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    made this.

    She held the cup and let the heat of the drink burn her fingertips, feeling moved and guilty. She said in a quiet voice, "Thank you."

 Chapter 748

    ?

    Chapter 748 Time to Meet

    Wesley disliked hearing ''thank you'' or ''sorry'' from Emelie. It felt distant and unnecessary given their close rtionship.

    His expression faltered, but Emelie didn''t notice. He didn''t say anything about it either.

    After she finished the hot chocte, he took the empty cup and went to the kitchen. He ced it in the dishwasher, and he watched as the machine cleaned it.

    He thought to himself that perhaps it was time for him to meet William.

    The next day, Emelie woke up around noon.

    She turned off the humidifier by her bedside, which she had filled with sleep-inducing essential oils. She had trouble falling asleep the night before, so she turned on the humidifier and ended up sleeping in.

    She ruffled her hair, got out of bed, and went downstairs.

    She saw Jodie waiting for her in the living room, having already returned from her task.

    When Jodie saw her, she stood up and greeted her. "Good morning."

    "Good morning. Thanks for your hard workst night." Emelie grabbed two sses, filled them with warm water, and handed one to Jodie. "So, how did it go?"

    Jodie epted the ss with both hands and began to report. "We didn''t find anything." Emelie frowned slightly and motioned for her to sit down. "What happened?"

    Jodie began to exin in detail. "Marcel and I posed as a tourist couple and went straight to the front desk to check-in.

    "The receptionist asked how we found their hotel, noting that they don''t advertise online and that there are plenty of well-known hot spring hotels in the area. They thought it was strange we chose theirs.

    "We exined that we''re spontaneous travelers and that we rarely n our trips ahead of time. We just go wherever the road takes us, so we hadn''t booked a hotel in advance and just randomly picked theirs. We said if they were fully booked, we could go somewhere else."

    Emelie smiled. "Smart move. What happened next?"

    Jodie continued exining, "The receptionist asked for approval from someone higher up, and after getting it, they gave us a room."

    Emelie grinned. "They probably thought that turning you away would raise suspicion and create unnecessaryplications. What happened next?"

    Jodie said, "Then a staff member took us to a room on the sixth floor and informed us that

    they offerplimentary full-body massages and foot spas. These services are provided by individuals who are deaf and mute.

    "When we inquired about that, they exined that the owner is a phnthropist dedicated to supporting society by creating job opportunities for people with disabilities."

    Emelie sipped her water, pondering about the disabled people.

    "We also noticed there were no surveince cameras in the hallways, not openly, at least. We couldn''t tell if there were any hidden ones. The room itself didn''t have any bugs or listening devices," Jodie said.

    Emelie shook her head. "There probably aren''t any hidden cameras either. He knows that important people are most afraid of surveince evidence. He wouldn''t cross that line."

    Jodie nodded. "Afterward, we tried out the blind massage and the foot bath from the deaf- mute staff. We didn''t find anything unusual."

    "Nothing at all?" Emelie repeated.

    "Yes, nothing at all. It really just seemed like an ordinary hot spring hotel." Given how sharp Jodie was, this meant there was indeed nothing out of the ordinary.

    However, that didn''t seem right. There had to be something. This hot spring hotel was owned by Beathan and was a favored meeting ce for many high-profile individuals.

    A few days ago, Emelie''s intelligencework had stumbled upon a lead, and she was convinced there was something off about this hotel.

    She had the team dig deeper, and the files Jodie deliveredst night were the results of that investigation. Jodie and Marcel had also personally gone to the hotel to check it out.

    However, neither the intelligencework nor Jodie''s on-site investigation had discovered anything useful.

    The more something was concealed, the more it suggested that there was a secret hidden within.

    Jodie added, "Around 2:00 am, we left our room to look around. However, after a short time, a staff member stopped us, asking where we were headed. We said we couldn''t sleep and wanted to see if there was anywhere to lounge downstairs.

    "The staff member informed us that the hotel doesn''t operate at night and suggested we call room service if we needed anything. We didn''t want to raise their suspicions, so we stopped exploring."

    Emelie pondered for a moment. "What''s your take on this?"

    Jodie replied, "Even though there were no cameras, it was clear we were being watched. The moment we left our room, we were intercepted. We likely didn''t blow our cover, but given how cautious and perceptive they are, they''ll definitely be on guard now.

    "It''s best not to make any more moves for the time being. We should wait until they''ve let

    their guard down before investigating further."

    Emelie nodded. "Agreed. Beathan can''t leave Capebatt City right now, so we''ll wait. Maybe he''ll visit the hotel himself. I have a feeling that the hotel is the key to taking him down."

    With that, the conversation came to an end.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    Emelie invited Jodie to join her for breakfast, but Jodie declined politely.

    Emelie didn''t insist, but she couldn''t shake the feeling that the house was unusually quiet. Something was missing.

    She looked around and asked, "By the way, where''s Mr. Cronus?"

    Why hadn''t she seen Wesley?

    Jodie answered, "Mr. Graham went to inspect the Xanther Group." Emelie was taken aback. "Why wasn''t I informed about this?"

 Chapter 749

    ?Chapter 749 He''s Heading to Cloudex Corporation Now

    "Maybe he just didn''t find a chance to tell you?" Jodie said. She was equally in the dark.

    She added, "However, considering that the Filo Group and the Xanther Group have a partnership together, it makes sense for Mr. Graham to visit the Xanther Group while he''s in Capebatt City."

    "Could you ask them where they are now? I''ll head over after changing my clothes too," Emelie asked.

    With that, she quickly went upstairs, changed into a new outfit, and applied some light makeup.

    When she came back down, she asked, "Did you ask them already?"

    Jodie nodded, "Yes, they finished their inspection at the Xanther Group. Now, at Mr. Middleton''s invitation, they''re heading to the Cloudex Corporation."

    Emelie paused for a moment before hastening her pace.

    Meanwhile, William and Wesley were at the Cloudex Corporation Group.

    Both of them were dressed in dashing suits. They walked side by side, each leading their respective teams.

    As they strolled, they engaged in conversation, discussingpany growth, product strengths and weaknesses, market prospects, and industry trends.

    The conversation flowed smoothly, pleasant without any dull moments. Their interactions were harmonious as if they were close partners.

    If nobody had mentioned it, no one would have guessed that just a few days ago, these two nearly shed at the Swanson wedding.

    William introduced each department as they passed by the area.

    He said, "This is the marketing department. There are not many people here right now, so they must be in a meeting, Mr. Cronus. Otherwise, you could have seen their data analysis skills in action. They''re as sharp as any Warren Street analyst."

    Wesley grinned. "I''ve heard great things about them. They say that anyone from the Cloudex Corporation''s marketing team could run apany on their own."

    William, in a rare moment of humor, replied, "That''s why they have the highest sries."

    As they continued walking, it seemed like the conversation about the marketing department was wrapping up.

    However, Wesley casually added, "The marketing department is also one of the busiest. No

    sry is too high for them. When Eme first joined the Filo Group, she started in marketing. She was so busy during that time, working day and night, that I could only see her in the conference room."

    Thement was made so naturally that it didn''t seem out of ce, and the employees behind them just assumed it was part of the casual conversation.

    William''s gaze darkened slightly, looking a little aloof. "Isn''t Ms. Pierce your fianc¨¦e? Mr. Cronus, you''re quite relentless."

    Wesley chuckled. "I''d love for her to be like my mother, simply thedy of the Filo Group. How I wish that she only needs to make decisions like whether to attend a fashion show in Mylen or see the Northern Lights in Ivyberg. However, she''s too strong-willed and wants to build her own career."

    William smiled coldly, thinking about how he could never get used to the casual and familiar way Wesley talked about Emelie.

    As winter came to an end and spring approached, sunlight streamed through the ss panels as they walked through the corridor.

    While Wesley''s grandfather was Faldorian, he had a quarter of stonian heritage. His light brown eyes reflected the sunlight, looking soft yet cold.

    He continued, "She was really busy back then. Even though she held a high position, she was in a foreign country, dealing with an unfamiliar work environment and tasks.

    "The subordinates resented her because she came from nowhere, and the directors who knew she was one of my people secretly plotted against her. Everything weighed down on her, leaving her no room to breathe.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    "I knew she was struggling, but I pretended not to know since she never told me. After all, she''s so stubborn. She wouldn''t like it if I tried to protect her like she was a delicate flower in a greenhouse.

    "It wasn''t untilter, when something happened to her, that I realized the stress wasn''t just from work. She was in a bad state of mind. I really shouldn''t have let her bear it all alone."

    William knew Wesley was bringing up Emelie on purpose, but he still asked, "What happened to her?"

    "She was sick," Wesley said.

 Chapter 750

    ?

    Chapter 750 Action Over Words

    William shot Ashton a look.

    Ashton understood William immediately and signaled for everyone to step back. The group retreated to a distance where they couldn''t hear the conversation.

    William''s expression hardened, his thin lips pressing into a cold, tight line. "What kind of illness? Physical or psychological?"

    The office building was quiet and still on this workday, with only the sunlight casting reflections on the pristine tile floors.

    The two men faced each other, both tall and aloof, their stares locked in an unyielding standoff.

    Wesley said, "One night, she was workingte at thepany. Despite running a high fever, she kept silent and pushed through.

    "When she was dizzy from the fever, she went to the pantry to get some water and take her medicine. However, she couldn''t bear it anymore. She dropped the cup and passed out.

    "The building''s security team was careless, and they didn''t notice anyone in the pantry. They assumed everyone had left for the day, so they turned off the lights and locked the door."

    A storm seemed to surge in William''s eyes.

    Wesley continued, "I couldn''t reach her, and I sent out many people to find her. They only located her just before dawn.

    "By then, she was already awake, having been jolted out of a nightmare she had while unconscious. When I asked her about the nightmare, she said it was about her past."

    William''s lips lost their color.

    Wesley continued coldly, "She was facing many difficulties at work, which kept reminding her of her previous job and the people and events she encountered there. Those memories only added to her already heavy heart."

    Emelie''s previous job was as a secretary at the Swanson Corporation, working for Bryan.

    However, William knew all too well that it was his actions that had caused her nightmares. She had been thinking about how it was just like working under him during those tough times.

    "She was already on the edge emotionally. After waking from the nightmare, she was alone in the dark. She had no phone to reach out for help, and no one responded to her cries for help. Her sorrow and frustration reached a peak.

    "She hid under a table, crying and desperately trying to remove a ring from her finger."

    Wesley''s voice was tense, like a string pulled to its limit.

    Wesley continued, "However, she couldn''t get it off, no matter what. In her emotional breakdown, she used a fruit knife from the pantry to slice off her entire finger."

    William was shocked. He felt his heart drop. He finally understood the horrific situation in which she had severed her finger.

    Wesley made it clear to him. "During that time, any difficulty that she encountered in her life would remind her of that unbearable past.

    "The doctor said that it was a severe psychological condition. She started self-harming, and if it continued, she would eventually end her life in a very tragic way."

    "After that, I set aside most of my work to focus on her and care for her. I helped her through that dark period and the lowest point of her life. You are the one who drove her to hell, while I was the one who pulled her back into the light."

    Finally, Wesley asked, "So, William, how can you still so shamelessly approach her?"

    William was stung deeply, his jaw clenching immediately.

    However, in just an instant, his expression shifted to a mocking smile. "My rtionship with her is not something you need toment on, Mr. Cronus. At least she saw my true self, both good and bad. What about you?

    "What role are you ying? What name are you using? What rtionship do you have to be by her side?"N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    The four consecutive questions struck Wesley like thunderbolts.

    William stared into Wesley''s hazel eyes. The both of them wore hard, cold expressions. While the surrounding employees couldn''t hear their words, it was clear that the situation was fraught with conflict.

    Ashton and Marcel exchanged nces and moved to stand by their respective bosses.

    "Mr. Middleton, lunch is ready. Would you like to head to the restaurant now?" Ashton said.

    Meanwhile, Marchel said, "Mr. Graham, we have a schedule this afternoon and may need to leave soon."

    Both were trying to defuse the confrontation and avoid an esction. After all, they were in public. If things escted, both parties would be adversely affected.

    Wesley turned away. The corridor was a spiral, with the lower floor visible from above.

    He suddenly said, "Is that the employee recreational area below? It seems well-equipped. Is that a fencing setup?"

    Hisment seemed to shift back to inspecting thepany.

    William replied, "Yes, Mr. Cronus. Are you interested in trying it out?"

    Wesley smirked. "I''ve heard that you are skilled at everything, Mr. Middleton. Today, I''ll

    take the liberty of learning from you."

    Ashton and Marcel both felt uneasy.

    While he was iming to learn from William, it was clearly a prelude to a physical

    confrontation.

 Chapter 751

    ?Chapter 751 Male Competition

    Although the ce was merely meant for employees to rx and unwind, the Cloudex Corporation''s status ensured that it was fully equipped.

    Even fencing gear was avable,plete with full suits.

    The executives had originally been apanying the two CEOs for a routine inspection. However, now they stood watching as the CEOs donned white fencing suits, each gripping a long sword in the arena.

    The two men looked like ancient swordsmen.

    The fencing suits were form-fitting, hugging their figures. The top connected seamlessly to the pants, with not an inch of excess fabric, highlighting the precision and elegance inherent in the sport.

    Moreover, since both men were tall and lean, they looked particrly good in this attire.

    Standing face to face, they put on their metal masks.

    The fine mesh of the helmets covered their faces, but it couldn''t hide the sharpness in their eyes.

    At the signal from an executive acting as a referee, the two men swiftly lunged at each other with their swords.

    Emelie happened to run into Lyle as he returned from outside.

    When he learned that she was heading to Cloudex Corporation and remembered that he hadn''t properly greeted William yet, he opened the passenger door and said, ''Hop in. I''ll go with you."

    When they arrived at Cloudex Corporation, the building was eerily quiet.

    Emelie assumed it was because it was lunchtime and the employees were out eating or resting.

    Not knowing where Wesley and the others were, she called Marcel.

    Marcel''s voice sounded a bit anxious as he said, "Ma''am, we''re on the fourth floor. Come quickly." The fourth floor?

    If Emelie remembered correctly, the fourth floor was the employee lounge, wasn''t it?

    What were they doing there?

    Without thinking much of it, she led Lyle into the elevator and pressed the button for the floor.

    As soon as they stepped out of the elevator, they saw a crowd gathered at the lounge entrance, watching something.

    Emelie was puzzled while Lyle pushed through the crowd.

    When they got inside, they saw two men in fencing suits. Their stances were perfect, and their attacks were fierce as they continually struck at each other.

    Emelie was stunned.

    Marcel and Ashton were nervously observing from the side, and there was no doubt that the two men were William and Wesley.

    "I didn''t know they could fight like this." Lyle thought that he had learned something new.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    Emelie frowned as she watched the match.

    Both William and Wesley had been raised with elite education from a young age. Fencing was rtively easy for them.

    In typical fencing matches, the aim was to score points by touching the opponent''s body within a set time limit. The highest scorer would win.

    However, their duel seemed to have no time limit, nor were they keeping score. Their strikes were also a bit too sharp.

    Even the onlookers were murmuring. ''How do you even determine the winner here? Are they going to keep going until one of them is down?"

    Just then, the man on the left thrust his sword at his opponent''s face!

    If the tip pierced through the protective mask, it would injure the face, and the person would definitely be hurt!

    Everyone gasped. Fortunately, the man on the right blocked the strike just in time and countered with a thrust toward the other''s abdomen.

    If these were real swords, that man would be injured too.

    Their exchange showed no mercy

    Emelie couldn''t tell who was William and who was Wesley. Their figures looked too simr, both encased in fencing suits.

    She had no choice but to call out, "Cronus!"

    The man on the left turned his head at the sound.

    Wesley''s momentary distraction gave William the perfect opportunity tond a strike on his chest.

    Wesley stumbled back a few steps.

    Emelie immediately rushed over to support him. ''Wesley, are you okay?"

    With Wesley''s face hidden behind the mask, she couldn''t see his expression. She quickly stood on tiptoe to remove his helmet.

    Wesley bent down as she did so. Once his mask was off, he smiled as usual and said, "It''s just fencing, not a real fight. How could I be hurt?"

    He brushed aside his slightly tousled bangs. "What brings you here?"

    Even though it was just fencing, that didn''t mean injuries couldn''t happen, especially with the way they were fighting.

    Emelie didn''t speak. She anxiously ran her hands over his chest and arms, checking for injuries.

    She was never one to disy affection in front of others. Whether it was with William back then or Wesleyter, she always kept her feelings in check.

    This was the first time she had shown such closeness in public. Her worry and concern for him were obvious to anyone watching.

 Chapter 752

    ?Chapter 752 Enduring Humiliation

    William silently watched them for a moment before taking off his helmet and saying calmly, "Mr. Cronus, you are quite fortunate."

    Emelie, however, looked at him with nothing but displeasure.

    William was momentarily stunned. Was she ring at him because of Wesley?

    He pressed his thin lips together. ''I didn''t hurt him. Do you really need to look at me like that? Besides, you y, you pay. Even if he got hurt, it was his choice."

    "Well, I must be ignorant then. This is the first time I''ve seen a work inspection turn into a fight between two CEOs." Emelie went on to say, "Cloudex Corporation is your ce, and this is how you treat your guests?"

    She was determined to me him for hurting Wesley.

    William was so angry he could onlyugh, but even breathing felt painful.

    Wesley gently tugged Emelie. ''I was the one who wanted to spar with Mr. Middleton."

    Lyle whistled softly. Was it just him, or was there something more to Wesley''s reply?

    It had a bit of a sharp edge, didn''t it?

    But Emelie was still upset. ''Do you think I don''t know what kind of person he is? He holds grudges. You don''t need to defend him. Are you really not hurt?''

    William had nothing left to say. He turned away and tossed his helmet back onto the rack. His movements were filled with suppressed anger.

    Wesley grabbed Emelie''s wandering hand. ''I''m really not hurt. Come on, everyone''s watching. Let''s not make a scene.''

    Only after repeatedly confirming he wasn''t hurt did Emelie stop scolding him. Still, she didn''t want to stay any longer and asked, "Are you done here? If you are, let''s leave."

    William ripped open the velcro on his fencing jacket. Even though he was still fuming, he swallowed his pride and spoke up just to see her a little longer.

    "It''s already noon. Since you''re here as guests, at least let me treat you to lunch, Ms. Pierce and Mr. Cronus." Emelie didn''t want to see him now, so she replied, "There''s no need for that.''

    But Wesley said, "Since Mr. Middleton is inviting us so warmly, it would be rude to refuse. Do you have anything this afternoon?"

    Emelie pressed her lips together. ''Not at the moment."

    Wesley smiled. "Then, let''s ept Mr. Middleton''s invitation."

    William treated them to traditional cuisine.

    Including Lyle, there were four of them in one private room, while the secretaries and executives were in another.

    Before the dishes were served, William took a trip to the restroom.

    In truth, he went to smoke a cigarette to calm down.

    As he stood in the hallway and lit his cigarette, the me was suddenly blown out.

    William turned to see Lyle, who rubbed his nose and said, "I heard from Jayden that your lungs aren''t in great shape. You should cut down on smoking."

    William didn''t say anything, but he lit the cigarette again. However, he didn''t smoke it. He just let it burn down slowly in his hand as the faint scent of nicotine filled the air.

    Neither of them spoke. After a while, the waiter came to serve the dishes, and they returned to the private? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    Toom

    They were all business people. Who among them didn''t know how to put on a good face?

    Moments ago, the two men were ready to fight, but now they sat at the same table as if nothing had happened. They calmly discussed the departments they had just inspected and talked about possible joint projects. Lyle felt exhausted as he watched. He was immensely grateful that he hadn''t entered the business world. The waiter served each of them a bowl of soup on the pretext that it was a new signature dish of the restaurant.

    Lyle took the first sip. "Hmm, not bad."

    Only then did the other three also take a sip.

    As soon as Emelie tasted it, she knew something was off. Wasn''t this supposed to be traditional cuisine? Traditional cuisine usually has a light and sweet vor. However, this soup had a lot of pepper, making it extremely spicy.

    The two men across from her, who hadn''t expected this vor either, simultaneously started coughing. Emelie immediately poured Wesley a ss of warm water. ''Drink this to soothe your throat."

    While Wesley was simply choking, William''s old coughing ailment was triggered. He coughed much more severely than Wesley, so much so that even Ashton from the next room had rushed over.

    Lyle handed William some warm water while Emelie only had eyes for Wesley. William stared at Emelie. The pepper burned his throat while his heart was as cold as ice.

 Chapter 753

    ?Chapter 753 The Wedding Date

    William couldn''t take it any longer.

    He pushed aside the water Lyle was offering and stood up, leaning on the table as he hoarsely said, ''I think we''ve had enough of this meal. Since Mr. Cronus has something to attend to this afternoon, I won''t keep him any longer."

    Without looking at anyone, he left his seat and walked out the door.

    But he couldn''t suppress the urge to cough. Every few steps, he would cough a bit more.

    Ashton watched William with concern. William''s condition had been under control, but now it seemed to have rpsed. "Mr. Middleton, let me take you to the hospital."

    William closed his eyes as he replied in a raspy voice, "There''s no need for that."

    Just as Ashton was about to persuade him further, a woman''s voice sounded from behind. "William."

    Ashton turned around to see Emelie, who had followed them out.

    Ashton was overjoyed. ''Ms. Hoven, please help convince Mr. Middleton. He''s coughing so much, but he refuses to go to the hospital. It''s not right''

    William fought back another coughing fit as he turned to look at her. His eyes were slightly reddened from the earlier intense coughing.

    "You''re not here to persuade me to see a doctor. You''re here to warn me to stay away from Mr. Cronus so I don''t hurt him, aren''t you?" he said.

    Emelie stared at him. "As long as you know."N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    "Don''t you think he provoked me first?" William pressed his lips tightly together. Emelie replied, "He''s not that kind of person."

    William chuckled. Covering his chest, he struggled to speak. ''Do you really know him that well? I think you don''t even know who he truly is."

    Emelie found his words even more ridiculous. "If I don''t know who he truly is, then do you?"

    "You''d better really know-

    William''s words were interrupted by a coughing fit as he couldn''t hold it back any longer. He covered his mouth as he started coughing again.

    Emelie wasn''t sure if she was more upset by his words or by seeing him in such a state.

    Her face remained cold as she said, "Do you even know what you''re saying? We''re engaged. Do you think you know him better than I do?"

    William gave her a faint smile. "An engaged couple is simply an unmarried man and woman being together. By that logic, you and I are also engaged.''

    "Stop twisting things,'' Emelie said.

    Suddenly, someone steadied her by the waist. She turned to see Wesley standing behind her.

    "Since Mr. Middleton is so interested in our wedding, why don''t we take this opportunity to invite him to join us in April?" Wesley said.

    Emelie looked at Wesley in surprise. They hadn''t mentioned anything about this before.

    Instinctively, she nced at William, whose dark eyes were swirling with hidden emotions.

    The three stood facing each other in the corridor.

    Meanwhile, from another hallway, a waiter quietly called out to a man who had been standing still for some time. "Sir?"

    Bryan withdrew his gaze.

    He nodded to the waiter and continued following him to the private room.

    He had only stopped by for a meal and hadn''t expected to run into William and Emelie

    Bryan reflected on the events of the previous day as he approached the private room''s door but then paused. "I won''t be eating today. I''lle back another time.

    With that, he turned and left, leaving the waiter standing there in bewilderment.

    After leaving the restaurant, Bryan headed to Beathan''s house in Capebatt City.

    When he rang the doorbell, Beathan answered the door almost immediately.

    Bryan was taken aback for a moment. He looked closely and saw that Beathan, who was usually so polite, now had a face full of hostility.

    He frowned and asked, ''What''s wrong with you?''

    Beathan took a deep breath before replying, "I thought it was the police again."

    The police had been visiting him daily over the past few days, sometimes several times a day, to question him. While the questions seemed routine, there was no way for him to file aint.

    After being interrogated a few times, how could he be in a good mood?

    Besides that, he still had no idea how Ashley was doing.

    "This is Emelie''s way of dealing with you. She''s using the police to drive you crazy, pushing you to make mistakes," Bryan said, hitting the nail on the head.

    Beathan knew they were doing this on purpose. Still, knowing was one thing. His mood was just as bad as

    ever.

    He exhaled before stepping aside to let Bryan in. ''Mr. Swanson, is there something you need?" Bryan changed into indoor shoes. ''I''ve been observing Emelie and William these past few days."

    Beathan narrowed his eyes. "What about them?"

    "I think there''s still something unresolved between them."

 Chapter 754

    ?Chapter 754 Favoritism

    With Charles in prison and Beathan trapped in Capebatt City, Bryan could clearly see that these were all Emelie''s doing.

    He also knew that she was taking revenge on the Middleton, Davis, Swanson, and Collins families. Moreover, he was well aware that it was only a matter of time before he became one of her targets.

    And this wasn''t going to change just because his brother was Samuel.

    Therefore, he wouldn''t sit back and wait. He needed to take precautions, at the very least. That was why he was keeping such a close eye on William and Emelie.

    However, Beathan found Bryan''s words hard to believe. "How could there still be anything between them?"

    That arrow William shot on the open field had shattered not only Emelie''sst hope for him but also the belief among all the onlookers that William still had any feelings for her.

    He didn''t think they could ever reconcile.

    How could they possibly get back together? After all, there was a deep-seated blood feud between their two families that spanned generations.

    Yet, Bryan, who was always a keen judge of character, stuck to his opinion.

    Beathan leaned back on the sofa and asked, "So, what do you intend to do?"

    "An eye for an eye leaves everyone blind. Perhaps we can use William to turn Emelie from an enemy into a friend."N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    Bryan never believed in resorting to violence. He preferred to resolve matters in a civilized way. He genuinely wanted to make peace with Emelie.

    Beathan found it absurd. "Impossible. We couldn''t do it back then, so how could we do it now? Especially with Wesley by her side. Why would she reconcile with William?"

    Bryan replied, "Back then, she was forced to stay with William and resisted him from the bottom of her heart. However, I know something that might change her view of William, and that could give us a chance."

    Beathan lowered his head. A dark glint passed through his eyes behind his sses.

    The reason Emelie was so hard to kill was mainly because Wesley''s people surrounded her. She had Wesley''swork and connections.

    However, if Emelie and Wesley were to split up, she would be much easier to deal with alone.

    Beathan looked at Bryan, who was thinking about making peace. Meanwhile, he was still thinking about eliminating her, wiping out any potential threats. He raised a poisonous smile, like a viper flicking its tongue. "Then, go ahead and match them up."

    After the gathering at the restaurant, Emelie and Wesley left. Meanwhile, Lyle decided to follow William to Cloudex Corporation after some thought.

    William refused to go to the hospital. Fortunately, after taking some medication, his coughing had eased a bit. Still, hisplexion didn''t look good.

    Lyle knew that it was not the small tumor in his lung that made him ufortable but Emelie''s obvious favoritism and concern for Wesley.

    Wesley had only been hit by a fencing sword and choked on some pepper, yet she was utterly rmed. William, on the other hand, had been coughing so hard that he seemed to be almost coughing up blood, yet she didn''t even bat an eye.

    Who could feel good about such a stark contrast?

    Lyle rubbed his nose and said, "Will, don''t be too jealous. It''s understandable that she''s that worried about Wesley."

    William sat in his office chair with an indifferent look.

    Lyle perched on the edge of William''s desk and said, "Last year''s car ident was indeed serious for Wesley. The driver died on the spot. Although Wesley survived, he suffered multiple fractures and internal bleeding. He spent a long time in the ICU.

    "Even though he pulled through, the doctors repeatedly warned him to take care of himself. It''s no exaggeration to say that even a viral cold could be fatal for him. That''s why Emelie is so anxious about him."

    William simply lowered his head. His dark eyshes contrasted sharply with his pale lips. He didn''t say a word.

    Lyle had nothing else to add. He figured William was still angry about him betraying him back then. After all, William hadn''t really spoken to him since earlier.

    Not wanting to make things awkward, Lyle got off the desk and prepared to leave.

    But then, William suddenly said, "I understand now."

    Lyle turned back. "What?"

    William gave a self-deprecating smile. "I understand how Daphne must have felt when I favored someone else over her."

    It felt as though a knife was cutting through his heart.

    It was no wonder that she was so persistent when she had resigned and never looked back. What was that saying again? The bullet fired years ago had finally found its mark.

 Chapter 755

    ?

    Chapter 755 Doting

    Lyle didn''t know what else to say, so he waited until William was done with work before apanying him to Westward Club for a drink. Of course, he drank alcohol, while William stuck to in water.

    It was already 1:00 am by the time they left, and Lyle returned home.

    Seeing that the lights in the living room were off before entering, he assumed that everyone had gone to bed. However, when he stepped inside, he found Emelie still working in the open study in the corner of the living room.

    A singlemp overhead illuminated her desk.

    Lyle walked over. "Why haven''t you gone to bed?"

    "Some documents came in from Mercianna. I''m workingte to finish them, so Wesley won''t have to deal with them tomorrow."

    Emelie had already showered. Her face was bare, and her skin was clean and smooth. Likely from straining her eyes over documents for too long, she was now wearing a pair of ck- rimmed sses.

    This softened her usually cool demeanor and gave her a more schrly air.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    "You really dote on him." Lyle chuckled as he copsed onto the living room couch.

    Emelie gave him a smile. "I dote on you too."

    Lyle clicked his tongue with his eyes closed. "Go on. What''s the task this time? You never dote on me without working me to death."

    "Beathan recently opened a hot spring hotel, but there''s definitely something off about it. Jodie and Marcel have already investigated the ce, but they found nothing. I need you to gather some intel and see where we can dig in. Once you have a lead, you can begin investigating,"

    Lyle agreed and asked, "And mypensation?"

    "It will be deposited into your ount on time."

    Lyle didn''t work for Emelie for free. She always paid him for his services.

    He propped himself up on the couch and peered at her over the back of it as he replied, "This sounds like a troublesome job. I''d like to ask for a raise."

    Emelie was always generous in such matters. "Sure. How much?"

    "Add..." Lyle grinned. "Add a te of sd with vinaigrette dressing for me."

    Emelie was speechless. "If you''re hungry, then you should''ve grabbed something from thosete-night stalls you''d pass by on the way back."

    Lyle raised an eyebrow. "That''s what I was going to tell you. Those stalls are gone, including the one that sold your favorite meatballs."

    Emelie was puzzled. "What do you mean by ''gone?""

    "I asked the cleaning staff, and they said that the city management hade and cleared them out."

    Lyle frowned and continued, "It''s strange. Those vendors had been there for over 30 years, and the city management had always turned a blind eye to them. They cleaned up after themselves every night, so the neighbors neverined. Why did they suddenly get removed?"

    Emelie didn''t know either. But the disappearance of stalls, especially the one selling meatballs, that had been there for decades made her frown.

    She had always believed that her parents and brother had eaten there. It was the one connection she had to them, and now it was gone.

    She put her pen down. "I''ll make you some noodles."

    "Forget it. I''m not that hungry." Lyle flopped back onto the couch. "If Will finds out that I dared to ask you to cook for me in the middle of the night, he''d never let me off."

    Emelie paused. "Were you with him until thiste?"

    "You were so focused on Wesley today that you didn''t notice how much it upset Will. He even said that he now understands how much it had hurt you back when he had favored Daphne."

    Emelie seemed not to hear him as she continued working.

    Lyle had already fallen asleep.

    The following day, Lyle woke to find that Emelie had already left with Jodie to visit Samuel.

    Yawning, Lyle draped his arm over his eyes. Hezily wondered how she managed to keep up with everything. She was constantly worrying about this and that.

    Wasn''t she exhausted?

 Chapter 756

    ?Chapter 756 Childhood Sweetheart

    Capebatt City''s medical facilities were better than those in Weston. Thus, Samuel had stayed in Capebatt City for treatment.

    When Emelie arrived at the Swanson Residence, it was only nine in the morning. Samuel had just woken up and hadn''t even freshened up yet. He instructed the maid to serve tea and asked Emelie to wait for him for a while.

    Emelie sat in the living room. As she casually turned her head, she noticed a ssh of green on the windowsill and curiously walked over to find several pots of mint nts.

    She was momentarily stunned when she heard Samuel''s amused voice behind her. "That''s the offspring of the mint nt you gave me all those years ago."

    "I''ve also got some in my office and home in Eprand. A few colleagues admired them, so I gave them some cuttings. They''ve propagated quite well."

    Emelie smiled. "So, the mint I gave you has been thriving all this time?"

    "Indeed," Samuel replied.

    Noticing the nket covering his legs as he sat in the wheelchair, Emelie gently asked, " How have you been feeling these past few days?"

    "The doctors you arranged for me are all renowned orthopedic specialists. With so many experts consulting on my case, it''s hard for my legs not to improve. They''re getting much better," Samuel replied.

    "It''s good to hear you''re getting better," Emelie said. She was genuinely hoping for his full recovery.

    Samuel then said, "You probably haven''t had breakfast yet, since you''de over this early. Would you like to join me?"

    Emelie didn''t refuse. After breakfast, Emelie even pushed Samuel''s wheelchair around the house for twops.

    As they were heading back, they ran into Bryan.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    Emelie still remembered overhearing the conversation between the brothers in the hospital roomst time. Bryan med her for Samuel''s injury and held a grudge against her. He also didn''t like her visiting Samuel.

    Now, upon encountering him, she quickly made her excuses and left.

    After exiting the house, Emelie was about to get into her car when Bryan called out to her. "Ms. Pierce."

    Emelie turned around. "Mr. Swanson?"

    Bryan had followed her out. "Ms. Pierce, why are you leaving in such a hurry? I haven''t thanked you yet for introducing those doctors to Sam. His legs have improved a lot, and he''s expected to make a full recovery."

    Emelie hesitated. "Mr. Swanson, if you thank me for that, I''ll be too ashamed to ept it." "Then let''s not talk about it," Bryan said.

    He checked on his watch, and it was almost eleven o''clock. "Ms. Pierce, you''ve been back in Cedonia for some time, and I haven''t had the chance to invite you for a meal alone. That''s rather impolite of me. How about lunch today?"

    Emelie shook her head. "Another time, Mr. Swanson. I''ve been invited to the archery range by Mr. Robinson of Nexus Group, Mr. Robinson of Veridian Group, and Mr. Jenkins of Altura Group. I need to head over there now."

    Bryan immediately understood the situation. "They''re hoping to establish a connection with Filo Group through you, aren''t they, Ms. Pierce?"

    Emelie smiled faintly. "Probably. They extended the invitation so warmly that I couldn''t refuse. Otherwise, people would start gossiping that I''m abusing my power."

    "These slippery old foxes are the hardest to deal with. Ms. Pierce, how about I join you? I can help you fend off some of their advances."

    Bryan said jokingly, "That way, we can make sure you don''t get poached and stop investing in Xanther Group."

    Emelie yed along with his humor. She said with a smile, "That would be great. I''d appreciate the help, Mr. Swanson."

    After she mentioned the name of the archery range, they each got into their cars and headed to the destination.

    As they drove, Jodie, who was behind the wheel, asked, "Why is Bryan so proactive today?" Emelie tapped her fingers rhythmically on her knee. She had a good idea of what was going on but answered casually, "Who knows?"

    The archery range wasn''t far away.

    As they neared the ce, Emelie noticed a shop by the roadside with a long queue outside. After getting out of the car, Emelie asked, "What does that shop sell? It seems to be doing very well."

    Bryan knew which shop she was referring to. "They sell plum wine. The shop''s homemade plum wine is indeed unique. Last year, a friend gave me a few bottles, and I sent two to Sam. He doesn''t usually like alcohol, but even he praised it.

    "However, you have to queue up in person at that shop. Since we''re here, I''ll go buy a couple of bottles for Sam after lunch."

    Emelie was intrigued. "Mr. Swanson, you''ve piqued my interest. Jodie, could you go stand in line and buy a few more bottles?"

    Jodie nodded in agreement.

    Emelie and Bryan then entered the archery range.

    The three executives who had been waiting for some time immediately came forward to greet them. When they saw that Bryan had also arrived, they were pleasantly surprised.

    After all, someone of Bryan''s caliber wasn''t easy to meet.

    "Ms. Pierce, Mr. Swanson, good morning, good morning."

    After a few brief pleasantries, Emelie and Bryan went to put on their archery gear.

    Emelie casually picked up apound bow and nocked an arrow before aiming at the target.

    A few secondster, she released her fingers.

    The arrow flew swiftly and struck the bullseye.

    The executives immediately apuded and praised her, "Ms. Pierce, not only are you sessful in your career, but your archery skills are also on par with that of professional athletes! You''re truly exceptional!"

    Emelie smirked, but her thoughts drifted back to that night at Mount Cinnamon, where William''s shooting uracy was nearly perfect.

    It was pitch dark, with no stars, no moon, and no light, yet he had hit the target with such precision. Had he honed his archery skills even further over the years?

 Chapter 757

    ?

    Chapter 757 Wrong usation

    "Rumor has it that Mr. Cronus excels in archery and horseback riding. Ms. Pierce, I suppose Mr. Cronus has personally taught you your archery skills!"

    Emelie didn''t deny it. "He''s better than me."

    This statement elicited more ttery.

    Emelie turned to Bryan. "Mr. Swanson is also quite skilled in archery. I witnessed a

    ||

    Just then, Bryan released an arrow that also hit the bullseye.

    Emelie led the apuse.

    After a while, when everyone had had their fill of the activity, the CEOs began to reveal their true intentions. They were all hoping to forge a connection with the Filo family.

    Emelie neither epted nor rejected their overtures. She handled the situation with finesse.

    The CEOs were satisfied with her responses, and Emelie, using the excuse of being tired, took the opportunity to step away for a break.

    Bryan joined her as they headed to the lounge. "I''ve underestimated you, Ms. Pierce. I forgot how skilled you are at managing these situations. You didn''t need my help at all."

    As there were servers nearby ready to assist, Emelie nheless took the initiative to pour two cups of tea and handed one to Bryan.

    "Mr. Swanson, both you and Samuel have shown me kindness in the past. I haven''t forgotten that."

    Bryan gestured for the servers to give them some privacy.

    Only then did he say, "It''s a pity that times have changed and people with them. After all these years, we''re meeting again as adversaries. Even with Sam between us, I fear we''ll eventually find ourselves in a battle to the death."

    Emelie chuckled in surprise. "Mr. Swanson, your words are quite rming. Aren''t we partners now? Why would we end up in such a dire situation?"

    Bryan looked at her intently. "It''s just us here, Ms. Hoven. There''s no need for pretense."T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie''s gaze shifted. "Mr. Swanson, you insist on seeing malice where there is none. I don''t know how to prove my innocence, so I''ll just have to let you say whatever you wish."

    Bryan stared at her. "Charles is in prison, and Beathan is trapped. These are all your doing, Ms. Hoven, and anyone with eyes can see that."

    Emelie neither confirmed nor denied his words. She simply lifted her teacup to inhale the aroma of the tea.

    The smell of the tea was rich and sweet, with a faint hint of freshness. Even without tasting it, she could tell that it was high-quality Earl Grey tea.

    "Out of respect for Sam, Ms. Hoven, would you be so kind as to tell me what fate you have in mind for me?" Bryan''s voice remained calm as he continued, "Will it be like Charles, imprisoned? Or like Beathan, disgraced? Or perhaps, like Mr. Middleton, a fate worse than death?"

    Emelie replied half-seriously, "Mr. Swanson, you''re overthinking it. The Swanson family was just a partner of the Pierce family back then. When the Pierce family fell, it was natural for the Swanson family to take advantage of the chaos. I don''t hold a grudge against the Swanson family, nor would I seek revenge against you, Mr. Swanson."

    Bryan scrutinized her. "You don''t resent the Swanson family?"

    Emelie set down her teacup and shrugged. "Unless you''ve done something to me or my family that I''m unaware of, Mr. Swanson, we have no grievances. Hence, I don''t hate you."

    "Then I''ll take your word for it, Ms. Hoven," Bryan said before shifting the conversation." But Ms. Hoven, who do you hate? Is it Mr. Middleton?"

    Emelie looked up at him.

    At that moment, the CEOS approached them, giving her an opportunity to change the subject. "Mr. Swanson, I wouldn''t know how to answer that. Since we''re here to enjoy ourselves, let''s just focus on that."

    Bryan leaned back in his chair and gestured to a staff member.

    The staff understood and blocked the CEOS, indicating that Bryan and Emelie were in the middle of a conversation and should not be disturbed.

    The CEOS exchanged puzzled looks but didn''t dare to approach.

    Bryan then revealed his purpose for the day. "Ms. Hoven, I think you might be mistaken about Mr. Middleton, or perhaps you''re holding onto an unnecessary grudge."

    Emelieughed softly.

    Bryan could hear the sarcasm in herughter. "Ms. Hoven, what do you want to say?"

    "From what I understand, not only has the husband of the driver who had hit Samuel lost his job, but her children have also been expelled from school. But you''ve also ensured that she received the maximum sentence without the possibility of parole, didn''t you, Mr. Swanson?"

    A smirk yed on Emelie''s lips as she continued, "Mr. Swanson, if someone killed someone from your family, I''m sure you''d want to see them pay with blood. Since you can''t even bring yourself to be merciful, then how can you expect me to be any different?"

    Bryan asked, "So, Ms. Hoven, do you believe that Mr. Middleton has killed one of your

    family members? Was it your adoptive mother, Greta Lowe?"

    "Mr. Swanson, you''re asking questions you already know the answers to," Emelie''s gaze drifted into the distance.

    Bryan continued, "It''s not that I''m asking questions I already know the answers to, but rather that you''ve wrongly used him, Ms. Hoven."

 Chapter 758

    ?Chapter 758 An Act

    Emelieughed softly as if she had just heard something amusing.

    "I''ve wrongly used him? Mr. Swanson, when Charles yed the recording of him interrogating my mother in the hospital about the ount book, you must have heard it too, right? Seeing how he had practically driven my mother to her death, how exactly have I misjudged him?"

    Bryan countered her words with his own question. ''Ms. Hoven, did you ever wonder why that recording even exists in the first ce?"

    Emelie paused. She did not quite understand. "What do you mean?"

    Bryan leaned forward with his elbows resting on the table as he continued, "That recording was made with a bug that Charles had nted. Why do you think he bugged Mrs. Hoven''s ward?''

    A flicker of realization crossed Emelie''s eyes.

    Bryan pressed on with a third question. "If Charles hadplete trust in Mr. Middleton, that he wouldn''t protect you or Mrs. Hoven, then he wouldn''t need to bug the room. He could simply wait for Mr. Middleton to report the oue of his questioning. So, why did he secretly bug the room?"

    Emelie''s fingers tapped the table lightly. Her expression was unreadable. "Mr. Swanson, if you have something to say, just say it. I''m not fond of being questioned."

    "That''s because, at the time, although the Middleton, Davis, Swanson, and Collins families were allied, their goals were not aligned. Charles wanted to eliminate all threats by any means necessary, whereas Mr. Middleton wanted to protect you. Because of this, Charles didn''t trust Mr. Middleton and installed the bug to make his judgment."

    Bryan locked eyes with her. ''Ms. Hoven, do you think Mr. Middleton was unaware of the bug''s presence? I apologize. I couldn''t resist another question."

    The person who wanted to eliminate all threats might not have been Charles. It could have been Beathan. Emelie met his gaze and said in a cold, stern tone, "Mr. Swanson, are you suggesting that William''s intense questioning of my mother about the ount book was just an act for your benefit?"? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    "Do you think that''s impossible?''

    Bryan replied, ''Mrs. Hoven''s hospital room was under Mr. Middleton''s control. Ms. Hoven, you were his chief secretary, and you know better than anyone how capable he is. How could he not know about a bug being nted right under his nose?

    "He might have known, which is why he staged the entire thing."

    Emelie''s hand tightened around her teacup. She gripped it so tightly that her fingers turned white.

    Her voice was taut as she asked in return, "You said he might have known, not that he was certain. Given how obsessed he was with the ount book, why couldn''t he have genuinely wanted to force its location out of her?"

    "And acting?" She let out a coldugh. "My mother suffered a heart attack from his interrogation, ended up in emergency care, and fell into a deepa. How could that be an act?''

    Bryan lowered his head and picked up the teapot. Then, he poured her another cup of tea.

    The tea was clear, with a strong, fragrant aroma.

    He said, "I once had a conversation with Mr. Middleton.

    "At the time, Charles was advocating for eliminating all threats, but I could tell that Mr. Middleton wanted to protect you. Since we had worked together for a time and because of your rtionship with Sam, I also wanted to protect you.

    "So, I told Mr. Middleton that unless we could prove that you had no knowledge of the ount book''s whereabouts and that you had never seen the ount book, along with evidence that you and Mr. Middleton

    were deeply in love and posed no threat to the Middleton, Davis, Swanson, and Collins families, then Charles would possibly relent."

    "And how could those three points be proven?" Emelie asked.

    Bryan shook his head. "I didn''t know how to prove them either, but then the incident with Mr. Middleton questioning Mrs. Hoven happened, and I realized that his solution was to have Mrs. Hoven personally state that you knew nothing about the ount book.

    "Think about it. If he pushed her to such an extreme and she still insisted that you knew nothing, then wouldn''t that make it highly credible that you truly didn''t know?''

 Chapter 759

    ?Chapter 759 He Did His Best

    The archery range was set outdoors on awn, though it was not yet spring, so the grass was covered in dry leaves and withered branches.

    Emelie stared at the ripples in her tea, which was stirred by the wind. Her jaw tightened slightly.

    Bryan picked up his cup of tea. ''If you don''t believe me, you can ask Charles yourself. He''s already in prison, and there''s no reason for him to lie to you about these matters."

    Emelie lifted her head to look at the man who was older than her, who always exuded a calm and steady demeanor.

    "I don''t understand, Mr. Swanson. Why are you telling me all this? Are you trying to y the peacemaker? Are you trying to reconcile me with William?"

    Bryan replied candidly, ''It''s better to resolve enmity than to keep it alive. I just think that if we continue to fight, it will only end in mutual destruction.

    "No matter how strong the backing of Filo Group is, you won''t be able to bring down the towering Swanson Corporation, Cloudex Corporation, and Collins Corporation. And because you have Filo Group protecting you, there''s not much we can do to you either.

    "Since that''s the case, why not turn our swords into plowshares? We''re still partners, and it would be more beneficial if we made money together, achieving sess on all sides."

    Emelie let out augh devoid of any humor.

    The wise knew when to adapt.

    Bryan saw the situation clearly. Faced with the choice between surrendering and a lethal counterattack, he chose the middle ground.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Peace would bring prosperity and could wipe away all grudges.

    Emelie turned her head to watch the CEOs practicing archery on the field.

    In a cold tone, she said, ''Even if the truth is, as you say, that he wanted to protect me back then, my mother is dead. Dead is dead, and he remains the man who killed her. Forgive me for being blunt, Mr. Swanson, but could you reconcile with someone who killed your mother?''

    Bryan frowned. ''Mrs. Hoven died because someone stole the battery from her artificial heart. Do you have any evidence proving that it was Mr. Middleton who sent that person, Ms. Hoven?"

    Emelie looked at him, and he continued, ''You don''t, so how can you be so certain that he was the one who killed Mrs. Hoven?"

    "He didn''t deny it," Emelie said. She had used William of killing her mother many times. If he wasn''t the murderer, why would he take the me?

    Since when has William ever allowed himself to be wrongfully used?

    Bryan countered and said, "He went to such lengths to protect you, and I don''t believe he could be cruel enough to kill your foster mother."

    He paused momentarily before his voice grew more somber as he said, ''I even think that Mrs. Hoven''sa back then was faked. It was a false story spread by Mr. Middleton to deceive Charles, to make him believe that Mrs. Hoven was no longer a threat and didn''t need to be eliminated."

    Emelie was stunned.

    Then, she suddenly grabbed his hand and demanded, "Do you have any evidence to back up what you have just said?"

    She couldn''t keep her voice down, and even the CEOs on the other side of the field turned to look. They were puzzled by Emelie''s outburst as she grasped Mr. Swanson''s arm.

    Bryan shook his head. He had no evidence. After all, how could there be any proof of such a thing? However, he said, "Ask Charles. The person who impersonated Mrs. Hoven and tried to assassinate you in the wilderness was sent by Charles. How could he have arranged a killer in advance unless he knew something?"

    Emelie''s eyelids fluttered, and she pressed her lips tightly together.

    "These words may sound absurding from me. After all, I''m one of the four, and I''m also your enemy, Ms. Hoven. I''m only saying this because of Sam, because of the little kindness I''ve shown you, and because,pared to the Davis, Collins, and Middleton families, the Swanson family''s harm to the Pierce family wasn''t as extensive. I didn''t go too far three years ago, so I...

    Bryan sighed deeply and didn''t continue.

    After a while, he said, ''Ms. Hoven, I believe that Mr. Middleton did everything he could at the time, given the circumstances."

 Chapter 760

    ?Chapter 760 I Will Help You

    He did everything he could, but things had still ended up as they did.

    So, should fate be med for being cruel? Or should the heavens be med for not aligning with human desires?N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    Emelie released Bryan''s hand and leaned back against her chair. Her gaze was as lifeless as stagnant water. Her expression was devoid of the emotional impact Bryan had expected after hearing the truth.

    At that moment, Jodie returned.

    Sensing the unusual atmosphere, she cast a wary nce at Bryan before saying, ''Ms. Pierce, I''ve already bought the plum wine."

    Emelie sneered.

    The so-called famous plum wine was just an excuse Bryan used to get Jodie out of the way so that he could talk to her.

    To ensure that Jodie was definitely kept away, Bryan had also mentioned that it was Samuel''s favorite.

    "Leave it here for Mr. Swanson," Emelie said as she stood up. "That''s all for today. I''ll be leaving now."

    She left without further ado.

    Jodie hurried to catch up with Emelie. Noticing her tense mood, she couldn''t help but ask, ''Ms. Pierce, what did Mr. Swanson say to you?''

    Emelie replied coldly, "Nothing."

    Jodie continued, "What about the CEOs who wanted to connect with Filo Group?"

    Emelie was fed up with Bryan''s endless questions, and Jodie''s continued inquiries were thest straw.

    She eximed in anger, "Let them contact the business department themselves! I''m not in charge of that!" Jodie was stunned. She had never seen Emelie lose her temper. "Understood."

    Emelie stopped in her tracks and shut her eyes tightly.

    After a few seconds, she said hoarsely, "Sorry, I''m not angry with you."

    Jodie bit her lip. "It''s alright. Ms. Pierce, that person seems to be William."

    Emelie looked over.

    Sure enough, she saw William stepping out of the car and walking briskly toward her.

    He immediately noticed that something was off with her, as her expression was filled with agitation.

    Emelie felt as if her world had been turned upside down. She was unable to ept or process what had just happened and was thus in a state of inner resistance and rejection.

    William, trying to keep his tone calm, asked, "What''s wrong?"

    Emelie stared at him coldly.

    William asked again, "What did Bryan do?"

    Emelie narrowed her eyes. "Did Bryan call you here?"

    "He sent me a WhatsApp message saying that you were at the archery range. What exactly did he do?"

    Emelie gave a short chuckle.

    Bryan really did seem intent on reconciling them.

    She asked the question that mattered most to her. ''Who sent the thief who stole my mother''s artificial heart battery?"

    William''s eyes flickered. ''Who sent him doesn''t matter."

    Hisck of denial meant that he was indirectly acknowledging his involvement in her mother''s death.

    Even if the involved party didn''t deny it, what right did Bryan, as a third party and one of the perpetrators, have to im innocence?

    Emelie took a step closer to him and said mockingly, "Bryan wants me to reconcile with you and turn our enmity into friendship. What about you? Do you feel the same way?"

    "Me? As long as you don''t marry Wesley, you can do whatever you want," William said with a sudden smile." I''ll help you."

    Emelie stared at his deep, dark eyes for a moment. But she said nothing and got into the car.

    "Take me to the detention center. I want to see Charles."

    William frowned as he watched Emelie''s car drive away. He then turned and walked into the archery range to find Bryan

    Bryan was seated as he adjusted a bow with several arrowsid out on the table.

    William rushed toward him. He then picked up an arrow and pointed its iron-tipped head at Bryan.

    As the iron-tipped arrow came closer, Bryan looked up.

    William asked coldly, "What did you say to her?"

    Bryan remainedposed. ''I told her some truths she should have known.

    He used the bow to deflect the arrow. ''Filo Group is Xanther Group''srgest partner. Although Emelie may notpletely control us, she remains a significant threat. Since we can''t easily rid ourselves of her, we should try to maintain peace.

    "I''m not a lone wolf like Charles. I have six younger siblings whom I must protect. Therefore, Swanson Corporation cannot falter, and the Swanson family cannot fall. I am willing to make peace with Emelie." William threw the arrow aside.

    "That''s only if she''s willing," he said.

    Bryan believed she would be. She woulde around once she met Charles.

 Chapter 761

    ?Chapter 761 A Grand Dream Turned to Dust

    Since Charles'' case had not yet gone to trial, he was still being held in the detention center.

    When the guard brought him to the visitor''s room, he saw Emelie on the other side of the bars and smiled. "I didn''t think I''d see you again before my release, Ms. Hoven."

    Emelie wasn''t in the mood for pleasantries. "I have questions for you.''

    "What about?" Charles sat down on the iron chair, and the guard cuffed his hands to the small table in front of him.

    Emelie got straight to the point. ''How much do you know about William and my mother?"

    Charles burst intoughter. "Mr. Middleton and Mrs. Hoven? What kind of twisted pairing is that?"

    Emelie''s eyes instantly turned cold.

    Suddenly, the guard behind Charles used his handcuffs to choke him.

    "Ugh!" Charles immediately felt an intense pain. His hands were cuffed, so he was unable to struggle.

    Emelie crossed her legs and coldly watched as Charles'' face turned red, then blue, and finally ck. She asked, "Are you ready to talk properly?"

    Charles was on the verge of passing out. He writhed in agony and gasped. "Yes... Yes...

    Only then did Emelie signal the guard to release him.

    Charles copsed onto the table and coughed violently. Between coughs, heughed and said, ''Ms. Hoven, you''ve be even more ruthless.''

    Ordinarily, Emelie wouldn''t resort to such straightforward violence. However, she had to admit that sometimes, pure violence was the quickest way to get what she wanted.

    It took Charles a while to recover. He lifted his head to look at her and asked, "What do you want to know?"

    Emelie didn''t beat around the bush. "I have two questions. First, was my mother truly in aa back then, or was she faking it?"

    Charles swallowed and exhaled slowly. "I''m not entirely sure if it was real or fake. It was likely fake because I had someone nted in the hospital, and they told me Mrs. Hoven woke up. But when I asked William, he insisted she hadn''t."

    After a moment of thought, Charles added a possibility as he said, "But it''s also possible that Mrs. Hoven was initially in a re butter woke up, and William hid that fact."

    Emelie listened quietly.

    So, it was true. What Bryan said was true.

    Emelie clenched her teeth.

    Charles observed her expression.

    Her face showed neither the confusion of her beliefs being overturned nor the shock of something beyond her imagination. It wasn''t a look of relief, nor was it a wry smile of realization on her face.

    Instead, her expression was one of bitter irony. After that briefugh, her face returned to a cold, nk expression as she leaned back in her chair.

    Charles squinted and asked, "Ms. Hoven, why are you suddenly asking me about this? What''s happening out there? Tell me. I''m really curious. Maybe if you tell me, I might be able to give you some additional information.

    Emelie responded numbly, "Bryan told me that when William interrogated my mother about the ount book''s location in the hospital, it was all just an act for you and your people who were eavesdropping." Charles froze. Then, he lowered his head in thought. After a long pause, he suddenly understood everything."Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.

    Now, I get it! I got it!"

    He felt an overwhelming sense of revtion as if he had finally solved a puzzle that had haunted him for half his life. He burst outughing,ughing at the absurdity of it all.

    He leaned forward as much as he could, making the iron chair creak with his movements.

    "Here''s what must have been going through his mind. Emelie, I''ve figured it out. Listen to me."

    Emelie remained silent as she watched him.

    Charles, who was inexplicably excited, continued, "By interrogating Mrs. Hoven, William wanted to prove to us that you had no knowledge of the ount book''s location so that he could protect you. Then, by pretending that Mrs. Hoven was gravely ill and unconscious, he aimed to eliminate any thoughts we had of silencing her "That''s why he added a password lock to the ICU. He wasn''t trying to prevent you from taking Mrs. Hoven away. He was trying to stop us from killing her!

    "If everything had gone ording to his n, Mrs. Hoven would have eventually been dered dead after a period of futile resuscitation, but in reality, he would have secretly transferred her to a safe ce.

    "Hah! So, that''s it. What a brilliant ruse to deceive everyone! How fascinating! Truly fascinating!"

    It wasn''t clear whether Charles wasughing at William''s meticulous nning, which ultimately came to nothing, or at the fact that they had all almost been taken for a ride by William.

    "Ms. Hoven, wasn''t I right? William loved you. Whether it was pretending to be a loving couple with you or faking your mother''sa, he had done everything he could to protect you both."

    What a pity, though. Despite all his efforts, everything had gone wrong in the end. Both of them had ''died''. It was no wonder that he was so angry that he had ended up with a tumor in his lungs.

    Traditional medicine practitioners believed that joy could injure the heart, anger could harm the liver, worry could damage the spleen, fear could affect the kidneys, shock could weaken the heart and galldder, and sorrow could hurt the lungs.

    William''s dream had turned to dust, leaving him consumed with grief and anger.

 Chapter 762

    ?Chapter 762 The Same Pain

    Emelie sat there, expressionless. No one could tell what was going through her mind. It wasn''t until Charles finishedughing that she spoke.

    She said, ''Second question: Who sent the thief that stole my mother''s artificial heart? Was it you? Did you send someone to kill my mother while having an assassin impersonate her to try and kill me?"

    Charles wiped away his tears ofughter. ''I''ll admit to thetter."

    If William hadn''t arrived in time and shot an arrow at the assassin, she would have been dead at their hands.

    Charles leaned back in his chair and returned to his indifferent demeanor.

    He said, "At that point, we had no other choice but to kill you. If you had escaped, regrouped, and returned to attack us, like you''re doing right now, we would''ve been in big trouble."

    "But as for the former..." He shook his head. "I don''t know. It wasn''t me. Really, it wasn''t."

    Emelie believed him. By now, Charles had no reason to deny anything he''d done. The thief who had stolen the battery for Greta''s artificial heart had nothing to do with him.

    "Was it Beathan who sent them?'' Emelie asked.

    Charles shook his head. ''He''d never mentioned it to me. It probably wasn''t him either. His main target at the time was you. He was afraid that Wesley would help you escape, so he set his yacht on fire.''

    Emelie said, "So it wasn''t Bryan either.''

    For one, Bryan didn''t seem like the kind of person who would do something like that. Secondly, if he had done it, he wouldn''t have dared to keep bringing up Greta and her situation.

    There were only four options in total. If it wasn''t the Davis, Collins, or Swanson families, who else could it have been?

    "So it was William." Emelie closed her eyes and slowly repeated, "It was William, after all..."

    She started tough. "No matter how touching your stories are, they can''t change the fact that William ultimately killed my mother, just like how he shot that arrow at me. These are undeniable facts. This is the truth."N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    All those painstaking efforts, all that meticulous nning. What difference did it make in the end? She only asked if it was William who did the killing.

    Emelie opened her eyes, the blood vessels in them resembled shattered ss.

    She said, "My mother''s life was taken, and yet you think that you can just brush it all away with a single excuse, iming that William had done his best to protect me and my mother? And you still dare to talk about making peace with him? It''s utterlyughable. How can you be so shameless?"

    After a moment, Charlesughed indifferently. "You''re right. We''ve all wronged you. We''re all guilty and deserve to die. I''ve epted it. If you can send a few more people in here to keep mepany, I''d be delighted.

    Emelie left the detention center, and Jodie immediately approached her.

    "Ma''am," Jodie said.

    Emelie hadn''t allowed her to apany her inside to see Charles. Since she hadn''t been allowed to listen in on either of Emelie''s recent meetings, Jodie felt uneasy.

    That uneasiness was amplified especially when, after getting into the car, Emelie instructed, ''Don''t tell Wesley about today."

    Jodie studied her expression. "Ma''am, please don''t be swayed by them. Those people havemitted countless atrocities for their selfish gain. Nothing they say can be trusted.

    "If they had any conscience, they would have sought a peaceful resolution back then instead of wiping out the Hoven family. Even if they''re admitting their guilt now, it''s not out of genuine remorse. They''re just afraid of your revenge, so they''re trying to deceive you with sweet words."

    Emelie gazed out the window at the scenery racing behind her and slowly said, ''You''re right. They don''t even realize they''re in the wrong."

    Not one of them had ever apologized to her. They were shameless enough to even talk about reconciliation. Reconciliation? How?

    To them, the term "blood feud" just seemed like simple words to them, instead of the devastation of the Pierce and Hoven families

    She would never forgive them. They can continue dreaming. She had already said they had to feel the same pain that she did for it to count as an apology.

    Emelie''s eyes turned sharp. ''What''s the name of that techpany that Swanson Corporation had invested in?"

 Chapter 763

    ?Chapter 763 Would Rather Not

    Jodie quickly responded, "It''s called the SmartCare Corporation."

    "Bryan said that I''m incapable of shaking the three families.'' Emelie continued with an expressionless face," I''ll let him see what I''m capable of."

    The situation with the SmartCare Corporation was something they had nned long ago.

    Jodie replied, "Understood."

    The Swanson Corporation was a venture capital firm. In simple terms, they invested in various startups and small to medium-sized enterprises, ultimately bing their financial backer.

    In recent years, the Swanson Corporation had been optimistic about the application prospects of artificial intelligence in the medical field, so they had invested in about eight startups in that industry.

    One of them was the SmartCare Corporation, who were developing an Al-assisted diagnostic system.

    They performed exceptionally well at a technology industry demonstration, attracting interest from investors, which gave them the power to choose their partners. The Swanson Corporation had to put in a lot of effort to be their shareholder.

    Afterward, the Swanson Corporation ced great importance on the SmartCare Corporation. They provided thepany with as much money and resources as needed, intending to groom it into the next gship of the Swanson Corporation.

    Recently, SmartCare Corporation entered a critical phase of development. However, just at this crucial moment, two key members of the team became embroiled in a romantic conflict with each other.

    The issue arose when the man was caught cheating by the woman. She was unable to forgive him, so she insisted on a divorce. She even wanted to sell her shares and leave thepany entirely.

    The woman was a core member of the research team. With the couple at odds, the research progress came to a halt.

    Bryan even personally organized a mediation session, but it was to no avail. The woman still insisted on getting a divorce. In the end, the situation was irreconcble, and the two parted ways.

    After the woman left, Bryan continued to pour money into the project, recruiting top talent to push the project forward.

    However, just as the SmartCare Corporation''s development was in full swing, apany called the SwiftCure Corporation suddenly emerged,unching its first product, which was also an AI diagnostic system.

    The product quickly gained market traction, and the SwiftCure Corporation became a hot new yer in the industry. Manypanies were eager to coborate or invest in them, and thepany''s reputation soared. When Bryan heard this report from his subordinates in his office, his expression turned grim. The AI diagnostic system was the core product of the SmartCare Corporation and the primary reason why he had invested in them.

    Over the past year, he had invested significant resources such as money, manpower, and effort, hoping to make a spectacr debut when the product was released and aiming to dominate the market.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.

    But now, the opportunity has been snatched away from them. Even if they released their productter, it would just be seen as a copycat, jumping on the bandwagon and picking up scraps.

    "Mr. Swanson, we''ve investigated, and the woman had joined the SwiftCure Corporation after leaving the SmartCare Corporation. This is a tant vition of her nonpete agreement, and she might have even leaked trade secrets. I''ll have the legal department sue her right away!" an employee said.

    Bryan closed his eyes. Even if they managed to drag the woman to court, forcing her to pay for damages or even imprison her, it wouldn''t change the situation. The strategic goal he had aimed for was now aplete

    failure, with significant losses.

    "First, investigate the SwiftCure Corporation. Bryan''s voice was low. "She left the SmartCare Corporation just half a month ago. Even if she had joined the SwiftCure Corporation the next day and sold all the designs, half a month is not enough time for them to develop their product."

    He suspected that the woman had been bought off long ago. The affair, the divorce, leaving thepany, and selling her shares were all distractions.

    The real goal was to dy the SmartCare Corporation''s development and productunch while diverting his attention.

    The final investigation confirmed his suspicions. "The owner behind the SwiftCure Corporation is none other than Filo Group''

    And with that, the mastermind became crystal clear.

    When William learned of this, he smiled faintly and said to Ashton, "I told you before, she still holds a grudge. A few words from you guys weren''t going to resolve that."

    Ashton pressed her lips together. She had a different perspective on this matter.

    She said, "Ms. Hoven clearly targeted Mr. Collins before. The fact that she suddenly turned her sights on Mr. Swanson suggests that what he said had affected her."

    Emelie had been touched, and by rights, William should have been pleased. However, his gaze darkened instead.

    He walked to the window and stared into the distance.

    His voice drifted away in the breeze as the sun set. "I''d rather she not forgive me."

 Chapter 764

    ?Chapter 764 A Trap

    Emelie''s assault on the Swanson Corporation wasn''t as simple as simply justunching a product ahead of them, causing their strategicyout to go up in smoke. She also targeted the Swanson Corporation''s other projects in multiple dimensions.

    In just one month, the Swanson Corporation experienced consecutive failures in their investments.

    Emelie, being backed by the financially powerful Filo Group, became increasingly bold. She no longer hid the fact that she was the mastermind behind these actions.

    Even during an interview with a financial magazine, when the reporter asked her, "Weren''t you and Bryan partners? Why are you now at odds?"

    Emelie responded lightly, "A coincidence, I suppose."

    She continued exining, "For a long time, the Filo Group has been optimistic about the Cedonia market This year, we''re increasing our investments there.

    "If it happens that the projects I''m targeting are the same as the ones that Mr. Swanson is interested in, it can only be said that great minds think alike and that we both see the same valuable opportunities."

    After the interview, Emelie was about to head to her office in Capebatt City to n her next target when her phone rang

    The caller ID showed it was Samuel.

    "Mr. Swanson,'' Emelie greeted.

    "Emelie, are you busy?" Samuel asked.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    She said, ''Not too much. How are you today?"

    Samuel replied, "I stood up and walked a few steps under the doctor''s guidance today. They said that I''m recovering well."

    Emelie smiled. "That''s great news. I''ll drop byter to see you."

    Samuel''s voice was warm as he said, ''No rush. Are you free tomorrow?"

    "Tomorrow..." Emelie didn''t answer immediately but instead asked, "What''s the asion?"

    "Mnie is pregnant. We''re nning a family dinner tomorrow night to celebrate. We didn''t do a great job hosting you guys during her wedding, so we''d like to make up for it this time," he said.

    Emelie was surprised. ''Ms. Swanson is pregnant?"

    "Yes, we just found out," Samuel said.

    A new marriage and a pregnancy were certainly a double blessing.

    Moreover, what did he say about hosting the wedding? It was them who nearly ruined Mnie''s happy day by overshadowing it. They were the ones who should be apologizing.

    Emelie had no reason to decline. ''Alright, I''ll be there on time tomorrow evening."

    After she hung up the phone, Emelie decided not to go to the office. Instead, she went to a boutique to pick out a gift for Mnie and her unborn child.

    When she returned home that evening, Emelie intended to ask Wesley if he wanted to join her at the Swanson Residence the next day.

    However, she overheard him on the phone, saying, "Keep the situation under control and manage the public narrative. I''m heading to Eprand now to check things out."

    Emelied lifted a slight frown.

    Once he finished the call, Emelie asked, "What happened?"

    Wesley turned to her and briefly exined, "There was a malfunction at the Ludy Fun Park, and one of the rides copsed. Fortunately, it was after hours, and there were no visitors injured. However, the impact was severe. I need to go to Eprand."

    The Filo Group had also invested in Silverwood films, and the Ludy Fun Park was themed around a major international IP. It has been wildly sessful since its opening.

    Now, with this incident, there would undoubtedly be widespread concern about the safety of the amusement park rides, leading to significant negative publicity. It was no wonder Wesley needed to oversee the situation personally.

    Emelie frowned. "How could this happen?"

    The amusement park was newly established. The equipment shouldn''t have deteriorated to this extent.

    Wesley sat down in a chair and slightly leaned back.

    He looked at her. "It likely wasn''t an ident. It''s probably sabotage."

    Eprand? Emelie couldn''t help but think of Bryan, who had deep ties in Eprand.

    She realized what was happening and let out a coldugh. "This is Bryan''s retaliation. The Swanson family has invited me to Mnie''s family dinner tomorrow night. It seems that it''s nothing more than a trap."

    She looked at the gift in her hand, and a scoff escaped her lips as she set it on the table. It appeared she had been naive, believing their invitation was sincere.

    Bryan, knowing she couldn''t refuse Samuel, had be quite adept at using him against her.

    Wesley frowned. ''Ill go with you."

    Emelie shook her head. "No need. You should focus on handling the Eprand situation. That''s important too. I''ll deal with them myself."

    Wesley hesitated. ''Should I leave Marcel with you?"

    "No, I don''t need him. In fact, I was thinking you should take Jodie with you. Having Lyle by my side is enough.

    Wesley certainly didn''t want to take Jodie. However, he couldn''t resist Emelie''s insistence.

    On the other hand, Emelie was worried about him overexerting himself and about his safety.

    After much negotiation, they finallypromised. Emelie agreed to take Wesley''s four bodyguards, while Wesley agreed to take Jodie.

    The next evening, at seven o''clock, Emelie arrived at the Swanson Residence with Lyle.

    To her surprise, but not entirely unexpectedly, she saw William and Beathan at the Swanson residence.

 Chapter 765

    ?Chapter 765 Never Given

    "Just as I thought, it''s a family gathering. Only familiar faces are here," Emelie said.

    Then, she smiled and greeted, "Mr. Swanson, Mr. Middleton, Mr. Collins."

    "Since we''re all familiar, let''s not stand on ceremony. I''ll use the plum wine that you gave me to entertain the guests.''

    Just then, a maid wheeled Samuel out of the kitchen. Emelie didn''t sit in the living room and walked straight to him.

    "Even though the doctor says your legs are improving, you should still be careful and not move too much. What are you doing in the kitchen?" Emelie asked.

    Samuel gave a slight smile and held up the wine bottle. ''Just getting the wine."

    William observed them quietly.

    Patrice was also present that evening.

    She quietly perched on the armrest of William''s sofa and whispered, "Will, you certainly have your share of rivals. Wesley is Emelie''s idealized figure from the past, and Lyle is more of a casual fling. My ex fiance, however, is clearly a significant rival.''

    Samuel was handsome and refined, with a gentle and elegant demeanor. He had been a loyal friend to Emelie for many years, maintaining their close rtionship.

    Despite her reservations about the Swanson family, she would still take Samuel''s calls and ept his invitations. Thus, wouldn''t that make Samuel a notable rival?

    William turned his head to look at Patrice expressionlessly. She immediately zipped her mouth and backed away.

    William recalled the time when Emelie could have ended up with Samuel if he hadn''t shown her another side of him. She did seem to attract a lot of attention from other men.

    Bryan, picking up on Samuel''sments, said, ''I wasn''t lying, Ms. Hoven. Sam really does enjoy that family''s plum wine."

    Emelie smiled and nced back. Her gaze first settled on William, who was seen sitting indifferently, and then shifted slightly to Bryan.

    "Mr. Swanson, I never said you were lying. It''s not something to lie about. I trust you," she said.

    Beathan adjusted his sses and added, "Is it the plum wine from the ce near the archery range? I''ve heard a lot about it. Thanks to you and Mr. Swanson, I finally got to try it.""

    So, before dinner, everyone sat down together and tasted the plum wine.

    They imed that it was to celebrate Mnie''s pregnancy, but she had not yet arrived. While no one mentioned it and Emelie didn''t ask, it was clear that they were all aware of the real motive behind this gathering.

    Lyle leaned against the window sill while drinking the plum wine. He felt exhausted just by watching them. Each of them had numerous agendas and wore numerous masks. Despite reaching the point of snatching each other''s projects and secretly undermining each other, they could still sit together and chat amiably.

    Sure enough, not everyone could handle being a schemer.

    The evening wore on with everyone chatting and drinking.

    Though the plum wine was fruit-based, it was pretty strong, and Emelie felt slightly tipsy after a few sses.

    She moved to a high stool by the window to get some fresh air and clear her head.

    Mint, a nt that thrives in all seasons, was quietly blooming in the corner where she was. She absentmindedly brushed a mint leaf with her fingers.

    Just then, she heard William''s voice behind her. ''Is this the mint that you gave Samuel?"

    Emelie turned her head to look.

    Her posture was rxed, with one leg bent and resting on the bar while the other extended, revealing her slender, graceful calf. She wore a pair of pearl high heels, with the veins on her foot slightly visible.

    Her beauty was the only thing that had remained unchanged over the past three years.

    Emelie replied with azy tone, her eyes partially hidden by her lowered eyelids, ''Mr. Middleton, you still remember that?"N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    "Of course, I remember," William said calmly. "You never gave me anything, but you and Samuel had many conversations over that pot of mint. I was quite jealous at the time. How could I forget?"

    Emelie chose to overlook the affectionate undertone in his words. ''Mr. Middleton, if you like the mint, you can ask Mr. Swanson if he''s willing to give you a few nts."

    "What I want is a gift from you, not him." William looked at her intensely.

    Emelie met his dark eyes, and the recent revtions from Bryan and Charles came back to her mind.

    She held her wine ss and rose from the stool. She didn''t look at William but gazed out the window.

    Her profile wore a slightly cold expression as she said, ''I''m afraid you''ll be disappointed, Mr. Middleton. I''m just an employee. I don''t have anything worth giving to you."

    After that, she took a sip of her wine.

    William coughed softly. "What I want, you''ve given to many others but never to me."

 Chapter 766

    ?Chapter 766 The Gift

    "Mr. Middleton, are you talking about my feelings?" Emelie asked.

    Then, she sneered. "Well, you''re absolutely right."

    William said, "I''ve told you. I don''t believe that you''ve never loved me. You called me Liam once, and I''ll remember that for a lifetime."

    Then, he said softly, "But that''s not what I meant."

    He didn''t borate, and Emelie didn''t ask. They just stood side by side.

    The sky outside was dark, and the streetlights casted a dim glow over a small patch of ground, offering little to see.

    William said, "You''ve taken quite a few things from Swanson Corporationtely."? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    "Mr. Middleton, are you here to chastise me on behalf of your partner for my aggressive behavior?" Emelie said.

    William chuckled lightly. "I''m not that noble. If you think that causing us trouble will make you feel better, by all means, keep ying."

    "Of course. These are just minor inconveniences to people like you," Emeliea said.

    Suddenly, she smiled and stepped closer to him. There was a scent of gardenia on her, one that was unfamiliar to William.

    As she moved nearer, the fragrance drifted to his nose, and he was suddenly reminded of the intimate moments they had once shared.

    He was lost in thought when her soft and low voice broke through. "Guess when I''ll make the ount book public?"

    The fleeting warmth between them vanished in an instant.

    Even the dim light couldn''t conceal the darkening of William''s eyes. "I would advise you not to y with fire."

    They were standing very close to each other, just inches apart, well beyond what would be considered a safe social distance.

    From an outsider''s perspective, it might have looked as if they were whispering secrets to each other, perhaps even making up.

    Bryan and Beathan exchanged a nce.

    However, the reality was far from romantic. There was an underlying tension, a sharpness had began to surface between them.

    William took a deep breath. "Do you really think now is the right time?"

    Emelie smiled and said nothing. She sipped her wine calmly, just like a rogue who had set a fire and walked away without a second thought.

    William''s expression grew serious. His eyes, which were sharp and clear, were fixed on her. He said, "I''m not joking with you. Do you really think taking a few projects from the Swanson Corporation can hurt them? You haven''t even scratched them. You..."

    "Mr. Middleton, what are you and Ms. Pierce whispering about?" Beathan called out to them from the living room.

    Emelie seized the opportunity to leave William''s side and walked over to the four men. "We were discussing, Mr. Swanson, what kind of feast you have in store for us tonight."

    "Of course, it''s something hearty, which is why it''s taking so long. But don''t worry, Ms. Pierce, you won''t be disappointed," Bryan said.

    He nced at his watch. "Just drinking is getting a bit dull. How about we have some entertainment?"

    Emelie smiled. "Entertainment? You''ve got a show nned?"

    William frowned slightly. He hadn''t heard about that.

    Emelie seemed intrigued. "Interesting. What kind of show?"

    Bryan turned to Samuel and asked, "Sam, don''t you have a student you need to call back?"

    It was obvious that he wanted to send Samuel away.

    Samuel quickly caught on and exchanged a nce with Bryan. He sighed and asked, " Alright. Is half an hour enough?"

    "If dinner''s ready by then, I''ll have a maide fetch you," Bryan signaled to a maid to wheel Samuel upstairs.

    Emelie''s smile faded slightly. "What kind of extraordinary show requires sending Samuel away?"

    She raised an eyebrow. "I get it. It must be something that''s not family-friendly, which is why you''re avoiding having a gentleman like him around."

    Just then, Beathan set down his wine ss and pped his hands twice.

    Immediately, two bodyguards brought in arge box.

    "Ms. Pierce, weren''t you looking for this person recently?" he said.

    The lid of the box was lifted and, inside, Daphne was bound hand and foot, gagged and blindfolded. She was thrust into everyone''s view.

    William''s face darkened. Meanwhile, Emelie narrowed her eyes.

    She smiled, "This gift really hits the mark."

 Chapter 767

    ?

    Chapter 767 Mr. Middleton, Save Me

    William''s voice was colder than the lingering winter chill. "Mr. Swanson and Mr. Collins, it seems you''ve kept me out of the loop. Why didn''t you inform me of such an entertaining show in advance?"

    Beathan responded with a sincere expression, "Mr. Middleton, you haven''t been feeling well recently, remember? We thought that it wasn''t a big deal, so we didn''t want to disturb your rest."

    He paused before continuing with a smile. "Besides, this is our way of apologizing to Ms. Pierce. It didn''t seem directly rted to you, so we decided not to bother you with it. Now that you know, it''s the same."

    These were, of course, mere excuses.

    William didn''t take the bait and ignored this clumsy attempt to smooth things over. He asked, "Mr. Collins and Mr. Swanson, did you not do your research before sending this gift? Daphne is my mother''s caregiver."

    Bryan pretended to be surprised. "I had no idea that you two were connected in that way. We honestly didn''t know. We only heard that Ms. Pierce was searching for this woman everywhere, so we thought that we''d do her a favor."

    "Exactly." Beathan chimed in.

    Then, he turned to Emelie and said, "Ms. Pierce, I think we''ve had some misunderstandings that have caused some unpleasantness between us. Why don''t we clear the air tonight, taking advantage of Mr. Swanson''s family dinner?"

    Emelie sat down on the sofa and crossed her legs. "Mr. Collins, are you referring to the issue with Mount Cinnamon?"

    Beathan nodded. "It was all due to my secretary''s reckless actions, and I failed to supervise him properly. Ms. Pierce, I owe you an apology."

    He pushed all the me onto Jake.

    Emelie took a sip of her wine and smiled silently.

    Beathan gestured to the box. "Ms. Pierce, if you ept this gift, how about we consider the matter settled?"

    Instead of answering, Emelie asked, "And what about you, Mr. Swanson?"

    Bryan, who maintained hisposed demeanor, replied, "Ms. Pierce, since our principles align so well, why don''t we deepen our cooperation? It would also put an end to the spection about any discord between us."

    A hint of a sarcastic smile yed on Emelie''s lips. She stood up and walked over to Daphne, reaching out and removing the blindfold from Daphne''s eyes.

    At first, Daphne squinted, struggling to adjust to the light.

    When she finally made out that the person in front of her was Emelie, her eyes widened in a mix of confusion and terror, and she immediately began to moan in distress. However, with her mouth taped shut, she couldn''t make a sound.

    Daphne frantically looked around. When she saw William, her eyes lit up with the desperate hope of seeing a savior. She struggled and made muffled cries for help.

    Emelie chuckled softly. "Begging him won''t do you any good. You''re now a gift from Mr. Swanson and Mr. Collins to me. Your fate is in my hands."

    Daphne''s face turned ashen.

    "Even though you and Mr. Middleton have a history, I doubt Mr. Middleton would be so uncouth as to try and take my gift from me, right?" Emelie nced at William.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    William stared back at her. "What are you nning to do?"

    "I want to get to the bottom of something that has been bothering me for a long time," Emelie replied.

    She crouched down to be at eye level with Daphne. "Daphne, I won''t make a fuss over the little tricks that you yed before. I just want to know one thing. Four years ago, we had no grievances, we didn''t even know each other. So, why did you order Frankie and the others to kidnap and traffic me?"

    Daphne was so shocked that she couldn''t utter a word. She never imagined that after all these years, this matter would be dug up and that Emelie would find out.

    Her terrified gaze darted from Lyle to Beathan, then to Bryan. All three of them were seated on the sofa.

    Even if she didn''t fully grasp Emelie''s current status, the sheer gravity of the situation made it clear that Emelie was no longer someone she could easily manipte.

    After a couple of muffled sounds, Emelie ripped the tape off Daphne''s mouth. Daphne blurted out, "Mr. Middleton! Save me! Please, save me!"

 Chapter 768

    ?Chapter 768 Just and Only

    Emelie had little patience for repeating herself. She grabbed Daphne''s chin and forced Daphne to look at her.

    "Begging him won''t help. The only way you can save yourself now is by answering my question," she said.

    Her indifferent tone suddenly turned into a sharpmand. "Speak!"

    Daphne trembled, and her entire body shook. She looked at William again, hoping desperately that he might show some mercy and save her.

    However, William also asked, "Why?"? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    Daphne''s hope shattered. Her face turned ashen as she realized that, if she didn''t speak, she would have no way to survive.

    Emelie was no longer the same person she had been three years ago, and Daphne was terrified of her.

    Daphne lips'' trembled as she stammered, "It... it was Mrs. Middleton..."

    "Mrs. Middleton?" Emelie narrowed her eyes. "You mean to tell me you were involved with Mrs. Middleton?"

    Tears of fear welled up in Daphne''s eyes. "I''ve had feelings for Mr. Middleton for a long time. She... she came to me first, saying that if I wanted to be with Mr. Middleton, you were the one I had to eliminate.

    "I was foolish at the time and listened to her, but I swear I didn''t know you were pregnant then. I just wanted to get rid of you... only..."

    Just... Only...

    Emelie could still remember the excruciating pain of undergoing the abortion.

    She sneered, "You just wanted to sell me to some remote mountain vige to be a wife for an old, ugly, possibly disabled or mentally impaired man. How incredibly merciful of you."

    Lyle had initially thought that this was just a minor squabble between two women, something not worth his involvement, until he heard this part.

    His expression darkened ominously as he put his wine ss down and walked over to Emelie, standing beside her.

    Daphne, now in tears, frantically bowed her head in the box as she pleaded with Emelie." I''m sorry! I''m sorry! I know I was wrong! I''ll never do it again!"

    Emelie sshed the remaining half-ss of wine in her face.

    She said, "It''s not that you won''t do it again, but that you won''t have the chance. If William

    hadn''t hurriedly sent you abroad back then, you would''ve continued looking for opportunities to harm me."

    Daphne shook her head vehemently. "I wouldn''t! I wouldn''t! I... Ms. Hoven! Ms. Hoven! I''ll be a vegetarian, I''ll pray for your child, I''ll worship you! Please, spare me! Please spare me..."

    "It''s not impossible for me to spare you," Emelie said.

    Then, she turned to Bryan and asked, "Mr. Swanson, how much plum wine do you still have?

    Bryan replied, "Besides the 12 bottles that you gave to Sam, I bought another 12 bottles for a family gathering. We only drank about six bottles earlier."

    "That means there are 18 bottles left." Emelie grabbed Daphne by the cor and lifted her." Drink. If you finish them all, I''ll spare your life."

    As mentioned earlier, the plum wine was strong. Even someone like Emelie, who could hold her liquor well, felt a bit tipsy after a few sses. If Daphne really drank all 18 bottles, Emelie wouldn''t even need to kill her. She''d die on her own.

    Daphne looked at William in terror.

    Without turning around, Emelie smirked coldly. "Mr. Middleton, do you think it''s too much to ask her to drink a few bottles of wine after what she''s done to me?"

    As long as it didn''t involve killing, William wouldn''t stop her from doing whatever she wanted. He calmly replied, "You''re already convicting me of something I haven''t even said?"

    Emelie said mockingly, "Did you hear that? Mr. Middleton isn''t going to save you. Ms. Bowen, if you don''t start drinking, I might not be so forgivingter on."

    Daphne was like amb to the ughter in this situation. She had no choice.

    The bodyguards untied her and lifted her out of the box. Then, they threw her onto the floor. The maid brought out the remaining bottles of wine.

    "These are rare wines that are hard toe by. Since Mr. Swanson is hosting tonight, don''t be shy," Emelie said.

    Daphne bit her lip and picked up a bottle. However, she couldn''t even manage half a bottle before she vomited.

    The alcohol was too strong. It felt like her throat was on fire.

    Lyle kicked her. "Drink."

    Daphne had no choice but to cry as she continued drinking.

    Emelie returned to the sofa as memories flooded back of how she had been forced to cover for Daphne at the Westward Club after her miscarriage, called there by a single phone call from William.

    Now that the truth was out, Daphne turned out to be the very person who had caused her so much pain. How ironic.

    Emelie''s expression grew colder and colder. She gripped the empty wine ss in her hand with all her strength.

    Finally, the ss couldn''t withstand the pressure and shattered with a sharp crack in her

    hand.

 Chapter 769

    ?

    Chapter 769 I''ll Drink This ss

    All eyes turned to Emelie in an instant.

    She lifted a smile devoid of warmth.

    "An ident," she said lightly.

    However, her expression was far from rxed. It was like the frozen shores of ake in

    winter, where the ice wouldn''t melt even under the sun.

    She fixed her gaze on Daphne, who was sprawled on the floor, and a hint of dark red seemed to glimmer in her eyes.

    Daphne instinctively sensed danger. She sobbed and crawled backward on the floor.

    William quickly moved to grasp Emelie''s hand.

    Emelie''s gaze immediately shifted to his face.

    He was frowning as he looked at her hand. Her palm had been cut by the shattered ss, with a few drops of blood sttering onto the tiled floor like tiny red fireworks.

    But upon closer inspection, it wasn''t as bad as it looked. There were only two minor cuts, and since she usually wore gloves, the wounds weren''t deep.

    Bryan turned and ordered a maid, "Bring the first aid kit."

    Emelie tried to pull her hand back forcefully, but William held on tightly.

    She exhaled slowly. "I''m not in a good mood right now, Mr. Middleton. Don''t push me."

    William calmly retorted, "It''s not like you haven''t done that before."

    The two stared at each other.

    One of them had raging emotions under a cold exterior, while the other remained calm and seemingly indifferent to anything that she might do

    Beathan and Bryan exchanged nces.

    Beathan took a sip of his wine with a smile while Bryan''s gaze shifted slightly to the two sses of plum wine near Patrice''s hand.

    The liquid in the plum wine was pale green, like a poisonous potion from a fairy tale that exuded an unsettling air.

    Emelie looked down and saw that Daphne had already vomited. She asked, "Did I tell you to stop?"

    Lyle decided to grab Daphne by the hair and force the bottle back into her mouth.

    Lyle had never imed to be a gentleman. His only rule was that anyone who harmed Emelie had to pay the price.

    Emelie sneered. "Mr. Middleton, take a good look at your true love."

    "I''m looking," William said.

    Emelie was referring to Daphne, yet William didn''t even lift his eyes to look. Instead, he carefully removed her glove.

    The maid quickly brought over a first aid kit, and William began by rinsing her wound with saline solution.

    Emelie watched his movements coldly. "Mr. Middleton, if you''re so concerned, you can drink on her behalf."

    William sprinkled some medicine onto her palm. "I only care about your injury. Next time, don''t do this. There are many ways to vent your anger. You don''t need to hurt yourself."

    He lifted his eyes to meet hers. "As for her, I just want to know if doing this really satisfies you."

    Emelie replied in a detached tone, "You can drink for her. I don''t mind cheating. Anyone can drink these 18 bottles tonight. I just want them finished."

    William looked at her face as he carefully wrapped her hand with gauze.

    "You didn''t want me to drink for her. You want me to drink solely because you want me to, don''t you?" His voice was low as he continued, "Did you recall the time when I forced you to drink?"N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    Emelie''s face remained expressionless, but her eyes were as still as a frozenke.

    William put the first aid kit away, then casually picked up a ss of untouched wine from the table.

    He had drunk the least that evening, probably not even half a ss in total. Yet now, he downed the entire ss of plum wine in one go.

    Patrice stood up suddenly. "Will!"

    Lyle dropped Daphne, who was nearly passed out drunk by now.

    He frowned. "Emelie, Will is not in great shape. He can''t drink."

    Perhaps it was the medicine seeping into the wound that Emelie btedly felt the paining from her palm.

    William picked up another ss. "How many sses did you drink back then?"

    She didn''t respond, so he drank another ss.

    Lyle couldn''t stand it any longer and rushed over to grab William''s hand. "Will!"

    William turned the ss upside down, and the strong liquor burned through his insides. He pressed his hand against his heart, coughing heavily as the alcohol seared his lungs.

    He was in pain, just as she had been in pain when she drank three days after her miscarriage. He was using his fragile, ailing body to repay her for the agony she had endured

    back then.

    Emelie clenched her teeth, and a deep red began to spread in her eyes.

 Chapter 770

    ?Chapter 770 Can We Reconcile Tonight

    Just as William was about to reach for the third ss, Lyle couldn''t bear to watch him continue to harm himself and reached out to grab his hand.

    He knew the root of the problemy with Emelie, so he called out, "Emelie."

    Emelieughed out loud. ''You won''t drink. He can''t drink. Does this mean that I should drink?"

    She stood up and surveyed the drama that had unfolded this evening.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.

    Beathan and Bryan never genuinely intended to apologize to her. Whatever purpose they had for this borate setup was unclear to her. She was too agitated to think straight.

    As for William... William...

    She snatched the third ss of wine that William had been reaching for, raised it in a toast to the room full of schemers, and drained it in one gulp.

    Then, she casually tossed the ss onto the coffee table. It rolled in an arc, eventually falling off the table andnding on the carpet without breaking.

    "Mr. Swanson, thank you for your hospitality tonight. The wine was excellent, and the show was entertaining as well. It''ste, and I have other matters to attend to. Let''s end it here. As for this gift, Mr. Collins, it''s all yours.

    Beathan politely asked, ''How long would you like her to be imprisoned?"

    Emelie smiled. ''For as long as you can keep her there."

    With that, she turned and walked out, with Lyle following her.

    However, just as he took a step forward, Patrice rushed over to block Lyle''s path. "You... you can''t follow her!" Lyle was baffled. ''Why not?"

    Patrice''s expression was a mix of emotions. She turned and pushed William forward.

    "Will... Will, Ms. Hoven is drunk. You... you should take her home," she said.

    William replied, feeling weary, "She doesn''t want to see me right now."

    Patrice stomped her foot in frustration. She pushed him again and urged him out the door.

    "Just because she doesn''t want to see you, does that mean that you can''t show up? This is exactly why you haven''t reconciled with her all this time! Trust me this once! You should go after her!" she said.

    Patrice pushed him out the door multiple times.

    William hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he followed her out.

    Patrice stood firmly at the door. "No one is allowed to follow them except Will."

    Lyle narrowed his eyes. "What did you do?"

    "Nothing. I didn''t do anything," she said.

    How could Patrice dare admit that she had spiked both William and Emelie''s drinks?

    As Lyle took another step forward, Patrice said, "Will is with her. What are you worried about? Come on, don''t interfere. Maybe they''ll reconcile by tonight!"

    Lyle frowned deeply.

    Patrice called out again, "We haven''t had dinner yet. Let''s eat first!"

    Bryan was unperturbed and began tidying up the aftermath. Take her downstairs to sober up, clean up the living room, and then invite Samuel down."

    He said, ''Let''s eat.''

    After she left the Swanson Residence, Emelie got into her car. The driver had only driven a few hundred meters when Emelie felt a wave of nausea.

    She immediately shouted, "Stop the car!"

    The car stopped quickly, and Emelie rushed out. She ran to a nearby trash bin and tried to vomit but was unable to.

    Just a few drinks shouldn''t be enough to get her drunk. However, she felt an intense difort in her body, and her breath was hot. She tugged at her cor, letting the cold air slip in, which somewhat eased her difort.

    Then, she staggered to the side of the road, intending to sit down and get some air. But just as she was about to sit, someone grabbed her arm and pulled her up.

    Emilie stumbled forward on unsteady feet, and her head hit the man''s chest. A cool, snowy scent filled her

    senses.

    As she breathed in the coolness, she felt an unexpected dryness in her mouth.

    William, who thought that she was about to copse from drunkenness, lowered his head and asked, ''Are you alright?"

    Emelie''s disoriented eyes met his deep, mysterious gaze as if she were staring into aplex and unfathomable abyss.

    She stared at him for a moment before suddenly raising her hand and pping his face. Though, it wasn''t a hard p but more like a weak brush.

    William remained unmoved.

    She sneered, "William, do you think that you''re suffering from injustice and being misunderstood, feeling like a martyr who can''t defend himself, and that somehow makes you look heroic?"

    William replied, "Is this your first day knowing me? Do you think I''m someone who would feel that way?"

    Emelie suddenly grabbed his cor and yanked him down.

    "Then keep your people in check and stop them froming after me, telling me how hard things have been for you! No matter what you do, it won''t change the fact that you''ve hurt me! If you want my forgiveness, you''ll have to wait until your next life!" she said.

    Then, she forcefully shoved him away. The impact made her stumble backward, and her high heel twisted, causing her to fall to the ground.

    William quickly moved to help her up.

    Emelie vehemently rejected his touch, pushing him away with all her strength. She screamed, ''Get away! Leave me alone!*

    William grasped her hands and felt a pang in his chest as he saw the broken emotions in her eyes. He ignored her protests, he pulled her into his arms.

    "Angel..." he said.

 Chapter 771

    ?Chapter 771 Tears in His Eyes

    At night, the roadid deserted except for the man and woman embracing in the middle and four cars parked in the distance. These cars belonged to Emelie''s bodyguards.

    Without Jodie present, and given that Lyle had worked for William and was easily lured away, the bodyguards found themselvescking clear orders. This left them unsure about whether they should separate them or not. Usually, they would have taken action. However, since Emelie did not seem to be resisting, it would have been inappropriate for them to intervene.

    After they''ve discussed amongst themselves, the bodyguards decide to stay put in their vehicles, observing the situation closely. They would intervene if Emelie showed any signs of needing help.

    In reality, Emelie was resisting. It was just that her struggles weren''t violent, so they went unnoticed. Following her outburst, she felt increasingly weakened. She wasn''t able to even push William away.

    It was weird. As a secretary ustomed to social drinking, Emelie was well aware of her own tolerance. The amount that she had drunk that evening should not have led to intoxication. Nevertheless, she felt unusually weak and her heart pounded faster than usual.

    Could the unique recipe of the plum wine be the reason? Was it different from regr alcohol? She wasn''t

    sure.

    Her throat was dry, and she wanted something cool to drink or touch.

    She breathed heavily, and the unique scent of William enveloped her senses.

    His usual coldness, which made him feel unreachable back then, now felt like a lone umbre in a zing 40 degree heat. It was something she was unwilling to push away.

    She subconsciously moved closer, her nose pressing against his chest. She inhaled deeply and, as she exhaled, her warm breath brushed against William''s corbone and throat.

    She felt uneasy, and so did William. In fact, he could even sense his own body responding to being so close to Emelie.

    William had liked Emelie ever since high school, and he had always harbored desires for her. During the few years they were together, apart from thest six months of their rtionship, they were frequently intimate, even a simple tease could lead them to bed.

    After being apart for so long, Emelie was finally nestled in his embrace again.

    William felt emotions surging within him.

    He lowered his head, his lips touching her forehead. His cold lips against her hot forehead were a striking contrast. It created an oddlyforting sensation for both of them.

    William kissed her down to her nose, and Emelie vaguely sensed that something was amiss. Her thoughts were muddled, and when his lips finally met hers, she became entirely disoriented.

    Ever since they reunited, William had kissed Emelie twice before. Both times, it felt like he was venting. The kisses couldn''t be considered truly intimate, until this one.

    It seemed as though he was pouring all his unspoken feelings into this kiss, which was deep and genuine. Emelie, in her dazed state, felt like this was an illusion. This kiss was the deepest William had ever given her in nearly a decade.

    It surpassed the kiss he had given her when putting the wedding ring on her finger, the kiss on New Year''s Eve as they returned to the Eastbay, and even the kiss at the traffic lights on the eighth day of the New Year when they were about to get their marriage license.

    William''s kiss felt like a desperate expression of all his true emotions.

    "I never wanted to hurt you since you went to work in Weston City. I''m not sure why things always go wrong...

    "William confessed.

    He continued, ''No one taught me what is right or wrong. I only wanted to keep you close... I just want to keep you with me forever... Tell me, what should I do so you''ll stay? How can we stay together forever?"

    William had always been prideful. He had achieved his goals through power, wealth, or scheming, always getting what he wanted. He had never before pleaded so earnestly.

    Emelie, in her daze, saw that there seemed to be tears in his eyes. He was like a devotee, kneeling before her and seeking a way to resolve his problem.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie remembered Charles'' mockingughter in prison, and her own tears flowed uncontrobly. However, William kissed them away gently.

    William, also quite drunk, was barely coherent. Emelie could vaguely hear his voice, but she felt heartbroken "Angel, please don''t cry," he said softly.

    Emelie climbed onto his shoulder and bit into his neck. "William, I really want you to die!"

    William responded by lowering his head and kissing her lips once more. His voice was hoarse as he whispered, "Just wait a little longer. Let me help you... then I''ll give you my life."

 Chapter 772

    ?Chapter 772 Temporarily Forgetting Grudges

    Emelie''s mind was foggy, leaving her unable to recall how she and William had ended up at Sunnington Hill.

    Beep, beep, beep.

    The door unlocked after the password was entered. They hadpletely isted themselves from the outside world.

    They didn''t turn on the lights. Only the neon glow from outside seeped through the curtains, which had not been fully drawn.

    The neon lights painted the room in vibrant shades of red, green, and other brilliant colors. It was like a spectacr fireworks disy in the square from that memorable night several years ago.

    Emelie was pressed against the door by William, his kisses trailing down her neck. Despite a vague sense that they shouldn''t be doing this and wondering what right William had to kiss her, Emelie couldn''t bring herself to push him away.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    Their coat, sweater, shirt, and long dressy scattered on the floor, taking advantage of their drunken state to temporarily forget their grudges.

    Eventually, they fell onto the bed. Their bodies were warm, and their breaths heated. There was a pillow below Emelie''s waist, and her ankles were firmly grasped.

    For a moment, Emelie thought William had left her. Yet, almost immediately, his presence enveloped her once

    more.

    A brief cry pierced the air in the room.

    Emelie propped herself on the mattress with her elbows, lifting up her upper body.

    She saw William''s dark, short hair.

    This wasn''t the first time William had eaten her out. During their brief reconciliation three years prior, they had explored many things in their rtionship.

    Emelie began to sweat even more. Her feet pressed against his shoulders, she felt utterly dazed and finally went over the edge.

    William sensed her increasingly erratic breathing and raised his head to kiss her, but she immediately turned her face to avoid him.

    He chuckled softly. "Are you still embarrassed?"

    Emelie red at him.

    In this context, her "rejection"cked any conviction. Instead, it came across more of a shy reproach. It was endearing

    William reached for a ss of water on the nightstand and gazed into her eyes. Although the lights were still off, his eyes gleamed with a soft light, like a lighthouse guiding ships through the darkness.

    Emelie was so shocked that she forgot to evade William when he kissed her lips once more. The kiss was apanied by the sound of liquid.

    When they finally pulled apart, Emelie felt very thirsty. The numerous kisses had left her parched.

    William tucked her sweaty hair behind her ear, and Emelie grabbed his ss of water, which was half full. She took a sip.

    The water, likely from the previous night, was cold. As it traveled down her throat and into her stomach, it brought her a refreshing coolness.

    William rummaged through the nightstand but didn''t find what he needed. It was then when he realized that he wasn''t in Eastbay. He had never brought any women to Sunnington Hill, so he didn''t have condoms here.

    The ss of water and the brief pause allowed Emelie, who had been taken over by drunkenness and desire, to

    regain some rity.

    She realized something was terribly amiss. Even though she was intoxicated, she shouldn''t be this defenseless.

    She had only experienced this level of helplessness once before in her entire life. That was back in Wimstour City when she had been drugged and found herself in a storage room with William.

    Everything fell into ce.

    Emelie''s anger red, her rage recing her previous desire. She grabbed William''s shoulders so tightly that her nails dug into them.

    She said with gritted teeth, ''You''re despicable!"

    "What?" William was puzzled.

    "You drugged me!" Emelie said.

    William furrowed his brow in confusion before realization dawned on him.

    So that was the reason. His unusual behavior was due to this.

    He lowered his head and murmured softly, ''I didn''t drug you. I was drugged as well.'' Emelie didn''t believe him. "If it wasn''t you, then who? Stop kissing me!"

 Chapter 773

    ?

    Chapter 773 Who Asked Him

    Both her rage and embarrassment burst forth uncontrobly. Sheshed out, her nails scratching William''s cheek and leaving faint red marks.

    William finally lifted his head from her chest, his eyes tinged with desire as he looked at her.

    After a moment of contemtion, he suddenly remembered something. "We had the same food tonight, except for the alcohol. That was prepared by Bryan."

    Bryan had been making efforts to reunite them recently and might have actually drugged them. That way, they wouldn''t have a choice.

    Yet, Emelie still thought that William was the prime suspect. "Bryan''s not crazy!"

    Bryan wouldn''t do something like that.

    "And you think I would?" William''s gaze lowered. "Can''t you see how terrified I am of upsetting you?"

    Emelie was at a loss for words.

    Their bodies remained pressed together, allowing them to feel each other''s warmth and every single muscle movement.

    What had been manageable when she was drunk now felt starkly different as she began to sober up. Her expression became more and more strained.

    She hadn''t had any intimate encounters for the past three years, and her body''s memories stirred within her. Moreover, they were stirred by the only man she had ever been close to.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    Despite the drug''s effects wearing off, she found it hard to endure, especially after what they did just now.

    She gritted her teeth and demanded, "Get up!"

    William hesitated, reluctant to end this intimate moment. He swallowed hard as he said alluringly, "You really don''t want to continue? Don''t you want me?"

    For one second, Emelie felt the pull of temptation.

    William saw her resolve waver and immediately took advantage of it. He kissed her again.

    He could feel her body heat up, so he continued to coax, "I won''t go... inside you, okay? Let''s keep going, alright?"

    Of course, she rejected him.

    Emelie bit her lip and retorted, "If you want to face rape charges."

    William, though feeling very frustrated, would not force her. He rested his head against her shoulder.

    Emelie could sense his heavy breathing, as if he was trying hard to calm himself.

    After a few moments, he finally got up from her. He took one of his shirts and put it on her before attempting to carry her to the bathroom.

    Emelie declined his help. Even though she managed to get out of bed, her legs were trembling.

    She walked to the bathroom and filled the tub with cold water. With a sigh, Emelie leaned on the sink, gazing at her reflection in the bathroom mirror.

    Her hair was a mess, and she was wearing only his shirt which was oversized on her. The cor had slid down from her shoulders, revealing her neck, corbones, and chest. They were all in a pitiable state.

    She covered her eyes, struggling to believe that their situation hade to this, and that she had been intimate with William.

    Even though they had notpleted the act, it was due to theck of contraceptives and William''s inquiries, not her resistance. If he had acted directly, she wasn''t sure she would have managed to back out.

    This was very troubling. She had thought that Bryan and Charles''s warnings were

    irrelevant, but it appeared they were not.

    Emelie sshed cold water on her face, suddenly hating herself.

    With a stern expression, she turned toward the bathtub. Just as she was about to immerse herself into the bath, the bathroom door abruptly swung open.

    Emelie nced over and saw William, wrapped in a bathrobe.

    He stood at the door and spoke softly. "It''s still cold outside. Don''t soak in cold water and take a shower instead. I''ll call the family doctor."

    With that, he left.

    Emelie stared at the tub of water nkly for a moment, then she adjusted the cold water to hot, refilling the tub.

    Half an hourter, she emerged from the bathroom draped in a bathrobe.

    The room was empty, so she went outside.

    William was seated on the sofa, and the family doctor was administering an IV to him, speaking in hushed tones.

    William nodded in response and then looked toward Emelie. "Emelie,e here."

 Chapter 774

    ?Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.

    Chapter 774 Did I Agree?

    Emelie didn''t approach William but took a seat on the sofa near the door instead.

    William smiled helplessly and said to the family doctor, "Doctor, please attend to her."

    The family doctor nodded and moved toward Emelie. He said, "Miss, if you could please hold out your hand."

    Emelie ced her wrist on the table, allowing the doctor to check her pulse.

    Emelie''s mind raced with the thought that tonight''s events should remain confidential. If word got out, it could reach Wesley''s ears.

    William caught onto her concern and reassured her from where he sat. "Don''t worry, my family doctor won''t divulge this information. Your fianc¨¦ won''t hear about it."

    Emelie detected the disdain in hisment and responded, "That''s reassuring. After all, we''re still nning to get married."

    William countered, "Do you really think I''d allow something like this to happen?"

    Emelie turned her gaze toward him. His features had be cold, his expression intense andmanding. It was akin to an alpha wolf-sharp, serious, and devoid of any trace of humor.

    Emelie chose not to reply.

    Once the doctor finished examining her, she asked, "Have you found out who drugged us?" William paused before replying, "It was quite sudden. I haven''t identified the culprit yet." Emelie remembered something while she was soaking in water. She sneered and said, "It must be Patrice. This isn''t her first time doing something like this."

    Back then, Patrice had used simr tactics to bring them back together. She had lured Emelie to a secluded grove so William could y the hero.

    William had guessed this possibility as well. He responded, "Patrice is still young. Don''t me her."

    Emelie smirked. "Since Patrice dared to do such a thing on Bryan''s territory, he must be aware. I refuse to believe that he isn''t."

    The situation was indeed frustrating, not being able to hold anyone ountable.

    The family doctor carefully said, "The drug administered to you was rtively mild and has dissipated significantly. There are two ways to manage this now: one is to let it wear off naturally, and the other is to drink more water to elerate metabolism."

    Emelie asked, "I don''t need an IV?"

    "Not at the moment," the doctor replied.

    Emelie nced at William, who was receiving an IV despite appearing more alert than she was. It meant that the IV was not an antidote but was necessary due to the effects of the alcohol on his health.

    William noticed her gaze and knew what she was thinking. He said, "I''m fine now. It''s just a precautionary measure."

    Emelie retorted coldly, "Mr. Middleton, you''re quite fragile these days. You even need an IV after a few drinks. Why don''t you just have that tumor removed? Why not resolve it once and for all?"

    William smiled. "You''re concerned about my health?"

    Emelie answered, "Naturally. After all, I don''t want you to die before I have a chance to take revenge."

    As enemies, theirte-night behavior seemed overly intimate.

    Even considering the influence of drugs, saying they had no choice wasn''t true. Based on the doctor''s evaluation, neither seemed heavily affected by the drug. With sufficient willpower, they should be able to resist.

    However, if they were indeed lovers, the hostility and death threats seemned overly extreme.

    The doctor was unsure, but he didn''t dare to interfere further. He packed up his things, informed William of his departure, and left hastily.

    Emelie also stood to leave.

    William stopped her. "I''ve asked Ashton to bring your clothes. Wait for a while. The water is on the table; help yourself."

    Unable to leave in her current state, Emelie went to sit back down on the sofa.

 Chapter 775

    ?Chapter 775 Sorry, I''m Too Happy

    The room was quiet. For a while, the only sound was the ticking of the clock.

    Emelie scrolled through her phone. Though she appeared to be busy, she was actually just switching between apps. She was rather absent-minded.

    She opened her email, wanting to check for new work messages. However, she had already dealt with all the emails from before the previous night, and there were no new emails. So, her inbox was empty.

    Then, she switched to another app, wanting to message Mona. However, when she looked at the clock, she noticed that it was already 2.30 AM. Mona, being an office worker, was probably asleep.

    With nothing to do, Emelie grew restless and irritated. She wondered why Ashton, known for her efficiency, had not arrived yet. It had been some time already.

    William suddenly said, ''If you''re bored, you could pick out a book from my study. It''s raining outside, so Ashton won''t be here anytime soon."

    Emelie didn''t know that it was raining. She instinctively looked toward the window.

    Outside, water streaked down the ss, breaking up the city lights into irregr patterns.

    She turned back to William and asked, "What makes you think I''m bored?"

    William''s expression softened. "If I said that it was based on my observation, would you think I was being provocative?''

    Emelie disliked how well he understood her. Her tone became sharper. "With how clever you are, what do you think, Mr. Middleton?"

    William''s smile grew wider, and he smoothly changed the topic. "Perhaps we should discuss why Bryan and Beathan brought you Daphne today."

    Emelie felt like he was merely provoking her with his attempt at conversation. It annoyed her.

    She also thought her previousment might have sounded flirtatious, causing her to swallow her words. She turned her head away, not saying a word.

    William looked at her gently.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    A few minutester, Emelie turned back to face him and asked, "What''s your opinion, Mr. Middleton?"

    She realized she couldn''t leave, so she decided that it was better to discuss something substantive rather than endure his teasing.

    William said, "Bryan likely wants to apologize and make amends. On top of that, he went along with Patricia''s n of drugging us. He''s doing all of this to achieve his goal of reconciling with us.

    "As for Beathan, he might have different motives. Given his recent issues with the police, he could be trying to smooth things over. This way, he can reduce the pressure that you gave him and resolve his current predicament''

    "So, after all this time, you''re just stating the obvious?" Emelie asked.

    By covering all possible angles, one would eventually arrive at the correct answer.

    William gazed at her. With the floormp casting a light that made her face appear as white as snow, his look deepened.

    He remainedposed and said, "I''m sorry, but I''m still not entirely clear on things. The drug hasn''t worn off, and my mind hasn''t fully caught up yet."

    Thisment reminded Emelie of their recent indiscretions, and she froze.

    William said in a low voice, "Maybe if you came over and let me hold you for a while, I might be able to think of other possibilities afterward.''

    Emelie almost thought she had misheard him. "What kind of fantasy are you having?"

    "Is this a fantasy?" William muttered. "If so, I''ve had quite a few over the past three years''

    Emelie was rendered speechless.

    "After tonight, I might have even more detailed dreams," William continued.

    Emelie was not only frustrated and embarrassed, but also confused. "William, what on earth are you talking about?"

    "Oh, I''m sorry. I suppose this is what they mean by being carried away with joy,'' William said with a genuine smile. "This is the happiest I''ve been in thest three years."

 Chapter 776

    ?Chapter 776 Emelie, Where Are You?

    Several hours prior in Eprand, thousands of kilometers away, Wesley finally returned to his hotel at midnight after dealing with the incident at the theme park.

    He entered the bathroom to wash his hands, then opened a bottle of mineral water. As he sipped the water, he pondered over the day''s events.

    When he was alone, he was always calm and cold. It was starkly different from the warmth that he disyed when Emelie was around. He was rather unapproachable and only treated Emelie well.

    Two beeps were heard. The door opened and Jodie entered promptly, carrying a stack of documents.

    Wesley put aside his mineral water and skimmed through the papers after taking them from Jodie. He smirked and said, "This person is indeed more useful than my uncles.

    Jodie said in a low voice, "His efforts this year with Bryan, just likest year''s car ident, have been sessful."

    "Not entirely," Wesley responded, tossing the documents onto the bar counter. "Otherwise, you wouldn''t have uncovered these details."T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    It was evident that they had help from someone working in the theme park. They had identified this insider before Wesley arrived. The insider held a high position, being the deputy head of the park.

    However, Wesley was surprised by the insider''s timidity. As soon as he arrived, the insider confessed.

    The insider said that he was initially afraid, but someone powerful in thepany promised that he would be safe. This gave him the courage to proceed.

    "It seems that they were anxious after the news of your marriage to Ms. Emelie reached Mercianna. After all, the madam said that you can get 5% more of the group''s shares if you got married. They were afraid of you growing stronger, so they were careless when acting," Jodie exined.

    Moreover, due to the insider''s fear, things were quickly exposed.

    Wesley took another sip of his mineral water.

    Jodie didn''t wait for further instructions and asked, "What should we do with these people? Should we dismiss them or have thewyer sue them?"

    Wesley tossed the empty bottle into the trash can and replied calmly, "Take care of everything. Don''t forget to send a token of appreciation to my aunt. It''s only proper."

    What did Wesley mean by "take care"?

    Jodie shivered.

    Ludy Fun Park was huge. Jodie being Wesley''s second-inmand position meant that her skills, experience, and connections are significant.

    However, for him to just casually tell her to take care of it...

    This is why Wesley''s apparent calmness in front of Emelie was just a facade. His ability to rise to the position of group''s leader as the maternal grandson required a ruthless and resolute nature.

    Jodie exited the room in silence, leaving Wesley to his thoughts.

    Wesley''s expression turned back to its usual indifference.

    Although no one was hurt, park-goers would doubt the safety of the theme park. A negative reputation was hard to shake.

    They had taken seven years to build this theme park, and it had taken an investment of a few billion. If he failed to protect thepany this time, they would face a great loss. It could even endanger Wesley''s position in thepany.

    He had downyed the severity in front of Emelie because he didn''t want her to worry. In fact, this matter

    was far more troublesome than she knew. He had to make sure that the public rtions department had it under control.

    Welsey stepped into the bathroom and started taking off his vest, wanting to take a shower.

    He suddenly remembered that he had not called Emelie today. So, he grabbed his phone and dialed her

    number, but the call went unanswered as the ringtone eventually ceased.

    He frowned, wondering if Emelie had already gone to bed. He would try again the following day.

    He removed his vest and tossed it into theundry basket. As he did that, he raised his arm, revealing his defined muscles, forming an attractive curve.

    He was about to take off his shirt when an unsettling feeling struck him.

    Wesley felt it was unusual for Emelie to have gone to bed without calling him, especially since he was in Eprand handling such significant issues.

    She would usually reach out and ask about the situation. But now, she didn''t even answer her phone.

    He remembered that she had gone to the Swanson family''s banquet tonight and grew concerned.

    He stepped back and leaned against the sink. Then, he called Lyle on his mobile, and the call was answered promptly.

    Wesley asked directly, "Where''s Emelie?"

 Chapter 777

    ?Chapter 777 Keep Your Promise

    Lyle replied, "She got drunk."

    "Did you all drink a lot of alcohol? Was it at Bryan''s home?" Wesley frowned. He refused to believe that Emelie had a great time with them.

    "We had some plum wine. That type of wine is quite potent. Even though we didn''t drink too much, it''s enough to get someone tipsy," Lyle exined.

    "So, she''s at the old house now?" Wesley asked.

    "Yes," Lyle replied.

    Wesley heard a woman''s voice in the background of Lyle''s call. "And you, Lyle?"

    Lyle touched his cheek with his tongue. "Cronus, are you checking up on me? I don''t see why I should answer these questions.

    "You do have an obligation," Wesley said coldly.

    "Emelie mentioned that you would be protecting her. That''s why I brought Jodie along. Otherwise, I could have just asked Jodie. Since you''ve taken Jodie''s ce to be with her, then you have a responsibility to answer me. So where is she right now?" Wesley said.

    Lyle remained uncooperative. "If you''re so eager to find out, why don''t youe back and see for yourself?" Lyle ended the call right after.

    Wesley immediately contacted the bodyguards that were protecting Emelie. They mentioned that Emelie and William had gone to Sunnington Hill two hours ago and had not yet returned.

    Wesly put down his phone slowly. He suddenly grasped the entire situation. It was all a carefully crafted scheme

    Bryan and Natalia had conspired to cause the incident at the theme park. Their objectives were clear. Firstly, they wanted to retaliate against Emelie.

    Second, they wanted to lure Wesley away so that William could do whatever he wanted to Emelie with greater

    ease

    Thirdly, they wanted to amplify the incident''s impact to weaken Wesley''s position within Filo Group.

    Wesley was angered. He nced at the items on the sink and, in a fit of anger, swept them all onto the floor. His expression turned cold as he remembered that day when he announced in front of William that their wedding was scheduled for April.

    On their way back to the old house, Emelie had asked him why he had never mentioned that their wedding date was set for April.

    "Don''t you want to marry me?'' he had asked softly.

    Emelie had paused for a moment before responding. "Of course I do. Why else would I have agreed to turn our pretense into something real?"

    Initially, they announced Emelie as Wesley''s fianc¨¦e merely as a strategy to give her a legitimate role within Filo Group and enable her to hold an executive position. The pretense turned genuine six months into their engagement, during an evening when Wesley returned from a banquet feeling tipsy.

    Emelie took a hot towel from a maid and knelt on the sofa on one knee. She wiped the sweat off his forehead, asking him why he had drank so much alcohol.

    He grasped her hand and asked, "Eme, do you remember when you said you would marry me?''

    Taken aback, Emelie replied, "...I remember."T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    She recalled, during their high school days, after she had fallen during a physical education test, Wesley had

    dashed across the field from to carry her to the infirmary. The other students had joked, calling him Emelie''s husband

    While she rested on his back, she asked, ''Wesley, will you marry me in the future?"

    He agreed.

    In his half-drunken state, Wesley''s gaze shone with the brilliance of a meteor streaking through the gxy as he stared at Emelie.

    "Then will you truly marry me?" he asked.

    The towel had grown cold as they continued to gaze at each other.

    Emelie, biting her lip, responded as she had shown years ago, "Yes."

    Wesley''s eyes darkened. ''Last time, when I asked you to marry me, you agreed so firmly. Why were you hesitant just now? Was it because of William?"

    "No, it wasn''t,'' Emelie said.

    "Are you sure, Emelie? You didn''t have any doubts?" Wesley questioned.

    To prove herself, Emelie responded promptly, ''Didn''t you say you wanted to have the wedding in April?''

    "Yes," Wesley replied.

    She said, ''April has the perfect weather. It is either too hot nor too cold, which I prefer. Should we hold the wedding in Coastalburg or return to Mercianna? Given your status, we would likely need to go back to Mercianna, right? I can rearrange my schedule to apany you."

    So, was she going to keep her promises?

 Chapter 778

    ?Chapter 778 All to Deceive You

    Emelie slept in until noon the next day.

    She rubbed her throbbing temples and went into the bathroom. Then, she went to take a shower, hoping it would clear her groggy mind.

    While she was brushing her teeth, she nced at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were bloodshot. She remembered that she had returned to the old house around four in the morning.

    William''sment thatst night had been the happiest he had been in three years echoed in her mind. Her brushing motion slowed as she thought about that.

    After she spat out the toothpaste and rinsed her mouth, she grabbed a face towel and dried her face as she made her way out of the room.

    She decided to head downstairs and get herself some water. Unexpectedly, when she opened the door, she found Wesley sitting on the sofa in the hallway.

    For a moment, Emelie thought that she might be imagining things. However, a closer look confirmed that it was indeed Wesley.

    "When did you get back?" she asked in surprise.

    "I arrived this morning," Wesley replied, looking her from head to toe as he stood up.

    "Why the rush? Have you sorted out the theme park issue?" Emelie suddenly recalled the events of the

    previous night and realized she had forgotten to call him and ask for an update.

    Wesley looked at her deeply, his eyes filled with emotions that Emelie found hard to decipher.

    She instinctively touched her face. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

    Wesley had already asked the bodyguards about Emelie''s return. They had noted the time she came back and that she was wearing different clothes from the ones she wore in the morning.

    He could already guess what happenedst night. He swallowed hard as he observed Emelie for several moments.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.

    In the end, he didn''t ask the questions he wanted to and simply said, "The theme park situation is quiteplicated. It seems my aunt is involved. I wanted to discuss how we should handle it."

    "Mis. Russo? Why is she involved again?'' Emelie''s face fell. ''I haven''t even had the chance to address the car ident with her yet since I''m busy with things here. She''s always causing trouble with her schemes.

    Wesley noticed a fresh cut on her lip, simr to one she had previously. His gaze darkened as he spoke. ''She''s quick to stir up trouble, that''s for sure."

    He seemed to be implying something.

    "You should have let me know. I would havee to Eprand to see you. There was no need for you to wear yourself out by flying back and forth," Emelie said.

    As she approached Wesley, he suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her closer. She almost collided with his chest.

    She looked up at him, puzzled. "What''s wrong?"

    Wesley''s grip on her arm was tight, as if he were holding a fragile kite string. He was afraid that if he let go, she might drift away, much like the decade they had been apart.

    Emelie called out again, ''Wesley?"

    Wesley gradually released her. "Help me down the stairs."

    Emelie supported him as they made their way down the stairs together.

    "How did things go at the Swansonsst night?" Wesley asked.

    Emelie chose not to mention the drugging incident. "They brought Daphne to me, iming it was an apology. That seems to be Bryan''s intention, but Beathan might have other ns.

    "He might have been hoping to provoke me into an outburst and kill Daphne, which would give him an excuse to use me of another crime. I managed to hold back, so his ns were in vain."

    Wesley''s tone was calm. ''You''re oversimplifying things. Bryan and Mrs. Russo have allied against us. Their goal is not to reconcile but to ensure our destruction.''

    He continued, ''It''s not just Bryan. There are others involved as well. Those who seem friendly or harmless are merely ying a part. Their aim is to deceive you, lower your guard, soften your resentment, and then strike when the moment is right."

 Chapter 779

    ?Chapter 779 Your Gigolo

    Emelie walked to the area near the window. She retrieved two ss cups and pressed a button on the water dispenser, filling each cup halfway. She handed one to Wesley.

    As he reached out for the cup, she looked at him intently and asked, ''You came so quickly. Did you find out about what happenedst night?"

    Wesley met her gaze calmly but remained silent. Hisck of response confirmed Emelie''s suspicion. He was indeed aware of the events.

    As his fianc¨¦e, it was her duty to exin the situation involving another man. Even though they were drugged and did not reach fourth base, Emelie still felt like she owed him an exnation.

    However, how was she supposed to exin this? She furrowed her brow and moved her lips, struggling to find the right words.

    Wesley took the ss of water from her without showing any signs of anger or me. His voice wasposed as he said, ''I already know about it. It''s not your fault. The one who''s responsible for it will pay." Emelie knew his approach to solving problems-he had always been unforgiving.

    She couldn''t help but ask, "Who exactly are you nning to look for? William was also drugged."

    "I''m not going after him," he said, gazing into her eyes. "Eme, are you worried? Are you afraid that I might cause trouble for William?"

    His disappointment was not directed at her for what had happened with William under the influence of a drug. Instead, it was her thinking there was a chance that he would harm William.

    For the first time, Emelie avoided his gaze. "I think what''s more important now is to solve the theme park issue in Eprand. We can''t let the public outcry escte any further."

    Despite her hangover andck of sleep, Emelie was keenly aware of the urgency of the situation.

    Wesley responded, "Yes, I''ve booked a flight for you to Eprand for tonight. You should pack your things and go first. I''ll sort out things here and join you as soon as I can."

    Emelie felt uneasy and asked, "What things do you need to sort out here?"

    Wesley simply replied, "Jodie will apany you. I trust her more than anyone else."

    The situation in Eprand was indeed pressing. Emelie quickly packed her belongings and left with Jodie and her bodyguards in tow.

    On the way to the airport, they encountered a car ident that blocked the road, almost causing them to miss their flight.

    They ended up having to run to catch the ne, adding to Emelie''s sense of unease as she settled into her

    seat

    Hourster, they finallynded in Eprand.

    As they walked out of the airport, Emelie switched off airne mode on her phone and was about to call Wesley to inform him of her arrival. However, her phone was bombarded with news alerts.

    She frowned and stopped in her tracks to read the headlines. "Swanson Corporation''s Technology Park Explodes for Unknown Reasons; 4 Dead, 17 Injured, and 6 Missing."

    Emelie was frozen in shock.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.

    At that moment, someone rushed past her and identally bumped into her. Her phone fell to the ground with a loud crack

    Jodie quickly picked up the phone, but the screen was shattered. Emelie''s expression mirrored the broken

    screen.

    "Ma''am, what is it?" Jodie asked, puzzled by her reaction.

    Emelie didn''t answer. She took the phone and called Wesley.

    While she waited for the call to connect, she recalled Wesley''s promise to hold the responsible party ountable for what happenedst night. The wine belonged to Bryan. Could the explosion at the Swanson Corporation''s Technology Park be a form of retaliation?

    Her hands shook slightly. Wesley didn''t answer her call.

    When she tried to call again, the phone was unresponsive, likely because it was damaged.

    As they reached the airport entrance, their driver''s car was waiting.

    Emelie instinctively bent over to get into the car. However, she suddenly lost her footing and nearly fell but was caught by a hand gripping her arm.

    She looked up, she saw William

    William frowned. "You look very pale. What''s wrong?"

    Emelie was startled and pushed him away. Without asking how he came, she told Jodie, ''Book a flight back to Coastalburg.

    "Back to Coastalburg? But we''ve just arrived," Jodie was confused by the sudden change in ns. However, Emelie needed to rify with Wesley whether the explosion was indeed a retaliatory act against Bryan. If Wesley killed so casually, how was he any different from Beathan and the rest?

    William, seeing her distressed state, grabbed her arm. "Calm down."

    "Calm down? How can I calm down? It''s all your fault!" Emelie shouted as she pushed him away in frustration. William was taken aback. "It''s my fault?"

    Emelie spoke without thinking and retorted, "If it weren''t for you angering him, would he have taken revenge on Bryan?"

    William was both exasperated and amused. He replied, ''So now I have to manage your fianc¨¦''s emotions too? What am I to you then? Your gigolo?"

 Chapter 780

    ?Chapter 780 It Makes You Look Immature

    Emelie didn''t want to waste time talking about irrelevant things with William. She turned to Jodie and instructed, "Book us a flight back to Coastalburg immediately."

    Jodie was already checking the flight options. "Ma''am, the earliest flight to Coastalburg isn''t until 9:30 am tomorrow.''

    It was already past 10 at night. There weren''t any more flights at this hour.

    Emelie couldn''t wait that long. "Is there any way to arrange a private flight?"

    Jodie shook her head. ''It''s not just about the staff being off-duty. In Eprand, private flights are heavily regted. The earliest we could arrange one would be by tomorrow morning."

    Emelie shut her eyes, trying to hold back her mounting irritation.

    William had been watching her panicking and stepped forward. "Why don''t you ask me? I''m right here. I can arrange a private flight. Do you want to ride on my ne?"

    Emelie''s eyes flew open, her gaze fixed on William. "You can leave now?"

    "Yes," he said.

    His short answer was able to make Emelie rx, even though she was still panicking.

    Emelie exhaled heavily. "Haven''t you seen the news?"

    William''s brow furrowed in confusion. "The evening news? No, I haven''t had the chance. I just dropped Patrice off at the Spencer residence and was about to head to my next destination. I haven''t had time to check my phone. What''s going on?"

    Dropping Patrice off?

    Emelie scrutinized him with suspicion. ''Did you send Patrice awayst night because you were afraid I was going to go after her?"

    William smiled. "I didn''t think of it that way. With your status, why would you hold it against someone so young? I was simply passing through, as I have other matters to attend to in Eprand."

    Emelie wasn''t that noble. She scoffed. "Patrice is only a few months younger than I am. What do you mean by " someone so young"? Besides, you didn''t have much to do in Coastalburgst night, and now you suddenly have urgent business in Eprand. Isn''t that a bit too coincidental?''

    William took a step forward, his eyes gleaming. ''So, you can''t forget what happenedst night?"

    His voice was low, as if deliberately seducing her into revisiting those memories.

    Emelie did recall the incident, especially the part where she had stepped on his shoulder.

    The memory made her skin prickle with goosebumps, and she red at him. "Which of your eyes saw me obsessing over it? William, if you say another word, I swear I''ll..."T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.

    "You''ll hit me?" William''s voice was soft. "Since you''re angry with me, why are you still rewarding me?"

    Emelie was rendered speechless by his manic remarks. "William, do you have no sense of shame at all?"

    William shrugged nonchntly. "I used to be overly concerned about maintaining my dignity, and as a result, I ended up with nothing. Now, I find that being shameless isn''t such a bad thing."

    Emelie didn''t know how to rebut him. So, she turned around and walked back into the airport.

    Yet, her anger overcame her, and she spun back around to confront him. "I''ve already told you! Where is your ne?"

    William seemed to like seeing her show genuine emotions, even if it was due to his provocations. He preferred thispared to her insincere smiles.

    He said, "Let''s have a light meal now. Otherwise, when we get back to Coastalburg, you''ll be overwhelmed with

    work and won''t have time to take care of yourself. It would be a shame to aggravate your stomach issues after you''ve finally recovered."

    Emelie responded curtly. "The food on airnes is quite good these days. I like it."

    "There''s no need to be so petty. It makes you look immature,'' he said.

    Emelie snapped, "Who are you calling immature?!"

    They had arrived at the VIP lounge. William opened the door and said, ''What I meant is, how about I make you a cup of English Breakfast tea?"

 Chapter 781

    ?Chapter 781 How Can You Be Sure?

    Emelie looked at William''s calm demeanor, feeling as though she had struck a blow against a pillow. She pursed her lips and sank into the sofa in silence.

    William brought a cup of tea over to her.

    "Try this," he suggested.

    The tea had a subtle bitterness, but it was sweet at the same time. As the fragrant steam rose, Emelie''s brow started to rx. After a few moments, Emelie epted the cup from him and took a few sips.

    William watched her drink, noting that she seemed to appreciate the vor.

    His gaze softened as he spoke. "Tea can help soothe your nerves. Are you feeling less anxious now?"

    Emelie paused, reflecting on his words. She realized that his teasing had been deliberate. He had sensed her anxiety and was trying to distract her.

    She decided not to acknowledge his attempt atfort, remaining silent and continued to sip her tea. William sat beside her and took out his phone. He quickly familiarized himself with the situation and dialed Bryan''s number with a frown.

    In Weston, Bryan had just emerged from the police station.

    Even at thiste hour, a crowd of reporters was waiting for him outside, moring for interviews. He only managed to get into his car safely with the help of his bodyguards.

    William simply asked, "What''s the situation?"

    Bryan''s expression was cold. "It wasn''t an ident. However, the public will undoubtedly hold the Swanson Corporation responsible. Who else would want to see the Swansons in trouble?"

    He suspected Emelie of being behind the incident, but William shook his head.

    When she heard the number of casualties, Emelie''s face had turned as pale as a sheet. There was no way she could be the perpetrator.

    Despite her tough exterior, she was very kind. That was why she was so fearful.

    Emelie turned to nce at him. William''s look was calm yet resolute.

    Bryan''s eyes narrowed. "How can you be so sure?"

    William exined, "If she were capable of killing, none of us would be here right now."

    Emelie had always adhered to thew while dealing with conflicts. That was her principle.

    If she were as ruthless and reckless as her adversaries, she would be no different from Charles or Beathan. Her deep-seated hatred for them made it impossible for her to be like them.

    Bryan rubbed his nose bridge and agreed with William. A person''s nature was difficult to change, and Emelie had shown no signs of using violence on him.

    This left only one possible suspect. "Wesley."

    Wesley, aware of the drugging incident to matchmake Emelie and William, had a motive to undermine William

    William shared the same thought. "What does Beathan think of this?"

    "What can he say? He''s being charged for hiring criminals and can''t leave Coastalburg. The Swanson family''s legal team is quite capable. If we didn''tmit the crime, no one can frame us and say that we did," Bryan said.

    He loosened his tie and said in a cold voice, ''I had hoped to settle our issues peacefully, but if they insist on

    escting matters, then I''ll fight them to the end!"

    William set his phone down and looked at Emelie. "This time, not only would Bryan be in danger, you both won''t be safe as well.""

    He continued, "Everyone knows you and Bryan are inpetition over a techpany. With the explosion at the technology park getting wide media coverage, if he uses you of sabotage, there will be some who might believe him.''

    Emelie said after a short pause, "We''re not na?ve. We wouldn''t let him falsely use us."

    William said, "So, it''s a fight to the death now. If you win, the Pierce family''s fate of the past will be akin to the Swanson family''s present."

    Despite her confidence in her public rtions team''s ability to handle the Swanson Corporation counterattacks, Emelie still felt frustrated. It was as though a heavy weight was pressing down on her chest, making it hard to breathe.

    Williammented, "Wesley has gone too far."

    That touched a sore spot, and Emelie snapped, "How can you be so sure it was him?"T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 782

    ?Chapter 782 A Fight

    "It''s not me who''s using him; it''s you," William said softly. "If you weren''t so uncertain, you wouldn''t be this frightened."

    Emelie felt her throat tighten. She turned away without saying a word.

    At that moment, Jodie handed her a phone. The caller ID showed Wesley''s name.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.

    Without hesitation, Emelie stood up and left the VIP room, taking the call outside

    The first thing she said was, "Did you have anything to do with the explosion at the Swanson Technology Park?"

    Over the line, Wesley''s voice was calm andposed despite the background noise of an airport. ''Aren''t you back at the hotel yet? I''ve arranged for dinner to be ready for you. You should eat something. Otherwise, you''ll be hungryter."

    Emelie''s voice was taut with urgency. "I need to return to Coastalburg immediately."

    Wesley replied, "Handle your matters in Eprand first. I''ll take care of things here."

    Emelie''s teeth were clenched as she insisted, "Whether or not it was you, I can''t stay in Eprand any longer. I need to go back."

    Wesley''s tone softened. "Eme, please listen to me."

    For the first time, her eyes showed signs of fatigue, and she raised her voice sharply. "I said I''m going back now!"

    William, who had been quietly observing, nced toward the door.

    On the other end of the call, Wesley sighed quietly. ''I sent you to Eprand specifically to keep you out of the troubles in Coastalburg."

    Emelie''s head felt as if it were spinning. "So, did you really cause the explosion?''

    She struggled to control her emotions. "Have you lost your mind?! Four people dead and 17 injured. These are lives! They''re innocent and have nothing to do with our personal vendettas! Why drag them into this?''

    Wesley fell silent, his pauseden with meaning. Whether it was due to his surprise at how she viewed him or an acknowledgment of her usation, it was unclear.

    After a moment, he asked, "Do you really believe that I''m the kind of person who could do something like this?

    She said, "What am I supposed to think otherwise? The explosion happened right after I left Coastalburg and right after you mentioned seeking revenge on those who wronged you. Wesley, it''s hard not to suspect you!" "But Eme, you never used to doubt me. Whatever I said, you took it as truth. Why has that changed now? Didn''t you notice? Ever since you''ve been with William, you seem to care less about me,'' Wesley said.

    "I just happened to have run into him," Emelie said.

    Wesley''s voice remained gentle, but his words were firm. "I trust you. Stay in Eprand and handle the theme park issue. Remember, you represent the Filo Group in this matter. You''re my subordinate, and you should follow my orders.

    This was the first time Wesley had used amanding tone with her.

    Emelie should have realized, given his sudden return to Coastalburg this morning, that he was harboring a grudge over the perceived betrayal. He would not rest until he had vented his frustration. How could she have listened to him and left Coastalburg at this critical moment?

    Jodie walked up to her and said, ''Ma''am, let me take you to the hotel to rest. Tomorrow morning, the executives from Eprand wille to meet you. With the Swanson family''s current predicament, we can suppress the negative press about the theme park and use this opportunity to address it."

    Emelie gripped her phone tightly. After a brief pause, she said, "Let''s go to the hotel."

    "Not going back to Coastalburg?" William emerged from the VIP room, observing her expression with concern. "Are you disappointed with Wesley''s actions?"

    "This is between him and me. You have no right to interfere.'' Emelie pushed past him, heading toward Jodie. As her hand brushed against William''s chest, he felt an intense heat from her palm, even through the gloves and his shirt. The warmth was unusually noticeable and not quite normal.

    William took hold of her arm and touched her forehead. Emelie attempted to pull away, but he held her chin and pressed his forehead against hers.

    After a few seconds, he said with concern, "You have a fever. Can''t you feel it?"

 Chapter 783

    ?Chapter 783 Crying

    Emelie reached up to touch her forehead, but she couldn''t feel anything out of the ordinary.

    Jodie, who had removed her gloves, reached out to touch Emelie''s forehead. After a brief moment, she

    nodded. ''Ma''am, you have a fever."

    No wonder she had been feeling unwell since the ne ride. She exhaled deeply, feeling as though misfortune had piled up all at once.

    Jodie said hurriedly, "I''ll call the doctor right away."

    William had already picked Emelie up in his arms. "I have a doctor with me. There''s no need to look for another."

    Emelie felt increasingly ufortable and struggled in his embrace. "William, put me down! I just have a slight fever: I''m not crippled!"

    William replied, "If you were in good health, you wouldn''t have broken your phone. Where are you staying?" He nced over at Jodie, who instinctively responded, ''Ster Hotel.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    With Emelie in his arms, William strode out of the airport and into the car that was waiting for Emelie.

    Although the car and its arrangements were all meant for Emelie, William took charge and instructed, ''To the hotel."

    The driver hesitated briefly before turning on the engine.

    Emelie tried to resist, but as soon as she noticed her fever, her difort became overwhelming. Her head felt as though it were inting like a balloon, and the pressure was unbearable. This drained her of the strength to fight against William.

    William noticed her closed eyes and furrowed brow and knew that she was suffering. He felt a pang of sympathy.

    In a gentle voice, he said, "Just hang in there, angel. We''ll be at the hotel soon."

    Emelie turned her head away.

    Jodie, unable to watch Emelie being carried in this manner, reached out to take her back.

    Without even looking at Jodie, William gently stroked Emelie''s hair and said, "If you believe that her health is less important than obeying your ruthless master who kills the innocent, thene and take her."

    Jodie hesitated for a few moments before letting Emelie''s hand go.

    When they arrived at the hotel, William carried Emelie to her room.

    Emelie''s mind had regained some rity. She pushed him away and said coldly, "I don''t need you."

    William tried to reason with her and said, "I''m taking care of you because I''m responsible for your current state. It''s my fault."

    Emelie asked, "What do you mean?"

    William exined, "It must have been because you were left exposedst night with the air conditioning on for too long. You were caught between being warm and cold, which caused your fever. I''m the one who caused this, so I should be responsible for making it right."

    Emelie was fuming and grabbed a pillow, throwing it at his face. "If you bring upst night again, I''ll cut out your tongue!"

    William listened to her and moved backward.

    Soon, the doctor arrived and took Emelie''s temperature, which was 38¡ãC. Fortunately, she didn''t need an IV or injections. Just a fever-reducing patch and some rest would suffice.

    William ced his hand gently over Emelie''s eyes. ''Sleep now, angel."

    Emelie''s eyelids were heavy with fatigue, eventually sumbing to sleep with the cooling sensation on her forehead

    Emelie had a dream.

    The dream took her back to the downfall of the Pierce family, triggered by a mine copse. Although Emelie had only heard stories about it and had never witnessed it firsthand, the dream was disturbingly detailed.

    She saw the ground suddenly giving way, heard the horrific screams of trapped workers, and saw the families of the victims throwing rotten eggs and vegetables at the Pierce family''s doorstep.

    The scene then shifted to a massive explosion. She saw severed hands and feet drenched in blood, as if she were witnessing a hellish nightmare.

    The terror overwhelmed her, and she screamed, "No"

    She was startled and sat up abruptly from the bed, only to find herself in a warm embrace.

    William held her tightly and muttered, "It''s not your fault. Don''t be afraid. It''s not your fault."

    Emelie clung to him desperately, her breathsing in ragged gasps as she buried her face in his chest. Before long, William felt his shirt growing damp with her tears. She was crying.

 Chapter 784

    ?Chapter 784 Her Independence

    William felt as if his chest were searing with fire from the heat of Emelie''s tears.

    He knew that Emelie had woken from a nightmare, and her emotions were unstable. He didn''t intend to startle her.

    However, when she started sobbing, he couldn''t stop his body from trembling slightly. He tightened his embrace, pulling her closer to his chest.

    "Angel... I''ve got you," he said.

    Emelie wasn''t the type to cry easily. It was the first time William had ever seen her in tears.

    "Angel.." he repeated.

    Whenever Emelie shut her eyes, the images of dismembered bodies would flood her mind.

    "It''s all my fault... If I hadn''t gone to the Swanson family dinner, I wouldn''t have been drugged. Wesley wouldn''t have gotten angry, and none of this would''ve happened..." she said in a hoarse voice.

    How could she me herself?

    William''s brows knitted tightly. "No matter whose fault it is, it''s definitely not yours."

    Emelie pushed against his chest. "You''re right. It was your fault."

    William refused to let go, fearing that seeing her tear-streaked face would break him.

    He said, ''It''s my fault, Angel. But for now, just rest, okay? We''ll deal with everything else tomorrow, alright?"

    Exhausted and ill, Emelie''s mind grew hazy as she closed her eyes.

    William adjusted his position to make her morefortable. He held her close, gently soothing her.

    "Everything will be alright,'' he said.

    It was over half an hour before William felt Emelie was back into a deep sleep. He gently released her.

    A dim night light was casting a soft glow by the bed. With that, he noticed the streaks of dried tears tracing her cheeks. He was afraid of waking Emelie, so he didn''t dare wipe them away.

    He used to think that she was tooposed, too rational, and too independent. She was never one to lean on anyone.

    But now, he felt an overwhelming quilt seeing her being vulnerable. He cursed himself and the entire world for letting her reach that point.

    How could anyone hurt her?

    William carefully tucked the nket around her and left the bedroom.

    In the guest lounge, Ashton and Fabian were waiting.

    "Mr. Middleton," they greeted.

    "I''ll pay you a month''s sry in overtime. I want to know the top suspect in the Swanson Corporation explosion before dawn,'' William demanded.

    Ashton and Fabian exchanged a nce.

    "Yes, sir." They nodded in agreement and left together.

    William sat on the couch with his chin propped in one hand, deep in thought.

    Suddenly, he lifted his eyes and looked at a dimly lit corner.

    Though it seemed quiet, someone was there.

    "Is it obliged for assassins to hide their presence anywhere and at any time?" William asked calmly.

    Jodie remained unresponsive.

    "Bring me the files on the Ludy Fun Park," William instructed.

    Jodie furrowed her brows

    "I''ll take a look for her. Otherwise, she''ll have to work while she''s sick when she wakes up tomorrow. You might not be concerned about her well-being, but I am," William added.

    Jodie hesitated before responding. "Those are confidential files from the Filo Group. If Ma''am needs help, we can handle it. There''s no need to worry, Mr. Middleton."

    William didn''t press further and shut his eyes.

    Jodie was indeed the best assassin. Though William appeared asleep, she could sense that he was merely closing his eyes. His vignce wasn''t about being wary of her taking advantage. Rather, he was waiting for the news of the explosion.

    Three hourster, before dawn, Ashton and Fabian finally returned with their findings.

    "Duncan Finley?" William narrowed his eyes.

    "He''s a security guard at the building but wasn''t on duty yesterday. He swapped shifts with another guard. He changed duty because he had to attend a bonding event at his son''s kindergarten today. That''s why he requested a day off," Ashton exined.

    She continued, "He was supposed to be stationed at the North Gate. However, the surveince footage showed him at the South Gate. It was one of the earliest fire locations. That''s highly suspicious.''N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    William looked at the file in his hands containing Duncan''s resume. There was nothing notable among the information.

    "Where is he now?" William asked.

    Fabian replied, "He''s one of the four deceased victims."

 Chapter 785

    ?Chapter 785 Rift

    William asked, "Are there any major transactions in his family''s ounts recently?"

    Ashton replied, "We checked the ounts of his wife, parents, siblings, and other close rtives. There were no unusual transactions."

    "So, he started the fire and took his own life. He added to the Swanson Corporation''s blood debt and left us with no witnesses. He killed three birds with one stone. Keep a close watch on his family," William said, tossing the file aside.

    "Yes, sir," Aston and Fabian replied.

    Jodie had been silently standing in the corner. As the first light of dawn crept in, she could no longer remain hidden. The others hadn''t bothered to exclude her from the conversation as well.

    Suddenly, Ashton asked, "Did something cross your mind, Ms. Noble?"

    While Jodie''s expression remained nk, Ashton smirked.

    She said, "Using a fire to cover something up sounds like Mr. Reyes'' signature move. I remember he pulled a simr stunt in Morskov years ago."

    Jodie replied calmly. "He''s not the only one who knows how to do that."

    Ashton added, "But right now, Mr. Graham is the most suspicious."

    Jodie remained unruffled. "Maybe wait until the police investigate Mr. Graham before jumping to conclusions.

    William ignored their exchange, deep in thought.

    He said, "Look into... Beathan."

    Ashton was confused. ''Beathan? Does he have something to do with this?"

    William replied calmly. "Just check what he''s been up totely."

    Beathan had been too quiet recently.

    When Emelie woke up, it was already half-past eight in the morning.

    Her fever had finally subsided and, although she wasn''t fully recovered, she felt much better than the night before.

    Given the situation, she knew she had to tackle the day''s problems one at a time. She got out of bed and went into the bathroom to freshen up

    As she stepped out, she caught the smell of fried sausages. She took a few more steps and saw William setting up breakfast at the table.

    He was wearing a ck turtleneck sweater that softened his usual stern demeanor. As Emelie approached, he looked up.

    "Angel, you''re awake? I figured you''d prefer a Cedonian breakfast. I made a few dishes. Tell me if it suits your liking," William said.

    Emelie furrowed her brows. ''You made them?"

    William remained calm. "Yep."

    Emelie let out a scoff. ''I saw you emptying takeout containers onto those tes. It was delivered."

    What was he thinking, trying to y the perfect husband?

    William wasn''t fazed upon being called out. He simply pulled out a chair for her. "Maybe make a bit more noise next time when you wake up. That way, I''ll have time to hide the ''evidence''.''

    Emelie walked over, and William pushed her chair closer to the table. He reached over and ced a cup of coffee in front of her.

    As he leaned in, she could feel his warmth. It reminded her of the night before when he was gentle and caring while soothing her to sleep.

    She took a sip of coffee and asked indifferently, "Mr. Middleton, why are you still here? Don''t you have somewhere else to be?"

    William sat down across from her. ''I''m pretty free so I can stay for a few more days."

    Emelie lifted her gaze. "But I''m busy, and I''d appreciate it if you leave me in my room, Mr. Middleton. There are some confidential matters I need to handle."Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.

    William reminded her, "But this is my room.

    Emelie arched her brows. ''Then should I leave?"

    Though she said that, she made no move to get up.

    William couldn''t help but chuckle in resignation. "Alright, alright. I''ll go. Just make sure you have breakfast. I can''t finish them all alone. Plus, it''d be a waste to throw it out."

    Since when did he be so frugal?

    As William left, Emelie picked up her fork, grabbed a sausage, and took a bite. It was perfectly crisp, as if freshly cooked. Suddenly, her mood lifted a little.

    As Emelie ate, she said to Jodie, "The meeting at ten o''clock will go on as scheduled. You were rightst night. Now''s the best time to deal with Ludy Fun Park."

    "Got it... Ma''am, should we have the PR Department give the Swanson Corporation a little push?" Jodie hesitated before asking.

    A push to expose the Swansons'' mistakes, stir up public opinion, and attack theirpany. If handled well, they could be brought downpletely. With that, Emelie could get the revenge she had been after.

    Emelie nced down at her coffee. The dark surface reflected a faint, distorted image of her face. It wasn''t clear, but it wasn''t entirely gone either.

    She hadn''t lost herselfpletely to the thirst for revenge. She still knew what was right and wrong to do. "Jodie, I''m not without conscience," she said.

    Many lives were lost. Even if Emelie wasn''t directly to me, the guilt weighed heavily on her. How could she exploit their tragedy to attack the Swanson Corporation?

    Jodie lowered her head, her eyelid twitching slightly.

    She wasn''t even sure if Wesley was behind the explosion. But if he was, the rift between Wesley and Emelie had be transparent.

 Chapter 786

    ?Chapter 786 His Chance With Her

    For the next week, Emelie stayed in Eprand, focused on managing the Ludy Fun Park incident.

    Due to the PR department''s effort, and the fact that no fatalities were reported, under their series of measures, they managed to salvage some of the park''s reputation.

    A weekter, when the park reopened. The visitor numbers were down by 40%pared to before the incident. It was considered a significant sess.

    On the other hand, the Swanson Corporation wasn''t as fortunate.

    Two more severely injured victims sumbed to their injuries in the hospital. With that, the death toll was raised to six, and a massive online outcry ensued.

    This made the Swanson Corporation''s stock plummet over two consecutive trading days. The fallout was so severe that they lost major ongoing deals. Even thepany''s cash flow faltered.

    However, that wasn''t the worst of it. A government task force was formed to investigate the Swanson Corporation''s other tech parks.

    The investigation uncovered issues at two more locations, igniting public outrage and suspicion. It also put the Swanson Corporation under intense scrutiny. Every step that they took now became increasingly difficult. Despite the Swanson Corporation''s attempts at damage control, their efforts were in vain. That week felt like they were walking a tightrope for everyone at the Swanson Corporation.

    Emelie avoided looking into the Swanson Corporation''s situation. However, it had be a hot topic that was impossible to ignore.

    While she was getting breakfast from a street vendor, Emelie overheard negativements about the Swanson Corporation. The owner was cursing thepany as he fried sausages for another customerT¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie carried her cottage cheese and sausage back to the car. Finally, she gave in and checked the news on her phone.

    The Swanson Corporation downfall didn''t happen by chance, someone had been pulling the strings behind the scenes. It wasn''t hard to guess who that person might be.

    Emelie finished her breakfast in silence.

    "Take me to the airport," she said.

    Once Emelie finished her work in Eprand, it was time to return to Coastalburg.

    As she sat in her business ss seat, she rested her head on her hand, and gazed out at the scenery.

    Suddenly, someone sat down next to her. She nced over casually, expecting just another passenger, only to see William.

    That bastard. He had been appearing frequently where she was over the past week. He brought food, drinks, clothes, and umbres. Each time, he imed it was a coincidence.

    It was as if the city with 16,410 square kilometers was some small town. He made it look like running into each other was inevitable.

    Emelie couldn''t even bother to be annoyed. "Another coincidence?"

    William chuckled. "Yeah. I suppose it''s fate."

    Emelie had no interest in engaging with him.

    As the ne neared Coastalburg, Emelie''s mood grew increasingly heavy.

    William had hoped to offer Emelie a ride in his car when theynded at the airport. He was hoping for the chance to spend their final private moment together.

    Unfortunately, as they exited the terminal, they saw Wesley waiting by his car meant to pick up Emelie. He

    was dressed in light colors, looking gentle and demure.

    "Eme," Wesley greeted her.

    A hint ofplex emotions flickered across Emelie''s expression. Still, she walked over to Wesley.

    "Didn''t I tell you not toe pick me up? We agreed to meet back at the house. The airport is far away," she said.

    Wesley took his coat and draped it over her shoulders.

    "For all these years, I''ve always been the one to pick you up. No matter where you went or came from. This time is no different. Let''s go home," he said softly.

    Emelie entered the car with him.

    Wesley closed the car door and briefly nced at William. Then, he gave a polite nod as a gesture of acknowledgement. He circled the car to the other side and drove off, quickly disappearing from William''s

    view.

    William pondered for a moment, realizing that Emelie hadn''t even nced his way as she got into the car. He had hoped that Emelie might care a little after spending a week together. However, it seemed he was mistaken.

    William sighed softly.

    Ashton asked, "Mr. Middleton, where to next?"

    "Let''s go to Xanther first," he said.

    In the car, Emelie and Wesley rode in silence for a long time.

    No matter where Emelie had been traveling In the past, they would at least call once daily. But this time, they hadn''t talked at all for an entire week.

    Wesley had only learnedst night that Emelie was returning to Coastalburg. When he found out, he came to the airport to pick her up.

    Wesley broke the silence and asked, "So, these past few days, have you two been spending a lot of time together?"

    Of course, he was asking about William.

    Emelie replied, "It''s just been a coincidence

    Wesley asked, "So many coincidences?"

    Emelie pressed her lips together. "For me, encountering him is a coincidence. Whether he''s seeking me out on purpose, I don''t know.''

    "But you didn''t push him away. He took care of you when you were having a fever," he said.

    With Jodie around Emelie, Wesley naturally knew about everything that was going on.

    Emelie let out a sigh and retorted sharply, "So, are you getting mad again? nning to take revenge or cause another explosion somewhere?"

 Chapter 787

    ?Chapter 787 Odd

    Marcel was driving at the front and sensibly raised the divider between the front and back seats. Still, the barrier didn''tpletely block out the voices from the back, and he could still hear the argument between the two.

    Wesley''s voice was colder than usual. ''What makes you think I''d do something so brutal?"

    Emelie was skeptical. "So you''re saying you weren''t behind the explosion?"

    "It wasn''t me. I only fanned the mes to make the Swanson Corporation''s situation worse. But the explosion wasn''t my doing," Wesley replied.

    Emelie clearly didn''t believe him. ''When I asked you on the day it happened whether or not it was you, you didn''t deny it."

    "I answered you, Eme. I mean, you used to trust me without a question. But now it seems like you''re not as angry with William anymore. Or maybe you''re not angry at all. It''s like you''ve stopped believing in me," Wesley said calmly, though there was a sharp and aggressive undertone.

    He continued, "Eme, why do you always forgive William so easily? Have you forgotten that he''s your enemy? That your foster mother died because of him? The arrow he shot at you? And that he made you depressed when you first came to Mercianna? You even cut off your fingers-"

    "I haven''t forgotten!" Emelie sharply cut him off.

    Marcel furrowed his brows. Though he kept his eyes on the road, he was concerned for the two in the back. He instinctively slowed the car down despite the smooth traffic.

    In his memory, Wesley and Emelie had never fought before.

    Wesley had always felt indebted to Emelie, so he would always amodate and indulge her. Meanwhile, Emelie was always protective of him, concerned about his health.

    It was the first time that things were different.

    Emelie sighed and spoke through gritted teeth. "I haven''t stopped hating him. I''ve been following my n without deviation.''

    Wesley asked, ''Is that so?"

    "Yes. I haven''t stopped believing in you either. You say that you didn''t do it, so I''ll take your word for it. Is that good enough?" she said.

    The car fell silent again.

    A whileter, Wesley spoke again. "It''s already March, and the wedding preparations are far from done. Looks like the team isn''t putting in enough effort. Eme, why don''t you take over? You can handle it the way you want."

    Emelie found it absurd. "You want me to drop everything and go back to Marseille to prepare for the wedding?

    "The Swanson family is barely holding on. Beathan and William are the rest we have to deal with. I can handle them. We''re in this together. Your enemies are mine too. Just head over there to take care of the preparations tomorrow," Wesley said.

    Emelie was in disbelief. ''Wesley! Did you even ask me if I agreed to this? Do you need me to handle the wedding, or you just can''t stand me meeting William? Is that why you''re trying to send me away?"

    "Think what you want,'' Wesley said.

    Emeilie was furious. "How could.."

    Marcel sensed the tension rising and was about to intervene to ease the situation.

    However, at that moment, Emelie''s phone rang. It was Samuel calling.

    Emelie took a deep breath to calm herself and answered the call. ''Mr. Swanson."

    Samuel asked, "Emelie, are you back in Coastalburg?"

    "Yeah. I justnded," she replied.

    "Can we meet right now?'' Samuel asked.

    Emelie nced out the window. "Sure."

    Emelie ended the call and ignored Wesley.

    She tapped on the partition, and Marcel lowered it.

    Emelie said, ''Pull over up ahead. I''m meeting Mr. Swanson."

    Marcel hesitated and nced at Wesley.

    "Where are you guys meeting? I can take you there," Wesley added

    Emelie had had enough. "I''m meeting Mr. Swanson, not William. You don''t need to keep tabs on me."

    "Why would you think I''m spying? Eme, you''ve really misunderstood me, Wesley said with a tinge of anger. Emelie shut her eyes, feeling exhausted from talking to him. "We''re meeting at Eden''s Bistro."N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    Then, Marcel followed the GPS and drove to the coffee shop.

    When they arrived there, Emelie immediately got out of the car.

    Wesley looked over and their eyes met briefly, a silent exchange passing between them. Emelie closed the car door and walked toward the coffee shop without looking back.

    Marcel started the car and drove for a distance.

    "Mr. Graham, why are you suddenly so upset about ma''am spending time with William? You never seemed to mind before," he couldn''t help but ask.

    "Who knows what they''ve done that night they were drugged? She''s my fianc¨¦e. Should I just overlook this? If she had any sense of shame, she wouldn''t get so close to him," Wesley replied coldly.

    Marcel was at a loss for words. While there was some truth to Wesley''s frustration, it wasn''t like him to speak this way. Marcel thought it felt off.

 Chapter 788

    ?Chapter 788 Her PromiseT¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie walked into the coffee shop and saw Samuel in his wheelchair.

    His legs were slowly healing, and his condition was better. However, it would still be some time before he could walk again.

    He had a bodyguard with him. On the table in front of him sat a cup of coffee, untouched.

    "MI. Swanson. How''s your leg?'' Emelie greeted him as she approached.

    "I can manage a few steps with the help of a railing. The doctor says I''m recovering better than expected," Samuel said. Then, he gestured to his bodyguard to order for Emelie.

    "Coffee is fine," Emelie said.

    Samuel asked, "You look a bit worn out. Haven''t been sleeping well?"

    "I''ve been in Eprandst week dealing with things. Didn''t really get much sleep," Emelie said as she sat down. Samuel smiled faintly. "While you were away from Coastalburg, the Swanson family has been through a lot." Emelie pressed her lips together. ''It wasn''t me."

    "I believe you. I spoke with Wesley two days ago and asked him if he was behind it,'' Samuel said as he picked up the coffee, the dark liquid reflected in his sses.

    "And what did he say?" Emelie asked.

    "He didn''t admit to anything, but he made it clear that he''s not done with the Swansons. Emelie, do you remember a promise that you made?" Samuel said.

    He lifted his head, his gaze heavy with unspoken concern.

    Emelie paused, then nodded. "Yeah, I do."

    It was the day that he woke up after being hit by a car because of her. He had asked her to promise him something, though he hadn''t specified it. He said he would ask for it when the time came.

    Samuel pursed his lips. ''Call me despicable if you want, but I''m cashing in that promise to save Bryan''s life." Emelie remained silent.

    He continued, "I knew about everything between you and the Swanson family... If I said that I didn''t, it would be a lie."

    Samuel gave a bitter smile. "I''m always aware that the Swansons wronged the Pierces. If I were to use our friendship to ask you to let the Swansons off, it would be me overstepping.

    "Whatever we took from your family, I''m willing to repay, even if it costs my entire family''s fortune. All I ask is that you spare Bryan."

    From the moment Emelie made that promise, Samuel had been preparing. The feud between the four families and Emelie wouldn''t end without bloodshed. However, Samuel couldn''t bear to see Bryan pay with his life. "Emelie, we''ve known each other for years. This is the first time I''m asking for a favor. Please, don''t let him take the fall for the explosion. Don''t let him spend the rest of his life in prison..." Samuel pleaded.

    Emelie looked at him.

    Behind his sses, his eyes were still warm, and the silver chain on his frames swayed slightly. It was just as when they first met at Coastalburg University.

    She nodded, her throat tightened with emotion. "Alright...''

    Samuel said weakly, "Thank you."

    The investigation team had to identify the root cause of the explosion. They had to divide their work and find

    out the one responsible for the six deaths.

    They have been working tirelessly over the past few days. Finally, the explosion was reported to be caused by a short circuit.

    ording to thews, electrical systems must be regrly inspected. Neglecting inspections could lead to hidden dangers. If such negligence caused a preventable disaster, it would be considered human error.

    In thiscase, Bryan, as the head of the corporation, would be held ountable for all the consequences. After two weeks of waiting, the investigation team received the finalized ident report.

    Backed by testimonies, the report confirmed that the ident wasn''t because of aging wiring. Rather, it was categorized as an ident.

    With this conclusion, the incident''s severity was downgraded, and Bryan was no longer the primary party responsible

    He was finally released from custody after being detained for a week. The Swanson family gathered at the detention center to pick him up.

    Meanwhile, Wesley arrived at Emelie''s office.

    Her office was at the Filo Group''s headquarters in Coastalburg. The office upied a single floor with six or seven employees.

    Wesley asked directly, "Eme, was it you?"

 Chapter 789

    ?Chapter 789 Big Fight

    Emelie understood the underlying implication in his words.

    "Yes, it was me. I swapped the ident report to clear Samuel''s name," she calmly admitted.

    A shadow veiled over Wesley''s face.

    She continued "I consulted with awyer. He''ll likely get a three-year suspended sentence with five years of probation. He won''t go to prison, but he''ll have topensate the victims and their families.

    "There were so many casualties and the public''s image of the Swanson Corporation went bad. Thepany might go bankrupt with that. I think that''s enough punishment.''

    "You think that''s enough to avenge what the Swanson family did to the Pierces and the Hovens? The Swansons destroyed lives." Wesley spoke each word deliberately.

    Emelie exined, ''Bryan once did me a favor. Mr. Samuel has always had a good rtionship with us as well. Besides, the Swansons weren''t the masterminds behind what happened to my family.

    "Bryan''s father was the one who took advantage of the situation, not Bryan. Seeing their fortune crumble should be enough. There''s no need to take Bryan''s life."

    Emelie let out a heavy sigh.

    Wesley''s voice turned cold. ''You always let your emotions get the better of you. Anyone who once meant something to you, you end up sparing them. No matter what the cost. It was the same with Bryan and the same with William. I''m really not liking this, Eme.''

    Emelie looked at him steadily. "What''s done is done. What are you going to do if you''re not happy with it?" "From today onwards, you''re suspended from all your duties. Just go back to Mercianna. I''ve told you before, your focus now is preparing for the wedding," Wesley said.

    Then, he turned and walked to the window, his profile sharp and unyielding.

    It took Emelie a few seconds to fully grasp his words.

    She shot up from her chair. ''You''re suspending me from all of my duties? Are you trying to cut my work offpletely? Wesley, don''t forget, I have shares in the Filo Group. I''m a board member, and board members have a say in executive decisions. I don''t agree with your n."

    Emelie refused Wesley''smand.

    Wesley gave a cold smile. "Those shares? I gave them to you. Do you really think it''s difficult for me to take them back?"

    Emelie held her breath. ''Wesley, why have you be this way?"

    "You made me," Wesley said

    She was at a loss for words.

    Wesley walked up to her and gripped her chin with force. "Eme, haven''t I been good enough to you? When you were at your lowest, I was the one who saved you. I pulled you out of the dark.

    He added, "I''ve never asked for anything in return, except for you to marry me. That''s what you promised me 13 years ago. And yet, you keep getting entangled with William. Where does that leave me?"T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie''s eyshes fluttered.

    Wesley continued, ''I''m just so disappointed in you. If you don''t start meeting my expectations, I''ll take back your shares in the Filo Group and leave you with nothing."

    Emelie''s throat tightened as disappointment welled up in her eyes. After a few seconds, she let out a chuckle. She said, "If you''re still upset about that night, maybe we should cancel the wedding?"

    "Cancel the wedding so you can run off with William? That''s not happening, Eme. Even if you don''t love me, I

    won''t let you go to him," he said.

    Emelie shut her eyes, no longer holding back. "If you''re so convinced that we had an affair, then fine. Yes. We were together that night. And I''ll tell you what we weren''t even that out of it from the drugs. We knew exactly what we were doing and couldn''t stop ourselves."

    Wesley''s expression grew even darker with each word, and his grip on her chin tightened.

    Emelie was in pain but she kept going, deliberately provoking him.

    She said, "It wasn''t just that night. We were all over each other in Eprand too. Didn''t Jodie tell you? I caught a fever, and he took care of me all night. Then one thing led to another and...

    "Did you think we spent those seven days in Eprand doing nothing? We stayed in the same hotel, in the same room, for seven days straight. We''

    Wesley''s anger finally boiled over. He released her chin and raised his hand to her face.

    "Enough!" he shouted.

 Chapter 790

    ?Chapter 790 He Raised His Hand At Her

    With a loud p, Emelie''s body lurched forward. A vase was sent crashing off the desk as she stumbled to the ground.

    Outside the office, Jodie and Marcel had been anxiously listening for any sign of trouble. As they heard the sound of the shattering ss, they burst through the door.

    "Mr. Graham.." They rushed into the office room.

    Emelie was on the floor, clutching her face, her hair slightly disheveled.

    They both froze in shock at the sight of that.

    Wesley stared at Emelie on the ground with his hand clenched into a fist.

    "Take her back to Mercianna. Now!" hemanded in a low voice.

    Jodie immediately rushed to help Emelie up. Despite her resembling a robotic assassin capable of killing, her hands were trembling.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.

    How had thingse to this?

    Emelie rose to her feet, sping her face. Her eyes were red as she stared at Wesley. "You have no right to order me. Wesley, Cronus, this is the end for us.

    With that, she shook off Jodie''s grasp and ran out of the office.

    News travels fast, especially in a ce with so many eyes and ears. Soon, rumors about the fierce argument between Emelie and Wesley in the office began spreading around. Some even said it had escted into a physical fight.

    Whispers suggested that Emelie had left the office in tears with a bright red mark on her face. Others imed that once she left, Wesley trashed the office in a fit of rage. Everyone was certain that they had had a major fight.

    In any case, the two of them definitely had a fight. This left everyone wondering if their fast-approaching wedding was still going to happen.

    Even Yennifer who''s far away in Mercianna caught wind of the rumors.

    She immediately called Wesley. "Did you really hit Eme?''

    Wesley responded coolly, ''Does it matter if I did or not?"

    Yennifer was exasperated. "How could you do this? Did you forget what Eme means to you? We''ve already let her down enough. How could youy a hand on her?"

    Wesley pinched the bridge of his nose. Gossip truly was one of the most pervasive forces in the universe.

    "What''s done is done. It''s pointless to talk about it now," Wesley replied.

    Yennifer stomped her foot. "Don''t give me that! You need to apologize to her right now! If she''s nevering back, you and I are going to have a serious problem!"

    Wesley was speechless. He ended the call and sank into the couch, his dark brown eyes betraying his deep thoughts.

    Suddenly, the house''s new security door beeped open. Wesley nced over, expecting someone.

    Instead, it was Lyle.

    "Did you hit Emelie?'' Lyle asked, his gaze was sharp and menacing.

    Wesley leaned back in his chair and asked, "You''re here to avenge her?"

    As Wesley spoke, Marcel and Jodie appeared, positioning themselves in front of him.

    Lyle let out a coldugh, removed his watch, and kept it in his pocket. He zipped it up and gave it a pat.

    "Let''s not mess up her ce and take this outside. I''ll deal with these two first and thene back for you. Whichever hand you hit her with, I''ll make sure to break it," Lyle said.

    Meanwhile, it was time for Samuel to head back to Weston.

    Previously, he stayed in Coastalburg because moving around was difficult for him. Besides, the medical facilities there were better.

    Now that he was recovering well, he could continue his treatment in Weston at ease.

    Since the two cities were near, Samuel took the high-speed rail, and Emelie went to see him off at the station. Though she had covered her cheeks with makeup, the red marks from the p were still visible

    Samuel furrowed his brows and looked at her with concern. ''Did he really hit you?"

    Emelie shrugged nonchntly. "You know how rumors can be. They''re always exaggerated."

    Being a university professor, Samuel was sharp-minded and couldn''t be easily fooled. "Then what''s with the mark on your face?" he asked.

 Chapter 791

    ?Chapter 791 Give My Life To You

    "It''s just an allergy, or maybe it''s a change in weather. I''m still getting used to it. It''ll be fine after I use a face mask tonight," Emelie said.

    Emelie tried to brush it off but Samuel wasn''t buying it. "You''re a Coastalburg native. Born and raised here. You''ve lived in this city for over twenty years, and you''re telling me that you suddenly can''t handle the climate here?''

    Emelie fell silent, realizing she was running out of excuses. She quickly changed the subject.

    "Your train''s about to leave. You should go,'' she urged.

    Samuel remained in his wheelchair, staying put. "I''m not going anywhere. How can I leave knowing that things are like this between you two?"

    Emelie smiled gently. "And you staying would fix everything?''

    Samuel was puzzled. "How could Wesley every a hand on you? He loves you so much...

    Emelie exined softly, "We just got heated and said some things that we didn''t mean. But it''s over now. I''m not upset anymore. In a few days, when we''ve both cooled down, it''ll be fine."

    Samuel pressed his lips together. ''I''m sorry."

    He knew that his request of Emelie had sparked the tension between her and Wesley.

    "There''s no need for apologies between us." Emelie waved it off.

    After she finally saw Samuel off, Emelie was about to leave. She turned around, only to find William waiting for her.

    He stared at the faint red mark on her cheek and asked the same thing Samuel did. "Did he really hit you?"

    Emelie''s expression remained nk as she brushed past him. "There''s no need for your concern, Mr. Middleton."

    William''s face darkened, and he grabbed Emelie''s hand. Without giving her a chance to resist, he pulled her out of the train station.

    Emelie gave up struggling after knowing she couldn''t break free from his grasp.

    Once outside, William tried to steer her toward his car.

    Suddenly, Emelie suddenly drew a small knife from her waist and thrust it at him.

    William swiftly leaned back just and avoided the de. In a sh, he grabbed her wrist, twisted it, and hid the knife under their sleeves to avoid drawing attention.

    He scanned the surroundings quickly, making sure that no one had noticed.

    "If the security sees you with a weapon, you''ll be spending the night at the police station," he said.

    "How many times do I have to tell you to keep your hands off me, Mr. Middleton?" Emelie replied with a nk expression.

    William''s gaze dropped to meet hers. "I thought that was in the past and things are different between us now." "Don''t tter yourself. If you''ve got something to say, say it." Emelie shook off his grip, pushed him away, and tucked the knife back into its sheath.

    Still, William got Emelie into his car.

    "I need to see your face," he said.

    With that, he hit the gas and drove straight to Sunnington Hill.

    Once there, he pulled her out of the car, led her inside, and took her to the master bedroom.

    He pushed open the bathroom door and grabbed a towel from the counter. He pressed it into a bottle of liquid

    and began wiping her face. The chemical scent of makeup remover filled the air.

    William remained silent as he carefully removed her makeup. His touch was surprisingly gentle as if he was afraid of adding pain to her bruise

    Emelie turned her head away, but William firmly guided it back, unyielding.

    Finally, her skin was bare, clean, and free of any marks

    William furrowed his brows and leaned in to take a closer look.

    Emelie shed a smile. ''What''s wrong? Disappointed to see nothing there, Mr. Middleton?" William pressed his lips together. "So, has the bruise already healed, or did he not hit you?" Emelie pushed him away. "Why do I need to exin anything to you, Mr. Middleton?"

    With her makeup already ruined, she grabbed another towel and wiped the rest of her face.

    "You do. If he really did hit you, I''d bring the entire Filo family down and make them apologize to you," William said calmly.

    William wasn''t one to make empty threats, and Emelie knew that.

    She nced at him in the mirror. "Then you better start with killing yourself. It was just a p, but you left me with a scar on my chest that will never fade."

    William had seen that scar. On the night when she was drugged, he kissed it over and over. He could

    remember the rough and uneven skin that made it hard to breathe for him.

    Even now, as he thought about it, it made his chest ache deeply.

    He replied, "I told you before, once I finish what I need to do, I''ll give my life to you in return.''

    Emelie lowered her head and sshed some water from the faucet onto her face. Then, she took a paper towel and patted her cheeks dry. She started walking out without looking at him

    "I''m leaving," she said.

    William abruptly caught her by the arm. "You''re going to Alderbrook to visit your adoptive parents, aren''t you?

    Emelie eyed him suspiciously. "How do you know?"Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.

    "Just a guess. Now that the Swansons are dealt with, I figured you''d buy a couple of lilies and visit them. I''ll drive you there," William said.

    He remembered Emelie''s warning. She had told him that he wasn''t allowed to enter the Hoven family home and that he didn''t have the right to.

    He let out a sigh and said softly, ''I won''t go inside. I''ll just drop you at the gate. Is that okay?"

 Chapter 792

    ?Chapter 792 I''m Not Your Wife

    Emelie mocked William, ''You''re acting as if you wouldn''t still follow me if I refuse."

    If she refused, he would just follow her covertly instead of overtly.

    William smiled lightly. "So, you''re agreeing then?''

    Emelie had already turned to leave. "Let''s see if there''s a flower shop selling lilies on the way."

    William watched her proud demeanor and thought to himself that the weather was just perfect. "Sure," he said.

    William hadn''t brought his assistant or driver, he was driving himself.

    Emelie treated him like a chauffeur. Instead of getting into the front seat, she went straight to the back.

    William smiled, closed the door, and got into the car.

    As the car started, Emelie rolled down the window to get some fresh air and nced behind through the side mirror. Whatever she saw made her smile fade, and her lips forming a cold line.

    "You and Wesley-William started to say.

    However, Emelie cut him off immediately. "I don''t talk to drivers."

    William smoothly asked, "Then can I always be your driver?"

    Emelie closed her eyes to ease the strain. "It seems like the Cloudex Corporation is really going bankrupt, seeing as its president is moonlighting as a cab driver."

    At this point, she was practically immune to all flirtation or anything that remotely resembled it.

    William turned on the car''s sound system, letting the gentle piano music fill the space, helping her rest morefortably.

    He pulled over at a flower shop, unbuckling his seatbelt as he said, "If you''re tired, keep resting. I''ll go in and buy the flowers.

    Emelie didn''t respond, so William got out of the car.

    Inside the shop, he picked out two lilies. When he turned, he noticed arge bucket of hydrangeas on the shelf. The colors were soft and beautiful. He suddenly thought of the flowers from their wedding that had gone nowhere.

    "I''ll take a bouquet of these too," he said, his voice slightly hoarse.

    The shop owner was conflicted. "I''m sorry, but these have already been reserved by a couple for their wedding tonight. There''s none left. How about some other flowers? The roses are pretty nice, perfect for a girlfriend."

    "Not even one?" William asked. ''My wife loves these flowers the most, and she''s mad at me right now. I want to buy one to make it up to her.''

    It was hard for most people to resist such a tall, refined, stern-looking man pleading with them like that.

    The florist immediately relented. "Well, let me ask them if they''re willing to spare one for you.''

    William nodded. "Thank you."

    The phone signal inside the shop was weak, so the owner stepped outside to make the call.

    The florist said, "Ms. Yarbrough, this is the florist. The hydrangeas you ordered for your wedding have arrived, but there''s a gentleman here who wants to buy some.

    "It just so happens that his wife loves hydrangeas, and they''re currently in a fight. He wants to buy one to smooth things over with her. I wanted to ask if you might spare him a bouquet?''

    The bride-to-be was naturally happy to help, especially seeing how much the man cared for his wife. "Of course! Give him one, free of charge."

    "Alright. On behalf of the gentleman, thank you so much!" The shop owner ended the call and went back inside.

    Emelie opened her eyes, a hint of suspicion on her face.

    A few minutester, William returned to the car with the flowers. "I picked the two biggest lilies. Do you like them?"

    Emelie''s attention was on the other bouquet in his arms. "What''s that?"

    "Hydrangeas." William handed them to her. "You like these, don''t you? I happened to see them, so I bought them for you."Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.

    So, the florist had been talking about him.

    "William, you''re getting more shameless by the day," Emelie said.

    William looked genuinely puzzled to be scolded by her. "What?"

    Emelie snapped at him. "I''m not your wife! You are the mighty president of the Cloudex Corporation. How could you stoop that low by lying just to get a flower? I''m embarrassed just holding it!"

    William hadn''t expected her to overhear, but he couldn''t help but smile. He covered his mouth with his fist as he cleared his throat.

    "Well, as it turns out, giving you this flower did make my wife happy. Look, you''re actually talking to me now, aren''t you?" he said.

 Chapter 793

    ?Chapter 793 The Days Ahead

    Emelie realized that she was bing more and more tolerant of William.

    She turned her face towards the window, her tone stiff. "If you think that getting scolded counts as talking to you, then suit yourself. Drive."

    William lowered his gaze, a small smile still ying on his lips. This was fine for him. Nothing else mattered to him at the moment.

    When the car arrived at Alderbrook, Emelie got out with the two lilies in hand.

    William didn''t follow her inside. He leaned against the car, waiting for her while responding to some work matters on his phone.

    With Charles and Bryan''s recent shocking scandals, both of them had withdrawn from the Xanther Group, leaving only the Cloudex Corporation and the Collins family. The financial pressure was mounting.

    The frequent incidents also caused the public to start questioning the Xanther Group. After all, three of the four founders were involved in criminal cases-Beathan was still under investigation for an assault case and hadn''t been cleared yet.

    William had somehow ended up as the only untainted one left.

    He found it amusing. He coughed into his fist twice and slowly inhaled to avoid letting too much air into his lungs, easing the pressure. It was morefortable that way.

    He lowered his hand and tapped the back of his phone, lost in thought.

    Winter was gradually fading, and Coastalburg was leaving the cold behind as the sunlight grew stronger.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Their car was parked at the entrance of an alley, and the sun was bathing him entirely. Upon a close look, his face still appeared a bit pale.

    About half an hourter, Emelie emerged from the Hoven family home.

    William handed her a cup of chocte, but Emelie frowned and didn''t take it.

    He said, "A few students walked by just now after school, each with a cup in hand. It looked really good, so I bought one for you. You should try it. I got it warm."

    "I don''t drink sweet things," Emelie said.

    William lowered his hand. "Alright. Aren''t you going to stay with your foster parents for a bit longer? Even though you''re in Coastalburg, you don''t visit often, so it''s rare that you''re here."

    "I still need to ask you about that incident.'' Emelie looked at him. "Who sent the thief to steal the artificial heart battery from my mother?"

    William gave the same answer as before. "At this point, it doesn''t matter who it was.''

    Emelie sneered. "William, I really don''t understand you. You don''t want me to be angry with you, yet you won''t tell me the whole truth. You want me to ept you, but you can''t exin how her life ended. This will always stand between us.

    "William, I suggest you stoping to see me. Otherwise, one day, I might get so angry when I remember all of this that I''ll kill you."

    Emelie turned to leave.

    William immediately caught up and grabbed her arm. "I can''t stop seeing you, angel. It''s been three years. I''ve had enough of a life where I can''t see you.

    "You can call me shameless, use me of clinging to you. However, even if it means just driving you around or doing meaningless things, I will spend the rest of my days by your side.''

    Emelie''s anger red up instantly. She spun around and pushed him away. "Then tell me! What really happened with my mom''s battery?"

    However, William caught her hand as she pushed away, pulling her into his arms and holding her tightly. He said, "No matter what happened, it doesn''t change the fact that your mom is already gone, does it?'' Emelie clenched the fabric of his shirt, looking up at him. Her bloodshot eyes stared straight into his. She said, slowly, "During the three years when I was your secretary, you barely had any interaction with Charles, Bryan, and Beathan.

    "Charles was once your love rival. You didn''t like Bryan because Mr. Swanson didn''t like him. You didn''t know Beathan before Charles brought him in. Besides, hepeted with your good friend Elias for a woman. You''d never genuinely see him as a friend.

    "So I can''t think of any reason you''d cover for them if one of them did it. This means it had to be you. The culprit could only be you!"

 Chapter 794

    ?Chapter 794 A Grave Illness

    Emelie continued, ''William, I''ve thought of every possible excuse to clear your name, but none of them hold up. It really was you.

    "Let me make it clear: I''ve fallen out with Wesley. However, even if I end up being kicked out of the Filo family and go back to being penniless, I will never return to you. Not in this life, not in the next, not ever!"

    With that, Emelie shoved him aside and walked away.

    Both of them were so caught up in their emotions that they didn''t notice the camera at the corner of the street, capturing their every move in rapid shes.

    That night, the headlines erupted: "Rumor has it that the Cloudex Corporation''s Mr. Middleton and Ms. Pierce ( Emelie Hoven) of the Filo Group are rekindling their romance! The twist? Ms. Hoven is currently engaged to Mr. Cronus...

    The ellipsis was perfectly ced, igniting a frenzy of spection.

    The photo that apanied the article was of Emelie and William, seemingly in an intimate moment on the streets of Alderbrook.

    When Emelie returned to the old home, she hadn''t even made it through the door when Wesley walked out. She paused briefly at the sight of him, then continued to walk away, not wanting to engage.

    However, Wesley grabbed her hand and, without going inside, spoke to her right there at the entrance. "Where did you go today?"

    Emelie smirked expressionlessly. "Didn''t the news make it clear? Why bother asking when you already know, Mr. Cronus?''

    When she didn''t even bother to exin, Wesley''s handsome face darkened, and he suddenly grabbed her by the throat.

    Jodie and Marcel couldn''t help but shout, "Please calm down, Mr. Graham! She''s Ms. Hoven!"

    Emelie clutched his wrist as Wesley forced her to look up at him, his eyes boring into hers. "We haven''t even broken off the engagement, and you''re already in his arms? Eme, you''ve gone too far."

    "The moment youid a hand on me, we were done. Who I''m with is none of your business. "Emelie tried to break free, but she couldn''t.

    Wesley sneered. "You want to be his wife? Keep dreaming.

    He twisted his arm and flung her toward Jodie. "Take her back to Mercianna right now and lock her in the Denning Residence. She''s not allowed to take a single step outside without my permission!"

    Was he putting her under house arrest?

    Emelie was shocked. ''What gives you the right to do this to me, Wesley?"

    "Because everything that you have now, even the clothes you have on, were given to you by the Filo family. That gives me the right to decide your fate." Wesley''s voice was unyielding. "Take her away!"

    Later that night, Emelie was forcibly put on a private jet bound for Mercianna, Faldoria. From that day on, she was locked up in the Denning Residence and wasn''t allowed to leave.

    When Yennifer found out, she immediately called Wesley, angrily demanding that he release Emelie at once. However, Wesley''s response was to issue an order that Yennifer was not to set foot in the Denning Residence. Unable to see Emelie, Yennifer was furious.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.

    However, even Wesley''s mother could not defy his authority in Mercianna. After all, they were in the Filo family''s stronghold, where Wesley''s power as the head of the family was absolute.

    Yennifer could only send her butler to deliver gifts to Emelie, anything she thought might cheer her up.

    hoping to lift her spirits. s, her efforts were only palliative, doing nothing to solve the root problem. Emelie had already fallen ill once in Eprand, and she hadn''t fully recovered before shemitted herself to managing the amusement park project, working day and night without rest.

    Then, she rushed back to Coastalburg, barely having any time to rest. There, she got into a fierce argument with Wesley. Her stress had been building up all this time.

    With Wesley treating her this way, her old illnessbined with the new stress hit her all at once, and she fell gravely ill. Even then, Wesley didn''t return to Mercianna to see her.

    As a result, rumors spread like wildfire both in Cedonia and within the Filo family. The once seemingly unbreakable pair of Wesley and Emelie had truly fallen out. They were in a deadly fight.

 Chapter 795

    ?Chapter 795 The Snake Emerges

    "Is it true? Mandy is bedridden, and Cronus hasn''t even returned to Mercianna to see her?" In avish estate in Mercianna, Faldoria, Natalia sat at her piano in a white, princess-style nightgown, casually ying a tune.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    Her trusted aide reported, "It''s true. Our people who''ve been monitoring Cronus in Coastalburg say that he hasn''t made any arrangements to return home."

    Natalia burst intoughter, her fingers moving deftly across the keys, ying a lively rendition of "F¨¹r Elise." "I used to think that those two were the perfect couple, so harmonious and in love like they were destined to relive the legend of Amelia and Das. Turns out, they''re just as ordinary as anyone else,'' she said.

    The aide chuckled. ''How many men in this world could tolerate their fianc¨¦e sharing a bed with her ex- husband? You orchestrated it all brilliantly, Natalia, and now they''ve reached their breaking point."

    Natalia said, "Dealing with one smart person is difficult enough, but dealing with two highly intelligent people together is worse. If one falls, the other can still stand strong. That''s when they be an imprable fortress.

    "Back then, I nearly had Cronus killed when I crashed into him, sending him into the ICU. I thought that I''d finally secured the family''s power for myself, only for Mandy to emerge out of nowhere."

    Natalia rose from the piano, absentmindedly twirling a strand of hair around her finger as she walked toward the wine cab.

    "However, I can''t take all the credit. It was thatwyer, Beathan Collins. He''s the one who truly understands human nature. Who would''ve thought to y a hand like that?" she said.

    The aide asked, "What''s our next move? Should we send an assassin to the Denning Residence and take care of Mandy once and for all?"

    Natalia poured herself a ss of red wine and responded slowly, ''On the topic of Mr. Collins, it''s only proper to consult our partner. Give him a call.''

    "Alright," the aide said and dialed the number.

    "Make it a video call," Natalia added.

    The aide switched the call to video.

    The phone rang for a while before the video connected. Beathan appeared on the screen, his voice cold and distant. ''It seems you''ve forgotten about the time difference. It''s four in the morning in Coastalburg."

    Natalia studied the man on the screen. He looked weary, but the malevolence in his eyes was even more intense.

    She smiled with satisfaction. "I did it on purpose. Snakes are nocturnal creatures, revealing their true form only at night. This is when you''re the most like your real self, and I love it.''

    Beathan stared coldly at the camera. ''What do you want?"

    "You''ve heard about Mandy''s condition, right? She''s sick. The doctor treating her is one of mine. He says that she''s been hit by a virus and is gravely ill. What do you think? Should we take this opportunity to finish her off, or should we use her illness to stir the pot?''

    Beathan replied in a low voice, "William left Coastalburg today."

    "William Middleton?" Natalia was puzzled.

    "He''s definitely gone to see Emelie,'' Beathan said.

    Natalia''s eyes narrowed. "So you''re saying "

    "Knowing Emelie, she''s not the type to sit around and wait for death. Even if she''s down to herst breath, she''ll find a way to escape from the Denning Residence. And if William is heading to Mercianna now, he''s clearly going to save her,'' Beathan exined.

    He leaned back against his headboard.

    The room around him was dark, with only a sliver of moonlight illuminating his profile. Although his body was clean, it exuded the slimy, unsettling aura of a snake slithering by.

    "Wait a little longer. We''ll take them both out together," he said.

    Natalia watched him with fascination. "But isn''t William your partner?"

    "Unless he''s willing to shoot Emelie himself, like he did three years ago, I don''t trust him. As long as there''s any affection between them, he''s a liability. Now that he''s out of the country, with how chaotic things are abroad, dying in an ''ident'' wouldn''t be suspicious at all," he exined.

    Nataliaughed softly. "I knew you''d have a more sinister n. I love it when you''re like this, Beathan. Honestly, why don''t you forget about your ex-girlfriend? What''s so great about her?''

    Beathan picked up his phone, and a mocking smile on his lips. "No matter how bad she is, she''s still 35. Not 53.

    "

    Natalia''s expression darkened instantly, and Beathan ended the call immediately.

    Natalia was married, but she had many lovers and had grown increasingly brazen over the years. Her marriage was nothing but a shell of its former self at this point.

    She had been eyeing Beathan for quite some time. She was seething with anger and had to find an outlet for the humiliation by Beathan she just endured.

    "Keep a close watch on the airport and follow William. Since he''s so eager to find Mandy, he probably didn''t bring much security. The moment they leave the Denning Residence, take their lives!" Natalia instructed. "Alright!" her aide responded.

 Chapter 796

    ?Chapter 796 Meeting His Eyes

    Jodie quietly approached Emelie''s bed, holding the medication that had been prepared. They were in her bedroom on the second floor of the Denning Residence.

    She gently woke Emelie from her deep sleep. ''It''s time to take your medicine. The doctor said that you need to take this every four hours. Please get up and take it, or else you won''t get better."

    Emelie''s face was pale, and her voice was weak and frail. "Has Wesleye back?"

    "Mr. Graham... is on his way back to Mercianna, Jodie replied, not very good at lying. She couldn''t even meet Emelie''s eyes when she said it.

    "If he wanted toe back, he would have been here by now. He''s not nning to return, so why bother lying to me?'' Emelie forced a bitter smile.

    "How did things end up like this between you and Mr. Graham?" Jodie asked, still struggling to believe it. "There''s nothing surprising about it. Many couples and lovers go from being in love to hating each other. We just got there a bit sooner." Emelie propped herself up on the bed.

    Jodie looked uncertain. "That''s impossible. Anyone else might grow to despise each other, but Mr. Graham would never.''

    Emelie, barely able to speak, asked, ''Do you remember when we held the charity horse race in Coastalburg? You suddenly suggested that I consider Lyle?"

    "Yes, I remember," Jodie replied.

    "At the time, it felt like you were saying it didn''t matter if I chose Lyle or Mr. Swanson, as long as I didn''t choose Wesley. I thought you didn''t want us to be together. So why do you seem to regret it now that we''ve actually split?'' Emelie asked.

    Jodie did feel that they shouldn''t be together. She had hoped that they wouldn''t get married and wished for them to break up. However, she couldn''t put it into words.

    She kneeled by Emelie''s bed and said, "If you and Mr. Graham had parted peacefully, that would have been fine, but it makes me sad that you''re separating like this."

    Emelie had been curious about this for a while. "You don''t have feelings for Wesley, so why didn''t you want us to be together?"

    "I can''t tell you," Jodie said.

    She passed the water and pills into Emelie''s hands. "Please take your medicine. If you don''t, your body won''t be able to take it."

    Emelie took the pills with a faint smile. "If I make it through this, will you tell me why?"

    Jodie looked at her pale lips, her heart aching. "Alright."

    After she took the medicine, Emelieid down and fell asleep again.

    Lately, she had been sleeping more than 18 hours a day. It wasn''t so much sleep as it was unconsciousness.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Her condition seemed truly severe, yet Wesley had issued a strict order-Emelie was not to leave the Denning Residence

    With no way to send her to the hospital for a more thorough treatment, the household doctor could only draw her blood and send it to the hospital for testing.

    However, the blood tests couldn''t reveal everything. The medicine that she was taking had little effect. Even after a week, there was no sign of improvement.

    Jodie had been keeping watch outside her door all this time. Due to her training, she needed less sleep than most people, but even she was growing weary after so many days.

    She saw that Emelie had fallen into a deep sleep and was likely to be fine, so she decided to take a short rest.

    However, shortly after Jodie left, Emelie opened her eyes and slowly pushed herself up from the bed. The medicine had given her a bit of strength.

    She quietly opened the door and peeked outside.

    The Denning Residence had many maids. However, since it was the afternoon, most of them were resting. She turned back, opened her wardrobe, and took out a maid''s uniform. She changed into it and then, with her head lowered, she quietly slipped out of the room. She walked down the stairs, and headed toward the exit. Just as Beathan had predicted, Emelie was determined to leave the Denning Residence.

    As she walked, she spotted Arthur and quickly turned around.

    However, he still noticed her. ''You there! What''s your name? Are you new?"

    Emelie couldn''t form a response.

    Just as Arthur was about to approach her to verify her identity, another maid appeared. ''Mr. Monroe, could you take a look at this?"

    When Arthur was called away, Emelie let out a sigh of relief and turned to head in the opposite direction, not expecting to almost bump into two maidsing her way.

    Just as she was about to be discovered, a hand suddenly appeared out of nowhere, covering her mouth and pulling her under the staircase.

    Emelie looked up in shock.

    In that foreignnd, in the midst of her illness and at the brink of life and death, she found herself staring into William''s eyes, they were deep and vast as the ocean.

 Chapter 797

    ?Chapter 797 As One

    After a few seconds, Emelie asked, ''How did you get in?"

    William studied her face closely, which was pale and sickly. She had deteriorated so much in just a few days.

    As he breathed, his chest ached slightly. "Given your state, you still think that you can escape. So, is it really that surprising that I managed to get in?"

    Emelie wasn''t sure how to feel about that. "You came to Mercianna to find me?"

    William replied, "When I heard that you were being kept here under house arrest by Wesley, sick and not allowed to go to the hospital, I didn''t believe it."

    "If you didn''t believe it, why did youe?" she asked.

    "I was afraid it might be true," he replied.

    Emelie leaned against the wall, staring at him deeply. "You shouldn''t havee, William. You''ve been getting too close to metely.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    "Aren''t you worried that your business partners will start questioning your loyalty ande after you? Charging into a foreign city like Mercianna like this, you''re practically handing them the opportunity."

    William just smiled. "So, you think that they''de after me because they believe I''m one of your men? Does that mean you''re admitting that I am your man?"

    Emelie scoffed at his wishful thinking. "You should start writing your will. If you really die here in Mercianna, I''m afraid the Middleton family will me me for it."

    William grinned. He had learned that when she couldn''t find a way to refute him, she''d resort to cold, harsh words.

    He nced outside, then spoke softly, "I''m not going to die, angel. As long as you''re safe, I''m safe.

    Because he''d do whatever it took to stay alive, just so he could protect her.

    "There''s no one around,'' he said, taking her hand. "I''m getting you out of here."

    The Denning Residence was enormous. While the number of maids inside might decrease during the afternoon, the guards outside were always on duty, day and night.

    William was concerned that too many people would attract attention, so his men were all stationed outside. It was just him alone that came inside.

    They watched the surroundings closely, and once they were sure no one was around, they made a dash for the main gate.

    A patrol of guards passed by, and the two of them had to hide behind a statue. Fortunately, the statues were quiterge, and the base alone was enough to conceal both of them.

    William suddenly asked her, "Why is Wesley doing this to you?"

    "Haven''t you seen the news? The rumors about us have spread like wildfire. No man would tolerate that," Emelie replied

    William chuckled softly. "Wesley isn''t like that. During those three years when we were together, he knew about us. If he was really that easy to provoke, he would''ve taken you away long ago."

    Emelie exined, "He didn''t take me away back then because he had just taken over the Filo family. His aunts and uncles didn''t respect him; they were all trying to bring him down. He was too busy dealing with them.

    "If he''d kept me by his side, he''d have been distracted. Not only would he have been unable to protect me, but I would have been in danger. It was safer to leave me in Cedonia."

    She added nonchntly, ''Besides, he thought that I liked you. He was willing to let us be."

    The patrol passed by, and William pulled her to her feet. They quickly resumed their run toward the exit.

    They hadn''t gone far when they ran into a few gardeners. Emelie immediately grabbed William, and they both ducked into the bushes.

    However, William was too tall, and the bushes couldn''tpletely hide him.

    The rustling branches caught the attention of the gardeners. "Hm?"

    Without missing a beat, William pulled Emelie close, and they both rolled into the grass.

    The gardener walked over and peered into the bushes, but there was nothing there. He wondered if he had imagined it.

    He confusedly scratched his head, snipped a couple of branches with his shears, and turned away.

    In the grass, Emelie found herself lying on top of William, hearing his heartbeat. She couldn''t help but hold her breath.

    The shadows of the leaves dappled William''s face, dividing it into patches of light and dark. But those deep, dark eyes of his remained clear, focused on Emelie

    "You and Wesley... It''s all an act, isn''t it?" William asked.

    Emelie looked up at him.

    William said softly, "You''re the type of person who, if you truly hate someone, wouldpletely deny everything about them. You''d never defend them. Just like with me. After we broke up, the only things you remembered were the bad things I did to you.

    "Since you''re defending Wesley, that means this whole thing between you two is just a show. Who''s your target?"

    Emelie had always known that William was smart. He was a little too perceptive, catching onto the smallest details.

    He continued, ''He sent you back to Mercianna. Your target is here, isn''t it? Is it Wesley''s aunt, Natalia? I told you before, she''s the one behind his car ident.

    "And now she''s teamed up with Bryan to cause the amusement park disaster in Eprand. You two finally couldn''t take it anymore and decided to settle the score with her, didn''t you?"

    Emelie said, ''Wise men often suffer, Mr. Middleton. The clever don''t live long."

    William gently covered her mouth. "Stop cursing me. If I really don''t live long, that wouldn''t be good."

    Then, he smiled. "So, you''re admitting I''m right?"

    Emelie turned her head to avoid his hand. ''I wasn''t finished. Except for those who only pretend to be smart."

    Those who were too clever wouldn''t live long, but those who pretended to be clever were exceptions.

    "So, I was wrong?" he asked.

    Emelie didn''t answer. When she saw that the coast was clear, she got up off William.

    For some reason, something triggered her to cough, and William''s expression changed immediately. He grabbed her wrist to check her pulse.

    Emelie looked at him in confusion. "You know how to check a pulse?''

    "After being sick for so long, you start to learn a thing or two. William frowned. "You''re really sick? No, did

    you make yourself sick to make them believe you''re ill? Are you taking medicine?"

    He disapproved. "Do you know how valuable good health is? Aren''t you worried about the side effects of messing around with drugs?"

    "You''re meddling too much," Emelie said, pulling her hand away. ''I''m not taking anything. I''m just sick, and Wesley won''t let me go to the hospital, so I''m not getting better. Everything you said is just your imagination." They made it all the way to the gate without encountering another patrol.

    However, at that moment, a truck arrived to deliver fresh fruit to the residence, heading toward them.

    The open space offered no cover, and the warehouse workers preparing to unload the truck spotted them immediately.

    One of them grabbed his cor mic and shouted into the inte. "This is bad! Ms. Pierce is trying to escape!"

    It was toote for subtlety. William took Emelie''s hand, ready to run for it. As long as they got out, his men would be there to back them up.

    Emelie also braced herself to make a break for it when William suddenly bent down, lifting her onto his back.

    "What are you doing. William?" she cried out.

    "You''re in no condition to run. Hold on tight," he said. "I''ll get you out of here."

 Chapter 798

    ?Chapter 798 Their High School Days

    The patrol guards hadn''t arrived yet, but the warehouse workers blocked their path.

    "Mr. Cronus has ordered that you must not leave the estate, Ms. Pierce. Please don''t make this difficult for us!" the warehouse workers said.

    Emelie had nothing to say to them. She clung onto William''s back, her loose hair falling forward and brushing against his chest.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.

    She whispered, "You''re not in much better shape than I am. Are you sure you can get me out of here like this?" William said, "I can. And if I can''t-"

    Emelie could tell he was about to say something that sounded like it was a punishment but was really a reward for himself, so she cut him off. "If we don''t get out of here today, we''ll die here and be buried separately.

    William let out a lowugh. The wind blew a strand of her hair against his lips, and he turned his head slightly

    to kiss it.

    He said, "That would be the cruelest thing for me. I''ll make sure to get you out-"

    Before he could finish his sentence, he kicked away a worker who had lunged at Emelie to grab her. However, there wasn''t just one worker. Three of them surrounded him at once, not bothering that it was an unfair fight.

    Emelie knew that, with his arms upied holding her, his movements were restricted. The odds were already against them, especially in this situation.

    "Put me down first, William," Emelie said.

    "Do you remember how Patricia left you stranded in the middle of nowhere back in Wimstour City?'' William asked.

    Of course, she remembered. That night, they were also besieged by vigers who were scared that their murder would be exposed.

    "Even then, I couldn''t bear to let you go, and now is no different," William said.

    However, Emelie remembered that because he hadn''t put her down that night, he had taken a blow to the

    back.

    Suddenly, there was a loud thud.

    It was like history repeating itself. A worker struck William''s thigh with a baton, causing him to stumble. Emelie nearly fell off his back from the momentum.

    William quickly regained his bnce and kicked the worker away, but his breathing was noticeably heavier. Emelie''s heart raced in fear. ''William, this isn''t the time to be stubborn. Don''t drag me down with you. Put me down!"

    He had been distracted by talking to her, which was why he got hit.

    "These three can''t stop me,'' William said.

    Emelie was stunned, clutching his shirt tightly.

    It was strange how Emelie couldn''t recall any memory of William from the past despite attending the same high school.

    However, at that moment, a memory rushed to her. Once, she was sitting by the track, doing homework while waiting for Wesley to finish ss.

    Their track and basketball courts were side by side, and a group of boys was ying a game. Apparently, two sses were facing off, and a lot of girls were watching.

    Out of curiosity, she nced over. The girls were all excited, but she couldn''t tell who was the center of

    attention.

    She didn''t think much of it until she heard one of the boys shout, "Will, watch out! There are three guys blocking you up ahead!"

    At that moment, she heard a cold, arrogant voice respond, "These three? They can''t stop me."

    Emelie''s ears suddenly tingled.

    At that age, boys were going through voice changes, their voices rough and uneven. However, this boy''s voice had already deepened. It was clear and steady with an attractive rasp.

    Emelie, who usually had no interest in basketball, couldn''t help but put down her homework and pen. She stood up and moved behind the group of girls, searching for that confident young man.

 Chapter 799

    ?Chapter 799 Their High School Days

    It wasn''t hard to spot the arrogant boy because the basketball was in his hands. He definitely lived up to his

    arrogance.

    The opposing yers blocking his path were like an imprable wall, trying to stop him at every turn. However, he seemed unfazed, casually dribbling the ball.

    With a quick fake, he tricked his opponent, smoothly spinning and dribbling past them. His school jacket that was tied around his waist red out in an arc.

    The word "elegant" came to Emelie''s mind. Who would''ve thought someone could make a sport as intense and aggressive as basketball seem elegant?

    He had long limbs and a perfect build, and the look in his eyes as he focused ahead was like that of a leopard- determined, deadly, and unstoppable.

    He leaped into the air, aiming the ball at the hoop.

    The girls watching gasped, convinced that the shot was secured.

    Unexpectedly, the opposing team had a skilled yer too. He jumped up and blocked the ball, sending it flying across half the court. The trajectory veered off course, and the ball headed straight for the crowd.

    The girls screamed and scrambled to get out of the way.

    Emelie could have dodged too, but in the chaos, she got shoved and fell to the ground.

    The basketball was hurtling straight toward her, and she instinctively covered her head with her arms.

    The next thing she felt was a pair of arms wrapping around her head and waist, pulling her to the side as they rolled away.

    She caught the waft of the fresh scent of grass mixed with a crisp, clean fragrance.

    Unlike most boys, who carried the stench of sweat, he smelled fresh. That made her almost want to inhale more of his scent.

    She looked up and met a pair of deep, dark eyes. There was a slight crease in his monolids, making his eyes look cold and distant yet strangely alluring.

    Emelie wanted to keep looking. But, just then, their roll brought them crashing into the sprinkler head on the grass. Water sprayed out, drenching her face, and she quickly shut her eyes.

    Then, she heard the boy chuckle lightly. "Idiot."T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Her heart skipped a beat, and then-

    A worker swung a baton at them.

    "Watch out!"

    William spun around, narrowly dodging the blow. He stomped on one end of the baton, pinning it down so that the worker couldn''t swing it again. At the same moment, he kicked the guy square in the face.

    The worker fell back hard, clutching his nose, which was now gushing blood.

    Out of the corner of his eye, William saw another worker rushing toward them.

    He kicked the baton up and grabbed it with one hand. At lightning speed, he jabbed it into the worker''s abdomen. As the abdomen was full of sensitive organs, the blow left the worker gasping for air, dropping to his knees. The man clutched the spot where the blow hadnded, and his face contorted in pain.

    With one hand supporting Emelie on his back and the other gripping the baton like a sword, he still carried the same youthful arrogance and defiance from high school. It was as if nothing in the world could stop him. He turned his gaze to the third worker.

    In the blink of an eye, he had taken down two men. The third worker was terrified and didn''t dare approach.

    William made a feint as if he were about to strike him in the neck.

    The worker panicked and ducked while he covered his head, only to realize that William was already running toward the gate with Emelie on his back.

    "Close the gate! Don''t let them escape!" the worker yelled.

    The patrol guards- the real security of the estate-were finally closing in, shouting as they ran. The gatehouse staff hit the button, and the gate began to slowly close.

    Just a few yards away, Emelie watched as the gap between the gates grew smaller and smaller, soon bing too narrow for anyone to squeeze through. Instinctively, she reached out to grab the gate.

    In the nick of time, William made a final leap through the closing gate. As the gates mmed shut behind them, they lost their bnce from the momentum, crashing to the ground. Emelie tumbled several yards

    away.

    They heard the guards yelling, ''Open the gate! Quickly, open it!"

    They were going to chase them down.

    William quickly got to his feet and ran over to help Emelie up. "Are you hurt?"

    "No." Emelie shook her head.

    William pulled her up and hoisted her back onto his back. "Let''s go."

    Their backup was waiting at the corner of the street. William took off running, with the guards in hot pursuit.

    Emelie clung to his neck as his running jostled her on his back. She couldn''t help but look down at his face. Suddenly, she was reminded of another incident from high school.

 Chapter 800

    ?Chapter 800 Their High School Days

    At that time, Emelie was a freshman in high school.

    It was a stage in high school where the academic pressure and the looming anxiety of college entrance exams hadn''t yet fully taken hold.

    As such, she would often find herself indulging in little moments of joy, like leaning out the window during evening study sessions to watch the sunset.

    She believed that studying hard and enjoying youth didn''t have to be mutually exclusive. However, not everyone shared her optimistic outlook.

    There was a girl in her ss who was always a top student, but she put immense pressure on herself. She was constantly doing practice tests, and even the slightest drop in her rank sent her into a panic.

    The high pressure that she gave herself kept her grades fairly stable. It was until one time, during a major exam, something unexpected happened.

    Everyone was shocked to see that her rank had plummeted by more than twenty spots. The day the results were posted, she broke down in tears right there in the ssroom.

    Emelie didn''t know her well enough tofort her properly, so she just handed her some tissues.

    She couldn''t help but wonder what had gone wrong. Dropping a few spots was normal, but to drop that many, something must have seriously gone wrong. Had something happened to her?

    Later, during a break, Emelie ran into the girl in the restroom. She saw her frantically pumping out soap and scrubbing her hands as if she were trying to wash off something filthy, all the while crying.

    Emelie and a few other girls who were there asked her what was wrong. She seemed to find it difficult to speak, only sobbing quietly.

    Then, a senior student who happened to be there blurted out, "I just saw youing out of the teacher''s office. Did Baldy bully you?"

    "Baldy" was their math teacher and also the grade-level coordinator. The girl was his ss representative. Emelie felt a chill run down her spine when she realized what the senior student meant by "bully".

    The girl broke downpletely, crouching down and crying as she said, "He threatened me. He said if I didn''t do what he wanted, he''d make sure that I got a demerit. If I get a demerit, I''ll lose ten points and get expelled. I''m only able to attend school because of a schrship. I don''t want to get expelled, I just want to go to college

    They were attending the best high school in Coastalburg. Most of the students there either came from wealthy families or were top academic performers.

    Emelie and this girl belonged to thetter group, the ones at the bottom of the social food chain, with no power or influence, the easiest to target and exploit.

    Emelie suddenly remembered that Baldy had once touched her hand too. At the time, she had felt ufortable.

    However, it was pure luck that just then, Wesley hade looking for her, calling her name from the ssroom window. After that, Baldy hadn''t tried anything again, and she had dismissed her earlier difort as just her imagination.

    A dyed wave of nausea hit her, followed by a surge of anger.

    The senior student clenched her fists and said, "When he was teaching us, he used to do the same thing to girls from less well-off families. We even reported him anonymously!

    "However, as there was no proof and he was on the school board, so the school protected him. The whole thing got swept under the rug. I thought he''d stopped, but I guess he''s still the same scumbag!"Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.

    The girl kept crying, not denying anything. It must have been true.

    Emelie trembled with rage. "Isn''t there anything we can do to stop him?''

    "Why can''t we be the ones to stop him?" A male voice rang out from the doorway, and they all went out of the washroom.

    Apparently, the boys who were passing by outside had overheard their conversation.

    One of the boys sneered. "Keeping a scumbag like him around is an insult to our education. I don''t want our school to be known as ''the one with that pervert teacher'' when I talk about it in the future."

    Emelie immediately asked, "So what should we do?"

    The teenagers were all filled with zeal for justice and doing what was right. However, when it came to actual ns everyone fell silent, unsure of what to do next

    Some suggested tying him up and beating him outside the school. Others talked about using their family connections to get him fired. There were lots of ideas floating around.

    They all crouched in a corner of the hallway, discussing animatedly, but none of the ideas seemed like a real solution. Everything felt like a temporary fix, not a permanent solution to the root problem.

    Then, a boy who hadn''t participated in the discussion spoke up. His voice was calm and clear, and Emelie instinctively turned to look at him.

    The boy said, "She should pretend that nothing happened. The next time she goes to his office, we''ll secretly film it. Once we have evidence, we can expose him and make sure he pays for what he''s done.''

 Chapter 801

    ?Chapter 801 Their High School

    The boy was taller than everyone else in the room. His lean frame was hidden beneath his loose school uniform, and his arms were well-defined. The breeze ruffled his short hair as he stood by the window.

    Emelie, who was crouching on the floor, had to tilt her head up to see his face.

    He looked down at everyone crouching on the floor, but it seemed as if his gaze was focused only on Emelie He said, "Only one person can sneak in to take the photos to avoid drawing attention. It should be a girl because the teacher''s office''s window isn''t thatrge. She needs to be agile, brave, and fast enough to run if she gets caught.

    Everyone wanted to help the girls, but no one had a solid n.

    The boy was the only one who had not onlye up with the most concrete and reliable solution but had also prepared for the worst-case scenario.

    The girls were just young teenagers, and they were afraid to do such a thing. None of them spoke up.

    On impulse, Emelie said, "I''ll go. I take dance sses, so I''m in great shape."

    The boy was standing a short distance away from her. His expression was a little condescending as he looked down at her. After watching her for a moment, he let out a barely audibleugh. "Alright."

    Everyone then split up to begin preparing.

    The boys walked arm in arm toward the left side of the corridor, while the girls linked hands and headed to the right side

    When Emelie nced behind her, she saw a boy with his arm around the taller boy''s shoulder.

    "Will, you usually don''t get involved in stuff like this. Why did you drag us along to eavesdrop on the girls today?"

    It turned out that he had overheard their conversation and called the other boys over.

    Williammented, ''Is it wrong to want to do the right thing?"

    "But do you know who Emelie belongs to? She''s Wesley''s girl, and Wesley''s currently out of town for a mathpetition."

    William replied, ''Why should I care?"

    Emelie turned away.

    It was mentioned earlier that half of the students at this school came from wealthy or influential families. However, this time, they had to rely on themselves to deal with the vile monster. It was better to make Baldy pay for his sins than to see him punished for some other reason.

    They split into groups.

    Some of the students pooled their money to buy a camera, while others secretly sought out other victims and persuaded them toe forward and identify the demon. Some studied the best escape routes from the teacher''s office, some kept a close eye on Baldy''s every move, and others helped Emelie train for the chase. It seemed that everyone could easily unite and give their all to the same cause during their school years. Emelie remembered that the cicadas during that summer were louder than those in any other year. The branches outside the ssroom window grew wildly, but nothing could block the zing sun.

    The boys were reckless and bold. They were all preparing and waiting for the right moment to get justice. And that moment came quickly.

    Baldy called the girl to his office again.

    With everyone cheering her on, Emelie followed closely, crouching and hiding under the window as she slowly extended the lens of the camera.

    She watched as Baldy touched the girl''s hand and smiled as he said things like, "Be good, and your grades will improve

    Emelie tried to suppress her disgust as she took the photos.

    Everything was going smoothly.

    But unexpectedly, the sunlight reflected off the camera lens and caught Baldy''s attention. He immediately became suspicious and shouted, "Who''s there?"

    Emelie ran away without a second of hesitation.

    Baldy chased after her and yelled, "Stop right there!"

    Emelie ran as fast as she could. She followed the nned route down the eastern staircase. But to her shock, the door at the bottom was locked.

    Emelie panicked as she saw Baldy approaching. As she frantically searched for another way out, someone suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her down another path.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    Emelie looked at the back of the person''s head and caught a faint scent of something fresh and clean, like

    snow.

    William jumped out of the window, then turned around and shouted at her, "Jump down!"

    They were on the first floor, but the ground outside was about half a meter lower than the ground inside.

    Emelie hesitated for only a few seconds before climbing over the window and jumping down.

    William caught her as she fell. Shended right in his arms, and for a long moment, they didn''t move.

    Her leg had cramped up. Or perhaps she was just too nervous.

    For some reason, William didn''t push her away and let her hold on to him.

    Soon, their schoolmates arrived, shouting that Baldy was still after them. "Run!"

    William lifted Emelie onto his back and ran off with the others.

    Emelie remembered the pounding of his heartbeat as he ran with her on his back. She remembered the heat

    of the summer sun, the satisfaction of doing something righteous with her ssmates, the shadows of the trees, the drone of the cicadas, and even her untied shoces.

    She also remembered the wind that filled William''s uniform as he sprinted. Yet, she had somehow forgotten him.

    "How could I have forgotten this so entirely?" Emelie murmured.

    William turned back to her and asked, "Forgotten what?"

 Chapter 802

    ?Chapter 802 It Was Him All Along

    Emelie looked down at William.

    He had just rolled through the grass, so he now carried a faint scent of fresh greenery. It reminded her of how he used to be when they were younger.

    Emelie wondered how she could have forgotten him.

    Was it because there were so many ssmates involved in what they had done back then, where he was just one of them that he didn''t stand out in her memory?

    Or was it because she was so focused on Wesley at the time that even if other boys had left an impression on her, she didn''t really pay attention to them?

    At that moment, she found herself wondering why she was suddenly remembering all this.

    When did she begin to pick up on the subtle clues in William''s words about how he''d liked her since high school?

    In the past, it had always seemed like a distant, unreal fantasy when he mentioned his high school crush. But now, as these memories filled in, she realized that everything had left traces.

    She was suddenly aware that they had shared a bond for over ten years.

    How must he have felt, knowing that she didn''t remember him at all?

    Had he been hurt six years ago, on that rainy night when they first met?

    William asked again, "What did you say you forgot?''

    "I said, did you forget to arrange for backup?'' Emelie asked softly.

    William shook his head. "The car''s around the corner. I didn''t want it too close, in case it attracted attention."

    They were around the corner at the time of their conversation.

    The car doors swung open, and William''s men called, ''Mr Middleton!"N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    William helped Emelie into the car first. He then looked carefully at her face.

    He made sure she didn''t look so bad before he got into the back seat.

    "Go."

    The car took off immediately. Emelie looked out the window and saw that the patrolling guards couldn''t keep up and were frantically making phone calls. They were probably calling for support.

    William said, ''As soon as we ran, they''d have started a thorough search of the exit routes. After all, Faldoria is the territory of the Filo family. I haven''t brought many people with me this time. If we can avoid a direct confrontation, we should."

    Emelie nodded and said, "We can''t fly directly back to Coastalburg. Let''s take a train to the border between Faldoria and Barolo, then enter a town in Barolo and fly back to Cedonia from there."

    William had the same n.

    "It''s still a bit of a drive to the station. If you''re tired, you can rest your head on me for a while.

    Emelie chose to lean against the car door even though she was really sick and exhausted.

    However, once she had fallen asleep, William gently moved her to rest on hisp.

    The journey was long, long enough for Emelie to start dreaming. She dreamed of a piano being yed in the music room at school.

    It was William ying.

    She also dreamed of how she always seemed to run into him at the crossroads after school. Once, she even thought she was being followed and mentioned it to Wesley.

    However, she never saw William again after that. Was it because he heard what she said and didn''t want to scare her, so he stopped following her?

    She remembered that back then, there was news of young girls being taken to remote viges to be wives to old men. The girls at the school were all terrified. It wasn''t until the school increased security that the fear eased.

    The person being followed was her, and was the increased security also his suggestion? "Angel, Angel."

    Emelie vaguely heard someone call out to her. She opened her eyes and asked, "What?"

    William replied in a low voice, "Something''s wrong"

    Emelie was immediately rmed. "What''s wrong?"

    William replied, "This road doesn''t lead to the border."

    "How do you know?"

    "I came here during my studies."

    After a few seconds, Emelie said, ''It seems that one of your men has betrayed us and sold us out."

 Chapter 803

    ?Chapter 803 We Have to Escape

    Emelie tried to get up from hisp, but William held her down and shook his head.

    The divider between the front and back seats had been raised. Their voices were low, so the people in the front couldn''t hear them.

    However, William noticed that the bodyguard in the passenger seat kept ncing at them through the side mirror.

    If William spoke, it would draw attention, but if Emelie stayed lying down, she wouldn''t be noticed.

    William hade in a hurry this time. He hadn''t brought his most trusted men.

    His close associates, Ashton and Fabian, were still in Coastalburg, keeping an eye on Wesley and stabilizing the troubled Xanther Group.

    Because of his hasty preparation, there were gaps in their n.

    The situation wasn''t looking good for them.

    There was a high chance that all four of his bodyguards had been bribed.

    Meanwhile, it was just the two of them, and Emelie wasn''t in good shape. If William had to fight, he''d have to protect her as well.

    If they engaged in a direct confrontation, they had almost no chance of winning.

    But they couldn''t just sit and wait to be taken to their destination. If that happened, their chances of escape would be even slimmer.

    Escaping now, while they were still on the road, was their best bet.

    William gently opened Emelie''s clenched fist and intertwined his fingers with hers. Then, he withdrew his hand and quietly wrote two words in her palm.

    "Real? Fake?"

    Emelie''s eyes shed as she understood his question.

    He was asking her onest time if she and Wesley were just pretending.

    Emelie replied, "We have to escape."

    William got the message. He then wrote another word in her palm. "Vomit."

    The road they were on was a dirt track. It was uneven and bumpy, making the car bounce up and down.

    Suddenly, Emelie sat up from William''sp, covered her mouth and nose, and banged on the divider. "Stop the car! Stop the car! I''m going to throw up!"

    The driver lowered the divider and hesitated. "But the pursuers could catch up at any moment. Stopping here might be dangerous."

    Emelie snapped, ''Do you want me to throw up in the car?"

    William ordered, as usual, "Stop the car."

    The driver exchanged nces with the bodyguard beside him.

    William asked in a deep voice, "What''s wrong? You''re not even listening to me now?"

    Perhaps they figured that the journey was still long and that having Emelie vomit in the car would be unpleasant for everyone, or maybe they thought it was too early to reveal their intentions. Whatever the reason, the driver finally pulled the car over.

    Emelie quickly jumped out and ran to the side of the dirt road, bending over and retching into the bushes. William extended his hand. ''Water.''

    The bodyguard handed it to him.

    William opened the bottle, got out of the car, and walked over to Emelie. He nced back and saw that the four men hadn''t followed

    William gently patted Emelie''s back and whispered, ''When I count to three, we''ll run. Jump on my back." Emelie felt uneasy. "We''re too close, and they''ll catch up. Can we outrun them?"

    William replied, ''Faldoria allows hunting."

    "What do you mean?''

    William had already scouted the area. ''This is a hunting zone full of traps. Outsiders can''t tell, but I know where to go."

    He nned to use the traps to slow them down.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie nodded. "Okay.''

    William handed her the water bottle and then unexpectedly smiled. "Angel, we''re about to go on the run."

    Emelie''s heart skipped a beat. For some reason, she thought of road movies.

    She thought of glorious sunsets, deserted highways, and migrating herds of antelope.

    It all seemed oddly romantic.

    William watched her as he slowly counted, "Three, two, one!"

    Then they both bolted!

    The four bodyguards hesitated for a moment before reacting. "Chase them!"

    Emelie hurled the water bottle she was holding, and it hit one of the bodyguards squarely on the forehead, causing him to stumble and fall behind. Then, she quickly leaped onto William''s back!

    William, carrying her, ran in what seemed like a random direction but skillfully avoided the traps marked by bamboo stakes on the ground.

    The bodyguards were unaware they were in a trap zone, so they stepped right into the traps.

    Emelie nced back. Two of them had fallen into the traps, and the other two had stopped. They were unsure whether to rescue theirrades or continue the chase. They were also uncertain about which areas were safe to step on

    William ran into the forest without hesitation.

    The trees provided cover, hiding them from sight and making it harder for the bodyguards to find them.

    William kept running for a long time. Emelie looked back and saw that no one was following.

    She could feel William''s body heat through his back. "I think we''ve lost them. Let''s rest for a bit."

    She could hear his heavy breathing. His lungs weren''t strong, and he couldn''t handle such intense activity. Emelie tightened her grip on his shoulders. "William, please stop.''

    Only then did William slow down.

    He carefully set Emelie down.

    Emelie looked around to observe the terrain. Suddenly, she saw William stumble. She immediately turned to him.

    William quickly grabbed a tree for support.

    His face was pale, and his chest was heaving. Emelie instinctively reached out to steady him. Suddenly, he coughed violently and covered his mouth

    He moved quickly, but Emelie saw it anyway.

    She saw a sh of red.

    She immediately grabbed his hand and forced it open. Sure enough, there was a smear of blood on his palm

    Her eyes widened in shock.

 Chapter 804

    ?Chapter 804 Is Your Body Failing Altogether

    William quickly withdrew his hand and went to the river to wash it.

    The blood in his palm disappeared almost instantly as it melted into the river water.

    Emelie followed him and watched as he stifled a cough, and his shoulders trembled slightly.

    She noticed that he seemed thinner.

    It waste March, and the weather had warmed up. Yet his clothes weren''t particrly light. Beneath the facade of the servant''s uniform, he wore a simple ck turtleneck.

    The cor pressed against his throat, slightly entuating his Adam''s apple. When he bent, his backbones were clearly visible.

    Emelie had a rough idea of his physical condition.

    The tumor in his lung had been there for more than three years. He hadn''t needed surgery in the past few years. However, things had gotten worse in the past year, so an operation was an option, even though he hadn''t gone through with it.

    She thought that someone as self-centered as he was would definitely have an operation if it were necessary. Since he hadn''t, it must not have been that serious.

    But now it was clear that things weren''t as she had thought.

    Emelie asked, "Is your body failing altogether?"

    Williamughed dismissively. "I was just running too fast. How is that failing? Have you forgotten that I just took on three men? Ms. Pierce, be kind and stop cursing me."

    Emelie stared at his pale lips for a few seconds before saying, ''Go to the hospital."

    "Now? Right now, our priority is to get back to Cedonia as soon as possible. Everything else can wait until we''re back."

    Emelie replied coldly, "Do you want me to take your ashes back to Cedonia? We''re leaving now."

    She had made up her mind, and they were off to the hospital. Emelie looked up at the source of the river and saw that they were in a remote area with no road signs.

    She asked, "Do you have your phone?"

    William handed her his phone. He was not worried about what she might find on it. "The password is your birthday.''

    Emelie gave him a quick look before unlocking the phone. Noticing that the battery was below 20%, she switched to power-saving mode before opening the map to search for the nearest hospital.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.

    It was eight kilometers away.

    They had no transport, and it would take about an hour and a half on foot. However, given their current physical states, it would be good if they managed to reach it in two hours.

    Emelie removed the white apron from the servant''s uniform she was wearing, making it look like a in ck dress and something less conspicuous. "Let''s go."

    "Do we really have to?'' William asked again.

    "Or we can part here," she said.

    What kind of option was this? Thus, William had no choice but to follow her.

    It took them two and a half hours to reach the hospital.

    Before entering the examination room, William handed Emelie his bank card. ''I saw a bank downstairs. Withdraw some cash to keep on hand. We''ll need it."

    Emelie didn''t have any money with her. In their situation, they would have to spend at every turn. Thus, she nodded and left

    William waited until she was downstairs before entering the examination room. He exined his situation to the doctor and held out his arm for the nurse to take some blood.

    Then, he spoke to the doctor in clear Faldorian, "Please make it quick. Finish the examination before my lover returns.''

    He didn''t want Emelie to know the details of his condition.

    The doctor quickly finished the examination and said, "You should have surgery as soon as possible.

    William replied calmly, ''I know, but it''s not convenient at the moment.

    The doctor was puzzled. ''What could be more important than your health?"

    William rolled up his sleeve. After taking several vials of blood, his elbow felt stiff. He massaged it gently but didn''t answer the doctor''s question.

    Indeed, nothing was more important than his health except for one person.

 Chapter 805

    Chapter 805 He Knew She Wasn''t Dead

    When Emelie returned after withdrawing the money, William was justing out of the doctor''s office.

    He said to her, ''It''s done. Let''s go."

    Emelie frowned. "You''re done already?''

    William replied, "The IV takes too long. I got the medication from the doctor instead."

    What good was medication?

    Emelie grabbed his arm and pulled him back into the doctor''s office. Having lived in Faldoria for three years, she had already learned Faldorian. ''Doctor, please administer the IV to him."

    William tightened his grip on her hand. "Angel, we don''t have time to waste. Those people, whoever they are, could catch up with us at any moment. We can''t count on being lucky every time.''

    Emelie responded sternly, ''If you start vomiting blood and fainting while we''re on the road, it''ll only slow us down further. I''d rather deal with this once and for all. Doctor, please prescribe the IV.''

    William was guided to a chair by the nurse and sat down. He frowned helplessly but then seemed to think of something and smiled. ''You''re really worried about me."

    "Of course."

    A spark of light appeared in William''s eyes.

    Emelie said emotionlessly, "You got into this situation because you came to rescue me. I''m not so unreasonable as not to see that. Besides, I owe you nothing."

    "But considering what I owe you, it wouldn''t be too much if you left me to die a hundred times," William said. Something tugged at Emelie''s heart. She looked down at him.

    His eyes had always been dark and mysterious, never revealing what he felt, loved, or hated.

    Now, however, his face was brightly lit by the sun in the brilliant sunlight outside the hospital. The deep love reflected in his eyes was palpable and made her heart race.

    The doctor prescribed the medication, and the nurse came to administer the IV.

    Emelie turned her head away. "Excuse me, do you have a phone charger I could borrow? My phone''s about to die.''

    The nurse said yes. After she finished inserting the needle for William, she went to get a charger for Emelie. Emelie didn''t send out any distress messages. She merely checked the news from Cedonia online.

    The public trial of the Swanson Technology Park explosion had concluded.

    Swanson Corporation was held responsible for the majority of thepensation, with each victim''s family receiving a total of 100,000 dors. Swanson Corporation''s voluntary offer of double damages had been an appeasement to the victims'' families.

    Bryan was sentenced to three years in prison, suspended for five years, and resigned as CEO of Swanson Corporation.

    Swanson Corporation was deeply entrenched. Even if thepany still had a breath left, it just wasn''t worth it anymore.

    Emelie figured that thepany''s next steps would likely involveyoffs, selling off assets, delisting. downsizing, or being acquired.

    The so-called four great empires of the business world were now shattered. The Davis Group hadpletely copsed, and the Swanson Corporation was half crippled. Everything had changed drastically in just half a year.

    Emelie felt nothing and closed the news page.

    She hadn''t intended to snoop through William''s private files, and she wasn''t particrly interested in what might be on his phone. However, her finger identally brushed the screen, and a folder opened.

    She noticed the folder pinned at the top wasbeled "Angel"

    Emelie pressed her lips together and turned to look at William.

    Thetter was leaning against the wall with his eyes closed. He seemed to have fallen asleep.

    There were faint dark circles under his eyes. He probably hadn''t been sleeping welltely. Emelie thought since the folder was about her, why not take a look?

    Thus, she opened it.

    Inside were photos of her from the past three years when she was in Baliz and MerciannaContent is ? by N?velDrama.Org.

    Emelie was stunned and then immediately began scrolling through the photos.

    They were all of her.

    And they were all taken secretly.

    There were photos of her walking alone on the street with a cup of coffee while being deep in thought, photos of her bending down to get into a car after leaving work, and photos of her walking with subordinates while discussing business.

    Why did he have these?

    Emelie tightened her grip on the phone. Her eyes shed as her mind raced.

    Did he know that she wasn''t dead and had someone keeping an eye on her?

 Chapter 806

    ?Chapter 806 Their High School Days

    The thought of the possibility hit Emelie so hard that she found it difficult to breathe.

    Her body was already weak. Before that day, she hadn''t even been able to get out of bed. She was only holding on now through sheer willpower.

    Emelie quickly took out a small bottle of pills from her pocket, poured a few into her hand, and tossed them into her mouth.

    Then she got up and went to the self-service water dispenser, filling a cup with cold water and gulping it down.

    The coldness that spread to her stomach helped her calm down.

    No...

    It was impossible that William knew she wasn''t dead.

    He had killed her with his own hands and personally ordered her body to be disposed of. He should be the person in the world most convinced that she was dead.

    These photos were taken secretly, but that didn''t mean the person who took them was him.

    Someone else took them. Maybe it was people from the Filo family who had been watching her ever since she appeared as Mandy Pierce. They had probably taken the photos to find her weaknesses.

    William must have collected these photos after she resurfaced.

    It had to be that way.

    After finding a reasonable exnation, Emelie felt much more at ease.

    She exhaled deeply and continued flipping through the photos, finding that they were all just ordinary pictures of her daily life with nothing incriminating.

    However, as she kept flipping, she found that thest photo was different from the others.

    Frowning, Emelie took a closer look and eventually recognized it as a picture of her dancing at her high school''s anniversary celebration.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    The photo was of very low resolution and was clearly taken over a decade ago with one of those old button phones. Her face was somewhat blurred. If she didn''t remember the clothes and the scene, Emelie wouldn''t have recognized that it was her.

    He had to have taken this one.

    Emelie exited the folder, locked the phone screen, and set it aside. Then she turned to look at his peaceful sleeping face and suddenly recalled something.

    Back then, Wesley had left for overseas without even taking the college entrance exam.

    She was deeply attached to him, and being suddenly abandoned by him felt excruciating. To avoid drowning in her sorrow, she chose to bury herself in her studies.

    She began to immerse herself in endless problem-solving and memorization. Even on weekends, she would spend all day in the school library, staying until it closed.

    It was a day of light rain.

    Raindrops trickled down the ss windows, leaving streaks. Watching them, she used an erasable marker to draw two stick figures on the ss. One tall and one short.

    The tall one was Wesley, and the short one was her. Both were standing in the rain.

    As she stared at the drawing, her eyes suddenly welled up. The emotions she had been suppressing for days finally broke through, and she buried her head in her arms while crying silently.

    She cried so much that she eventually fell asleep.

    In her half-asleep state, she felt someone approach her.

    Her eyes were swollen from crying. The person seemed to want to touch her but then hesitated. He withdrew his hand with restraint

    Emelie wanted to wake up, but her body was too exhausted from days of early mornings andte nights to open her eyes.

    She vaguely heard the person say, "Do you really like him that much? Can''t you choose someone else?" In the end, the person couldn''t resist touching her cheek.

    His hand was warm. Emelie thought it was Wesley who had returned and nuzzled against his hand. She barely opened her eyes and caught a blurry glimpse of his jaw before falling asleep again.

    When she woke up, she was the only student left in the library.

    A boy''s school uniform jacket was draped over her. It was wide,rge, and clean, without any dirt or unpleasant odors.

    She didn''t know whose it was, so she thought she''d hand it over to the librarianter. Then, she grabbed a wet wipe to erase the drawing on the ss.

    But when she looked at the drawing, she saw that someone had added a few strokes to it. The tall stick figure was now holding an umbre over the short one.

    Emelie was a little stunned. How strange.

    She had drawn Wesley, but with the addition of the umbre, it didn''t seem like Wesley anymore. Looking back on it now, yearster, Emelie realized that it might have been fate all along. After all, on one rainy night, she had indeed met William, who had been holding an umbre with one hand at the time.

 Chapter 807

    ?Chapter 807 Please Don''t Scare Me Again

    The person who had draped the school uniform jacket over Emelie was William. She had caught a glimpse of his jawline but then quickly forgot about him.

    Emelie averted her gaze. The smell of antiseptic from the hospital lingered in her nose. She let out a bitterugh.

    Why did she keep remembering all this? What was the point of recalling it now?

    It was toote.

    Not wanting to think about it anymore, Emelie stood up and walked to the window.

    She thought the pursuers were taking too long to arrive.

    Just as that thought crossed her mind, she saw several burly men in ck on the first floor, showing a photo

    to the nurse at the information desk and asking if she had seen the person in the picture.

    The nurse shook her head, indicating she didn''t know, and the men began searching room by room.

    Emelie turned back to look at William''s IV drip and saw that there was still half a bottle left.

    Without waking him, she left a note and quietly slipped downstairs.

    In Faldoria, people usually consult their family doctors first when they fall ill. If the family doctor couldn''t handle it, they would then consider going to a hospital. Therefore, there weren''t many people in the hospital, and it wasn''t huge.

    The men in ck had just reached the third floor when they suddenly heard someone shout in Faldorian,'' Hey! Idiots!"

    They immediately turned and saw Emelie, who raised an eyebrow and smirked provocatively at them.

    "It''s her!" they shouted afterparing her to the photo.

    A group of them charged toward her, and Emelie turned and bolted!

    In an instant, a chase through the hospital began.

    Meanwhile, William wasn''t sleeping due to fatigue. He was unconscious.

    Suddenly, his eyes opened as if a taut string had snapped within him.

    It had been 40 minutes since the chaos erupted.

    He overheard the nurses talking nervously, "They even fired shots! The whole hospital was in chaos, and it''s still not cleaned up."T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.

    "Yeah, it was terrifying! Who were those people? What did they want with that Cedonian woman?"

    "They must have been gangsters."

    William felt his heart sink into an abyss. He immediately looked around but didn''t see Emelie.

    He had looked much better after receiving the IV, but now his face turned pale again.

    Just as he was about to pull out the needle, he noticed a sticky note on the back of his hand.

    It was in Emelie''s handwriting.

    "The pursuers have arrived. I''m going to shake them off. Meet me at the cafe on the street behind the hospital." William clutched the note and asked the nurse in a low voice, "Did they capture that Cedonian girl?''

    The nurse shook her head. "I''m not sure. They all ran out of the hospital in the end. Someone called the police, but it seems like the police didn''t catch them either."

    A nerve in William''s heart throbbed with pain. She hadn''t fully recovered, so how could she outrun the pursuers? Why didn''t she wake him up?

    Regret, frustration, anxiety, and fear filled his chest. He pulled out the needle.

    "Sir, your IV isn''t finished yet," the nurse called after him. There was only a little left.

    But William didn''t care.

    His face was expressionless. He had to find Emelie, but where would he look for her?

    He didn''t even know who had taken her. Was it Wesley or Natalia? His men were unreliable due to a possible traitor being among them.

    He could only contact Cedonia for help. But would Emelie be able to hold on until help arrived, at least a dayter?

    She would be in danger.

    William''s face grew paler. His dark brows and eyes appeared even darker, like an endless night.

    It had been many years since he had felt such a crushing sense of helplessness.

    He staggered to his feet. Suddenly, he noticed that one of the windows in the room seemed to overlook the street behind the hospital.

    William narrowed his eyes and immediately ran over.

    It wasn''t too high up from the third floor. With his sharp eyesight, he could see the cafe where Emelie was supposed to meet him.

    He also saw a man wearing a baseball cap sitting at one of the outdoor tables.

    William closed his eyes for a moment. There was a trace of red in his gaze. Then he quickly turned and ran out of the hospital room.

    Outside the cafe, not only had Emelie managed to shake off the pursuers, but she had also changed into a man''s outfit in disguise. She had tied her hair up and hid it under a cap.

    She calcted that William should have finished his IV by now, but why hadn''t he shown up yet?

    Just as she was thinking this, she looked up.

    And then she saw someone running toward her.

    "You..." Emelie was about to tell him not to run around too much, fearing that he might start coughing up blood again. He needed to save his strength in case they had to flee from the pursuers.

    However, before she could finish her sentence, William pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly.

    He held her so tightly that Emelie could feel the heat from his body, his irregr breathing, and his unsteady heartbeat after running.

    She also heard him whisper in her ear with a slight tremble, ''Please... don''t scare me like that again."

 Chapter 808

    ?Chapter 808

    Mr. Middleton, You''re the One in a Real Mess

    "I left you a note, didn''t I?''

    Emelie pushed him away. ''I''m fine. I shook them off. Did you finish the IV drip?"

    William gave a heavy hum and then kept his eyes on her without blinking.

    It was as if he feared that if he rxed, she''d vanish into thin air.

    Emelie nearly forgot the important matter at hand. She adjusted her cap and said, "I also found a way to get to the border. There''s a rural bus that doesn''t check IDs. You just hop on, pay, and go. We can take it to the border and head to Barolo first."

    "Where do we catch it?"

    "Definitely not in a busy area like this. Follow me." Emelie had already asked for directions.

    Most of the people who took this kind of bus to the border were likely illegal immigrants. Everyone turned a blind eye to the others and just paid and got on without questions. The two sat in thest row.

    The bus was filled with all sorts of people-men, women, the elderly, and children. They all shared simr characteristics, as they were all wearing dirty clothes and had grimy faces. They carriedrge woven bags, looking like poor workers heading to the city to do some manualbor.

    Emelie noticed a young man, who looked like a thug, boasting to the person next to him about how he was a small gang leader and how many people he cut down in a day.

    Both Emelie and William listened and quickly dismissed it from their minds.

    It would take several hours to reach the border, and the bus typically continued. If someone couldn''t hold it in and needed the restroom, they''d just use a bottle.

    Emelie turned away ufortably, looking out the window. However, the sound of it still made her feel a bit sick.

    Suddenly, her ears were gently covered by a pair of warm hands.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Startled, she turned to look at William.

    William shifted slightly, blocking her view and signaling for her to continue looking out the window. Emelie pursed her lips and looked back out.

    After a short while, William released her ears and casually helped tuck a few loose strands of hair behind her ear. He teased, "Quite the mess, Ms. Pierce."

    Emelie, unfazed, responded, ''I haven''t been morous for long. Mr. Middleton, you''re the one in a real mess. This is probably the first time you''ve experienced something like this, right?"

    He had always lived a pampered life, treated like royalty. Now, he had been rolling on the ground and was stuck on a filthy bus.

    William replied, "It''s not the first time. Do you remember the scar on my back?''

    There was a long scar on William''s back. Not from weapons, but a whip.

    Back when they were both injured and hospitalized in Wimstour City, she had helped him bathe, and William casually mentioned that he got it while in prison.

    However, she knew he didn''t have a criminal record, so she assumed he was joking.

    Was he not?

    William exined casually, "After graduating from university, I traveled to Faldoria and identally crossed paths with a gang. I reported it to the police, but it turned out the cops were in league with the gang. My report ended up backfiring, and I was imprisoned instead. That scar is from the beatings I received from the police." Emelie couldn''t help but ask, "How did you get out?"

    William simply said, "It had something to do with Lyle.''

    "I don''t remember you mentioning it."

    William looked down at her. "How could I tell such an embarrassing story in front of the woman I like? It''s not cool.''

    Emelie didn''t respond.

    The rural bus finally arrived near the border, and the passengers began to disembark.

    Emelie whispered, ''Follow the crowd. There should be a people smuggler nearby."

    They nced around and pretended to search.

    Soon, the young man who had been boasting about being a gang leader approached them.

    In broken Cedonian, he asked, "Are you going?"

    Emelie sized him up. "How much will it be?"

    He held up his hand and flipped it twice.

    "One thousand dors?'' Emelie asked.

    The young man nodded. ''1000 dors per person."

    William was about to agree when Emelie countered, "800 dors for the two of us."

    The smuggler bargained back, "1500 dors for two."

    "850 dors for both. If not, we''ll find our own way across."

    The young man licked his lips, then reluctantly gestured an okay sign. Emelie turned her back to count the money and handed it over.

    The smuggler motioned for them to follow.

    As they walked, William asked, "Why did you haggle?"

    The smuggler''s Cedonian was poor, so they didn''t hold back.

    Emelie frowned. "Are you stupid? Showing too much wealth when traveling is just asking to be targeted."

    William smiled softly and whispered, "Ms. Hoven, what would I do without you?"

    The border was just a barbed-wire fence, but there were guards stationed nearby.

    The smuggler led them to hide in the bushes. Once the guards changed shifts, they''d have a chance to rush through a previously damaged section of the fence.

    "Run! Hurry!"

    Emelie began moving, but she was still a bit stunned. "That''s it? We''re just running for it?"

    She immediately felt like the 850 dors from earlier had been wasted. They could have run on their own. There was no skill involved, so why did they even pay him?

    William chuckled as he pulled her along and asked, ''Haven''t you seen the jokes online? Scalpers charge you for a fast pass, but all they actually do is help you cut the line. You go in while they stay behind to argue. It''s

    simplicity at its best."

    Emelie was speechless.

    However, there wasn''t time to think about it-they had to keep running.

    However, they hadn''t gone far when a police car pulled up behind them. ''Freeze! Take one more step, and we''ll shoot!"

    Emelie and William exchanged a nce and immediately stopped

    Before long, two police cars surrounded them. An officer in uniform stuck his head out of the vehicle and

    shouted, "Round up all these border jumpers!"

    They weren''t the only ones caught. Others were attempting to cross as well, and they were all herded into the police cars like ducks

    A group of people sat inside, looking at each other in dismay.

    Emelie thought that this was really embarrassing. She licked her dry lips. "Do you think these cops are dirty too? Will they beat us?"

    William, on the other hand, saw this as a good thing. "It might be better to go to the station. Their reach might not extend here. We could negotiate with the police, pay a bribe, and use their phone to contact Ashton and

    the others."

    Emelie stared out the window. The car drove into the small border town.

    She lowered her head while pondering. Then, she kicked the smuggler opposite her and said in Faldorian,"

    Give us our money back."

    The smuggler became nervous. "This is all about luck. It''s not my fault your luck ran out. No refunds!"

    Emelie raised an eyebrow. "You said you were part of a gang, right?"

    The smuggler straightened up. "Yeah! If you dare to rob me, I won''t let you off!"

    Emelie continued, "So, you should be pretty fearless, right? Do you want to try breaking out of jail?"

    The smuggler looked puzzled. "Breaking out?"

    Emelie pointed out the window. The town''s streets were narrow and crowded with people and vendors, and

    the police car was driving slowly and stopping frequently.

    "When the car stops next time, we should escape together. What do you think?"

 Chapter 809

    ?Chapter 809 A National Sensation

    These days, the bold thrive while the timid starve.

    If they were caught and taken to the police station, they''d inevitably face some physical "education", followed by hefty fines and deportation back to Cedonia.

    The smuggler had experienced this before and didn''t want to go through it again. So, without much

    hesitation, he nodded at Emelie''s suggestion.

    "Let''s do it!" the smuggler said.

    William looked down at Emelie. "You don''t think that my n is better?"

    If they could negotiate a ransom with the police, they could temporarily stay at the station until Ashton and the others arrived to take them back to Cedonia.

    Emelie replied, "Let''s try escaping first. If that doesn''t work, we can always fall back on your n."

    William frowned. ''Is this really necessary?"

    Isn''t this just redundant?

    Emelie smirked. ''I love a good thrill''

    Although this was a border town, it was still quite popted. As they approached a turn, they encountered a traffic jam, which forced the police car to stop.

    Emelie gave the smuggler a look.

    Suddenly, the smuggler kicked the rear door of the old police car open.

    Border police often had to round up batches of illegal border crossers. They were so used to it that they didn''t pay much attention to the detainees and didn''t expect them to dare attempt an escape. Their guard was sox that they didn''t even handcuff anyone.

    After the smuggler kicked open the door, he shouted, "Run!"

    Everyone hesitated for a second before scrambling out of the police car.

    The police officers in the front realized what was happening only after everyone had run out. They quickly jumped out of the car and shouted, "Stop! All of you, stop!''

    But, of course, no one listened. Everyone scattered in different directions.

    The police were undermanned and called for backup on their radios as they chased after the fleeing crowd. The chase in the crowded market caused an immediate uproar. People were knocked over, and chaos ensued. The police were frustrated and fired warning shots into the air, scaring the local residents into ducking down in confusion. They were unsure of what was happening.

    The smuggler, being a troublemaker, seized the moment and shouted, "The police are arresting people randomly! Run!"

    The local residents were spurred by his words and began to flee in panic. The scene spiraled out of control as the police, looking around in confusion, had no idea how to handle the situation.

    Ironically, Emelie and William didn''t run. They found a building to hide in and watched the chaos outside.

    Emelie smiled with a strange satisfaction. "This will make the news.

    Indeed, in the era of widespread inte ess, nothing extraordinary goes unnoticed. Soon, the border unrest and the hospital sh were trending on international social media tforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr, drawing a lot of attention.

    Everyone spected about what had caused two different chaotic events in different ces on the same day. Was it a rebel group or a terrorist organization?

    Various short videos from the scenes were uploaded, and sharp-eyed viewers quickly noticed twomon figures in both incidents. A pair of Caledonian

    Though their clothing and appearance had changed slightly, their height, build, and partnership were unmistakable.

    Thus, discussions erupted about whether these two were stirring up trouble to get revenge on society or if there was some hidden agenda behind their actions.

    In the videos, they seemed to be surveying their surroundings, perhaps on the lookout for someone.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.

    It appeared that they didn''t initiate any attacks. For instance, at the hospital, it was clear that the group of men in ck was searching for the woman while she was constantly hiding and fleeing.

    Could it be that this was manhunt targeting these two?

    Curiousizens, always eager to investigate, began analyzing their identities and actions. They wanted to figure out what was really going on. Some had even started tracking them online.

    With surveince cameras everywhere, soon enough, photos of the duo''s sightings were being shared across the inte.

    Whether on the street or a bus, their journey was being followed and exposed. Tens of thousands ofizens collectively tracked their escape route.

    This unexpected inte spectacle quickly turned Emelie and William into overnight sensations, which drew massive attention.

    The situation escted so dramatically that even Natalia had heard about it.

    She was furious. "Idiots! Useless trash! You couldn''t even capture two sick people! Now it''s be a national scandal!"

 Chapter 810

    ?Chapter 810 Her Other Identity

    Natalie''s subordinate said nervously, "They''ve now escaped to Barolo, with many curiousizens following them. Mrs. Russo, should we continue our pursuit?"

    At this point, they should relent. Any further action could quickly expose them.

    However, Natalie was unwilling to let go. She couldn''t bear to miss such a golden opportunity.

    For once, neither William nor Emelie had any protection. This was the moment when they were most vulnerable. In the past, they had been untouchable, and any attempts to strike them were futile.

    Moreover, Natalie had just discovered that Emelie might have another identity.

    If Emelie really was... Then Natalie could absolutely not let her return to the Filo family.

    Amelia''s will had stipted that, if Emelie returned with that identity, she would instantly inherit a significant share of the family''s assets. At that point, Cronus would be even more powerful, further securing his position as the head of the family.

    Additionally, William and Beathan had to be killed as part of their agreement.

    If neither of these tasks was aplished, and Emelie and William returned to their respective positions, it would be their turn to face retribution.

    Therefore, Emelie and William had to die. They absolutely had to die.

    Natalie made up her mind. "Continue the pursuit."

    The subordinate hesitated. ''Mrs. Russo, if we''re exposed..."

    Natalie grabbed a ss and smashed it furiously. "Can''t you be a little more careful? After all these years, do I still need to teach you how to kill two people? Move quickly!"

    The subordinate was frightened and hurriedly agreed. Then, he rushed out of the room.

    Natalie gripped the edge of the table with both of her hands. She looked up at theputer screen where Emelie and William were disyed.

    A cold, sinister smile spread across her face. Once Emelie was dead, Cronus would be next.

    She was determined to secure the Filo family inheritance. She would be the second female head of the Filo family after Amelia.

    Meanwhile, after evading multiple assassination attempts and switching through various modes of transportation, Emelie and William finally arrived in Mylen.

    Emelie entered a bakery while William kept watch outside. She bought about six loaves of bread and grabbed two bottles of drinks. Then, she went to pay for them.

    The cashier scanned the items and casually nced up. When he saw Emelie, he thought that she resembled the now-famous figure from the inte, so he took a few more nces at her.

    Emelie remained calm and even shed him a smile. Her natural andposed demeanor made it hard to believe that she was a wanted fugitive.

    The cashier hesitated and was unsure of his suspicions.

    After Emelie paid, she quickly left the store and signaled William to hurry up.

    The pair, which was a tall man and a shorter woman, matched the descriptions perfectly.

    The cashier immediately shouted, ''It''s them! The runaway duo!"

    Emelie and William instinctively took off running. They had been on the run for three days now.

    Emelie couldn''t help butugh. "The runaway duo? Is that what they''re calling us now? Who came up with

    that?"

    William nced back. Fortunately, no one was following.

    He pulled Emelie into a narrow alley.

    The alley was tight, with both of them standing face-to-face, each leaning against a wall.

    Emelie handed William a bottle of drink and a loaf of bread.

    As William took the bread, he also grabbed her hand.

    Emelie responded with a "Hmm?'' as she looked at him.

    William hadn''t shaved in days. His chin was covered in a stubble, making him look far more rugged and disheveled than his usual polished self.

    Still, he had a good face. Even in his rough state, it was hard for him to look bad. The stubble gave him a tougher appearance. Maybe he''d look good with a buzz cut too.

    Emelie let out another questioning "Hmm?"T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.

    William''s dark eyes fixed on her as he suddenly exposed her true intentions. "You did it on purpose."

 Chapter 811

    ?Chapter 811 She Can Survive as Long as He''s Alive

    "What do you mean ''on purpose''?'' Emelie asked.

    "I mean you purposely drew public attention to us," William said.

    Emelie pulled her hand back and twisted the cap off her drink. Without a change in expression, she asked, " Why do you think that?"

    William could see right through it. If he couldn''t, he wouldn''t be William.

    He exined, ''First, escaping from the Denning Residence was too easy. Second, going to a hospital during a fugitive run was far from a rational choice. Third, given your physical condition and abilities, it''s almost impossible that you could have escaped from those men in ck on your own.

    "Fourth, opting to break out of custody instead of negotiating with the police wasn''t the best strategy. Fifth, the online frenzy happened too quickly and became too intense."

    They had been on the run for three days, and these suspicions had followed William all that time.

    He continued, "So, the only reasonable exnation I can think of is that the people in the manor intentionally let us escape, and you went to the hospital because you wanted to create a scene in a crowded ce.

    "In reality, someone has been helping you shake off the pursuers from the shadows. Breaking out of custody and the chaos at the hospital were all part of the n to attract public attention. As for the online hype, manipting public opinion is one of your specialties. It''s your forte.''

    In short, Emelie had orchestrated it all

    There was only one logical conclusion William could reach. "You''re baiting Mrs. Russo. The more she fails to catch you, the more frustrated she bes, which will lead her to act more recklessly. The more she acts out, the more evidence of her crimes she''ll expose

    A slight smile yed on Emelie''s lips.

    Just as she was about to speak while twisting the cap back onto her drink, they heard a shout from the entrance of the alley. "They''re here!"

    Within just a few moments, a group of over ten men had blocked the alley.

    Even though William suspected Emelie had nned this, his first instinct was still to shield her behind him.

    The neers weren''t police or assassins. They looked menacing and were dressed in various outfits. They looked more like gangsters.

    William recognized the man leading them. It was the same gang leader that he had shed with during a university trip.

    William considered making a break for it with Emelie, but then the gang leader drew a gun and aimed it at them.

    They were outmatched.

    In a confrontation between flesh and bullets, they had no choice but to surrender.

    The leader nced at Emelie before signaling his men to bring her over.

    Not knowing whether these people were friends or foes, William wasn''t about to let them take Emelie without a fight.

    As two men approached Emelie, William kicked them aside before they could touch her.

    The rest of the gang grew furious. Before Emelie could say anything, they attacked William.

    When it came to hand-to-handbat, William was undefeated. He had been trained in martial arts from a young age and taking on multiple opponents at once was nothing new to him.

    Still, they had been on the run for three days. His strength and stamina were nearly depleted. Moreover, they

    outnumbered him, and they weren''t above using cheap tactics or fighting in turns.

    William stood no chance in such a situation.

    One of the thugsnded a punch to his abdomen, likely hitting his spleen, causing William to double over in pain. As he straightened up, another fist smashed into the side of his face.

    His face, which had been strikingly handsome even in his disheveled state, now bore a dark bruise. His short hair fell across his brow, making him look somewhat ragged.

    Emelie instinctively stepped forward.

    However, before she could move, two thugs grabbed her shoulders and growled, ''No, no, no! Don''t move! Damn it!"

    Even in this dire situation, William managed to take down the two men holding Emelie and pulled Emelie back behind him. He gripped her hand tightly, refusing to let anyone else touch her.

    Emelie was momentarily stunned as she stared at his back.

    She wanted to tell him there was no need to fight because these men weren''t here to capture them. However, her mind was flooded with memories at that moment, which took over her original thoughts.

    It seemed like every time they were in danger, he would always shield her like this. It was as if this was his instinctual, ingrained reaction.

    No matter who the opponent or his condition was, he would always protect her. He was like her final line of defense, her shield. Even if all her other cards were yed out, at least she still had him.

    As long as he was alive, she could survive.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 812

    ?Chapter 812 Are You Angry, William?

    In that moment of distraction, one of the thugs who had been kicked got back on his feet with a loud cry. The group, clearly irritated, decided to charge together.

    William quickly pushed Emelie, who was behind him, into a corner to avoid getting hurt by mistake. However, because of that move, he was a fraction of a second too slow, and one of the thugs found an opening. He swung his leg up, kicking William hard in the stomach.

    William''s body mmed against the wall and fell to the ground. When he looked up, his eyes were bloodshot. Still, he tried to get back up.

    The more defiant he acted, the angrier the thugs became. They wanted to knock him down and force him to beg for mercy.

    The group swarmed at him like a pack of hyenas attacking a lone, injured lion in a forest. They seized every opportunity to pounce, viciously tearing at him, aiming to take him down.

    Emelie''s face grew pale as she watched them. Her shock turned to gritted teeth, then breathless horror, and finally a choking frustration. When blood sttered into the air, her eyes widened with fury.

    She shouted, "Stop! All of you, stop! No more fighting!"

    However, no one listened.

    She turned to their leader and yelled, "Mason! What the hell are you doing? Tell them to stop! Are you crazy?"

    Mason shrugged. With a deep voice, he replied, ''I only called you over to talk. He started the fight. My men are just defending themselves."

    "Tell them to stop!" Emelie yelled.

    It was only then that he shouted, "Stop."

    The thugs only stopped because William had already defeated them. They were frustrated and wanted to charge at him again.

    However, Mason scolded them, "You lot couldn''t even take down one guy with so many people! Do you still have the nerve to keep going?"

    The thugs felt aggrieved. William was something else. No ordinary man was this tough.

    Mason tossed a ck backpack to Emelie. ''Everything you asked for is inside. Natalia is desperate. Mr.

    Cronus asked me to remind you to always prioritize your safety."

    Mason nced at William, gave him a thumbs up, and said something in Faldorian. ''Well done for protecting your woman at all costs. You''re a real man."

    Emelie understood what he meant. He was praising William.

    William wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and said slowly, ''I remember you.''

    Mason looked at him seriously for a moment. Then, as if he had recognized him too, heughed it off and left with his men.

    Emelie immediately ran over to check on William. "William! Are you okay?"

    William wasn''t doing well. He leaned against the wall and slowly slid to the ground, unable to tell where the pain wasing from. He let out a muffled cough, and he could taste blooding up his throat.

    Even hyenas could kill a lion.

    With great effort, he raised his head onest time to make sure Emelie was unharmed. Then, his eyes finally closed as he lost consciousness.

    Emelie quickly caught his falling body. She looked down at the wounds on his face and felt her throat constrict painfully.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.

    When William woke up, it was already dark

    He was lying on a bed in a clinic. The doctor and nurses had treated his wounds, and Emelie was sitting beside his bed.

    She saw him open his eyes and said calmly, ''Fortunately, you''ve only suffered surface wounds.''

    William asked, "What about you? Are you okay?"

    "You saw for yourself, didn''t you? Not only did they not hurt me, but they also gave me a bag with the knife, medicine, clothes, and food that I''d asked for earlier. Oh, and that leader''s name is Mason. He works for Wesley, "Emelie said.

    Then, she added, "You guessed it right. This was all a show that Wesley and I put on.''

    William propped himself up on the mattress and said, ''I asked you twice, but you denied it both times."

    "Because I didn''t think it was necessary to be honest with you,'' she replied.

    Emelie stood up and walked to the front of his bed. "Are you mad, William? You protected me all the way, fought until you were coughing up blood, and ended up like this. It was all part of my n, but I didn''t even tell you the truth. Are you angry?"

 Chapter 813

    ?Chapter 813 On the Brink of Falling

    At first, William was a little angry. After all, he was William Middleton-the one always in control of everything. Not only had he be someone else''s pawn this time, but he had also ended up in such a miserable, pathetic state.

    Even on that graduation trip back in college, when he identally crossed paths with a gang, got caught up with crooked cops, and took a brutal beating, he hadn''t been in such a sorry state.

    However, the moment he met Emelie''s eyes, he felt that there wasn''t anything to be mad about. After all, it concerned her.

    His expression softened. ''I''m not angry. I''m fine as long as you''re okay."

    Emelie didn''t believe that he wasn''t angry. She emphasized each word slowly, "William, I said I yed you." William patiently replied, "And I said I''m fine as long as you''re okay."

    Emelie gritted her teeth andughed sarcastically. "William, to be honest, after everything you''ve done for me, I''m almost starting to feel soft-hearted. If my mom hadn''t died, I might even consider letting everything with you be water under the bridge.

    William''s gaze was dark and deep.Content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    "s, that''s impossible.'' Emelie shook her head.

    William lowered his eyes, the folds of his eyelid faintly visible. "Yeah, that''s impossible. Everything I''ve done for you is what I owe you. Even if one day I end up dying in front of you, it''ll still be my debt to you. You don''t need to feel any burden."

    Emelie wasn''t physically hurt, yet every breath she took felt like a sharp jab to her chest.

    William adjusted his position on the hospital bed. He was wearing a patient gown with an IV needle in the back of his hand.

    He opened his arms. "But right now, could youe over here and let me hold you for a bit?"

    Emelie''s gaze wavered.

    William''s voice was gentle. ''I''m in a lot of pain. Let me hold you for a moment, just to ease it a little. Please?"

    Emelie was right in front of him, just one step away. However, she didn''t move.

    William reached out and wrapped his arm around her waist. Emelie didn''t push him away.

    He pulled her closer, sessfully hugging her, his face buried against her stomach.

    Emelie could clearly feel herself teetering, on the brink of falling. But, she couldn''t let herself fall. No matter what, she couldn''t do that.

    She coldly said, ''My wedding with Wesley is set for mid-April, which will be in the middle of spring. Spring will be in full bloom, and all the flowers will be back to life. Make sure you''re there."

    William raised her head. "I''ll let you do anything you want to do except that. You can''t marry him."

    Emelie scoffed. ''Why can''t I?"

    William said, "You think that he''s that great?"

    "He is that great," she said.

    She stood while he sat, her gaze cold and piercing as she looked down at him.

    She continued, "He knows what happened between us that night when we were drugged, but he wasn''t angry. He didn''t me me nor did he think that I''d betrayed him. He understands me, sympathizes with me, and epts me.

    "He''s the most emotionally stable man I''ve ever known, the one who knows how to love me best.

    "As for the explosion at Swanson Technology Park, except for that split second when it happened, I''ve always firmly believed that it wasn''t him.

    "He doesn''t need to exin. I just know that he would never do something like that. That''s the kind of trust I have in his character. He''s the only one who has my unconditional trust.

    "We don''t even need words to understand each other. With just a look, we know what the other person is thinking. When I needed to put on an act, he yed along with me seamlessly. No one else couldpare to the chemistry we have.

    "He''s just that good. Marrying him is the right choice.

    Despite listing all those reasons, it was unclear whether she was saying them to William. Perhaps she was trying to stop herself from falling by shackling herself with those reasons, forbidding herself to move away from Wesley.

 Chapter 814

    ?Chapter 814 Marry Me Instead

    William tightened his grip around her waist. ''Have you ever wondered why you two have so much chemistry? Have you wondered why he''s been so fixated on you since high school? Why does he care about you so much?" Emelie''s eyes flickered. ''What are you trying to say?"

    William continued, "His mother, Mrs. Filo, liked you the moment she met you. Do you ever think about the reason why?"

    Emelie''s brows knitted tightly. "What exactly are you getting at?"

    William revealed a small smile. "Why don''t you try doing a DNA test between you and Wesley?"

    "What nonsense are you spouting!" Emelie instantly shoved him away

    She stumbled back, crashing into the cab behind her with a loud bang.

    The clinic''s doctor rushed over immediately. ''Ms. Pierce?"

    With just a nce, William could tell that everyone in the clinic was also under her control.

    The doctor noticed that Emelie''s face, which had been fine a moment ago, had turned pale. So, he assumed she was unwell. ''Have you taken the antidote, Ms. Pierce?"T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Her illness was actually caused by the medication she''d been taking.

    She shook her head, still ring intently at William. I''m fine. You can leave... We still have things to discuss." With that, the doctor left.

    Emelie reached out and grabbed William by the cor. She wasn''t gripping it tightly, but every word seemed to be forced out through gritted teeth.

    "Exin yourself now!" she said.

    In contrast, William was calm. "Why do you think that all the food stalls in front of the old house suddenly disappeared?''

    Emelie didn''t want to think about it. "Someone reported them. City management came to clear them out." William said, "Who would bother reporting a bunch of food stalls that have been there for over 30 years? They were well-acquainted with the locals and bothered no one."

    Emelie gritted her teeth. "How would I know?''

    "Someone didn''t want you interacting with them too much. They were afraid that they might one day tell you something. For example, they might say, The man beside you used toe here to buy sweet potatoes as a kid. Isn''t his name Kingston?""

    Kingston Pierce was Emelie''s biological older brother. He was rumored to have been kidnapped by traffickers and had gone missing without a trace for over 20 years.

    Emelie''s gaze trembled and staggered back again, leaning against the cab. She remembered how Wesley always found reasons for her not to eat at those stalls, preferring she cooked for herselfte at night.

    Suddenly, she felt a chill all over, like she couldn''t breathe -a suffocating, surreal feeling that her world had just been turned upside down.

    She couldn''t ept it. "William, what nonsense are you spouting!"

    William took her hand. ''Since you don''t believe me, why don''t you investigate for yourself?"

    Emelie forced herself to say, "If you''re talking nonsense-"

    William cut her off, looking her straight in her eye with utter seriousness. "If I''m not talking nonsense, marry me instead then in April."

    Emelie found it even more absurd. "What did you just say?''

    William smiled. ''Do you dare to make a bet with me?''

    Emelie leaned against the wall, her face drained of color.

    After a long silence, William spoke first. "Now that we''ve reached this point, what''s your next move? What should we do?"

    Other things could be dealt withter, but they had to see through this act to the end.

    Emelie closed her eyes, calming the chaotic thoughts racing in her mind. "We need to get to the airport. We need to go back to Cedonia."

    She stepped out and nodded at the clinic''s doctor, who immediately understood her intentions. Soon, their whereabouts were leaked by the doctor.

    Naturally, Natalia received word that they were heading to the airport to catch the next flight to Cedonia. If they managed to escape again, all her efforts would be in vain.

    When one was in a state of urgency or extreme emotion, they tended to overlook many things.

    She immediately ordered her men, "Catch them! I want them dead!"

    When Beathan saw the global live broadcast of the car chase online, he knew that things had gone terribly wrong.

 Chapter 815

    ?Chapter 815 The Evidence at Your Door

    Because of the chaos at the hospital and the border, the runaway duo gained massive attention on the inte. Curiousizens were closely following their every move.

    They wanted to know: Who were they? Why were they being hunted by? Who was after them? Where were they headed? And what would their fate be? Who would pay the price for this whole mess?

    Beathan thought that, given the situation, Natalia wouldn''t be foolish enough to make a move. Otherwise, she could easily expose herself.

    He would''ve never expected that Natalia, upon learning that William and Emelie were taking a taxi to the airport and were about to fly back home, would actually send assassins to intercept them in broad daylight.

    Aerial footage from a TV station''s drone provided a bird''s-eye view of a white taxi with four ck sedans chasing after them on the road, weaving in and out of the morning rush hour traffic.

    The cars were moving at incredible speed. The taxi performed a sharp swerve, dodging a ck car as it suddenly rolled down a window and fired shots.

    A nearby unsuspecting car couldn''t react in time and crashed straight into a guardrail, triggering a multi-car pileup and causing a traffic jam stretching for kilometers.

    While there were no casualties, the road was blocked, and Barolo''s traffic was notoriously bad. Even the traffic police, who arrived quickly on the scene, couldn''t clear it.

    Frustrated drivers that were stuck in traffic rolled down their windows to yell at the drivers in front of them, only to be cursed at by the ones behind. Soon, there was a full-on shouting match all along the road.

    The police, firefighters, ambnce services, road rescue teams, and insurancepanies all rushed to the

    scene.

    On this particr day, the international metropolis of Mylen descended into utter chaos.

    The moment Beathan saw the live broadcast, he immediately called Natalia. "Don''t you realize everyone is watching William and Emelie''s every move right now?"Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.

    "Of course I know,'' she replied.

    "Then why the hell are you going after them so openly? Do you have a death wish?'' Beathan tried to hold back his anger. "Pull your men back right back! I wantplete radio silence! No more moves until this blows over!

    Natalia chuckled. "Are you worried about my safety, Mr. Collins?"

    "I don''t want to be implicated by you!" Beathan''s voice was cold. "Cedonia has already identified who they are. People are calling the embassy to inquire about this. The authorities have taken notice of this. This has been blown way out of proportion!"

    Things had evolved to a scale far beyond what Beathan had anticipated. In his ns, Emelie and William would only be discovered and make the news after their bodies had dposed, not when they were in a high-speed chase across the world.

    Natalia retorted, ''Exactly! Since it''s already such big news, we need to see it through to the end. Otherwise, all our previous efforts will be wasted."

    "And what if you''re exposed?" Beathan asked.

    "I''ll just find a few scapegoats to take the fall. Say they messed with the mafia and it''s a gang retaliation. Who''s going to trace it back to us?" she said.

    "You make it sound so easy." Beathan let out an exasperatedugh. "Despite sending out so many professional assassins, you still can''t catch two sickly people. Do you really think that they''re that powerful?

    "Someone must be protecting them, ensuring you can''t get to them! This is a trap to lure us in, and we''ve fallen right into it!"

    Natalia slumped into her chair, her mind racing as she murmured, "A trap?"

    Beathan gripped his phone tightly. "You were so eager to act, did you cover your tracks? Just wait for the police toe knocking on your door with evidence in hand!"

 Chapter 816

    ?Chapter 816 They''ll Never Leave AliveContent ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Natalia felt a moment of panic. However, she quickly steeled her nerves.

    She said, "Whatever n they have, we''ll win as long as they''re dead!''

    Since things hade this far, there was no turning back. As long as she could kill Emelie and William, especially Emelie, she would gain a huge victory. Everything else could be dealt with afterward.

    If the police started investigating, she could find scapegoats. If there was evidence left behind, she could bribe high-ranking officials to destroy it. If everything failed and she had to go to court, she had the best defense team to let her off scot-free.

    There was nothing that she couldn''t do. It was just a matter of killing two people. What was the big deal?

    As for public opinion or online trolls, who cares about the thoughts of a bunch of nobodies?

    She wanted the Filo family, the Filo Group, and its vast business empire. If she wanted to wear the crown, she had to bear its weight. She was willing to take some risks and pay whatever price was necessary. After all, she had the resources to do so.

    Natalia was determined to go all in. "I''ve got everything in ce. There''s no way they''re leaving Mylen alive. Just wait for my good news!"

    With that, she hung up decisively.

    "Fool!" Beathan thought to himself as he mmed his phone to the ground, his chest heaving with fury.

    He kept his eyes on theputer screen, watching a live stream of the car chase.

    Thest time someone staged such a movie-like scene before the entire world was during the 1994 Harrison Case.

    Back then, it was the same scene. The entire nation of Lablos watched on television as helicopters in the sky and patrol cars on the ground pursued Harrison in a live broadcast of his attempted escape.

    Beathan took off his sses, his unshielded eyes sharp and cold.

    At this point, all he could do was hope that the overly confident Natalia really had what it took to eliminate Emelie and William. Nothing would be worse than William and Emelie returning safely to their positions.

    He exhaled sharply and picked up his phone, dialing Ashley''s number again.

    The phone rang, but there was no answer. He had lost count of how many messages he''d sent Ashley and how many calls he''d made to her.

    Ashley hadn''t replied, hadn''t answered, but she hadn''t blocked him either.

    Her method was ruthless. She kept him on the hook, giving him a sliver of hope that one day she might pick

    up.

    However, each time that she didn''t, that hope would shatter, plunging him into even deeper despair. He knew that she was there but was unable to reach her.

    When the phone stopped ringing, Beathan re-dialed her number. He leaned back against the wall and slid down to the floor, closing his eyes.

    Ever since he''d gotten stuck in Capebatt City and questioned by the police daily, his nerves had been stretched thin. He hadn''t had a moment of peace.

    However, listening to the unanswered ringtone gave him a brief respite.

    The taxi, under the watchful eyes of many, made it to the airport just in time to catch the flight bound for Capebatt City.

    However, just one minute before the ne was set to take off, a loud explosion suddenly echoed across the

    open tarmac.

    The ne exploded in an instant, turning into a massive pile of debris. This scene was captured on camera and wouldter be dubbed the "ne Tragedy Witnessed by All."

    Natalia received the news of the explosion immediately, her eyes gleaming with twisted excitement. "Great! Very good! They''re finally dead. Dead at my hands, after all. They didn''t see iting. I had a backup n and nted a bomb on the ne. Even if they made it to the airport and got on the ne, there was no way they''d leave Mylen!" she said.

    Her confidant, watching the same news of the explosion, was terrified. ''But, Mrs. Russo, the police have caught David and Charlie, they were the ones who nted the bomb-

    Natalia was unconcerned. ''Their families are in my hands. They won''t dare say a word. Ha! I''d love to see Cronus''s face when he finds out that Mandy is dead. It will be very interesting!"

 Chapter 817

    ?Chapter 817 The Call Finally Connected

    Natalia''s confidant wiped away his cold sweat, clearly uneasy. "Mrs. Russo, the authorities have set up an investigation team to look into this whole matter thoroughly. I''m worried that they might trace it back to you.

    "It''s all for show," Natalia said dismissively. "Who would actually waste significant police resources on two foreigners?

    "Even if the Middleton family wants to pursue this, their influence doesn''t reach Barolo. Just grease the right palms and make sure that no one entertains their requests.

    "Can''t you handle such a minor issue? Don''t bother me with this nonsense anymore. It''s done and over. I need to focus on how to bring down Cronus. Without Mandy''s support, he''s no threat at all.

    "Unlike him, I am a Filo by blood. There''s no question about my right to inherit the Filo family. Everyone within the family will support me. Once I''m the head of the family, no one will dare investigate me."

    Natalia waspletely wrapped up in her web of ambition, oblivious to the needles steadily closing in, ready to burst her bubble.

    "Oh, right, I should call Beathan," she said, picking up her phone. "Look how worked up he was. Didn''t I just get things done?"

    However, just as she reached for her phone, her mansion''s front gates were forcefully breached from the outside.

    She looked up sharply to see the police, showing their arrest warrants immediately.

    An officer said, "Natalia Filo, you are under arrest for charges of attempted murder, tampering with a vehicle, endangering public safety, organizing and leading terrorist activities, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, and premeditated murder. I hereby formally ce you under arrest!"

    Natalia was stunned. She hadn''t expected the police to arrive so quickly.

    Hadn''t the incident just happened? How did they find her so fast? Was it those two bombers who ratted on her? Weren''t they afraid for their families'' safety?

    She tried to maintain herposure. "You must be mistaken. Do you not know who I am?"

    The officer calmly replied, "Do I need to repeat myself? You''re Natalia Filo."

    Natalia was furious. "How dare you! Which department are you from? Who''s your superior? I know your-"

    The officer cut her off. ''You know Mr. Corning, right? Half an hour ago, we received a formal report from Mr. Cronus. Mr. Corning has already been detained for epting bribes and protecting criminals."

    Natalia fell silent.

    "If traffic isn''t too bad, you might see him in the interrogation room at the station. Oh, and you might face an additional charge-bribery,'' the officer said.

    Natalia was at a loss for words.

    Meanwhile, in Capebatt City, Beathan sat in front of hisputer, rapidly scrolling through news reports from overseas.

    Journalists reported that, before the takeoff, the airport received an anonymous tip off that there was a bomb on the ne powerful enough to destroy the entire aircraft.

    The airport authorities and the airline took it very seriously, and they immediately evacuated all the passengers and cleared the ne.

    They were about to conduct a thorough search when the explosion urred.

    The silver lining was that because of the timely evacuation, there were no casualties, none at all.

    Beathan closed his eyes and let out a heartyugh.

    That fool, Natalia, had lostpletely and exposed everything. This time, there was no way she was getting out of it.

    If she got caught, he would be next. Since they had been in close contact recently, the police would have no trouble tracing things back to him.

    Besides, if Emelie was the one who had set this trap, she would undoubtedly find a way to drag him into it as well.

    Beathan sat quietly for an hour, his expression cold and dead. He dialed Ashley''s number again.

    He fully expected this call to end like all the others unanswered. But this time, after a few rings, the call connected.

    For several seconds, he couldn''t quite form a response.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.

    When he finally came to his senses, he called out cautiously, "Ashley?"

    "Yes?" the voice said.

    It was Ashley.

 Chapter 818

    ?Chapter 818 Defend Yourself

    Beathan''s voice trembled. "You finally decided to pick up my call. How have you been? I''ve been wanting to see you, but Elias keeps getting in the way, and I can''t get to you. You-''

    Ashley''s voice was like a breeze, weightless and devoid of emotion. "Beathan, if we had just stopped at the moment we broke up, everything after that wouldn''t have happened. You wouldn''t have fallen this low." Beathan''s jaw tightened, and he let out a bitterugh. ''I just can''t ept it. We were together for seven years. How could you throw our rtionship away so easily? It''s like you never even loved me at all!''

    "Beathan, if I didn''t love you, I wouldn''t have been with you for seven years. I loved you deeply, and I had so many dreams about us. Until that day when I opened the door and saw what I saw."

    Beathan''s voice was hoarse. "I''m sorry-"

    Ashley cut him off. "Spare me the verbal apology. You''ll pay for what you''ve done soon enough. That''s the apology I want."

    With that, she hung up.

    Beathan could no longer hear her voice, and he shouted desperately, ''Ashley! Ashley-''

    When he tried calling again, Ashley immediately declined his call.

    He bolted out the door in a frenzy, desperate to find her. However, as soon as he opened the door, he was met with a swarm of police officers outside.

    During his time confined in Capebatt City, he''d seen the police many times. They woulde to interrogate him about this and that, slowly wearing down his mental state, and pushing him to the brink

    This time, however, it was clear that they weren''t there just for questioning.

    They handed him an arrest warrant. "Beathan Collins, you are being charged with intentional assault, attempted murder, bribery, uwful detention, endangering public safety, inciting crimes, transnational crime, organizing, leading, and participating in a terrorist organization.

    "ording to the criminalw, we are formally cing you under arrest. Please get ready to defend yourself this time."

    At the Denning Residence, Emelie finally got to enjoy a hot shower after several days of chaos. She stepped out of the bathroom, wearing soft, warm cotton pajamas, while drying her wet hair.

    Jodie was smiling as she brought Emelie a bowl of chicken soup. "Please have some soup to warm your stomach. The kitchen is preparing dinner now, and you can eat as soon as Mr. Graham arrives."

    Emelie nodded.

    Jodie set down the tray and added, ''Natalia and Beathan have been arrested at their respective residences."

    That was expected, so it wasn''t at all surprising.

    Emelie asked, "What about William?"

    "Mr. Middleton is in the guest room," Jodie replied.

    "Has the doctor visited him?'' Emelie asked.

    Jodie shook her head. "He refused. He said that he''s fine."

    Emelie put down the towel she was using to dry her hair. She nced at the tray with the hot soup, picked it up, and headed to the guest room.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    William was standing by the window, putting down his phone. She didn''t need to guess to know he''d been in contact with Ashton.

    When Emelie knocked on the door, he looked over.

    He''d also taken a shower and changed into clean clothes-a ck shirt and ck trousers. He had also shaved. Except for the fading bruises on his face, he looked every bit the heir of the Middleton family from Capebatt City.

    As Emelie looked at him, William looked back at her

    Her face was clean and free of makeup, and her wet hair was draped over her shoulders. His gaze softened as he saw her dressed infortable loungewear. It reminded him of their three years together.

    He walked over. "After washing your hair, you should dry it right away to avoid getting sick."

    "Why didn''t you let the doctor check you out?" Emelie asked.

    "What''s the point of seeing a doctor when I''m fine? To jinx myself?" William said casually, pulling her into the

    room.

    Emelie set the tray down. "Natalia and Beathan have both been arrested."

    "I know, but I don''t have the full picture. Can you tell me the whole story now?'' William said.

    Emelie smirked. "Is there anything the famously shrewd Mr. Middleton can''t figure out?''

    William pondered for a moment. "It must have started when Beathan and Bryan sent Daphne over to make amends with you, right?"

 Chapter 819

    ?Chapter 819 You Know I Love You

    Bryan had sent Daphne to Emelie as a peace offering, hoping to make amends. However, Beathan had apletely different agenda.

    Back then, they couldn''t figure out what he was trying to aplish. However, with the whole picture clear, it was obvious what his intention was.

    He sent Daphne to stir the pot, making sure that both Emelie and William drank that drugged wine, leading them to sleep together.

    He was convinced that infidelity was the one thing that could never be forgiven between lovers. With Emelie entangled with William again, there was no way the well-respected Wesley would ever forgive her.

    He wanted to break Emelie and Wesley apart.

    However, that wasn''t enough. To truly strike at the heart, he needed to hurt both of them. So, he orchestrated the explosion at the Swanson Technology Park.

    The real culprits behind that explosion were Beathan and Natalia. He used the explosion to make Emelie misunderstand Wesley, making her think he couldn''t forgive her for that night with William and was taking revenge on Bryan in return.

    That way, with misunderstandings and mistrust festering, he could force them apart.

    It was a clever and cunning n, one that involved sacrificing his own ally. Until this day, Bryan still didn''t know he was taken down by his ownrade.

    The only w in his n was that hepletely underestimated the depth of the love and trust between Emelie and Wesley.

    Wesley was willing to ept that Emelie''s intimate encounter with William was a setup by others, and Emelie firmly believed that Wesley wouldn''t disregard innocent lives.

    Hence, they both stayed rational and thought it through. If those two incidents were causing problems between them, who would stand to gain?

    It couldn''t be Charles, who was in prison. Meanwhile, Bryan wouldn''t bring trouble upon himself. It also couldn''t be William

    The only one left was Beathan.

    Beathan had been orchestrating all his plots secretly, but they easily figured out it was him.

    He certainly lived up to his reputation as a greatwyer. He''d done all these things-car idents, kidnappings, bombings-without leaving a shred of evidence.

    There was no catching him without setting a trap. Hence, Emelie and Wesley staged an act of their rtionship falling apart.

    They acted their parts to perfection, sessfully fooling Beathan and Natalia, who had secretly nted listening devices and hidden cameras in their car, office, and the old house.

    The more convincingly they acted, the more reckless Beathan and Natalia became, allowing them to gather the evidence of their crimes.

    The p was fake, the choking was fake, and even confining her at the estate and refusing to let her see a doctor was all fake.

    Emelie and William had managed to escape Natalia''s relentless pursuit in the past few days, all thanks to Wesley''s meticulous nning. Emelie didn''t let William contact his men because she didn''t want things to be

    too safe.

    Given the current public uproar, no amount of protection could save Beathan and Natalia. No one would daree forward to save them.

    It was killing two birds with one stone. Not only could they remove Natalia, the opposition within the Filo

    family to Wesley, but they could also get rid of Emelie''s enemy, Beathan.

    William praised her calmly. "This n... It''s brilliant."

    Emelie smiled and gestured to the bowl of soup she brought. ''Drink it."

    William nced at it. The chicken soup didn''t look like it was meant for him. ''Did you bring your share over for me?"

    Emelie hesitated for a moment. "It''s just a bowl of soup, Mr. Middleton. Don''t read too much into it."

    "Fine, I won''t make assumptions, I''ll ask you directly. When you were nning this, did you factor me in? Did you think that I''de to Mercianna to find you?"

    William stared at her without blinking, catching the subtle change in her expression and how she quickly looked away after hearing his words.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    He slowly smiled. ''You thought about it, didn''t you, angel? You knew that when I found out you were under house arrest, I''de to Mercianna to save you, no matter what. Deep down, you understood that as long as you were in danger, I''d show up. So, you know that I love you a lot."

 Chapter 820

    ?Chapter 820 I Still Have William

    When they firstid out their n, Wesley agreed to let Emelie handle almost everything. However, there were two things that they disagreed on.

    One was Emelie''s idea to use medication to make herself appear gravely ill.

    Wesley didn''t agree with her harming her own body. However, Emelie had always believed that she had to pay the price to obtain what she wanted.

    She didn''t see it as harming herself. Instead, she viewed it as a bargaining chip, a stake in the game. If she wanted Beathan and Natalia to take the bait, she had to throw out a line first.

    "We''veid enough groundwork already. We don''t need to add the whole ''you''re sick, and I won''t let you see a doctor'' part." Wesley tried to persuade her.

    Emelie was firm about her n. "We have to add it. It has to look like you''re being ruthless to me. That''s the only way they''ll believe our rtionship is truly broken and feel confident moving forward with their ns." Wesley insisted, "The doctor is only working for Natalia because of money. I could pay him off too, make him give false evidence.

    "But what if it''s not just about money? What if he betrays you because of that? We''d be exposed." Emelieughed nonchntly.

    She continued, "There''s no need to make it thatplicated. I''ll just take the meds. Even if the others don''t trust it, surely you trust Miles''s medical skills? He said that the drugs won''t cause any serious damage to my organs, and I''ll be able to recover afterward."

    She was ruthless to others and certainly wasn''t kind to herself.

    "Suffering just a little in exchange for the lives of Natalia and Beathan? It''s definitely worth it," she said.

    Then, they had a second disagreement.

    "Even if you take the antidote in time, you''ll still be weak and unable to protect yourself for 24 hours. How are you going to dodge an assassination attempt alone?" Wesleyid out his n. "Let Jodie go with you." Emelie smiled, thinking Mr. Cronus was overthinking things because he cared too much. "Jodie is one of your most trusted people, someone you brought from the Graham family to the Filo family. Anyone else might betray you, but not her or Marcel. If I take her with me, it won''t look believable."Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.

    Wesley suggested a second option. "Then let Lyle go with you. He came to the Filo family because of you in the first ce. If he helps you escape, it would make sense."

    Emelie didn''t think much before replying, "No need. I''m not alone. I still have William with me. If hees, I bet Beathan might just take the opportunity to eliminate him too.

    "Beathan is the kind of person who would rather kill an innocent person than to let them go. He''s afraid William might switch sides and support me, bing his enemy. So, he''ll definitely want to kill William.

    "That''s good. The more things they try to do, the more evidence we can gather against them. Let them make their move."

    Wesley quietly stared at her, his brown eyes growing darker and more intense as he watched her.

    Emelie was puzzled. "What is it?"

    Wesley asked softly, "How do you know William would definitely go to Mercianna to find you?"

    Emelie was taken aback by the question.

    It was just a gut feeling. She just instinctively felt that William woulde.

    It all started when she reappeared in Capebatt City. Whether it was the snowstorm in Borealis City or the ambush at Mount Cinnamon, William always showed up just in time whenever she was in danger. It made her certain that he woulde to save her if he knew she was trapped in Mercianna.

    Wesley never made things difficult for her. Since she couldn''t exin it, he didn''t press further.

    He gently patted her head. "If William doesn''te, let Lyle go with you."

    "Alright," she said.

 Chapter 821

    ?Chapter 821 Anyone But You

    However, William really dide.

    When Emelie was pulled under the stairs and saw his face clearly, she was stunned.

    Stunned that she had guessed correctly. Stunned that he had disregarded his own safety toe find her. And stunned and to realize that, deep down, she had always known how much she meant to him.

    Now, with William spelling it out, Emelie''s first reaction was to get up. "I''m going to blowdry my hair. You can do whatever you want, Mr. Middleton.''

    William quickly grabbed her arm, but Emelie instinctively shook him off.

    It was uncertain whether she was embarrassed or angry, but she must have hurt him somehow, because William let out a muffled groan.

    Emelie remembered the beating he had taken in the alley. Although he didn''t have any internal injuries, the external injuries that he suffered were serious.

    Without thinking, she reached out to steady him.

    However, William had been pretending and took the chance to pull her into his arms.

    Emelie was shocked and tried to push him away, but when he hissed in pain, she froze once more.

    William just wanted to hold her.

    Emelie was tall, but being held by William, who was over six feet tall, she still felt small and delicate. He could envelop herpletely. When he lowered his head, he could breathe in the scent of her neck.

    She could tease him, use him, or do whatever she wanted to him. As long as she still had feelings for him, even just the tiniest bit, that was enough for him.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.

    Jodie went to look for Emelie when she didn''t return to the room for a long time. So, she saw them locked in an embrace in the room through the opened door.

    She froze and then blurted out, "Ma''am!"

    Emelie snapped back to reality and immediately tried to push him away, but William held her tighter. "You never answered my question at the clinic. Do you dare to make a bet with me?"

    "Let go!" she yelled.

    Emelie wanted to push him away, but then she remembered that he might have a wound on his chest. Unsure where to ce her hands, she ended up just gripping his clothes.

    William ignored her attempts to break free and asked in a low voice, "If you find out Wesley really is... then marry me in April.''

    Emelie was extremely frustrated. "William, if you don''t let go of me, don''t me me for what happens next!" William wanted an answer. "Yes or no?"

    Jodie, unable to hear what they were saying, frowned with worry. "Ma''am, Mr. Graham has arrived."

    Emelie didn''t care anymore and shoved him away.

    William stubbornly demanded, "Will you agree?"

    Emelie took a deep breath, finding it utterly ridiculous. ''Do you honestly think that that''s possible, William? Even in your wildest dreams, you should know when to stop. Are you out of your mind, thinking we could ever get to that point?"

    A flicker of pain crossed William''s eyes.

    "I would marry anyone in the world but you!" she said.

    Emelie pushed him away forcefully. Then, she left with Jodie without a second nce.

    She walked quickly, as if she could no longer stand it, or as if she were fleeing.

    Jodie followed behind, hesitant to speak.

    Emelie descended the stairs, her gaze fixed straight ahead. She saw several ck cars parked in the courtyard, with the butler and maids weing them.

    Wesley had returned.

    Emelie paused, quickly tidied her slightly disheveled clothes and hair, and took a deep breath.

    She turned around to nce at Jodie and said calmly, "If you think I''ve betrayed Wesley, go ahead and tell him.

    Jodie said, "I won''t say a word, ma''am. But, even if William helped you after that and saved your life, don''t forget that he tried to kill you once. The scar on your chest will never fade. What''s more, your adoptive mother died at his hands."

 Chapter 822

    ?Chapter 822 Two Men, One Show

    Emelie didn''t forget. How could she possibly forget something like this?

    "I''ve been seeking revenge all along. I never strayed from my path,'' Emelie replied calmly.

    She noticed the butler opening the car door, and Wesley stepped out of the car, dressed in light-colored attire. He spoke to the butler as he walked toward the house.

    Jodie said, "Yes, you''ve taken down three out of the four people on your list, with only William left. You should stay focused. And you''re right. You can marry anyone but him. You''ve been deceived too many times." Emelie balled her hands into fists. Her nails, which were untrimmed for days, dug into her palms. The slight pain brought her back to reality.

    As Wesley entered the house, Emelie walked down the stairs.

    Their eyes met, and the tension in Emelie''s nerves suddenly eased. She smiled and quickened her pace.

    Wesley walked toward her as well and pulled her into a hug. "You''ve had a tough few days.''

    Perhaps from his rushed return, Emelie felt that Wesley''s embrace was a bit cold. ''It''s fine. We won, so it''s worth it. I already said that getting two lives in return wouldn''t be a loss."

    "Did Dr. Miles check on you?" Wesley asked gently. "Are you hurt?''

    "With me by her side, how could she be hurt?" William walked down from the second floor.

    The two men''s eyes met. One was indifferent, the other was calm.

    Wesley released Emelie and stepped slightly to the side, then took a step forward to shield her behind him.

    "I should thank you, Mr. Middleton, for protecting Eme over thest few days," Wesley said.

    William leaned against the banister and smirked. ''Do you call her Eme? I thought you''d call her Mandy."

    Emelie turned her head to the side, detecting the hidden meaning in his words.

    Wesley''s expression remained calm. ''Both of them are her. Your people have been waiting outside the estate for a while now, Mr. Middleton. If there''s nothing else, I won''t be seeing you out."

    William didn''t seem eager to leave. "Considering we worked together this time, shouldn''t you be more amodating, Mr. Graham? Let me stay here for a few days to recover. What''s the harm?''

    "It''s inconvenient." Wesley hadn''t been provoked by such tactics since he was ten years old.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.

    "Oh? And how exactly is it inconvenient?'' William asked.

    William, who had good social skills due to his years of experience in the business world, knew better than to push things too far. But today, he seemed determined to press the issue.

    Wesley chuckled. ''Surely, Mr. Middleton, you have some self awareness?''

    The tension between the two men was thick and undeniable.

    Emelie didn''t know how to stop them, so she chose not to.

    "Jodie, inform everyone that we''ll have an online meeting with the public rtions, marketing, and advertising departments in an hour," she said.

    Even though they had orchestrated Natalia''s downfall, she was still a member of the Filo family and a shareholder of the Filo Group. They had to deal with the aftermath caused by such a huge scandal. Jodie acknowledged her instructions.

    Then, Emelie turned to the butler. "Is the food ready? I''m starving."

    The butler quickly said, "It''s ready. Master, ma''am, and this... guest, please,e to the dining room.

    The butler wasn''t sure of William''s identity, but he could sense some tension between him and Wesley. Still,

    the prestigious Filo family couldn''t afford to be poor hosts.

    William didn''t hesitate. "Thank you for the invitation."

    The three of them sat at the round dining table, each upying a third of the space. The atmosphere grew even more bizarre.

 Chapter 823

    ?

    Chapter 823 Childish

    Emelie loved Eastern cuisine. During her three years in Faldoria, she mostly ate Eastern food. Wesley, who had lived abroad for over a decade, was ustomed to Achelean food.

    However, whenever they dined together, Wesley would always amodate Emelie''s preferences. He always ensured that the Eastern chefs in the estate prepared the meals.

    This meal was also pure Eastern cuisine. There was steamed fish, garlic and vermicelli shrimp, braised pork ribs with chestnuts, fish in spicy pickled broth, tomato and potato stew with beef brisket, and ck pepper ribs.

    There were all hearty dishes, prepared to make up for the hardships Emelie had endured in recent days.

    However, William smirked after taking a look at the spread.

    He asked Emelie, "Do you not eat here often?"

    "What?" Emelie responded.

    William served her a bowl of soup. "The kitchen doesn''t even know you don''t eat spicy food."

    Out of the ten dishes, six were spicy.

    He was implying that Emelie wasn''t familiar with the Denning Residence, and by extension, not familiar with Wesley either

    Wesley remained calm. Mr. Middleton, you think you''re clever, but there''s a limit. Why not taste the food yourself first and see if it''s spicy?"N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    The chefs knew the right amount of chili to use. They preserved the dishes'' original vors while ensuring Emelie could enjoy them.

    "We''re getting married next month, Mr. Middleton, and you still think I don''t know Emelie''s taste? That''s presumptuous to the point of beingughable."

    Wesley was usually good-tempered and rarely spoke so sharply to anyone. However, just as William frowned at the mere mention of Wesley''s name, Wesley''s dislike for William was equally intense.

    Wesley ced some vegetables on Emelie''s te. This was her must-have at every meal.

    The butler added softly. "Mr. Graham doesn''t eat spicy food either. The chef is well aware of that."

    "Oh? So Mr. Graham doesn''t eat spicy food," William remarked coldly. "It seems like your tastes are passed down through generations."

    The term ''passed down through generations" could be referring to their shared hometown of Capebatt City, implying simr tastes. Yet, it could also suggest a blood rtion.

    Wesley''s gaze turned cold, colder than a March''s chill.

    William picked up a shrimp, carefully removing the garlic paste and peeling it before cing the meat in a small bowl. Then, he handed it to Emelie.

    He said, "You''ve always been particr. You love shrimp but hate getting your hands dirty. If no one peels them for you, you won''t eat them."

    "That''s why all the shrimp at Denning Residence is prepared for easy eating, so Emelie can help herself. Mr. Middleton, you should mind your own business and not go overboard," Wesley said.

    Emelie was rendered speechless. These two men seemed determined to argue over anything, the tension between them was impossible to ignore.

    Since there was no sign of them stopping, Emelie pinched the bridge of her nose and stood up. "Jodie, have something simple sent to the study. I''ll eat there."

    She wasn''t interested in ying a mediator for them. They were adults and CEOs of massive corporations.

    Yet, here they were, bickering like schoolchildren. Anyone unaware might mistake them for three-year-olds.

    They could continue arguing if they wanted to. Emelie couldn''t care less. Her mind was a mess right now, and she had no energy to deal with them.

    As soon as she left, the two men fell silent.

    Jodie nced at them before signaling the staff to bring over a tray. Then, she served a little of each dish. William watched and said, "The fish has a lot of small bones. Don''t give her any, or she might choke when she''s multitasking. And skip the shrimp too. It can get a bit fishy when cold, and she doesn''t like that."

    Jodie couldn''t help but look at William.

    It wasn''t that she thought that he was more attentive than Wesley; she was just surprised to see this considerate side of him. It didn''t match the image she had of him as a cold, ruthless man who would even kill his wife just to further his own interests.

    Jodie didn''t respond but followed his instructions, then she carried the tray upstairs.

    This left the two men alone at the dining table. Neither of them left. Instead, they ate in silence, facing each other.

    Even the butler couldn''t help but hold his breath. He sensed the tension growing and the atmosphere bing increasingly dangerous.

    Suddenly, William broke the silence. "Kingston Pierce."

    Wesley didn''t react at all.

    After nearly a minute, he finally looked up, his gaze as sharp as a de. "Who are you calling, Mr. Middleton?"

 Chapter 824

    ?Chapter 824 Confess To Her Yourself

    William said, "Kingston is the name of Emelie''s biological brother. She has been searching for him all these years. There''s no way you wouldn''t know that, Mr. Graham.

    "Yet, when I mentioned his name, your first question was, ''Who are you calling?'' instead of, ''Did you find Kingston?" or "What happened to Kingston?''

    A cold glint seemed to solidify in Wesley''s eyes. "Do you think that I wouldn''t dare toy a hand on you, Mr. Middleton?"

    "Are you nning to silence me?" William scoffed. He carefully removed the small bones from a piece of fish, his actions unhurried.

    William continued, "Toote. I''ve already told Emelie everything I know. And you know she''s not the kind of person who would ept being kept in the dark.

    "She will seek out the truth no matter what, unless you somehow manage to change your DNA. Otherwise, she will find out."

    Wesley''s jaw tightened, his expression hardening. Fury filled the air around him.

    The butler took a few steps back. He was intimidated by them, but also because he thought that he shouldn''t be listening to this conversation.

    William lifted his gaze, his eyes glinting dangerously. "You have another option, and that is to confess to her yourself before she uncovers the truth through cold, hard facts.Content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ''Wesley, you should know that once her suspicions are confirmed, she will be devastated, as well as disgusted

    Thest word hit Wesley like a tidal wave, and he suddenly let out a coldugh. "I don''t understand what you''re talking about, Mr. Middleton."

    William narrowed his eyes.

    Wesley picked up a napkin and wiped his hands while looking at William. He said clearly and coldly, ''I shared this meal with you because you protected Emelie. But staying here? Impossible. This is Emelie''s and my marital home, and we don''t wee outsiders."

    He tossed the napkin aside, stood up from the table, and said to the butler, ''Ensure Mr. Middleton is well taken care of. See him out after he finishes his meal.

    The butler bowed his head. "Yes, sir."

    Wesley headed straight upstairs.

    William''s expression remained cold. If it weren''t because he wanted to lessen the blow that Emelie would inevitably face, he wouldn''t have bothered to say anything to Wesley.

    He set down his cutlery, intending to go upstairs to find Emelie.

    However, the butler stopped him. "Sir, Mr. Graham instructions were to leave after you finished eating." "Then kindly inform Ms. Pierce that I''m leaving," William said calmly. "Whether or not she wishes toe down to see me off is entirely up to her.''

    The butler decided that this was reasonable after some thought. He signaled a servant to go upstairs.

    Five minutester, Emelie appeared at the top of the staircase.

    William smiled. "Ms. Pierce, will you see me off?"

    Emelie hesitated for a moment but walked down the stairs and apanied him out of the main house, heading toward the estate''s entrance.

    William informed her that he would be staying in Mercianna for a while to recover from his injuries and that he would be staying at a certain hotel. He told her that if she needed anything, she could call him or visit him.

    Emelie nced at him, considering asking if he needed her to rmend a doctor. But then, she

    remembered that this was William. Finding a doctor, even in a foreign country, would hardly be a challenge for him. So, she didn''t bother asking.

    Instead, she said, "I''m not going to bother you. Once you''ve recovered, you should return to the country. The mess at the Xanther Group is getting worse by the day. You''ll have your hands full, so take care of yourself."

    William wanted to discuss the same matter with her. ''There''s an old saying, ''Old institutions die hard.'' From what I know of Beathan, he won''t go down without a fight."

    Emelie frowned. Beathan had already been taken into custody by the police. What was William talking about? William added, "Don''t forget, the people who came after us were sent by Natalia, not Beathan. He''s the most cunningwyer, a master at exploiting legal loopholes. There''s a chance he could find a way to defend himself and escape once again."

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